Right, let’s talk about fly lines because I reckon this is where most people starting out get properly confused. You walk into a tackle shop or start browsing online and suddenly you’re faced with weight forward this, double taper that, sinking tips, intermediate densities, and about fifty different price points. Honestly mate, it’s enough to make you pack it in before you’ve even started.
Gear Used in This Article
The thing is, your fly line matters more than you probably think. I spent my first season on the Derbyshire Wye absolutely butchering my casting because I’d bought some cheap line that came bundled with a rod and reel combo. Thought I was being savvy with money. What I actually did was make learning ten times harder than it needed to be. The line had more memory than my gran’s photo albums, coiling up like a spring every time I tried to lay out a decent cast.
So here’s what you actually need to know without all the marketing nonsense. For UK river fishing, which is where most of us are going to spend our time, you want a weight forward floating line. That’s your bread and butter. Forget everything else for now. Weight forward means the bulk of the line’s weight is concentrated in the first thirty feet or so, which helps you load the rod properly and get the line out there without needing to false cast like you’re conducting an orchestra.
The floating bit is pretty self explanatory. It sits on top of the water, which is exactly what you want for dry fly fishing and nymphing in the shallower rivers we’ve got over here. Yeah, you might fancy getting into sinking lines later when you’re chasing reservoir trout or trying to get down deep in bigger water, but honestly that’s putting the cart before the horse.
Now the weight rating needs to match your rod. If you’ve got a 5 weight rod, which is what I’d recommend for general river work, then you need a 5 weight line. Simple as that. Some people will tell you to overline by one weight to help with casting at short range, and fair enough, but when you’re learning just stick to matching the numbers. You’ve got enough to think about without adding variables.
Quality matters here and I’m not going to pretend otherwise. You don’t need to spend a fortune but you absolutely want something that’s going to behave itself. A decent line will shoot through the guides smoothly, won’t crack in cold weather, and crucially won’t turn into a tangled mess after a few sessions. The cheap stuff goes stiff, develops a mind of its own, and generally makes you think you’re a worse caster than you actually are.
Colour is one of those things people get worked up about but honestly I think it matters less than the internet would have you believe. I’ve used bright yellowish lines and subtle olive ones and caught fish on both. The argument goes that bright lines are easier to see for line control but might spook fish, while subtle colours are stealthier but harder to track. My take? Get something you can see because learning to mend and control your line is more important than being invisible when you’re starting out. The fish are looking at your fly and your leader, not the fly line sitting ten feet upstream.
For what it’s worth, the Airflo Ridge has served me really well over the years and it’s not going to make your wallet weep. Worth checking out: https://amzn.to/3J6nFyq
One thing nobody tells beginners is that you need to look after your fly line properly. And I don’t mean obsessively, but it does need occasional cleaning. Every few trips, run it through a damp cloth with a tiny bit of washing up liquid on it. Gets rid of all the algae and gunk that builds up. Then you can use a line dressing if you fancy, though I’m a bit hit and miss with that myself if I’m honest.
The taper is another thing you’ll see mentioned everywhere. Double taper lines have the same profile at both ends, which means you can theoretically reverse them when one end wears out. Sounds great in theory. In practice, most of us are fishing weight forward because it casts easier, especially in windy conditions which, let’s face it, is most days in the UK. The more delicate presentation of a double taper is lovely when you’ve got the skill to use it, but you need to walk before you can run.
Don’t get sucked into the idea that you need different lines for different situations straight away. I know blokes with entire cupboards full of spools and cartridges and specialty lines for every conceivable condition. That’s fine if that’s your thing, but when you’re beginning one good quality weight forward floating line is going to cover ninety percent of what you’ll be doing.
The backing connection matters too. Make sure whoever sets up your reel knows what they’re doing, or watch a proper video on the nail knot or whatever connection method you’re using. I’ve seen backing slip on the reel and that’s a right mess when you finally hook something decent.
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Here’s a practical tip for your next session. Before you start fishing, stretch your line. Pull off twenty feet or so and give it a proper stretch between your hands, working your way along it. Gets rid of the coils from being on the reel and makes your casting instantly better. Takes two minutes and makes a genuine difference.
