How to Set Up a Fly Reel - Video 5

This is the fifth in a five-part video which will demonstrate how to completely set up a fly reel from the arbor all the way to the leader. This video is brought to you by The Itinerant Angler, http://www.itinerantangler.com. A full-length version with all five videos in one 15:00 movie is also available.

You'll learn the Double Surgeon's Loop, a new arbor knot, the Nail Knot, the Perfection Loop, and the Loop to Loop connection. The full video is 15 minutes long, so if you're only interested in one part, skip down.

If you're doing this for the first time, you'll need the following items: (1) your trout reel, (2) a spool of "backing" (for trout, 20 lb. test is typically plenty), (3) a fly line, (4) some 20 lb. monofilament (I use Amnesia, which is red), and (5) a tapered leader.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• The Itinerant Angler
• Zach Matthews
• knot tying
• knots
• fly fishing
• fly fishing knots
• fly tying
• fly line
• beginning fly fishing
• angling

[cramercj7]

Im fishing for 4lb and under trout. how long should the leader be and the tippet? Or should I just do a leader only and trim it down everytime I tie on a new fly until it get too short?

[ZachMatthews1]

@cramercj7 Most dry fly trout fishing can be done with a 9-foot leader, the same length as most trout rods. You can simply buy a tapered 9' monofilament leader or, if you're looking to be a little more stealthy, you could buy a 7.5' tapered mono leader and then tie 18" of fluorocarbon tippet on it. (Fluoro is clearer than mono).

[ZachMatthews1]

You need enough backing to fill the reel so the fly line winds up to the outer rim of the reel. That way you'll have the maximum surface area to wind against and thus you'll pick up as much line as possible. With too little backing, you're winding against a smaller circle and thus you gather less line per turn.

[ZachMatthews1]

@Thefishman1997

For a dry fly setup, you would set the reel up exactly like I have shown here. Your backing will still be the same (20 lb. braided backing is fine), but you want to get a good dry fly line like a Scientific Anglers Mastery Trout or XPS.  Both of those lines have a nice fine tip to turn the fly over gently. For most dry fly work, choose a 9-foot, 5X leader east of the Mississippi and a 9-foot 4X leader west of the Mississippi. Tie the fly directly to the leader.

[MStroud987]

Great video I appreciate the detailed instruction and thank you for sharing it with us.

[erictuan1]

hello, I'm new to fly fishing. I got a question, How much backing would i need?

[voyageurm]

Very well done - clearly explained and filmed. I particularly like the perfection knot scissors tip.

[Thefishman1997]

Hey on the dry flie can i use backing flyline and then leader?

[DIVINGRUSTY]

great videos , thanks for all the information ,,, happy fishing