Fly Lines Part 3: Specific Lines and When to Use Them
By Connor McCoy
TCO Fly Shop
In Part 2 of this 3-part series, Lenny Gliwa went into depth to help you understand the differences between types of fly lines based on their composition. Now, we’re going to take it a step further in outlining the different kinds of fly lines you have to choose from – for dry fly fishing, nymphing, and streamer fishing – and their specific applications to make it easy for you to line up the right one for your scenario.
Dialing in on Dry Fly Lines
What to Use for Technical Dry Fly Fishing
When it comes to technical dry fly fishing, presentation is everything. In this scenario, you’re targeting fish that are feeding on small bugs – like BWOs, sulphurs, caddis, tricos, and midges. These are heavily pressured, picky fish that are often targeted in low, clear water conditions. So the goal is to deliver your fly in a way that mimics a natural insect floating on the surface – all without spooking the fish.
To achieve this delicate presentation, you'll want to consider fly lines with the following characteristics:
- Long, Drawn-Out Taper: This taper design allows for a smooth, gentle turnover of the fly, minimizing disturbance on the water's surface.
- Mendability: The ability to easily mend your line is essential for controlling drift and presenting your fly naturally.
- Excel at Turning Over Small Flies: The line should be capable of accurately delivering small dry flies without sacrificing presentation.
- Textured: Textured vs. smooth lines can be particularly beneficial for dry fly fishing, as they offer improved flotation and reduced drag.
- Long Leaders: Longer leaders further enhance the presentation by keeping the fly line further away from the fish.
Some recommended fly lines for this type of technical dry fly fishing include:
- Scientific Anglers Trout Taper: A versatile line known for its delicate presentation and all-around performance.
- Rio Technical Trout: Designed specifically for technical dry fly fishing, this line offers exceptional accuracy and presentation.
- Rio Gold: A popular choice for dry fly anglers, this line provides a balance of presentation and distance.
I’m told that Cortland and Airflo also make a bunch of good technical dry fly lines, I've just never fished them so cannot personally speak to how effective they are.
What to Use when Hopper Fishing
When targeting fish feeding on grasshoppers or other large terrestrial insects, the requirements for your fly line change slightly. In this case, you'll want a line with a larger head for turning over larger bugs (note that the fish eating hoppers are usually less picky, so a heavier, larger head won't bother them as much). Mendability is still important for controlling your drift. And lastly, the line should cast well in windy conditions.
Here are some recommended fly lines for hopper fishing, and by the way I really do prefer the textured versions of these:
- Rio Grand/Gold Max: These lines feature a heavier head for turning over larger flies and are ideal for windy conditions.
- Scientific Anglers MPX: A versatile line that can handle a variety of fly sizes and conditions.
Scientific Anglers Infinity: Another excellent all-around option that performs well with larger dry flies.
What to Use Blue Lining on Small Streams
Fishing on small streams in tight quarters presents its own unique set of challenges. In these situations you have less room to work with and shorter casts, so your line can make or break your ability to be successful. Long tapers won't load quickly, so having a short, compact head will solve that problem when making short casts. Double taper lines can also be a useful tool for small stream fishing. The beauty of these lines is that once the front of the line is worn out and sinking, you can flip the line around and have a brand new line.
Some recommended fly lines for small stream fishing include:
- Rio Light Line DT: A double taper line designed specifically for small stream fishing.
- Rio Creek: A versatile line that performs well in tight quarters.
Scientific Anglers Creek Trout: A short, compact line that loads quickly and accurately.
Next, Fly Lines for Nymphing
Nymphing involves presenting nymph flies below the surface of the water, imitating the natural insects that trout feed on down under. There are two primary nymphing techniques: indicator nymphing and Euro nymphing. In this article, I’m only going to recommend options for nymphing with an indicator because that’s the only way to do it.
All jokes aside, Euro nymphing is a super productive way to fish, and Euro fly lines are fairly easy to understand and less complicated than a traditional weight forward fly line. If you need a Euro line, you want some sort of level line that has no taper. The big difference in Euro lines are the coatings and cores they use in them; some have braided cores and have no stretch, others have mono cores that stretch. You really just want to have something you can feel in your hands and isn't so heavy that it creates a belly in the line.
