Silly Question

[Jack Jones]

Ever since I replaced my Dogwood Canyon outfit with a TFO outfit, I have the Dogwood rod just sitting around. Today I went to BPS Outlet and picked up a cheap ($10) fly reel. It appears to be on the bigger side (model DC 78 but couldn't find it on their website). I was going to go straight fly line to reel with my older 5wt line and keep it around as a practice rod. Anybody thing there would be any problems going straight line to reel? Would practicing casting with it that way affect my technique later?

Also, what knot would you use to tie the fly line straight on? I was thinking arbor knot.

It's not that I'm too cheap to buy backing....I just forgot and am now wondering if it's worth going back for.

[Danoinark]

Won't make any difference on loading the rod to practice your casting, but if you wanted to use it as a backup rod / reel I would want some backing. In addition to longer than 100 ft runs by a good fish having backing on the reel helps with the ease of the retrieve on the reel. It needs to be explained by one of our resident physicist as to why it helps but I do know it does....

[Kayser]

Backing bulks up the arbor of the reel (circumference), and you can pick up more line per turn of the handle. This is also why you want large arbor reels for big-run fish- easier to pick up lost line. And I would recommend backing if you ever want to use the dogwood for warmwater fishing (like me!)- you never know when you'll accidentally hook into a monster catfish or grasscarp while bluegill fishing. Also, if you ever want to practice longer distance casting, then you want backing to get you that little extra length.

Rob