Wes (and others!) I have used a Cortland 555 clear floating lines for two years now and while I agree with you that they are a bit stiff, they not that bad. It pays to stretch them before fishing, and actually they cast quite well. They have to be "broken-in". They are never as supple as a 444 but unlike my friend Mel, I prefer clear lines for both floating and sinking. In fact, for sinking lines I believe it makes a huge difference over a fluorescent or bright opaque line.
My son borrowed a reel from me a couple of weekends ago with the clear 555 on it and he had no problems casting. He didn't even comment on it. He is the one that took the photos that I sent you. I do not like bright fluorescent lines because I believe they put the fish down, dependent of course, on the circumstances. Neville (Nev) Gosling Greater Vancouver, B.C. Canada Subject: RE: [VFB] Clear Floating Line The one marketed as a Cortland 555 clear floater is simply garbage. Stiff, lots of memory, and probably casts like crap. The same clear floater material is used as the end of the Cortland Ghost Tip 555 line. Avoid it. Oddly the Cortland Ghost Tip 444 has a clear INTERMEDIATE as the tip end, not a floater. Talk about confusion. I like the 444, as a special purpose line. Wes Wada Bend, Oregon
