What’s your favorite go to brand.

After having tried just about everything, I keep going back to the old Cortland peach colored 444.

just put a SA Frequency in buckskin color on a 6 wt Classic Trout rod to get rid of the bright orange line I had on it. Don't remember now what that line was. Tried a few casts in the back yard and was impressed. I know it's not one of the $125+ lines a lot of people use, but then I'm not a frequent user of fly rods.

I mostly use 444s. My fishing has tapered off. Wading creeks is not as easy as it used to be. Hopefully, I will locate some hip waders so I can used my wading boots. For small creeks, chest waders are too much.

Back to fly lines, that peach colored one works best on my old Fenwick glass rods. They are so much fun to use. If I am fishing really big water then I may use a more modern rod.

https://m.maxcatchfishing.com/fly-lines-5

These are really good lines for the money. If you fish a bunch of times per year you might wear them out quicker but I just can't stomach paying $100 for a fly line.

I use Teeny lines, he always gives me a break on the price. Those are mostly 200 grain fast sink shooting lines for fishing Woolly Buggers. I then get double tapers from Tom Morgan Rodsmiths, they are the only place that will still stock DT lines.

Everyone has been lured into the same myth in flyfishing that shooters have with fast twist. People want high modulous stiff rods for casting long loops in a parking lot and you can’t get a drag free float for more than a few inches when you have that much line out…

Thanks for the post will have to look into them when I change my trout rods. I’m looking for a 300 grain or more. At least in 10wt size. For a Spey rod. It’s going to have to hold up to some big muskies and big flies.

I may have to bite on some expensive rio line. I have bought cheaper cabelas lines and they always break at where the leader wraps around the fly line. It will eventually cut threw with the weight of the fish. So far a nail knot seems to hold with the cheaper lines.

In my opinion Scientific Angler makes the best fly line available. I have some Rio lines and I like their taper design in the trout sizes, but I have found that Rio lines will not be as durable as SA and the SA will cast as good or better in most situations.

Maybe you will be able to get there with practice...

Moonlit from eBay. Great product for the price.

I’ve had really good luck with both Rio and Scientific Angler Fly lines. The SA does seem to last longer.

Pretty much Scientific Angler for the trout rods with weight forwards or double tapers. Real expensive specialty stuff with my big two-hander Spey rods. Regardless, it's a case of sticker shock at the register. More now for just a line than a complete outfit when I was a kid.

For the Spey option looks like the SA and Rio are the same price at $100 for what I’m looking at. Looks like those are top 2.

Could be that things have changed in 30+ years but when I was guiding, I didn't care for the Cortland lines of the time. They felt sticky, clung to the guides when casting, blah blah blah. In those days, the other big kid on the block was Scientific Anglers and 'til around 2000, maybe 2005, that's all I used. Still do in some cases. I have one rod with a Sage-branded line .. I assume someone, probably Rio, makes it to Sage's specifications. My other lines are all Rio now. No complaints, they work. Oh .. I have a 2 weight WF floater with Cabela's brand on it, not sure who makes it, but it seems to be a very good line .. I'd buy another in a heartbeat.

While back I bought a 200 yd spool of Rio backer line. Just how much backer does anyone put on a 2, 3, and 4 wt line rods used for small water and not very big fish? Mb

^^^^ Generally 50 yards or so for my 000 - 3 weight, about 75 for my 4 weight. From a practical standpoint, you may well not need it as "backing", just opens up the diameter of the loops within the reel so the fly line doesn't kink as much.

My notion .. if you can't fit 50 yards of backing with the fly line on the reel, you probably need a little bigger reel. With smaller stuff, 4 weight or less, if you're getting more than 100 yards of backing and your fly line on the reel, your reel might be big enough to off-balance the rod.

Appreciate the input TOM and did the 50yds.mb

I use lightweight rods anymore, primarily for small stream fishing, #1-#4's. A 5 wt is a heavy rod for me. To that end I've switched almost entirely to Wulff Triangle tapers. Especially delightful with a small split cane rod when presenting #20 and smaller dry flies to wary trout in a brush choked creek.

With my commensurately small reels I'm lucky to get 50 yds. of backing under the line. I just fill the spool with it until the fly line rides comfortably within the confines of the reel.

SA first then Rio. Spend the money on a good line. Cheap lines will frustrate you and cost you in the long run.

Barrio Flylines out of the UK are a decent line for the money.

Even with shipping across the pond they’re only about $50/ line.

I’ve got 4WT and 5WT Double Tapers and also a couple of their small stream lines in 3WT.

I will buy more in the future.

I also like the Wulff Triangle Taper lines, though they are a bit more expensive at around $70-$80, when you can find them. That’s about my limit on price and I cringe
paying it.🥴😬

$100 plus just isn’t necessary in my opinion.

Leftybolt

There is that. But I reckon the value of a line is pretty cheap no matter the initial cost. Taken care of it'll last many years and amortized over those years and numbers of fishing adventures it works out to but a small percentage of overall costs.

I’ve been using airflo lately which seems great, I also like the Rio elite grande.

I mostly fish large rivers here in Alaska, for pike fishing, Cortland makes lines that work well for me.

Started with Orvis then SA now mostly using Rio. I didn't really have an issue with any of them in the salt. After using them I clean them and store them in den in the house were its climate controlled.

I'm not hooked on a certain brand and have lines from Rio, Scientific Angler, Cortland, Loop, Barrio and OPST. I tend to look for the line that meets my needs. For example, Cortland is the only brand that makes a sink tip in #4 weight, so they got my money. Most other brands start at #5. I've been buying a few Loop lines, which are made by SA, and the one that I absolutely love is the Opti Drift because it has a short 24 foot head. I put one on my #2 rod and it is perfect as it loads quickly for small streams. I put one on my #3 weight as well. All the lines have been good so I don't limit myself to a specific brand.

I must add that I try to stay away from the budget lines. I have quite a few Rio lines in the Elite and Premier range and they have been very good. I tried one of their Mainstream lines and I found it just didn't shoot through the guides as readily. I guess something must be cut in the manufacturing process to sell it cheaper.

I just put a Rio elite grande on an 8wt reel today, I havnt fished it yet but it seems like a nice heavy line for throwing streamers.