Fly Fishing Beginners Guide – Fly Fishing Line
As a fly fishing beginner, choosing the fly fishing line is one of the most important pieces of gear needed for fly fishing so read this fly fishing Since the flies are very small and light, we rely on the weight of the line and the transfer of energy to create an effective cast. This is a basic beginner fly fishing lesson on fly lines.
There is a hand full of different types of lines and before we cover them we need to know a bit about what the line is made up of.
The core of the line is like the chassis of a car, everything is built around it. It determines the lines flexibility, its stretch and its strength. The two basic types of cores are monofilament and multifilament. Monofilament cores typically stretch and flex less the multifilament cores which makes them cast further and tangle less. The problem with it is in cold weather is has a lot of memory which causes the line to coil and makes it difficult to cast. Typically when fishing cold water species you will use a multifilament core.
The coating is the plastic that manufactures cover the fly line core with. Typically PVC but manufactures blend this with other products to affect the lines stretch or even if it floats or sinks.
The taper is the lines varying thickness. The different tapers have variations of thickness in different parts of the line. The variation in mass along the line affects how it will perform in varying conditions. For example, if you want to cast a large fly then you will need most of the weight at the front of the line behind the fly to get the distance but with the extra mass it will make a stealthy presentation on flat water difficult.
The two major types of tapers are the double taper and the weight forward taper. The double taper are sufficient for most close to medium range situations but have lost preference in recent times due to the fact they are not the best lines for long distance casting.
The weight forward tapers as you could imagine have the majority of the mass at the front of the line and the rear of the taper is thin making it shoot through the guides with ease giving longer casting distances. There is another taper called the Shooting taper which is a more dramatic version of the weighted forward, with more weight at the front and less gradual transition from a thick to thin diameter.
When it comes to color I would recommend a brightly colored line as you can see it easier. This makes refining your cast easier and the detection of strikes. Trout can see color but it’s far less important than controlling your presentation of the fly or the shadow of a moving line.
As a beginner then you should most likely go for a general purpose floating weighted forward line. That will meet the needs of any beginner angler and can be used for dry-fly, nymphing and streamers.
Also a simple tip, make sure you replace your line when it starts to wear out, once it loses its buoyancy or slickness. You don’t need to make it harder for yourself by using a worn out fly line.
