Sharkskin Everywhere

Scientific Anglers‘ Sharkskin technology took the industry by storm when it was first announced, but the number of lines one could get with the treatment was very limited. The first tapers available also had quite a deep emboss, which made the lines extra loud and extra flesh-cutting. SA has now tweaked the design, making the embossing somewhat lighter, and has also spread the Sharkskin treatment almost throughout the whole range of Mastery-series tapers (distance casters in particular are clamoring for the 120’ long competition line).
Probably the biggest new model, however, is the new Kelly Galloup-designed series, which builds on the Streamer Express lines. The older Streamer Express lines are best described as integrated shooting heads; they have thin running lines and heavier front sections, and they’re great for getting really deep with really heavy flies. The new Galloup lines will have a three-step chemistry, with a floating running line, an intermediate rear taper on the head, and a heavy sinking head-to-tip section. The idea is to keep a fly swimming along just a foot or two below the surface on a level plane, instead of having it constantly trying to swim up to the surface. Better yet, the Sharkskin treatment will be applied to the lines through to the front section, where it will stop (demonstrating what many suspected: SA can control where and how much to Sharkskin on a line). That way, for short bank-bashing casts, all the Sharkskinned sections will be on the reel, reducing noise and potential guide wear when it is not needed.
Galloup’s style of fishing by bashing the banks with articulated, large streamers, swimming just sub-surface, is akin to how competition bass anglers work a lake. And it really, really works, especially for big, aggressive brown trout. It’s nice to see a guy like Galloup getting his fingers on the levers of design; he is talented and this line should be very useful.
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