CND GPS Lines

[petersc]

I currently fish the 7/8 and the 8/9 -- what would you like to know?

[petersc]

The CND lines are made by Rio, they feel like Rio lines, the running line coils like a Windcutter running line so I'd imagine that they would be like Rio lines in terms of durability. I haven't had mine long enough to make any definitive statements on durability.

These lines are obviously made to fit CND rods that have a more moderate action with a tendency to tip-heaviness. As a consequency, the tips are somewhat self-loading thanks to the weight and the moderate action. When I cast the 7/8 on my Daiwa Lochmor, the lack of this feature meant that short casting was very poor. I had to cut 5' off of the 20' floater tip to get anything like a decent turnover at 40' or so.

I subsequently bought the 7/8 Solstice and there was no appreciable short turnover problem. The bottom line -- they're made for more traditional, moderate actioned rods -- think Daiwa of 10 to 15 years back. Of course, you could over-line your stiff rod and solve it that way.

The line ratings are way off compared to UK made AFTMA rated lines. To put it in perspective, the 8/9 CND is virtually identical to the Snowbee 3D 10/11 and I use it on my Snowbee 15 footer. The 7/8 is roughly half-way between a Snobee 2D 8/9 and 9/10. You'll have to do what us North Americans do -- measure and weigh rather than rely on the ratings. Fortunately CND has provided the weights and head lengths on their site.

When casting the line with more of the head out, they're nicely balanced, form maintain a nice loop shape, and turn over well. There isn't the "all or nothing" feel of a Windcutter.

Provided you select your tips correctly, the turnover is excellent. I find that with an Airflo 8/9 15' Type 3, I'm barely aware that I'm casting a tip. CND recommends Rio 7/8/9 tips for all of their lines, but I use the Airflo 8/9s which are a tad lighter and fly nicer.

Compared to a Partridge (I have the 10/11 75' intermediate) I'd say that the weight is more concentrated so that you feel a heaviness with the CND that's lacking in the Partrdige, with all of the head out. The Partridge has a bit more of the smootness of a DT line.

I also have an Airflo Delta Long 8/9 multi-tip and in comparison, I'd say put the Delta Long on the stiffer rods and the CND GPS on the more moderate rods. Thanks to some level sections in the taper, the CND doesn't carry its energy quite as well sa the Delta so it needs the helping hand of the self-loading characteristic of the more moderate rod.

I have so many lines simply because I'm in the process of moving away from sinktips and towards full sinkers. I normally fish shooting heads when the water is warmer but switch off to full sinkers and intermediates when the water starts getting close to freezing. My sinktips are gradually moving closer to the back end of my gear bag. A properly setup intermediate will outfish a sinktip in cold water, in my opinion.