Old fly line as backing knot suggestions

[jbomb]

Hi there! I have an extra reel and some old fly line and some new fly line. I was considering using the old fly line as backing. I tied the two together with a nail knot and I'm a little concerned the the knot will hang up on the guides if I ever have need for the actual backing. I thought about using an Albright knot, but it looks equally bulky (when tied fly line to fly line). Any suggestions for a smaller knot?

I was thinking about splicing the two together using a short piece of 30lb with a nail knot on each end, is that also a bad idea?

I know I can get backing for as little as $5, I am just looking for another use for my retired fly line.

Thanks for any input.

 

[Cold]

The thing that makes backing so useful as backing is that it takes up far less space on the reel than fly line.

I suppose if you're just using it as spool filler on a lightweight setup it might be okay...but I would definitely not use it for any reel where there's even the slightest possibility of ever seeing it off the spool.

As far as uses for old flyline, I'm not sure. I've heard of people cutting a short section and threading a leader through it, then using it as a sighter for tight-line nymphing...but other than that, I've got nothing.

 

[riz]

If you really want to reuse your fly line are backing, then I would use a short section of Dacron, spectra, dyneema or gel spun between the 2 fly lines. Use a nail knot to connect the fly line to the Dacron. However, as said, I would not use fly line as backing.

 

[JackM]

Old fly line is good for tying tomato stalks to the stakes. So far I have not found any other decent use.

 

[Chaz]

Using fly line as backing is not a good idea.

 

[WildTigerTrout]

Throw it in the garbage. Backing is cheap.

 

[jbomb]

Thanks for the input all. I guess I'll use backing. If anyone needs any cord to fasten their tomato plants to stakes let me know, because I've got a ton of it!

 

[PennKev]

jbomb wrote:
bout splicing the two together using a short piece of 30lb with a nail knot on each end, is that also a bad idea?

The fact that you have to think up elaborate ways to get this rig to work is an indication that it is not such a great idea.

 

[troutbert]

Several people have said using old fly line for backing is a bad idea.

But no one has said why.

 

[gfen]

troutbert wrote:
Several people have said using old fly line for backing is a bad idea.

But no one has said why.

because backing is cheap and you may need it to to weave a rope if you're trapped in a pit.

 

[McSneek]

An old fly line as backing would be a bad idea in a situation where you actually needed backing. So if the OP is planning to fish for bones in Belize or perhaps BC steelhead where he may actually see his backing a fly line would be too short to suffice and would require a bulky knot or two to join to the front fly line. When that knot gets stuck in his tip top guide as the bonefish is about 90 feet away moving at a blistering pace, he would hear a "ping" as the guide broke off the end of his rod or, should the knot actually pass through the guide he will have the challenge of getting it back through as he reels in the fish.

If he wants to use it for backing for his 5 weight rod and typical PA trout fishing, a slender but secure knot of some type would probably enable this system to work as in this case, backing on the reel serves little purpose.

Personally, for $5.00 I would buy a a spool of chartreuse or hi-viz orange backing 'cause it will look cooler.

 

[boychick]

Backing is cheap, just use backing as backing. If you want to do something with old fly line, you can make a simple lanyard that holds your nippers by cutting a length long enough for a necklace and join the ends with an allbright knot. You could also make sunglasses croakies by nail knotting a piece of old fly line to each arm or your sunglassies. I've also seen bracelets made by braiding different color fly lines, if your in to that kind of thing.

 

[dsmith1427]

Whether or not you use it as backing it's your call. Of all the years I've been flyfishing, the only time I saw my backing was when changing line or cleaning my line.

Anyway, I made a lanyard with mine. It wasn't pretty but it is functional... I got my idea from youtube. Anything you can do with Paracord, you can do with old fly line.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fyz8zTGEs84

To add bulk, I doubled the line.

Don

 

[randylang]

dsmith1427 wrote:
Whether or not you use it as backing it's your call. Of all the years I've been flyfishing, the only time I saw my backing was when changing line or cleaning my line.

Anyway, I made a lanyard with mine. It wasn't pretty but it is functional... I got my idea from youtube. Anything you can do with Paracord, you can do with old fly line.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fyz8zTGEs84

To add bulk, I doubled the line.

Don

I signed up specifically to thank you for this link, you guys saved my day! Awesome input here..going to bookmark this page.

 

[redietz]

McSneek wrote:

If he wants to use it for backing for his 5 weight rod and typical PA trout fishing, a slender but secure knot of some type would probably enable this system to work as in this case, backing on the reel serves little purpose.

Not strictly true. Backing increases the effective diameter of the spool, increasing the amount of line taken up each time you turn the handle and decreasing the kinking factor of leaving the line on the spool.

I don't think that old fly line is even very good for this purpose, though; real backing leaves a more or less flat surface over which to wind line. Using fly line wouldn't and line would come off less smoothly.

 

[ryguyfi]

Best use for recycled fly line out there.

http://www.flyvines.com/

Just donate it, or they can use yours and make one of their products out of it.

 

[springer1]

Whether or not you use it as backing it's your call. Of all the years I've been flyfishing, the only time I saw my backing was when changing line or cleaning my line.

+1. I use old fly line as backing because it doesn't absorb water when I dunk my reel in the water to get a fly off a branch. And I can do that because it's mine and I can do whatever I want with it LoL !