Fly Fishing Lines

[draku007]

How important fly lines are when it comes to the bigger rods and fish? I grouped together the type of fish I target by rod weight and if I were to walk into a fly fishing shop I would see a line for each type listed below. Do I really need that many lines?

7wt
- steelhead / salmon (3 times per season)
- smallmouth, largemouth, carp, pike, lake fishing (5 times per season)
- bone fish & permit (salt) (1 times per season)
- trout (1 times per season)


And here is how I think the most optimal set up would be (only 2 lines needed):

- smallmouth, largemouth, carp, pike, lake fishing & bone fish, permit (salt) -> I see this as warm water category so 7wt bone fish line should do the trick
- steelhead / salmon & trout - either 7wt WF trout line or steelhead / salmon line


Any thoughts?

 

[Trouser Trout]

I think the rule of thumb is you can fish for "all" fish with either a 5 wt. or 8wt rod. As most of those rules go they are like maggies drawers, they fit everything and they fit nothing. What would you use to fish a small stream with? a 7wt?

 

[Johnny Utah]

I like these lines best

 

[Johnny Utah]

These ones also

 

[draku007]

What would you use to fish a small stream with? a 7wt?

My 3wt ?

I thought I was fairly clear with my question about 7wt rod.

 

[Trout Nazi]

To that list I would add a 200-250 grain sinking Si Anglers Streamer Express, 30ft. head. Thats what you want for throwing streamers during high water. I bought a 7wt BIIx on closeout last year and its turned out to be one of my most vesatile rods. Throws the 200 grain sink like a champ, weighs as much as most 5wts, and I underline it with a textured GPX in 6wt (which is really a half line weight heavy) for nymphing from a drift boat and throwing big spinners during the spinner fall. I'll probably put a 7wt bonefish line on when I finally get a shot at doing that.

 

[NJpatbee]

I am not sure if the times fishing are the only ones you fish, so I guess you get away with the 7 wt line for trout once per season. I personally use a 3,4, or 5 wt set up for trout but I (try to) fish for trout much more often.

 

[draku007]

Let me try to be bit more clear on my original post this time... I fish my 3wt and 5wt the most but the 7wt (my newest addition) is a bit different gun. It can handle all range of fish I'm after from large river trout, steelhead, salmon all the way to salt water. So I was hoping to get some feedback from the community on how they use their 7wt and limit the number of fly lines. Do I really need a carp line or can I use my bone fish line instead? Will my trout line do just well while fishing for smallmouth or do I really need a smallmouth? etc...

Thanks.