Review: Cadence IG fly lines

Cadence fly-lines were designed by Ian Gordon, the renowned spey-caster, guide and salmon angler, to complement popular rod actions and fishing situations. The result is a range of spey-lines and shooting heads for 7wt to 11wt rods.

They have all the features expected of a modern high-quality line: a strong welded loop on both ends, printed identification, an ultra-slick coating and a low-stretch core. But Cadence also has an innovative colour-coding system to simplify line selection.

Ian said, “We wanted to reduce the complexity … so we decided to colour code the line bodies for an instant visual reference.”

So, whether the line is a spey, micro-spey (for short double-handed rods) or shooting head, a white line is a 7wt, orange is an 8wt, blue 9wt, green 10wt and light grey 11wt. Easy to match to the line rating of your rod. 

The lines also have a subtle 14ft sky blue front end, which Ian says is a vital teaching aid, allowing the angler to see when they have the correct amount of line on the water to begin the cast.

Each line has what he considers the best balance of profile and weight to match a rod’s rating, but, naturally enough, especially that of the Cadence CF20 rods with which they were developed.
Ian said, “It’s something that only comes from years of experience, testing lines and seeing them turnover. They are the best range I’ve been involved in.”

We found the lines easy to cast and could create neat, consistent loops. They are well made, smooth and subtle with next to no memory. Great value for money.

The spey lines are 120ft long with heads from 48ft, 7wt to 60ft, 11wt.

Shooting heads have a more rear-loaded profile for quicker rod-loading. Heads are from 39ft, 7wt to 45ft, 11wt. Micro-spey lines are ideal for salmon, sea-trout and trout on smaller rivers. They range from 3/4wt to 9/10wt, with heads from 30ft to 36ft.

Cadence IG Spey lines, £74.99, IG Shooting Heads, £49.99, IG Micro-Spey lines, £49.99

Web: cadencefishing.co.uk