Gear Review: Scientific Anglers Amplitude Smooth Carp Fly Line
Scientific Anglers’ bespoke carp line is an all-around improvement on previous industry attempts. Photos: Rick Mikesell
Carp tapers have been offered by fly line companies before, but most felt like they were not designed by anglers who actually chase carp. They were too light and delicate, and they struggled to deliver the accurate, tight presentations with the limited false casts this species demands. Carp are spooky, but you need a line that can put the fly in front of them quickly, before they spook or slide away—a line to pick up, put down, and be accurate.
The Right Weight in the Right Place
The new Scientific Anglers Amplitude Smooth Carp ($99.95) is the first line that checks almost all the boxes for the way carp eat in varied water types. It carries extra weight in the front half of the head, which makes quick shots simple, but the front taper remains long enough to avoid the splash that can ruin a presentation. Scientific Anglers lists the head at 45.5 feet with a 15-foot rear taper, and on the water it translates into excellent loop stability at distance and a smooth roll cast when space is tight. It pairs well with my favorite carp rods: the very quick Orvis Helios D 7-weight and the more progressive Airlite Cargo 7-weight.
Durability Where It Counts
Durability has always been a strength of the Amplitude series, and this one is no exception. Carp live around concrete, riprap, and shopping carts, and many lines will not survive long. The AST Plus additive makes the line shoot easily and protects against abrasion. My previous go-to was the Amplitude Smooth Infinity, but this taper improves on it for carp. It handles heavy flies in current without the tailing loops that often plague short-front tapers, and it still carries well in the air when you need to change direction.
Carp environments are notoriously rocky and abrasive, which requires a very durable line.
Bridging the Seasons
One of the more interesting features is the tropical coating laid over a coldwater core. Scientific Anglers designed this to cover the wide range of temperatures where carp feed. In summer heat, it stayed slick and never wilted, as the Infinity sometimes does. On cool mornings, I noticed a bit of coiling, though a quick stretch solved the issue. It is far less coily than most warmwater lines, but I suspect it may not be at its best for true winter fishing.
On the Water
In practice, the line floats high, mends easily, and transmits power instantly on the set, giving me confidence that hooks were finding purchase. Roll-casting mid river in the Denver South Platte, long shots on still waters, and quick pitches to cruising fish all felt natural. It excelled with heavy jigged flies and with surface patterns for clooping* fish, which makes it a versatile taper for anyone chasing carp.
Jake Villwock, armed with an Amplitude Carp Taper shows off clooping carp that ate in the surface foam.
A True Carp Line, and More
At $99.95 and available in WF6F, WF7F, and WF8F, the Amplitude Smooth Carp will also serve anglers targeting other species that demand a floating line in moderate to warm conditions. For my fishing it is the most complete carp line I have used to date.
Check Out the New Amplitude Smooth Carp Taper
* Clooping: the behavior where carp feed at the surface of the water by swimming with their mouths open, often in shallow areas or on the surface film, to consume insects, seeds, or other small food items.
