Flyfishing lines vary more in type and design than any other form of fishing line. Rated by several parameters--including weight, taper and density--different fly lines meet the needs of specific styles of flyfishing. It is important to match the line to both the rod and reel you use, the type of fly you present and the conditions in which you fish.
Light to Heavy
Flyfishing lines come in various weights that match both rods and reels specifically designed to handle that weight of line. The manufacturer assigns a numeric value to the line from 1, which is the lightest line, to 15, the heaviest. Anglers commonly use lighter lines for short casting with very light flies for smaller fish, such as bream or brook trout. Heavier lines work well for streamers, poppers and other relatively heavy lures for larger game fish, including salmon, tarpon and bonefish.
Level, Double Taper, Weight Forward
Fly lines also come in different and varying diameters. Some are "level" with an even diameter from end to end. Others, referred to as double taper or DT lines, taper from a thicker middle section to thinner ends. Still others, called weight forward, or WT, fly lines are thinner toward the back end and thicker toward the forward end that holds the leader. Weight-forward lines are relatively easy to cast. Other lines include shooting tapers for longer casting and saltwater tapers, which are similar to weight-forward lines but with a shorter taper segment.
Floating, Intermediate and Sinking
The density of a line determines how it acts in the water. Some lines are very buoyant and float, while others sink to varying degrees. Anglers typically use floating fly lines to present dry flies, but this line type also works well with wet flies. Slightly more dense than floating lines, intermediate lines sink just below the surface of the water. Sinking lines are designed for deeper water, such as lakes or fast rivers, to get streamers or other larger flies to depths where fish are holding.
Backing Lines
Backing line adds length to help prevent a fish from running and stripping the fly line from your reel. Usually around 100 yards to 150 yards of 20-lb to 30-lb. test line, backing line attaches directly to the reel and then to the fly line. It also helps keep the reel full to make casting and reeling easier.
Leaders and Tippets
Leaders are the thinnest of lines for flyfishing. Fishermen attach leaders to the end of the fly line to present flies in a delicate manner. Leaders range in weight from the heaviest, at 0X for flies with large No. 2 to 1/0 hooks, to the lightest, at 8X for tiny flies with as small as No. 28 hooks. According to Dick's Sporting Goods, anglers typically use leaders from 3X to 6X for trout fishing. Leader lengths also vary depending on the type and weight of fly being presented and fishing conditions. In some cases, anglers may use even lighter leaders, called tippets, on the end of leaders.
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