Terenzio Zandri Silk Fly Lines and Leaders
I am proud to now be offering fine silk fly
fishing lines and leaders from Terenzio Zandri Silk Lines of Italy!
Terenzio Zandri Silk Lines are available in
Genuine Silk and what he calls “Artificial Silk.”
Personally, (and aren’t all things Fly Fishing personal
after all?) I find the casting qualities of a silk line superior to plastic lines. The difference between casting a silk line
and a plastic line in the wind is more than enough reason alone to make the switch, but there are other things to take into
account.
Presumably, you are looking at my website because you have
an interest in split bamboo fly rods. Perhaps, other than your personal choice of reel, (classic (old) rather than modern
(new)), no other single piece of gear will bring out the best in your bamboo rod than a silk fly line.
Terenzio Zandri (yes, there is an actual guy named Terenzio
who makes each line) builds these lines in whole and half line weights. Terenzio’s lines are rated according to AFTMA’s
standards. Although the old system of letter rating silk lines by diameter is not used, the diameters are very close to original
specifications.
“I like my plastic line! Why should I switch to silk?
Simple…the most discernable difference is noticed
when you make a cast on a breezy day. That line cuts the wind like few other lines can. The smaller line diameter couple with
the same weight means less air resistance.
Then, you’ll find that a silk line and leader floats
in the same manner that your fly does. Through surface tension and not buoyancy, When you pick your line off the water for
the next cast, the plastic line is deeper in the water. When you pick that line up, more water is moved that supports the
line. You are actually “digging, and dragging” the line out of the water with your lift.
With your silk line, you are simply breaking the surface
tension to lift your line up.
There are other things you will find soothing and enjoyable
about silk. The most noticeable likely is you find your line “sings” when you shoot it. Yes, you will find yourself
shooting line more often. The music a silk line makes while zipping through the guides is music… at least, to my ears!
“OK, but I always have heard that silk lines rot and
require a ton of maintenance?”
Hmmm…a ton? No. Some? Yes.
Is it time consuming and inconvenient? No. But if you’re
already using a bamboo rod you likely already have your ritual down pat! What you’ll add to your ritual is two more
steps. Applying Terenzio’s “grease” or Red Tin Mucilin, and giving your line a little time to dry.
When I pull into the parking lot (whatever that might be)
I do this. First take your rod out of the tube and set the reel on the reel seat. I fish out of a truck so the rod is laid
in the bed. Saturate a cloth with Terenzio’s grease and pull line off the reel through the soaked rag. As I’m
pulling the line off it’s coiled in big open loops in the bed of my truck. Make sure all of the line gets coated. It
goes pretty quick.
While you’re gearing up with the rest of your junk,
let the line sit and soak up the grease.
Got your waders and boots on now? Good, now find a dry spot
on your rag and reel your line back on the reel wiping off the excess grease. The line is ready to fish for the day! That
was pretty tough, eh?
All done fishing for the day? You do wipe your rod down
before putting it back in the bag don’t you? DON’T YOU!?! Of course you do! After you wipe down your rod, strip
the line off the reel again through a dry rag, I like a chamois. I use it for my rod as well. After you get your waders off
and boots put away, reel the line back through the cloth or chamois, to pull whatever water might be left on your line off.
It’s just a finishing touch.
“That’s too much trouble…I’d rather
just use a plastic line.”
OK by me! Buy yourself a new plastic line every year or
two. I’ll still be using the same silk line for the next twenty years or so. And NO, the line does not have a twenty
year guarantee! Let’s do some math (I hate this!) One $50.00 fly line every two years for twenty years equals $500.00?
I think that’s right! Not counting for inflation of course. Who knows what a plastic line will cost five or ten years
from now, let alone twenty years.
One Terenzio genuine silk line? $170.00.
Eh…no brainer.
All of Terenzio’s fly lines are supplied with TWO
tapered silk leaders and one generous bottle of Terenzio’s grease and complete instructions as to initial care and feeding
of your new line. There is a short break in period with each line. This is due mainly to the method of making Terenzio’s
lines. The finish/coating is in the line, not on it You will have many years of enjoyment using your genuine Terenzio Zandri Silk
Fly Line!
OK, I already gave you the price but here I go again!
Please check with me prior to ordering your line as the
price of the lines and leaders varies due to the exchange rate between the USD and the Euro.
And, by the way, if these sound pricey, check out the other
couple of companies prices who make silk lines.
Genuine Silk Line (includes two silk tapered leaders
and generous bottle of proprietary grease) $170.00
Artificial Silk Line (includes two silk tapered leaders
and generous bottle of proprietary grease) $140.00
Terenzio Zandri’s Fine Tapered Silk
Leaders
These are the same fine leaders which are included with a purchase of a silk line.
I LIKE ‘em. But Hey! Maybe that’s just me!
Before we get too far along with this, I want to make sure
you understand that these are NOT furled leaders.
These leaders are made of fine silk and woven exactly like
the silk line. Because of this method of construction, they perform as an extension of your silk line continuing the turn
over of your tippet and fly. Each leader has a fine, small loop woven into the leader. These loops are not slipped over the
end of the leader and glued on. They are as much a part of the leader as the leader itself.
Terenzio’s silk leaders make any fly line, silk or
plastic, perform as they were intended to…to present a fly as perfectly as the caster is able, to a fish.
Oh yeah…one other thing Terenzio’s silk leaders
will do. When I started fishing silk lines, most of the lines I acquired were inexpensive level silk lines. Now don’t
get me wrong. I like how a level line casts. A level line casts with more…oomph…than a DT, and with less oomph
than a WF. But sometimes though, a level line hits the water a little too hard, a little too close to the fish you’re
after. Sometimes, we put that fish down.
If you’ll add one of these tapered silk leaders to
a level silk line, it turns a level line into a double taper and “softens” your presentation and mimics a DT line.
Can you still put that fish down?
Er…maybe!
OK…How much?
I offer Terenzio Zandri’s Silk Leaders in three sizes.
2 meter…$10.95
3 meter…$12.95
4 meter…$14.95
The supply of lines and leaders I keep in stock is limited. If the line you need is
currently NOT in stock, I will order a line for you from Terenzio and have it on the way to you in a short amount of time!
Please, I don’t know how to write this exactly. My relationship with Terenzio
is not a big business proposition. I met Terenzio through another rodmakers website.. I don’t have a big bank, I don’t,
and can’t, keep a lot of Terenzio’s lines in stock. If I have it I will send it to you as soon as I receive payment.
If I don’t have it, I will order it for you.
All I’m trying to do is continue the tradition of fishing silk with bamboo.
Your rod will fish much better with silk than those big plastic things you are throwing at your fish, believe me!
Reconditioned Vintage Silk Lines
From time to time I come across vintage silk in unusable condition. The line is still
good but the finish has deteriorated after years of disuse or improper storage.
After years of experimenting with refinishing process’, I have made a great
“concoction” for refinishing old fine silk lines. I will make these old lines available from time to time.
Please check back or contact me directly to find out what I might have for you.
My very best to you, and “Tight Lines,
-Mike
