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The
fly line plays an intricate role in a fisherman's cast.
It is the weight of the fly line that loads and unloads
the fly rod, propelling the fly to the target. Early fly
lines were woven from horsehair, or silk. These lines
were difficult to keep afloat, and had to be removed from
the reels at night to dry. The following morning, they
would have to be dressed or covered with a floatant. Flotants,
like Mucilin paste, would be applied when the line began
to sink. In the 1950's, synthetic fly lines began to replace
the silk lines. These more modern lines are made out of
polyvinyl chloride materials, which is applied to a synthetic
core. They are made from materials that float, so there
is little maintenance required. The only real mantaince
to the modern fly lines is keeping them clean. The lines
should always be cleaned after a few days of fishing.
 At
first, the modern fly lines caused a problem, for there
was not a standard for companies to follow. This made
it difficult to find the right weight line for the rods.
Thus, in 1961, the American Fishing Tackle Manufacturers
Association standardized the fly-line coding. A number,
known as the weight, was designed to identify line sizes.
The line weight is determined by the weight of the first
30 feet of line. Fly lines are now manufactured in weights
ranging from three to twelve. They can be specially ordered
in sizes smaller or larger than the standard weights.
There is also a standard way to identify the type of fly
line. The letter or letters next to the weight number
will tell you what type of line it is. (F would stand
for floating or WF for weight forward).
Modern fly lines come in a number of different tapers.
They are tapered to improve the fly lines, casting, and
its presentation. There are basically six different types
of tapers on the market today, each serving a specific
purpose. The Double taper can be used in most types of
fishing. It has about a 20-foot section that gradually
widens as it gets toward the middle of the line. It maintains
that diameter for the next 50 feet, and gradually narrows
for the last 20 feet. This type of taper is easy to cast,
and presents a delicate fly. Another benefit to this line
is its reversibility. When one end of the line is beaten
up, you can reverse it and use the other end. The second
type of taper is called Weight Forward. It is designed
to make a longer cast and perform in windy conditions.
These lines are designed so that the majority of the weight
is in the one end of the line.
This enables the rod to load easier, making it a great
taper for beginners and fisherman who plan on casting
all day. The weight forward is the most popular line used
today. Level fly lines have no taper at all. They do not
perform as well as the tapered lines, thus they are not
too popular. The triangle taper is very similar to the
weight forward line, however it has a shorter, thicker
front taper. This type of taper is used to turn over larger
bass or large saltwater flies. This line features a predetermined
triangular taper toward the front, in twenty-seven or
forty-foot lengths. The shorter lengths are popular for
bass or heavy salt water fishing because of their ability
to cast large wind resistant flies, while the forty-foot
taper is used for predominately used in fresh water for
salmon or steelhead. The final type of taper is called
a shooting head. It is also similar to a weight forward
line. Shooting heads consist of a 30-foot, tapered line
that is spliced to a smaller diameter fly line. These
lines are used to cast extra long distances. However,
they are difficult to control once on the water, thus
their uses are limited.
Some fishing situations call for the fly to be fished
deeper than a floating line allows. In these cases you
have a few options, depending on how deep the fly needs
to get. The first option is called a sinking tip, or sink
tip line. These sink tips are available in different lengths
and different sink rates. The most common lengths of the
sinking tip, range from four to fifteen feet. The sink
rate is the number of inches the line sinks per second.
Most of the sink tips sink from one to six inches per
second. The sink tips are the more popular because you
are able to cast them. Another option is a full sinking
line. They are very difficult to cast, and are mostly
used to troll flies behind a boat. The third option, a
newer product that is becoming popular, is called a mini
sink tip or lead link. This is a short length of sinking
line that is attached to a floating line. This link enables
you to go from a floating line to a subsurface line by
changing your leader. The final subsurface line is called
an intermediate line. It is used for fishing just below
the surface of the water. It is primarily used in weedy
lakes to keep the fly just above the weeds.
Another type of line vital to the fly fisherman, is the
backing. The backing is a braided line that is found underneath
the fly line. It is used to fight a fish that has pulled
all of the fly line off the reel. The reel's line capacity,
and the type of fish you are pursuing, will determine
the amount of backing. In most fresh water situations,
fifty to one hundred yards of backing is sufficient. In
most salt-water situations, 250 to 300 yards is necessary.
Leaders play a critical role in your success because they
are closest to the fish. Leaders have three parts: the
butt, the body and the tippet. Like most fly lines, leaders
are also tapered, to aid in casting and proper presentation.
They are measured by their diameter. The butt of the leader
is the thickest and strongest part of the leader. Its
function is to attach to the fly line and give strength
to the leader. The middle section is called the body.
It tapers down to the tippet, and aids in a soft presentation
of the fly. The final 18 to 24 inch section of leader
is called the tippet, which is attached directly to the
fly. Tippet materials come in nine different sizes. They
all are classified with an X code according to the diameter
of the tippet. The X codes range from 8X, with a .003
diameter, to a 0X with a .011 diameter.
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Tippit
Material Chart
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Tippit
Size
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Diameter
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Approximate
Pound Test
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Use
with this size fly
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0X
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.011"
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13
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1/0-4
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1X
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.010"
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9.5
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4,6,8
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2X
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.009"
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7.5
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6,8,10
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3X
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.008"
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6
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10,12,14
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4X
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.007"
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5.5
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12,14,16
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5X
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.006"
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4.2
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14,16,18
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6X
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.005"
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3
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16,18,20,22
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7X
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.004"
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2.2
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18,20,22,24
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8X
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.003"
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1.3
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22,24,26,28
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| Note:
Tippit diameter remains consistant
from manufacturers.Pound test is approximate
and will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Fluorocarbon tippits do not follow above diameters. ***It
is important to have a balanced system. Fly
presentation willbe best if you use the proper
size fly with the proper tippit size. |
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Salt-water
leaders and tippet material will be larger. Most manufactured
leaders are pre-tapered and knotless, and range in length
from 7 1/2 to 12 feet. These leaders are used on floating
lines, whereas shorter leaders are used on sinking lines.
Fly-fishing would not be possible if any of these types
of line were missing. They all have their own vital role
in the sport. You will get more fish in the net with a
better understanding of the different types of line.
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