There’s 3 main components that make up a fly fishing outfit – a rod, reel and fly line. In our opinion the fly line is the main consideration after the rod, matching the correct fly line to your rod will make casting a pleasure. But beware! You can have the good rod and a great fly line but if they don’t match you will struggle to cast the length of your rod. * Please read on to help you make the best fly line choice!
Choosing the correct weight of fly line
Matching the weight of your fly line to the rod is mission critical. Thankfully all lines are weighted and rated with a number, match this number to your fly rod weight and you’re good to go. The most common line ratings are #5 to #8 for trout rods and #8 to #11 for salmon lines. Although the fly line weighting system (AFTM – association of American fishing tackle manufacturers) is a good system to easily identify the correct weight we can go outwith the rating system for desired results. Not confuse you but it is common to go a line size heavier, particularly with a floating and can also be advantageous when learning casting. This is because the line feels heavier on the rod which allows the users to better feel the rod loading and unloading. If you are in a situation where your rod is rated a straight #7 and the line you’re looking to purchase comes in dual sizing i.e. #6/7 or #7/8 – you should purchase the heavier option. It’s always advisable to err on the heavier side as the line will load the rod easier. Having an underrated fly line on your rod will feel like hard work as you can’t load the rod or may even be impossible to cast line out at all.
Choosing the correct fly line density
FLOATING LINES – If you only purchase one fly line, make it a floating line. These lines are the most all round and easy to use, additional sink tips can be added or weighted flies if you need to fish a little deeper.
INTERMEDIATE LINES – Moving on from floating lines are intermediates which normally sink at a rate of 0.5 to 1.75 inches per second. These lines are great for fishing flies in the top layer of water but have the added bonus of not disturbing the water surface.
SINK-TIP LINES – these lines are a blend of floating/intermediate lines in that they are a floating line with a sinking part towards the end. The sinking part can vary anywhere between 1ft to 15ft. Sink tip’s are very popular now and come in a variety of sink lengths and sink rates to cover all preferences.
SINKING LINES – complete sinking lines are useful in deeper waters but also essential when fishing from a drifting boat. Faster sinking lines will to point out the obvious sink quicker but this becomes more pertinent when you require the line to sink to the desired depth before drifting over the line while fishing from a boat.
Why are fly lines so expensive?
Right ok, we often ask ourselves the very same question. The first thing to point out is fly lines have come a long way and now include many features as standard. Fly line tapers are now sophisticated offering many specialist tapers for specific fishing/casting scenario’s. Features that are now considered standard are manufactured loops, colour changes, ultra-slick coatings and reduced memory. Fly line tapers are possibly the biggest driver of costs as there can be so many changes within the front taper never mind the belly and rear taper.
Summary of fly lines
Purchasing a fly line can need some consideration but the correct line can transform your existing fly fishing outfit. If you need any advice at all please call or email our expert staff for assistance. Tel: 01786 430 400 or email: sales@anglingactive.co.uk
