Any help with this line

[MarkG]

I found this for £2.50 in a junk shop, is that the backing line on the spool and any way of knowing the type of fly line it is, it was wound on the spool over the other light line. It has no taper and looks thinner than the usual green double tapered line I usually use. Is it any good and what for, thank you?

[Liphook]

I remember those from many years back. That is the backing on the spool. It'll be a sinking line in that colour I suspect Weight, taper and sink rate should also be marked on the box.?

[MarkG]

I remember those from many years back. That is the backing on the spool. It'll be a sinking line in that colour I suspect Weight, taper and sink rate should also be marked on the box.?

Thanks Liphook, nothing on the box, on the back are instructions on how to load it onto a reel in English and French but it does say at the bottom there is a small identity tag from inside the pack to fix on the reel to remind you which size line you have, that must be missing. I guess I will just have to try it out in the summer when I do a bit of fly for chub and see how it works. Is that backing braid do you know? It quite thin and silky.

[Olly]

With a fly line I seldom get down to the backing. In theory if using either a D/T or F/T line it may never be used - - but if it is - it needs to be suitable to land the fish that has just stripped 30 yards of your line!

Shooting heads are different.

[Liphook]

Your flyline appears to have a taper at at least one end on the picture? The backing line might well be braided dacron etc but it won't be 'braid' in the modern sense that you'd use as a mainline (ie ultra high density poly ethylene/UHDPE) as this flyline will predate that by quite some years/decades. There's a high probability thst the PVC that the flyline is coated with may have lost much of its plasticiser over the years - you'll know if its stiff and wirey, or even cracked.

[MarkG]

Your flyline appears to have a taper at at least one end on the picture? The backing line might well be braided dacron etc but it won't be 'braid' in the modern sense that you'd use as a mainline (ie ultra high density poly ethylene/UHDPE) as this flyline will predate that by quite some years/decades. There's a high probability thst the PVC that the flyline is coated with may have lost much of its plasticiser over the years - you'll know if its stiff and wirey, or even cracked.

The fly line is quite supple and I haven't seen any cracks, its a bit discolored one end but that looks like water staining and I have not detected a taper in it but, I will have another look, I have just wound it back on the spool but I will have another look. I am actually thinking I have not much use for a sinking line as the only fly fishing I do is on a river that's only a few feet deep and I let the tippit do the sinking. Still, I will give it a go sometime and maybe sell it off if it is not applicable to my fishing.

[MarkG]

With a fly line I seldom get down to the backing. In theory if using either a D/T or F/T line it may never be used - - but if it is - it needs to be suitable to land the fish that has just stripped 30 yards of your line!

Shooting heads are different.

I have never got down to the backing when playing fish Olly, but I have only ever caught a few chub up to about 2/3lb. One day maybe, I have used white string, as it never sees the light of day but it is strong and visible and does the job for me, not for the purists but I like that I have as much as I like off a ball from the pound shop and with what little fly fishing I do, cheap and cheerful is OK

[Olly]

100m x 30lb = £4.99!

Not expensive for several years - and ensures if you do hook that monster - - - - - it aint going anywhere!

[MarkG]

100m x 30lb = £4.99!

Not expensive for several years - and ensures if you do hook that monster - - - - - it aint going anywhere!

That's cheap but old habits die hard, fishing on a budget. And I still sort of enjoy the challenge, catch a barble carp or roach for less than £10 sort of thing, maybe that would make an interesting TV program!