Untangling the Fly Line Matrix
So you’ve just decided on your new rig or maybe it’s time to change out the line on your trusty go-to set-up and you go to your local or favorite on-line fly shop (Flyfishbonehead of course). As you begin to look at the selection of fly lines your palms begin to sweat and your head starts spinning. Suddenly even the most experienced fisherman can feel like a novice.
How in the world can one manufacturer have fifty different fly line selections for a 7wt? And this is just one. Add up the different manufacturers and what you thought to be a relatively simple undertaking has become a Sisyphean task. You can literally have hundreds of choices and with the prices of today’s fly lines you don’t want to make an error.
Relax. Although there is no panacea of fly lines, there is a way to navigate this matrix that will allow you to make a decision based on the species you are fishing for and in the area you plan on fishing. We have come a long way since the 1950’s when Cortland introduced the first “non-sink” fly line (Cortland 333) and although this progression has certainly refined the lines we use today to give us some very specific usage lines it has made the decision for the average angler that much more difficult.
Where to Start
When I choose a fly line I always begin in the same place, water temperature. This is easy to discern and it will cut down considerably on the line choices you have. The air and water temperature makes a difference because lines intended for cold can become sticky and hard to cast and shoot in hot tropical climates. On the other side of the spectrum, tropical lines can become very stiff, memory laden and hard to manage in colder climes. So start here and whittle down your choices.
Line Weight
You might ask why I bring this up when the weight is written right on the rod. It would make sense that if the rod is a 7 weight you should use 7 weight line, right? The simple answer is “yes” it would, however… As fly rods have progressed away from bamboo and towards more technically advanced materials, rod manufacturers have been able to develop rods with very different characteristics.
In order to keep up with the advancements in rods, fly line manufacturers have done the same by developing lines that pair well with whatever type of rod you are using depending on the conditions and usage. During this process one of the variables that has been played with is line weight (no, not all 7 wt line weighs the same) and weight distribution (we’ll get back to this shortly). When casting, you want a line that will “load” (prepare it for an optimal forward cast) your rod at the distance you will most likely be casting and cast the flies that you will be using.
The smartest way to go here is to figure out what sort of fishing you’re going to do most often, what type of flies you will be using and what casts they require. Couple this with what type of rod you have (if you have multiple rods or multiple spools you can vary the lines for different types of casts). If you are fishing at close range and if you are using large or heavy flies (redfishing less than crystal clear water comes to mind) going up one line size or even two (especially for stiffer rods) can help significantly to load your rod quickly with very little line outside of the rod. On the other hand if you are making very long casts on a regular basis going down one line size can make it much easier to carry a lot of line outside of the rod (this can also help in breezy situations that require longer casts as it can minimize overloading your rod and direct more energy in the direction of your cast).
The other variable in this scenario will be the skill of the caster. Be realistic as to your skill level. If you can accurately cast 20 or 30 feet there is no reason to have line that won’t load your rod for shorter casts; it will make it much more difficult and frustrating for you. If you are a beginner or you are thinking of going with a fly line you are not familiar with, ASK about the weight and or try it out (always practice with a new set-up before you go on a trip to get the feel of it before you’re casting to a fish). Although AFTMA (now the ASA: American Sport Fishing Association) does have standard line weights, they do vary by manufacturer and this does change the way that the line casts (some lines are even a half size heavier in certain configurations) . If you are unsure, ask your local expert or send us an email. If we are unfamiliar with a brand or manufacturer we can certainly find out and are happy to help.
Line Configuration
The next part of our discussion is the fly line configuration. Fly lines come in 2 basic configurations, double taper and weight forward. A double taper line is basically a straight uniform line with a tip and taper on either end (see illustration). There is no front or back to a double tapered line and it can be spooled in either direction. For saltwater fly fishing the most common line by far is a weight forward line and this is what we will concentrate on. Weight forward line consists of a tip, a front taper, a belly, a rear taper and a length of running line (see illustration). Although the simple parts of a weight forward line remain the same, the design of these parts varies widely from manufacturer to manufacturer depending on the characteristics of the line. The most important parts of these designs will be the length of the head which consists of the front taper, belly and rear taper combined (if not listed on the packaging look at the manufacturers web site).
The head is where the majority of the weight of the line will be concentrated and should be matched to your primary casting distances. For short casts (the distance where most of us learn to cast) the head length is less important since it will not normally be outside the rod. For beginning casters and situations that require only short casting, a standard weight forward taper works well. For medium length casting, a short to medium length head works very well because it makes it easier to carry a comfortable amount of line in the air and then shoot to your target. Since it saves false casing, this is also particularly important when trying to cast quickly and stealthily.
For fishing that requires long casts, much will be determined by your casting skill. If you are an advanced caster and can carry a substantial amount of line in the air, you may want to use a line with a long head to allow for added distance. However, the longer head will also require more false casts and thus cost time. If you are an intermediate caster, a short to medium head works best since you carry less line in the air and can make quicker casts (a medium head is easier to control with a little more line in the air). Even as an experienced caster I very rarely use a long head since I can generally get the distance I need much more quickly with a short or medium head and a good shot. The other thing to think about as you dream of a 100 foot shot to a cruising fish is how far can you see. As fisherman we all like to think of ourselves as extremely adept at spotting fish from long distances but over the years I’ve come to realize that most of the really long shots that I’ve taken were more for show than necessity. Sure it’s fun to take that shot but I think the short to medium shots are much more common and I would generally want my rig to handle those very well.
