salmo
Well-known member
What would happen if I cut off the first 2-3 feet of a weight forward floating line? How would it impact casting dry flies and small nymphs?
sgrim
Active member
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2016
- Messages
- 339
It probably depends on the specific make of the line. Different WF lines have a different depth of taper. Some might have a very heavy taper that only goes 2 or 3 feet....others might go deeper. Some heavier WF lines have a front taper 4-6 feet.
My guess is that it would not be real noticeable on very short casts, but would screw up a longer cast.
Why do you ask?
My guess is that it would not be real noticeable on very short casts, but would screw up a longer cast.
Why do you ask?
afishinado
Moderator
Staff member
The front end of most fly lines, usually the last 6" or or so on most fly lines, taper down to a thinner diameter where they attach to your leader butt. I would guess cutting off the last 2 or 3 feet would cause the line to land a little harder on your cast. I wouldn't cut it if I could help it, but if the last few feet of your fly line is messed up, I wouldn't toss the whole line; I would cut it and see what happens. You probably would tell any difference, I would guess.
Attachments
salmo
Well-known member
I have a fly line that the first 18 inches or so sinks. I wanted to cut it off to the part that floats.
Call me cheap!!
Call me cheap!!
C
CRB
Well-known member
"In a typical ‘weight forward’ fly line profile, you can expect to see some, or all of the following components..
30 ft. Weight: Just what it says, the 30 ft. weight is the weight of the first 30 feet of line measured in ‘grains.’ It’s what dictates the line’s appropriate line weight (i.e. 5 wt., 6wt., and so on). Why 30 feet? At 30 feet, both weight forward and double taper lines of the same ‘line weight’ should weigh the same, allowing for some consistency when matching lines to rods from varying manufacturers. However, there is an accepted degree of error in line weights, and some lines can vary from 1/2 to even 3/4 of a line size within the same ‘weight.’ Therefore, knowing the 30 ft. weight can be helpful in matching a line to your specific needs.
Tip: The tip of the fly line is nothing more than a short level section to which the leader is attached. In the past, the tip was used to extend the life of the line by providing a section that can be trimmed after attaching a leader, without cutting into the taper of the fly line. With the popularity of welded loops however, the tip of the fly line is not as important today as it was before, and thus doesn’t need to be as long.
Front Taper: The tapered section connecting the body to the tip of the line, the front taper determines how energy is dissipated from the line to the leader. A long gradual front taper allows for more delicate and accurate casts, while a short aggressive front taper lends itself to better turnover when casting heavy flies or casting into the wind, although is less accurate. Choose accordingly.
Belly (Body): The belly, or body, of the line is the portion of the line with the widest diameter. It is where the majority of the energy is carried throughout the cast. The longer the belly of the line, the greater distance potential. The shorter the belly, the easier it is to load the rod quickly for shorter casts. Choose your belly length based on the distance you fish to most often.
Rear (Back) Taper: The tapered section connecting the belly of the line to the running line, the rear taper is an underrated portion of the fly line. A long rear taper allows for greater control of the fly line over longer distances by creating a smooth transfer of energy. A shorter rear taper creates a quicker transition to the thin running line, allowing for greater distances when shooting line. Both have their advantages depending for the type of fishing at hand!
Head: The head of the fly line is the section comprised of the front taper, belly, and rear taper. The length of the head determines the amount of line that can be effectively carried in the air while casting. The longer the head, the longer casting potential. However, more false casts are necessary to lengthen the amount of line being carried in the air, which can be difficult for some casters. The shorter the head, the less false casts needed to load the rod before shooting line, and is easier for casters of all abilities.
Running Line: The thin, level line comprising the back end of the fly line, the running line provides a low friction segment designed to send the head as far as possible when shooting line using weight forward or shooting taper fly lines. Unless you’re planning on boosting casts around the 100 foot range, the length of running line is not overly important."
30 ft. Weight: Just what it says, the 30 ft. weight is the weight of the first 30 feet of line measured in ‘grains.’ It’s what dictates the line’s appropriate line weight (i.e. 5 wt., 6wt., and so on). Why 30 feet? At 30 feet, both weight forward and double taper lines of the same ‘line weight’ should weigh the same, allowing for some consistency when matching lines to rods from varying manufacturers. However, there is an accepted degree of error in line weights, and some lines can vary from 1/2 to even 3/4 of a line size within the same ‘weight.’ Therefore, knowing the 30 ft. weight can be helpful in matching a line to your specific needs.
Tip: The tip of the fly line is nothing more than a short level section to which the leader is attached. In the past, the tip was used to extend the life of the line by providing a section that can be trimmed after attaching a leader, without cutting into the taper of the fly line. With the popularity of welded loops however, the tip of the fly line is not as important today as it was before, and thus doesn’t need to be as long.
Front Taper: The tapered section connecting the body to the tip of the line, the front taper determines how energy is dissipated from the line to the leader. A long gradual front taper allows for more delicate and accurate casts, while a short aggressive front taper lends itself to better turnover when casting heavy flies or casting into the wind, although is less accurate. Choose accordingly.
Belly (Body): The belly, or body, of the line is the portion of the line with the widest diameter. It is where the majority of the energy is carried throughout the cast. The longer the belly of the line, the greater distance potential. The shorter the belly, the easier it is to load the rod quickly for shorter casts. Choose your belly length based on the distance you fish to most often.
Rear (Back) Taper: The tapered section connecting the belly of the line to the running line, the rear taper is an underrated portion of the fly line. A long rear taper allows for greater control of the fly line over longer distances by creating a smooth transfer of energy. A shorter rear taper creates a quicker transition to the thin running line, allowing for greater distances when shooting line. Both have their advantages depending for the type of fishing at hand!
Head: The head of the fly line is the section comprised of the front taper, belly, and rear taper. The length of the head determines the amount of line that can be effectively carried in the air while casting. The longer the head, the longer casting potential. However, more false casts are necessary to lengthen the amount of line being carried in the air, which can be difficult for some casters. The shorter the head, the less false casts needed to load the rod before shooting line, and is easier for casters of all abilities.
Running Line: The thin, level line comprising the back end of the fly line, the running line provides a low friction segment designed to send the head as far as possible when shooting line using weight forward or shooting taper fly lines. Unless you’re planning on boosting casts around the 100 foot range, the length of running line is not overly important."
R
ryc72
Member
- Joined
- Oct 24, 2016
- Messages
- 153
Are the first 18 inches designed to sink? Or is it a floating line where the first 18 inches or so no longer floats? If it's the latter, before wetting the line try applying some gel floatant to the first two or three feet of fly line and on your leader up to the point where you normally attach your indicator. When I remember (which I often don't) to do that, it makes a big difference to keep the tip of my line floating high and not get pulled under the surface of the water for a good portion of the day. When it starts sinking again I just dry off my line and reapply. Seems to work for me pretty good. Give that a shot and see if it helps your situation. Good luck!
