Fly Line selection

[Devan S.]

How do you go about fly line selection?

For example: 8wt rod, want a floating line, want something for big streamers for trout if I so choose, maybe a trip to pyramid lake, but most of all good casting ability in early spring chasing top water striper. 

 

Fairly confident in WF8F but how do you pick down below that without just banging out $75 over and over and over until you find something?

[Flysmallie]

I’ve just always bought a good quality line and used it. I don’t think I would be able to tell the difference in a Rio over SA or any other brand. 
 

Sounds to me like you need at least a couple of lines. Talking with a fly shop would probably help you narrow down your options. 

[fishinwrench]

19 minutes ago, Devan S. said:

but most of all good casting ability in early spring chasing top water striper. 

RIO Outbound Short is my line of choice for that.  

 

[Ham]

3 hours ago, Devan S. said:

Fairly confident in WF8F but how do you pick down below that without just banging out $75 over and over and over until you find something?

More like $140 than $75 these days 

[netboy]

I hate to say it, but I use the $3.39 cheapo fly lines from Aventik on Ebay.  They may not last as long as the quality lines, but they cast great. I change them after a few months of use.

Aventik Trout Line Fly Fishing Line Dynamic Tapered Float Fly Line Exposed Loop | eBay

 

[fishinwrench]

3 minutes ago, netboy said:

I hate to say it, but I use the $3.39 cheapo fly lines from Aventik on Ebay.  They may not last as long as the quality lines, but they cast great. I change them after a couple months of use.

Aventik Trout Line Fly Fishing Line Dynamic Tapered Float Fly Line Exposed Loop | eBay

 

The problem I've experienced with cheap fly lines is that although some of them do indeed cast just fine.....they stretch like you're fishing with a rubber band.    Good hook sets are practically impossible.   You can get away with that if you're short-line trout/bluegill fishing, but when you are fishing for bass/stripers/ect. with 30+feet of line out, you've got 8+ feet of S-T-R-E-T-C-H to manage.    

I just can't enjoy that.  

[netboy]

No stretch on these lines. Actually, I lose some fish by striking too fast when stripping a cracklback or woolly bugger. A little stretch might solve that problem.

[Devan S.]

Historically I have used a 3wt. More dipping and less casting....plus I'm rarely having to cast far. I don't know for my historical usage it matters a whole lot. 

I had the outbound short selected and then dropped it. If I just go to Rio, SA, ect. and select lets say my givens: Freshwater, WF8F you get 5 or 6 or more options for every selection. I'm second guessing myself.  I guess functionally none of this matters......my form is crap.

[BilletHead]

3 hours ago, Ham said:

More like $140 than $75 these days 

Bingo!

[netboy]

2 hours ago, BilletHead said:

Bingo!

Well get the $3.39 version. Trust me they work great.