Scientific Anglers Technical Information

Coating Information

Our unique experience and advanced processes allow us to make each line with the optimal casting weight needed to load the fly rod and set higher standards in maintenance-free excellence in every area of fly line performance.

SLICKNESS - Our unique combination of polymers and plasticizers, together with the revolutionary ‘dry-slickness’ of AST (see below), results in an inherent stiffness and permanent slickness unsurpassed in fly fishing. It’s also the reason you can cast our lines with less effort over short and long distances.
FLOATATION - The density of the coating helps determine whether the line will float or sink. Our flotation lines feature 3M Microballoons and hydrophobic agents to repel water and increase floatation, further enhanced by optimal air entrapment inside the core and the slick AST coating.
SINK RATES - Our sinking-line formulations achieve sink rates from1.25 to 10.0 inches per second (ips). We use powdered tungsten in our faster-sinking line coatings because it is denser and safer than lead. In our slow-sinking lines we use high-density glass beads to help us control sink rates.
DURABILITY - Our exclusive methods of combining polymers and plasticizers create a combination that stabilizes the coating and prevents premature brittleness. Advanced ultraviolet inhibitors retard the effects of sunlight, making Mastery Series lines more resistant to wear and tear.

If AST Improved shootability and only shootability, it would still be heralded as one of the great advancements in the history of fly fishing. The way AST lines shoot is something not previously achieved and something still not equaled. But when you include all of the other benefits, listed below, there’s just no denying that AST lines are the lines to buy if you want to be the best fly fisher you can be.

What exactly is AST? It’s a patented ‘dry-slick’ coating that enhances every aspect of floating line performance. Integrated within the line coating, amazing AST has redefined fly-line performance by achieving a unique ‘dry’ slickness that keeps the line sick and clean.

AST-formulated lines shoot better
These lines are lightening slick for the fastest, smoothest casting of your life. With AST, line shoots virtually friction-free through the guides and does it for the life of the line – without dressing.

AST-formulated lines stay cleaner
Free of sticky lubricants and dressing, the AST coating doesn’t give dirt and algae anything to cline to, so line stays free of the debris that can ruin fly performance. AST-formulated lines cast farther
They shoot through the guides with minimum impediment for exceptional distance. And, because they’re cleaner, AST lines fly through the air with minimum resistance.

AST-formulated lines last longer
The AST coating is inherently more durable. Because the line stays clean and free of debris with AST, friction is reduced and the line is less prone to wear and corrosion. AST-formulated lines float higher
The dry slickness of AST prevents dirt and algae from clinging to the line, which means line stays cleaner and floats higher longer.

Core Information

Scientific Anglers pioneered the advances in core design and continues to lead the industry. We use braided monofilament, braided multifilament, or single strand monofilament cores, depending upon the application

The design and construction of fly line cores is a very time intensive, complicated, and costly endeavor. But thanks to our proprietary 3M processes, at Scientific Anglers, we're able to achieve the optimal balance of properties for the industry's most trusted performance.

Mastery Series all-weather braided multifilament cores are designed with optimum air entrapment, which not only provides maximum flotation, but also minimizes memory. Our braided monofilament cores, on the other hand, are built stiffer - with 3M Tropi-Core technology - to reduce tangling, improve shooting, and enhance overall performance in warmer environments.

Taper Information

The Taper - The key to superior Mastery Series casting performance
How a fly line is shaped determines its performance through the air, with the line's taper affecting how energy is transmitted and dissipated. Varying the lengths and diameters of the various parts of the fly line (shown below) allows us to control this energy, which results in accentuated performance characteristics for specific types of fly fishing. It's a system 3M Scientific Anglers has both pioneered and perfected, and today's Mastery Series tapers are the finest we - or any other fly line manufacturer - have ever created.

Front Taper
Tip diameter and front taper length determine how a fly is delivered.
Longer front tapers dissipate energy for more delicate presentations

Shorter front tapers transfer more energy from the belly to the tip for powerful turnover
Belly
The section with the greatest diameter, the belly also carries the majority of the casting energy.
Longer bellies increase casting distance and accuracy

Shorter bellies shoot better and cast faster, but sacrifice accuracy
Rear Taper
Rear taper length determines how smoothly you can cast.
Longer rear tapers transmit energy smoothly to the belly for increased distance and control

Shorter rear tapers put the running line in the guides more quickly for faster casts

Tip
The level front end section of line, typically six inches long.
The tip allows you to change leaders without shortening the front taper and thus altering the way the line casts
Head
The head – formed by the front taper, belly, and rear taper – dictates the effective casting and control range of a line.
Short heads cast quickly, but can sacrifice distance

Long heads offer more long-range control, but can require more false casting to clear the head from the rod
Running Line
This section helps make distance casting easier.
Running lines are lightweight, which permits the energy stored in the line's head to pull the running line through the guides during casting

The smaller diameter of the running line also creates less friction in the guides, which promotes longer casts