Indicator nymphing is a popular and productive technique, particularly in slow, deep water and large pools. It's also a really good and easy way to introduce people into the sport, because in this case disturbance on the top of the water is not so much of a worry. When selecting a fly line for indicator nymphing, consider the following:
- You want a fly line that is able to roll cast well.
- Heavy, aggressive tapers help turn over heavy rigs.
- Having a long rear taper helps mend at distance.
Some recommended fly lines for indicator nymphing include:
- Scientific Anglers Anadro Indicator: Designed specifically for indicator nymphing, this line features an aggressive taper for turning over heavy rigs and a long rear taper for mending at distance.
- Scientific Anglers MPX: A versatile line that can handle a variety of nymphing techniques.
- Scientific Anglers Infinity: Another excellent all-around option that performs well with nymphs and indicators.
- Rio Grand: A favorite for nymph fishing, this line provides a balance of power and presentation.
Rio Gold Max: A heavier version of the Gold, ideal for turning over larger nymphs and indicators.
Finally, Streamer Fly Lines
For the most part, streamer lines should have a fairly aggressive taper to them. In most cases streamers are going to be heavier and more wind resistant than a nymph or a dry fly will. Because of this, you want your line to be aggressive in order to compensate. Streamer lines get rather complicated but break down into two basic categories, floating and sinking.
Another thing to look for in a streamer line is a no stretch fly line. This is because when setting the hook you want to deliver all the power of the set to the hook tip. A fly line that stretches will provide less pressure at the hook tip when compared to a non stretch line.
Floating Streamer Lines
Floating streamer lines are really good for fishing weighted flies in shallow water from 1-3ish feet – or fishing neutrally buoyant flies that are designed to be fished just under the water's surface.
Also, floating lines are good for mending. When fishing for bass with poppers and weighted streamers, lines like the SA Titan Long or SA Bass Bug are among my favorites.
Another thing to keep in mind is the temperature rating of the line. When fishing in the high heat of summer (bassing) you want a warm water fly line as this will allow for the best casting experience (Scientific Anglers Bass Bug or Rio Warmwater Predator). When fishing in the cold or medium temp water you want something that has a cold to medium rating (Scientific Anglers Titan Long or Rio Predator).
Sinking Streamer Lines
Sinking fly lines are confusing because there are simply a lot of them. There are full sinking lines and sink tips (these have lots of different lengths and sink rates). There are also many different sink rates. The higher the number, the faster it sinks. Most, but not all, Scientific Anglers sinking lines have a Titan taper to them. Rio sinking lines are a bit different than the Scientific Anglers ones.
The main things you are looking for in a sinking fly line are an aggressive taper, low/no stretch, and the proper sink rate. Sinking lines will have different rates of sink; the smaller the number, the slower it sinks. In heavy current/deep water, you want something that is going to sink anywhere from 3-5 inches per second. In lighter current/shallow water, you want something that will sink 1-3 inches per second. Some lines will be a standard sink of, say, 3 inches per second. Others, like a triple density, will be sink 3, intermediate sink (1 ips), to float (they do come heavier than that.
Saltwater Streamer Lines
Saltwater fly lines can get confusing as well. For the most part, if there is a game species that you want to target, most of the big fly line manufacturers will have a line that is specific to that species. There are lines that are general purpose saltwater lines like the Rio Flats Pro which is designed to be the all-purpose flats fly line for bonefish tarpon and permit. This line has a more aggressive back taper which helps with presenting the fly to picky fish and helps keep control of the line while casting. Scientific Anglers makes the Grand Slam line which is SA’s all purpose flats line. The taper on this is very aggressive which helps load rods quickly and punch through windy conditions.
From there, companies like SA and Rio will make specific lines for tarpon, bonefish, permit, striper, GT’s and more. All of these lines will have slightly different tapers depending on the fish they are made for.
Saltwater fly lines also come with different tips. Some are standard sink much like you would use in freshwater then there are clear tips lines. Clear tips can either float or sink depending on what you need it for. The benefit of a clear line is that it is less visible to the fish. These are used a lot for extremely picky fish like permit and tarpon. Depending on where you are going and what you are fishing for will determine which line is best for you. To keep it simple, buy the line that has a picture of the fish you want to catch on it, or the name of the fish.
Time to Line Up Your Options
Admittedly, fly lines are confusing. There are almost too many of them out there. Once you find a line you like, stick with that. If you want to try something new, talk to your local fly shop or guide as they will have the best information for where you are trying to fish.
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