[zeolite]

Hi
Well I am off to tropical climes next year and I expect to be fishing in and around Malaysia so it wll be a bit of a change of temperature for me and of course the fly lines. I have been told that the "normal" lines I use will be too limp to work. Can anyone confirm this and suggest lines that will work?

[Rob Brownfield]

Hi,
Right, having been brought up in SE Asia I hope I can put you on the right tracks.

I once tried fishing with an 8 weight Cortland 444 line in one of the esturys and indeed it was difficult to work with. Not only was it wxtremely limp due to the temperature (which meant it did not hold its shape in the air and collapsed) it alos went "sticky" as the plasticisers leached out. Within a mounth it was goosed!!

So, tropical lines are worth getting..BUT, I have not seen a freshwater specific tropical line  and some of the best fishing was for freshwater species, as it was much easier to access. Not only predators such as the Sumatran Tiger fish but als Carp

If you want tropical lines though, the best place i have come across in the UK is Taclkebargins. They sell a lot of old stock etc at very very good prices. I have yet to buy a "specialist" line from them that has not been perfect (might not come with a box etc, but so what )

Have a look here... http://www.tacklebargains.co.uk/acatalog/Tropical_Saltwater_Fly_Lines.html

or

Sometimes you can get really cheap ones here in the ex-display section.... http://www.tacklebargains.co.uk/acatalog/Ex-Display_Clearance_Fly_Lines.html but you have to hunt around sometimes.

Hope that helps a little,
Ron

oh..and as Sandy is living out in Brunei just now, he might be a good person to PM.

[zeolite]

Thanks for that Rob. It seems it is pointless then taking any of my carefully assembled suite of lines. Ah well.
I have been doing some research and it seems there are stocked "dubs" Malaysian style to try out on as well.
I have seen the tackle bargains stuff but it is more for SWFFing than freshwater and they don't do lighter line sizes. I was looking for 5 weight for my travel rod to keep in my rig bag.

I was actually out in Brunei in June/July but wasn't thinking of any fishing then.

[Jim Eddie]

Ian

I think you will struggle getting a WF5 , most of the Tropical lines are bonefish / Tarpon lines starting WF8 and upwards.
There is a WF6 line on e-bay, I'm sure your WF5# rod could hanlde 1 line up.
I believe Magnus has fished with the Airflo Tropical lines and think they are OK 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Airflo-Tropical-Saltwater-Fly-Fishing-Line-WF6-Floating_W0QQitemZ390091101758QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_SportsLeisure_Fishing_Line_JN?hash=item5ad33dd63e&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

 

Jim

[Rob Brownfield]

Its probably long gone now, but there used to be a fly fishing shop in Singapore, full to the brim of things I could only have dreampt of! They had "tropical" lines down to about a 5 weight. I am sure they where made for the Aussie market by shakespeare, it I remember.

Airflo do a WF6 tropical saltwater line...but not sure where you would get one from.

Orvis do a Generation 3 Warm Water line, but again a 6 weight. Pretty sure Ben could get one of those post haste.

Some of the US Bass (not Stiper lines) lines might be ok as they are designed for large mouth bass down in the southern states. They will probably have a heavy front taper thought.

Or you could just take a spinning rod

[Sandy Nelson]

Hi Ian

I've been out here (south china sea) nearly 3 months now
I brought a couple of 9wt outfits with me to go offshore looking for GT's, Tuna, barracuda, spanish mackeral and the like.
I would say i could do with a 6wt (i brought my 5 with me too) for fishing the coastline, some of the flies a fairly smallish. Not like the big things i need for the offshore.
Depends what you have in mind.
As for lines, i spoke to lots of people (especially in OZ) before i came and the concensus was that Rio make the best tropical spec lines.
Lots of models and sizes (sportfish and guide fishing stockists)
I have Rio Outbound short head tropical floater and Rio saltwater Tropical Intermediate lines and they are fantastic, the intermediate is a real missile and flies for miles.
The short head is great for big poppers. They felt very stiff at home (still castable though) but here they are lovely. Smooth yet still firm, great to cast.

My standard lines from home are too soft here, most of the time (ok in the middle of the night ) You can cast them ok but when you start to use weighted flies they just die.
Where in Malaysia are you going (we are 45mins from Miri where there is some great fishing, mostly offshore or inshore)
I know there is good fishing on the peninsula too, depends what you want to catch. As i said i'm trying mainly for GT's, gives me a focus plenty different from the norm at home.
You will need a 9wt at least for this, bring a 12wt too and there is lots of Billfish to catch (klingons are the fly ) Check out the saltwater guys at Sexyloops Board, many know the good fishing here and around Oz and are well worth speaking too, some good stuff on there at the moment about Malaysian Billfish

Hope it helps

Cheers

Sandy

[Sandy Nelson]

Forgot to add

I'm avoiding the freshwater at the moment, two people eaten by crocs in the last week
Kinda a puts you off wandering the banks of the river or lakes, especially when you get up in the air and can see the beasties in the water
So i'm sticking to boats.

The tackle shop in singapore is still there, and is very good, stocks, Sage, abel, rio, SA, and the like, so a good selection of quality gear.
Cant remember its name off hand but you can find it on google.

Sandy

[Rob Brownfield]

Sandy, where did the folk get chomped?

Where abouts are you staying? (As in village/town)?

Is there still the tackle shop in Seria? Run by a smily Chinese chappie?

[Sandy Nelson]

Rob

We are in G10 at the moment. Opposite side of Jalan Tengah from the panaga, just where Supasave is.
Quite like it actually
Excellant tackle shop in Seria plaza loads of cool lures etc, loads of stuff for bait or spinning, almost zero on the fly.

There was a fisherman munched on monday in the Belait, when he dived in to free his net
And a 4 year old was taken whilst bathing in the Tutong river, with his dad and brother.

The chap in the belait was a cousin of one of the guys at work and his missus was in the boat watching

Apparently it is becoming more frequent as the habitat upstream is being changed and the crocs are moving down to closer to the sea.

Dont want to hijak this thread though

Sandy

[Rob Brownfield]

Fair do's about hijacking, but losly related to fly lines!

[zeolite]

Sandy
I was in Brunei last June/July and was mostly offshore drilling on the Champion West platform. I was staying for a few days in KB. Pity I didn't know where you were. I was in Seria getting a medical and had a meal in the food hall. No bad after effects either. I actually stayed away from the beach due to the sand fly reports.

I have transferred to Malaysia even though I have never been there! So will be moving there in March or so next year. Miri sounded like a blast but as I have to take the Mrs Z we will be heading to KL at least to begin with.
I have now joined the fishing.net.my and have been chatting to some guys there. However I still need to get a line to start off with.

[Mike Barrio]

Hi guys

I would think a Rio would be a good choice, at least I here plenty of good reports about them for those type of conditions

Might be worth asking Ben about Orvis ones? ....... Some of these have a fairly hard coating too.

Best wishes
Mike

[Rob Brownfield]

Mrs Z we will be heading to KL at least to begin with.

Cut up the credit card...NOW
Some good fishing to be had round KL. I understand there is an artificial salt water lake there full of Barramundi! Now they would be fun on the fly...