WFS 328 – Choosing a Line for Fly Fishing with Jarvis from Monic Fly Lines

Show Notes: wetflyswing.com/328

Presented By: Reyr Gear, FishHound Expeditions, Anglers Coffee, Togens Fly Shop

Sponsors: wetflyswing.com/sponsors

“What advantage does the clear give you?” That’s the question to start this episode with on choosing a line for fly fishing.

Jarvis from Monic Fly Lines is here today to break down fly lines so you have a better feel for the types of lines out there and their uses. We find out how the different materials affect the performance of a line, the advantages of a clear line, and the ideal line for specific species and water.

Jarvis also shares his experience hunting with the Hadza tribe and some of his saltwater trips in the Bahamas. Plus, we hear a story about one of their customers who has a 20-year-old clear Monic fly line that still works.

Line for Fly Fishing Show Notes with Jarvis

08:10 – Jarvis got a job at Monic Fly Lines as a manufacturing assistant then later on stepped in for the managing role

09:20 – Bob Romano was on the podcast at WFS 314 where we talked about the Rangeley Lakes Region in Maine

11:00 – Jarvis excelled in school. He’s pretty smart and got into some scholarships.

12:40 – Jarvis took up Anthropology in College

13:20 – The Hadza are modern hunter-gatherer people living in northern Tanzania. They are considered one of the last hunter-gatherer tribes in Africa with approximately 1,300 tribe members.

19:50 – Monic Fly Lines are PVC-free. They use naturally buoyant plastics that’s why they float well.

22:00 – The Monic 101 is their basic trout line

22:55 – The front taper is where the line begins to change in diameter. The belly section is the thickest portion of that line. Your rear taper is where it starts to go back down in diameter

27:00 – For beginners, a little heavier line, one size up, will make you feel the dynamics of your casting. If you have a 5 wt fast rod, a 6 wt line is recommended. If it’s medium-fast, a true to weight size like 5 wt would be good

39:55 – Airflo Fly Lines also make PVC-free lines

41:30 – Jarvis explains how their lines become clear and talks about its stealth advantages

47:10 – Jarvis talks about how Bob Goodale, the founder, started Monic. Their first line was a clear floating line. Read more about the company’s history here.

49:00 – Their Henley Series has a material that they call MoniCore

50:20 – The Henley Phantom Tip is one of their latest lines. Jarvis explains its advantages for fresh and saltwater

51:50 – One of their customer showed Jarvis a 20-year-old clear Monic line – it already turned yellow because of the UV damage but it still works

52:30 – Monic will replace your fly line if it breaks on the first year of buying it

55:10 – All the fly lines they produce are made from Boulder Colorado

56:30 – There’s a chart in each type of line on their website for you to have a general idea of how your setup would be. There’s a chat box there on the website too – send them a message and Jarvis or any from the Monic crew will gladly help

59:00 – Their Icicle line has a more advanced taper called Javelin taper

1:04:00 – The Saltwater Master series has a slickening agent built-in

1:06:45 – Jarvis had a saltwater trip with Denis Isbister in the Bahamas to do some content for Monic. Denis runs the Wild Fish Wild Places TV show

1:08:40 – Jarvis caught a horse side yellow tail jack

1:10:00 – Jarvis talks about his experience fishing in Acklins, a little southeast of the Bahamas

1:13:20 – We had Oliver White at WFS 69 where we talked about the Bahamas

1:13:50 – Enter your favorite fly at wetflyswing.com/topfly to win a box of flies

1:14:30 – Jarvis picks his top fly for fresh and saltwater. For trout, he picks Gold-ribber Hares Ear. For saltwater, he picks the Gotcha Shrimp pattern

Line for Fly Fishing Conclusion with Jarvis

So there you go. I hope you learned some things that will help you decide on what type of line you’re getting next. I think that you can never go wrong with the clear ones. The stealthy type is always great to avoid spooking the fish.

If you’re a beginner, Jarvis recommends to up that line 1 step so that you can feel the dynamics of your casting better. Practice, and practice, then practice some more. Once you feel good about your casting, then you can experiment on your gear setup as you please.

If you want to connect with Jarvis and the Monic team, send them a message on Instagram or via the Monic website chat box. They will gladly assist you in getting that perfect line for your needs and preference.

Show Notes: wetflyswing.com/328