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Andrea Monti ( Bologna ) Italy
Friday morning I have receive fly line Mallard DT3 and Sunday I have try it on my favourite small river near to my home. I have only one word "Fabulous", the best that I have tried and not less important a beautiful colour.
Thank you very much and bye.
John Elliott ( Lancashire / Yorkshire ) UK
Hi Mike, I tried out, in less than favourable conditions, the DT5 line and furled leader I bought from you a few weeks ago and boy am I impressed. The leader turned over a size 12 Klinkhamer beautifully even in windy conditions and the line was as good if not better than the Cortland lines I normally use. So impressed am I that I've just ordered two more leaders. When I need replacement lines I know where to come.
Alan Drake ( Lancashire ) UK
I bought floating and clear intermediate lines early in the season, used them continuously since. I fish 3/4 times a week and can't fault either line. Until now I have always used snowbee xs for floating line work, your is line is comparable, floats well, little memory, shoots really well and has shown no sign of wear so far. I have used it for dry and nymph fishing. The intermediate has proved to be a good workhorse 'pulling' line. I cant recommend the lines enough . For the money they are EXCELLENT!
Jim Eddie ( Aberdeenshire ) UK
I bought one of Mike's lines last week , today is the first chance to have a days fishing with it. What a line, its an absolute joy to fish with. It is supple, has a very slick feel , shoots through the rings with a pleasing whoosh , no memory at all and despite my very average casting lands very gently on the water. The turnover is superb, I was fishing a WF7F with a 7# Sharpes Gordon. I cant give you anything very technical or the physics , but its just a pleasure to fish with. If there's a better line at this price or any other price I'll eat my hat!
Rob Wilson ( Glasgow ) UK
I have been using Scientific Anglers and Cortland Lines previously, but from the first outing with your lines, I have been amazed - supple, high floating, slick, great control and presentation - all the qualities these 'premium' lines offered and just didn't deliver. It really is a great product, even before you take the price into consideration.
Thanks very much and I really can't praise your products highly enough.
Colin Roberts ( Ayr ) UK
I've used Cortland fly lines over the past few years, I find the Mallard is a better line, it casts like a dream and doesn't tangle when it's at my feet between casts ………………. I've converted a good few pals to them too.
Chris Loveys ( Hertfordshire ) UK
I bought one of these to replace a much more expensive Airflow 40+ that had decided to become a spring when left on a reel for a month or so. The Barrio Mallard was recommended to me and I in turn recommend it to you. It casts at least as well as a Cortland 444 but costs less than half the price. Having bought the 6 weight I will soon be buying the other weights I use too - outstanding value!
Mark Dixon ( Cheshire ) UK
I bought a Barrio 5wt floating line because I was curious about the claims I had read in various internet forums about how good Barrio lines are. I normally fish a Cortland 444SL Precision or a Scientific Anglers Ultra 4, with the edge to the Cortland 444SL Precision.
Yesterday I took the Barrio on a trip to a Derbyshire chalkstream, partnering the Barrio with my favourite Gatti FRHP 865-3TA dry fly rod. I had the fishing session of a lifetime, the weather was not kind and usually the fish aren't kind either, but the line was a joy to use and I landed 12 trout.
So, the reviews were true, this is a very special line, beautifully supple (the Cortland and SA feel stiff in comparison), and it allows me to cast with great presentation and accuracy. I recommend the line without reservation.
Ryan White ( Belfast ) UK ….. This review was posted on "Fly Fishing Forums"
Fished this afternoon with a Barrio Mallard WF6F fly line at our club lake. Rod used was a Guideline Lpxe 9ft 6 weight, that I would describe as medium actioned. Here is a short review...
TAPER: Line length is around 90ft (standard WF length) the head is around 33-35ft with a shortish belly and long front taper, tapering to a fine tip. There is a short taper to the running line, which is fine, but has more diameter than a snowbee xs line.
LINE CHARACTERISTICS: The line is a pale yellow/ivory colour. Although line colour is a moot point, this is easily visible on the water without being garish. The line feels supple in the hand and when wound onto a reel directly from the spool it displayed no significant memory. Air temperature today was 8c, with a cold breeze. The surface of the line feels smooth and was slightly audible in the guides while casting. It has a dry slick feel, similar to an SA line.
I fished with it for about four hours and it remained high floating throughout. In the last hour, the last foot (fine tip section) tended to float in the surface film, rather than on it, but did not sink. The rest of the line floated high on the water. Lines with fine tips have less floatability due to having less coating. The tendency of the tip to sink is caused by water travelling up the braided core by capillary action. Sealing the tip with some glue helps to alleviate this. The use of fine braided loops, such as Roman Moser also helps. A liberal dose of floatant also helps.
CASTING PROPERTIES: Overhead Casting: The line loaded the rod reasonably well with about 10ft in the air. As the rest of the head length was worked out, the loops remained stable and the rod progressively loaded. With hauling, a very significant amount of running line could be shot out. Once the head left the rod tip, overhang was manageable, but became difficult with around 20ft out. Shooting line into the backcast was required if a long cast with carry was required. Despite a strong south westerly breeze, the line coped admirably.
ROLL/SWITCH CASTING: Due to the progressive tapering of the long front taper, the line roll and switch cast very well, with the thicker line constantly turning over thinner line. While keeping the head inside the tip ring the line was very manageable. Roll/switch casting became more difficult even with a small amount of running line out of the tip, due to diameter changes not allowing the efficient transfer of energy.
PURPOSES: This line is ideal for close to medium presentations, up to 60ft, which it does extremely well. It excels in a rise, where quick changes of direction are required and you are shooting a cast to fish at different ranges. The line presents nymphs and dries delicately and with precision at these ranges. It will however, struggle to turn over larger flies and weighted nymphs. The line tip could be cut back to facilitate larger flies.
The distance caster, who can manage overhang, could get a full line out, but in my opinion, this is not a distance specific line.
For the river angler, this would be ideal in the 4-6 line weights. With limited backcast, the line can easily roll cast a team of flies and would also delicately present nymphs and dry flies, with minimal tip splash at close range.
OVERALL: A superb line for rivers and small stillwaters where delicate presentations are required. This would also be an excellent line for float tubing, where you are intending to cover fish at various distances with one lift and false cast. British made, supple and with no memory, it is a bargain at £19.
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