fly lines

bloo

Hello all,

Im new to fly fishing and would like to know what the differences are between the floating, intermediate and sinking lines... other than the obvious. Would they be used for different fish or weather conditions??
Also Ive just picked up a cheap reel with an intermediate line already on, would this be alright for starting out with or should i go ahead and get a different line?

Cheers for any advise.... and yes i really am a noob!

coolwings

It all depends on where the fish are feeding.
Are they eating flies off the surface, just under the surface film, midwater or foraging on the bottom?
Your flies have to go there, and the line has to take them there.
One thing .... with a floating line you can use heavy flies and get under the surface, as well as fishing the top with lighter or dry flies.
A sinking line can't fish the top, it's just an improved way of fishing deep, so there is a definite order in which to buy them as you tool up.
Floating line first, slow sink or intermediate next, medium sink next.

The intermediate line is ok for starting, but a floater would be far better.
Because the sinker sticks to the water before lifting off for a recast, and this makes it necessary to retrieve it all in before casting, and then it all has to be worked out again.
The floater slips easily off the top straight into the recast, saving effort and easing the learning process.

yank_in_eire

What coolwings said +1.

A floater is probably the most versatile line for a beginner. By varying the weight of your fly and construction of your leader you can cover a lot of different depths. Cortland and Rio make some of the best floating lines - check prices on ordering from the States (cabelas.com is a good website). Even when you figure in overseas shipping, you might still get it cheaper than here since the dollar is so weak.

Whether your line floats or sinks isn't as important as making sure it is matched to the weight of your rod. Trying to cast too heavy a line is a chore, trying to cast too light a line is damn near impossible.

bloo

Thanks for the good advise, it does make more sense now i understand a bit more. My new reel with floating line is now in the post.. looking forward to learning how to use it! thanks again guys