How does Fly Line Work?

Let's get technical for a minute. Have you ever been admiring your fly rod/reel and ever wondered how exactly this crap works? Well, it's actually quite simple. Since there is no weight to carry the line out of the rod like on a baitcaster the fly line itself must act as a weight… let me elaborate.

There are several types of fly line on the market but all of them work the same. The type of line include Weight Forward (WF), Double Taper (DT), and Level Taper (L). There are a few more types of line out there but they are irrelevant to the beginner fisherman.

Before I go into how each fly line works and their uses I want to explain how fly line works. When using a fly rod you are not actually casting the leader and fly. In Fact you are casting the line itself. The weight of the line and taper in some cases is enough to shoot your line out 90 feet. Think of the fly itself as just the cherry on top of an ice cream sundae of a perfect presentation.

Weight Forward (WF): this is the most versatile line out on the market: this line is your life and savior. There is no problem using this type of line when you first begin to when you stop fishing. This line consist on a taper up to a thicker portion of line then down again to a thin line after about 20 feet. When I compared fly line to the weight at the end of a baitcaster this is what I mean. The section of the taper where the line is at its thickest provides a weight for you to cast. With high quality WF lines it is quite possible to land a fly on the head of a pen

The Double Taper (DT): The double taper can be easily described as a line for the intermediate fisherman. Use this line only after you have at least an idea of how to cast. This fly line consists of two tapers. One taper starts at the front and runs for a solid 20 feet. The second taper is at the end of the line and runs for another 20 feet. This is a nice line but can be tricky to cast in inclement weather.

Level Taper (L): This is the tap dancer of the group. Although this line is very pretty and gentile, is can mess up so easily. This is probably the most advanced of the three lines. This has to be in its best environment when fishing still water like lakes or ponds. Because of its gentle landing you have a better chance of not scaring the fish away from your fly.