Fly Line Reviews

From horsehair, to silk to nylon, a lot of development has occurred in fly fishing lines. This fly line reviews will try to give some advices and sugegstions to buy the best fly fishing line.

First of all, the fishing line can either float or sink when you cast it over water. Therefore, in fly fishing you must choose the line according to your technique (to catch the fish near the surface or at the bottom?). Most of the time a floating line is what is used, especially for beginners.

Fly fishing techniques and knowledge of fish habits influence the choice of a fly line, too. This is how trouts behave. I can't remember where I took the pic from, though...

Floating line: the standard

Sinking lines: heavier than an equivalent floating line and so easier to cast in the wind

I spare you the history of fly lines. There are two basic geometries (double taper and weight forward) and many variations of material and composition for different ways of casting and effects. But in the end, in my humble experience, it boils down to what you prefer and feel right for you (I prefer a Weight Forward fly fishing line and a weight #4 for trout fishing). Below a schematic representation with geometries not in scale.

types of fishing lines

Double Taper: short and medium distance cast. Ok for moving waters, Forgiving.

Weight Forward: easier to cast. Versatile because it allows both short and long casting. There are many variations to this geometry like the "triangle" taper designed by legendary lee Wulff, and the "Teeny" taper, by Jim Teeny plus many more (Rocket Tapers, Bass Bug Tapers, Saltwater Tapers, Steelhead Tapers, etc..)

Arrowhead Taper: a mix of the two and a variation of the Weight forward worth of a proper section as an example for variations. Casting with such a line is like a weight forward (that is, easy), but "fishes like a double taper". For delicate presentations. Invented by the creators of the Arrowhead fly rods, and accessories from the UK.

So, what is the best fishing line to use?.

Well, I asked some of my friends, read some fly line reviews and got confirmed that Scientific Anglers and Cortland are among the best fly lines on the market. Rio fly lines (e.g. RIO Gold Weight Forward Fly Line WF4F Melon/Gray 4 Weight Floating )are also good but not so easy to find over here in Europe.

Below some recommendations for Weight Forward mainly trout fly lines (and you can also get an idea of the prices).