Fly Fishing Gear Reviews

Ok, so, you’re on your first big fly fishing trip and you are fishing on one of the blue ribbon trout rivers where the baby trout are pushing 20 inches.  On your first cast a leviathan strikes with such force that you squeal like a girl (If you are a girl, this probably wont seem strange).  He’s hooked well and not too happy about it.  He turns on the jets and heads downstream trying to shake that fly out the whole time. 

But, at 90 feet your fly line is coming to an end… actually it is at the end.  You forgot to add backing!  Your leader snaps and it doesn’t matter how big that hog of a trout seemed, the only thing your buddies will remember (for the rest of your life) is that small detail you forgot.  And then you wake up, dripping with sweat from the nightmare.  At least it’s not to late.

If somehow, you already purchased some fly line but forgot the backing click here.

Backing is what is actually going to connect your fly line to the fly reel.  First, it insures that if a big fish runs all your line off the reel (and the big ones can) you still have 100 yards or more to play. Second, because your line coils around the backing when it is wound, the backing creates a larger diameter, which helps to reduce line memory and increase the speed of line retrieve.  Lastly, it adds just the right amount of weight to keep your rig balanced.

Fly line backing comes in different materials.  You used to only be able to get monofilament (flat or braided).  Now there are stronger and more durable braided synthetics made of Dacron.  Most recently, Spectra was introduced, which has an even smaller diameter than Dacron with more muscle (really popular for saltwater because of its abrasion resistance).  You want to have at least 100 yards of backing if your are fishing in freshwater, and 200 or more yards if you are in the ocean.

Most fly fishing reels tell you how much backing to put on your reel.  I personally find the easiest and probably most common way to put on backing is to first temporarily attach my fly line to the reel and wind it in.  Then do the same with the backing on top of the fly line.  Stop when you have about a quarter of an inch of space from the backing to the edge of your reel's spool.  Now, reverse your steps and attach your backing to the reel and then the fly line to the backing.  Perfect. 

If you are buying new fly line DO NOT forget to get backing - Click here.

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