John Kranick: The Essential Trout Fishing Guide

stories in the explanation as well.

What am I talking about? The importance of fly lines, of course. It’s a natural question to ask when you’re beginning. Even some anglers who have been enjoying the sport for a while don’t totally understand the importance of their lines.

The truth of the matter is that using just the right line can make a difference between setting up camp and frying fresh trout or opening up a can of Spaghetti-Os for supper after a day of fishing.

The problem for the novice is that there are so many options so it’s confusing — and I agree. That makes choosing the right one for your specific fishing needs just a bit difficult, especially if you don’t have someone to talk you through it.

But before I even begin to tell you about the importance of your fly line, let’s spend a little bit of time explaining exactly what it is. Of course in the simplest sense, you know.

Fly fisherman consider the fly line an important

The main purpose of the line, after all, is the

casting tool (notice that word “tool”) consisting of transporting of a fly to the fish. The fly itself is two parts: the core and the coating. Normally, the practically weightless. No use depending on that to core is a strong, braided nylon. It’s coated with a help with creating any type of weighted presence.

type of polymer, usually a flexible PVC. This gives

the line the necessary weight (we’ll talk about this in

The bottom line is this — and I’ll say it over and

a minute).

over in this section — when you cast, you’re really

casting the line itself. And that’s why the weight of

If that were the end of the description, the world it is so important.

of fly lines wouldn’t be quite so confusing. However,

these lines are created in a variety of wondrous

First, it helps you to know that just like with your

combinations of core and coating materials. This fly rod and your reel, the line you use really needs variety gives the fly fisherman not only variety, but to correspond with the type of fly fishing you’re an ultimate sense of control over his specific doing. And it needs to match up pretty tightly too, if situations. Each line is handled just a little bit you want to be successful.

differently than the other.

22 The Secrets Professionals Refuse To Share

If your fly rod outfit — the rod, reel and line —

What the heck is a fly line taper?

aren’t in proper alignment or balance, you may

encounter some serious trouble in casting.

This is an excellent place to start a discussion. In

fly fishing, the weight of your line is critical in your

Let me show you what I mean. What if you’re ability to cast. If you’ve never fly fished before, this using a line that is “too light” for your rod? This, may seem a little strange. So, let’s compare this briefly indeed, presents you with some serious casting to spin fishing.

challenges. It’s the weight of the fly line and not just

the fly that actually allows the angler to cast effectively.

When you fish with a spinner — what many refer

The fly rod, as essential it may be to the casting, to as rod and reel — this isn’t an issue. The weight of cannot cast properly if the weight of the line isn’t the lure you use pulls the line out into the water. By aligned correctly.

contrast, in fly fishing the only weight factors

determining a solid, effective cast are the fly line and

Consider this for a moment. If your fly rod is the action of the rod itself.

“heavier” than the line you’re using, the rod will never

be fully loaded. This means that it won’t bend

Tapers, in a nutshell, are adjustments to the fly

properly. That’s because the weight of the line isn’t line that enable the line to be cast easier and even strong enough to bend it during casting.

better when you’re in specific situations. This may be

surprising, but most fly lines aren’t level. By this, I

Similarly, the line needs to be heavier than the mean the line does not weigh the same throughout rod, or the rod will bend too much during the casting. the entire length of it. Lines, for the most part, are And this makes it difficult to obtain proper line not made of a uniform thickness.

control.

Lest you think this is some manufacturing error,

At the risk of sounding like an old fly fisherman it’s created deliberately at crucial sections of these mathematician, here’s an easy visual formula for you lines. These adjustments are subtle and they increase to remember when fishing:

or decrease the weight or width of key sections of

the line. The result is a line that produces a better

Fly Line Weight = Fly Rod Weight = Fly Reel Weight cast and provides you with better line control.

C

The specific type of taper a fly line possesses is

ONFUSED ABOUT TAPERS?

really the description of the adjustments made to

You sit there looking confused and I can’t say I produce these results.

blame you. Everyone around you is talking about

the taper of their fly lines. As you try to listen to the

And believe me, there are several fly line tapers

conversations and even digest and understand them, available to you. Take, for example the level taper.

you realize you don’t have a clue as to what they’re When you buy this particular line, the label on the discussing.

box identifies it with the simple initial “L”.

I was just as lost when I first started. Really, it’s

You’ll be relieved to know that this is the easiest

not as difficult or mind blowing as it appears, and taper to understand. But you may become dismayed you’re not the first angler confused over this. Many a to also learn that it’s also the least used. Alas.

beginner has inadvertently stepped into water over

If you haven’t already figured it out, a fly line with

his head, so to speak, when it comes to fly lines.

The Secrets Professionals Refuse To Share23

THE ESSENTIAL TROUT FISHING GUIDE

a level taper really has no taper at all. Instead, it’s of popular among anglers — especially when it came to uniform weight and width for its entire length. Go trout fishing. The lighter taper in front of the line, figure!

made for a near noiseless landing and the middle of

the line ensured a solid cast.

WHAT’S WRONG WITH

You may also find this taper helps you with the

THE LEVEL TAPER?

“S” cast or the roll cast. T he double taper has an

added economical benefit as well. If you discover

Now, you’re thinking, I’m a beginner, wouldn’t that the front of the line is beginning to wear out, this be perfect for me? Perhaps at first glance you simply turn the line around. Voila! Brand new double may think so, but that’s really not the case. Level- taper line!

tapered lines float well but they are more difficult to

cast and to control than those with “real” tapers.

MR. POPULARITY:

Here’s another aspect to the level taper you might WEIGHT FORWARD TAPER

not have considered. Because it is uniformly level,

this specific line actually makes a noise when it hits

However the double line is not nearly as popular

the water. Nothing like notifying the trout that you’re as the weight forward taper weight forward taper variety of line. It should