About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the fly line, which I purchased with my own money in April of 2021.

My take

The Orvis Pro Power Taper Textured Fly Line is my go-to line right now for all of my fly fishing rigs. It casts well, floats high, and is great for indicator or dry fly fishing in rivers, lakes, or any body of fresh or salt water.

About the line

• Model: Orvis Pro Power Taper Textured Line
• Weight: 6wt
• Fly line taper: Weight forward (WF)
• Core: Braided Monofilament
• Ideal Temp Range (ºF): Cold water
• Loops: Welded
• Sink rate (ips): Not Sinking
• Total Length: 90ft
• Line Profile:

About me

• Preferred fishing style(s): Nymphs, Dry Flies, Streamers
• Experience: 15+ years of fly fishing

Test conditions

• When I bought this: April 2021
• Rod and Reel Paired with Line: Orvis Mirage LT III and Orvis Helios 3D 6wt
• Days tested: 50+
• Waters I’ve used it on: Rivers, Creeks, and Lakes in the Eastern and Western U.S.
• Species targeted with rod: Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Steelhead, Char, and Salmon.
• Fly Size: 6wt, 8wt

How it performs

What I was looking for

I previously had been fishing the Orvis Clearwater floating line, which was doing the job, but I was ready for an upgrade. I was looking for a better floating line that would be easier to cast and would sit as high as possible in the water column.

Why I chose this gear

The Orvis Pro series has always done well for me, and I wanted to see what their new textured lines were about. People really seemed to enjoy them, and I was willing to spend more on an upgrade from their lower-level lines. I hadn't really considered other brands when selecting the line because I liked my previous Orvis line and wanted to try their top-of-the-line gear.

What I love about it

• Performance: I couldn’t be happier with how it performs. My casting is more comfortable, and it floats extremely well.
• Quality: The line has this very cool textured feel, and the welded look is stout and built to last.
• Versatility: This floating line is very versatile, allowing me to easily switch from indicator fishing to dry flies to even streamers if I add a sinking tip section.
• Use Case: I have fished this line in many conditions, both salt and fresh and with nymphs, dry flies, and streamers, so it has many uses and does whatever I need of it.
• Casting: The line has a great taper, allowing for bombing casts upriver and making presenting flies very easy and effective.
• Aesthetics: The color is a nice neutral tan, green, and peach combo that feels stealthy but stylish.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Durability: My one quarrel with the line is that I have seen a couple of cracks form in it as I’ve really used it. I am unsure if this happens when my tippet catches the fly line in mid-air, on a bad false cast, or if it deteriorates faster with the texture.

Favorite moment with this gear

Last steelhead season, I was out fishing the Chagrin River in Ohio with my best buddies. We were fishing egg patterns under an indicator, drifting our flies over the top of the steelhead below. When I had a lull in the bite, I put a wooly bugger under my indicator and used the floating line to swing the bugger close to the water's surface, where I saw a massive chromed-up steelhead. Sure enough, that fish didn’t like my wooly bugger swinging right above her face and ate the fly! The fight was on, and I chased that fish a ¼ mile downriver before my buddy netted it for me. It ended up being my biggest fish of the season.

Value for the money vs. other options

The Orvis Pro Power is an expensive line, so one has to know what they’re looking for when purchasing. The shopper would be a serious angler who had fished other cheaper lines that frustrated them when they didn’t float well enough. However, if someone wants the best in casting and WF floating, it will be worth their money. Lines like the Scientific Anglers Amplitude line come with the power taper feature but lack the additional texture that the Orvis line has, so the Orvis line should outperform this equally priced line in flotation.

Final verdict

I love this textured floating fly line. It may be expensive, but all that extra texture on the line adds surface area creating extra buoyancy, making it a joy to fish, and negates frustrating days when I can’t keep my line on top of the water.