Fly Rod & Backing

Nozebleed

Hi. I bought myself a fly rod set today (introductory) and it didnt come with any backing line. i was wondering how much backing i should add to the reel? also should i be using floating or sinking line? i not sure what line came with the rod? its yellow!! thats about all i know! im very much a noob to fly fishing.

coolwings

Fill the sink. Strip off a metre of line from the reel and drop the coils into the water. You will find if it's a floating or sinking line.

Backing is good if fishing where big fish hang out. They can run off a full flyline and then some, and if you don't have extra backing under the flyline you will have a broken leader and lost fish.
The ideal amount of backing is whatever amount fills the fly reel when the backing is wound on with the flyline wound on over it. Usually a new reel has a backing recommendation in the booklet.

Nozebleed

oh no instructions with the rod at all. regarding backing i was advised to add approx twice the length of the floating/sinking line..i'll try the line in the sink now! thanks

Nozebleed

right...inconclusive!! thats all i can say. i let a meter or so of line dip into the water..it half sunk. never sunk to the bottom! but i wouldn;t say it floated exactly. so i took it out and wiped it and it seemed to float second time round. still i dont know. what you guys think?

coolwings

Sounds like an intermediate density line. Very handy to use. Basically it is an ultra slow sinker.

Nozebleed

hey guy's i picked up some backing today..im just wondering now what weight should be? i was sold 30lb by the guy in store who said it is fine for beginner. also how much backing should i put on my line the spool is 110m? can i use all or half?

simoncaseys

hi nozebleed the easest way I find to put backing on a fly line is (you might need someone to give u a had while doing this)

You have 2 ends to the fly line one the fishing end and the other is for the reels (unless it is a double taper line which means you can fish with both ends it will tell u on the box if it is a double taper) first get some tape and just tape the fishing end to the reel then reel the fly line on to your reel when it is all on tie the backing to the reel end of the fly line and fill your reel. When your reel. now you have to unreel the whole lot and then tie and tape your backing to the reel and reel the backing and line back on to ur reel.

Hope this helps.

Doc Farrell

nozebleed you sound like me last year.
listen, do yourself a big favour and get a couple of lessons. the man who runs annamoe fishery helped me with rod, lines, backing, flies, i think he charges 50 euro for an hour plus a full day on the fishery. i'm not sure. he didn't charge me for sorting out the fly line.

there are dozens of good teachers out there and you will only become homicidally frustrated without some help.

don't spend moret than 30 euro an hour. i don't know where you are based but for example I watched Glenda Powell teaching, she has a world class place on the Blackwater, and i kicked myself that i didn't have the sense to get lessons from her.

Arrogance is the key here. Not from the teacher, all good teachers have rid themselves of that, but from the pupil. Sometimes it can be difficult to listen and learn when you're all grown up.

If you post that you are interested in lessons and where abouts you live i'll see if I've heard of a good teacher in the area.

btw, for the little trout in the streams i ramble about it i don't need backing.

ironbluedun

if your are fishing the bigger loughs for bigger trout you will need backing if you get stuck into a big fish. Then again that may not happen but usually the day you need the backing is the day you do not have it. I use a full 100 yard spool, which is too much but rather have too much rather than too little. Most reels will give info regarding the amount of fly-line and backing they can hold. Attach the backing to the flyline with a nail knot or loop.