On the loose end of the fly line you will find a tag reading “this end to reel”. You can tie it directly to your reel if you prefer or you can add backing to the fly line. Most reels are design to have backing wound onto the reel before the line is. Since the fly line can not fill a reel, backing helps to fill it up. With the backing on the reel first, the fly line will not reel out in small circles making casting more difficult. Plus you might need the backing if you ever hook a large fish.

Tie the end of your backing to the center of the arbor of your reel with an arbor knot. Wind the backing around the arbor at least two times to ensure it doesn’t slip. Tighten it well and carefully reel the backing to about ¼ inch from the top edge of your reel and attach the fly line at the “this end to reel” tag. Tie the backing to the fly line using an Albright knot. Then carefully wind it on the reel. The reel should be full and the loose end ready to be attached to the leader. Tie the fly line to the thick end of the leader with a nail knot. A blood knot is often used to tie on a section tippet material.

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A “leader” is a length of tapered monofilament; the thick end is tied to the end of the fly line. The “tippet” is a length of level monofilament, one end is tied to the thin end of the leader and the other end is tied to the fly.

The leaders are about nine feet long and transfer the power of the cast gently toward the fly. A numbering system was designed to match the diameter of the end of the rod because this is the part that is important. When looking for a leader the number system is backwards. The smaller the diameter the larger the number. It makes it easy that the tippets are number the same way. A 6X leader will fit with a 6X tippet. An end of the tippet is tied to the smaller end of the leader. Most of the knots that develop close to the end of your line near the fly are called “wind knot “ and since you get these when casting in the two feet ahead of the fly. The knots weaken things. If the knots develop in the leader, it can get expensive cutting off the knots, and changing flies. By tying on about 2 feet of tippet material, you can save your leader. The tippet material is not expensive and when it gets too short, you can just ties on a new length.

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No matter which kind of fly line you choose to use, you will need to take care of your fly line to ensure that it will last you a good long time.  Fly line is not indestructible, and it will need a little care and a few precautions to ensure the life of your fly line.  Fly lines get damaged in several ways.  Most of the time a fly line will get damaged through mechanical wear and tear.  Ripping through the ring guides, getting stepped on, running the line across coral, sand and mud. Read the rest of this entry »

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Reels are not 100% corrosion proof. We want our reels to be lightweight and yet we want them to be strong and durable. We want them to look good and resistant to saltwater. Of course the drag must be smooth and have the stopping power of a train.

Above all we want them affordable. Reel manufacturers have to make a compromise with the design of the reels. The reels design compromises between what is needed and what can be done and accomplish it all at a reasonable price. Aluminum is lightweight, but corrodes easy. Titanium is better but unaffordable. So, most are made with aluminum that must be covered with a protective coating. Paint isn’t much good in saltwater. Read the rest of this entry »

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The equipment or tackle for the fly angler has progressed over the years to be the high tech gear that comes with a price tag. Even though you tackle is made from high quality materials, the sport of fishing is performed in the worst circumstances. There is humidity, salt spray, UV rays, mud, sand, coral and extreme heat. All of these elements can damage your high quality equipment. During normal use your fishing tackle will take a beating. It will suffer scratched on rocks, dropped in the sand, and knocked around on boat decks. Even the fish will push your tackle to the limit. A running fish will make your fly reel spin at extremely high speeds, just imagine the heat the bearings are withstanding. Read the rest of this entry »

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If trout only fed on food on the surface of the lake waters, fly fishing would be easy. Since they feed in water as deep as almost 9 feet, fly fishing becomes a little more challenging. Especially, when it comes to selecting fly line. You need a section of sinking fly lines and also a floating line to sufficiently supply the stillwater anglers tackle bag. Read the rest of this entry »

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You have selected a rod and now it is time to find the right reel to accompany the rod. A fly reel is not just storage space for the fly line. Your rod will help you fight the fish you have hooked, but the reel will help keep you from losing the fish. So, you will need to consider a quality reel. A high quality reel may last a lifetime costing a minimum of two hundred dollars, but a quality reel will last a long time and will cost over a hundred dollars. The cheapest fly reel will cost less than fifty dollars and it will work if you are only fishing for small trout. You will want to choose a reel that is resistant to corrosion. A quality reel will be resistant than a cheap one. The cheap one is likely to have only a coat of varnish on it that will quickly wear off. Another feature to consider will be the procedure of adding an extra spool. You want the procedure to be as simple as possible. Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 54% [?]