Loop Evotec 85 floating fly line review

What is the Loop Evotec 85 fly line?

The Loop Evotec 85 is a floating fly line with an 8.5m head. This is quite short as fly lines go, making the line well suited to areas where your back-casting room is minimal or where you want your rod to load more quickly. 

What sizes are available?

The Loop Evotec 85 is only available as a floating line and comes in a wide range of line weights to suit different types of rods and different styles of fly fishing. All lines have a bright yellow head and a white running line, so it's easy to tell when you have the head at the tip of your rod to help you avoid too much overhang when casting. 

Does it have welded loops?

No, there are no loops on the Loop Evotec lines. You'll either need to attach your own braided loop or nail knot on a leader. I've used the nail knot method on my Evotec 85 fly lines and find that thick butt section leader of around 20lb grips tightly without stripping off the coating.

What does it feel like in the hand?

The Evotec 85 fly line has a smooth coating and gets nice and slick once wet. It's nice and limp, lacking much of the stiffness present in the Evotec 140, so it lies straighter and has less memory. There's very little stretch in the braided core so bite detection is good, but it's harder to pull out any line memory.

What's it like to cast?

For a line with such a short head, I was expecting this to load the rod more aggressively than it does. On my fast-action Loop Cross SX #6 rod, it loads the rod much more gently than similar lines with a short head, such as the Sunray Short Head or the Scierra Aerial. 

This means that the presentation is very good with the Evotec 85 and it works well for dries. However, you may want to go up a line size if you want a heavier feel and a quicker load, or if you want better turnover for larger flies or indicators.

It casts very nicely and throws stable loops. While it works OK on faster action rods, such as my Loop Cross SX, it definitely felt more at home on medium-fast rods, probably because it's not as overweight as some other fly lines in the same line class. 

How much does it cost?

The Loop Evotec 85 fly line retails for around £60, putting it in the mid-priced range. Loop is currently clearing out their stocks of Evotec fly lines, so these can currently be picked up for around £30, which is superb value. If you want a short-headed line that still gives a good presentation, the Evotec 85 is worth checking out.