PRODUCT REVIEW: SCIENTIFIC ANGLERS SONAR TITAN SINKING FLY LINE
Fly Fishing is a sport full of opportunities to learn and be challenged. That is why many of us love it. We enjoy the days when fish will eat anything we throw but most of us genuinely remember the fish we worked hard for. I had a memorable opportunity to push my skills and equipment on a recent trip to Costa Rica. I spent two days with a 10 weight fly rod in the Pacific Ocean fishing from a Panga (small boat). It was awesome. There are all types of fish there but I was focusing on Jack Crevalle and Roosterfish. Here’s a little review of my experience utilizing Scientific Anglers Sonar Titan Sinking Fly Line.
The reason I chose a sinking fly line is simple. I only had one reel and spool and I knew from a previous trip that I needed a line that would get my flies down. Most fishing in this particular area of the Pacific takes place below the surface in about 10-30 meters (30-90 feet) of water. Ideally a fly or lure is cast out, drops to the bottom and is jigged or stripped up to the surface. Fish attack on the drop, first or second strip and often even right at the boat. After a little research I found that Scientific Anglers had the best line with the fastest and deepest sink rates. I specifically took the WF-10-S Sonar Titan Sink 5. It has a head length of 10meters/33.5feet, a total length of 32meters/105feet, a weight of 380gr and the Sink 5 version that I took sinks at 6 inches/second. That is all relevant information to me for a couple of reasons. I would be fishing at depths close to 30 meters or more so I needed a line that would reach that depth. The Sonar Titan does. I would also be fishing in an area with strong currents and needed something with a quick sink rate. At 6 inches per second the Sonar Titan was the fastest I found.
When I put the line to the test I found that it did everything as advertised. Being a weight forward line I found that it loaded the rod well. I admittedly need practice casting streamers for distance but when I found the rhythm of my double haul the line would shoot easily. Once it hit the water it would sink instantly and even sunk my unweighted flies to the bottom. Depending on the depth I was fishing in I would give 10-20 seconds for the line to sink. It had good contact in the water and felt fine in my hands when retrieving. I didn’t use gloves or tape and had no issues with cuts or blisters on my fingers. Essentially, it sunk to the depths I needed, at a rate I was hoping and in strong currents like I was expecting. For the budget angler looking for a first sinking line it was a great choice. It would also probably be a great choice for anyone fishing in still waters needing flies to get down deep and fast.
I was also impressed with how adaptable the line was to other uses it wasn’t exactly designed for. I happened to be blessed with calm weather and excellent conditions for my fishing days. Fish were everywhere and especially crashing bait on the surface. Often, fish were crashing close enough for me to cast into the chaos and hook up. The Sonar Titan worked great and it was easy to keep contact with my fly when it was important to begin stripping right away. It seemed to get the fly just below the surface with no pause and a fast retrieve. That was my best tactic and I caught several Jack’s this way.
Something else worth mentioning is how well the line performed when fighting fish. It isn’t a quality I usually think about but with salt water fish it can be an issue. The Sonar Titan didn’t stretch when fighting strong fish in ocean currents. I was able to “lean” on them when needed and bring the fish to the surface without issues. It is also nice the line has a color change at the 30’ mark to identify where I was in the battle.
Overall, I had a blast and the Sonar Titan gave me several options that were successful over the two days of fly fishing. I saw amazing things and made some great memories. I challenged my equipment, abilities and caught so many fish my shoulder was worn out. Not too bad for a trout bum from Colorado. It can be easy to get caught up in the small things (it stings when that roosterfish you really want gets away). The fun is getting out and exploring. Look around, breathe, relax, fishing will become catching. Please contact me or Cutthroat Anglers with any additional questions about my trip or gear.
Pura Vida!
By Blake Montey
