Backing advice

[Aaron Hammer]

I've seen many reviews for fly lines, but hardly ever any for backing.
I realize it is not as important in many situations, because an 8" brookie
never pulls more than about a foot of fly line. However, I also want to do
some salt water fishing, and know backing choice will be much more
important.
I know Orvis, SA, and others make small diameter backing. Does anyone has
advice on the best backing (for the money)? Anyone compared a couple brands
and have preference?

Thanks
Hammer

[Mike Connor]

"Aaron Hammer" > schrieb im Newsbeitrag
...
> I've seen many reviews for fly lines, but hardly ever any for backing.
> I realize it is not as important in many situations, because an 8" brookie
> never pulls more than about a foot of fly line. However, I also want to
do
> some salt water fishing, and know backing choice will be much more
> important.
> I know Orvis, SA, and others make small diameter backing. Does anyone has
> advice on the best backing (for the money)? Anyone compared a couple
brands
> and have preference?
>
> Thanks
> Hammer
>
>

Small diameter backing is not very good for sal****er fishing, it tends to
cut your hands, tangle, and is generally unpleasant to handle. Most of the
peoplr I know use some form of braid, in the 20 to 30 lb BS class. I use
something similar myself.

One or two now do indeed use fine diameter gel-spun line, but I don´t like
this, for the reasons given.

Flat monofil ( amnesia), works, but also tangles and knots in cold weather.

TL
MC

[daytripper]

On Sun, 25 Jan 2004 13:34:41 -0600, "Aaron Hammer" > wrote:

>I've seen many reviews for fly lines, but hardly ever any for backing.
>I realize it is not as important in many situations, because an 8" brookie
>never pulls more than about a foot of fly line. However, I also want to do
>some salt water fishing, and know backing choice will be much more
>important.
>I know Orvis, SA, and others make small diameter backing. Does anyone has
>advice on the best backing (for the money)? Anyone compared a couple brands
>and have preference?

For me it's Micron. Period. 20 pound for everything below my 8 weight stuff,
30 weight for 8 weight and up.

I usually lay down 50 yards of the neon yellow stuff, and "chinese finger
splice" a neutral color for the rest. If I see the bright backing, I know I'm
either having a really good day - or I just snagged a passing vehicle on the
back cast....

/daytripper

[Stephen Welsh]

daytripper > wrote in
:

> For me it's Micron. Period. 20 pound for everything below my 8 weight
> stuff, 30 weight for 8 weight and up.
>
Can't argue with that ... just be aware Hammer, that there is
Micron and Micronite from the same company.

> I usually lay down 50 yards of the neon yellow stuff, and "chinese
> finger splice" a neutral color for the rest. If I see the bright
> backing, I know I'm either having a really good day - or I just
> snagged a passing vehicle on the back cast....
>

I have fished a place like that too ...
casting timed to the traffic lights

;-)

Steve

[Aaron Hammer]

Ever tried the sal****er Micron?

~Hammer

"daytripper" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 25 Jan 2004 13:34:41 -0600, "Aaron Hammer" >
wrote:
>
> >I've seen many reviews for fly lines, but hardly ever any for backing.
> >I realize it is not as important in many situations, because an 8"
brookie
> >never pulls more than about a foot of fly line. However, I also want to
do
> >some salt water fishing, and know backing choice will be much more
> >important.
> >I know Orvis, SA, and others make small diameter backing. Does anyone
has
> >advice on the best backing (for the money)? Anyone compared a couple
brands
> >and have preference?
>
> For me it's Micron. Period. 20 pound for everything below my 8 weight
stuff,
> 30 weight for 8 weight and up.
>
> I usually lay down 50 yards of the neon yellow stuff, and "chinese finger
> splice" a neutral color for the rest. If I see the bright backing, I know
I'm
> either having a really good day - or I just snagged a passing vehicle on
the
> back cast....
>
> /daytripper

[daytripper]

On Sun, 25 Jan 2004 17:53:42 -0600, "Aaron Hammer" > wrote:

>Ever tried the sal****er Micron?
>
>~Hammer

Not that I'm aware of - I don't think Cortland was selling teflon-coated
backings the last time I loaded a reel. otoh, I'm almost certain all of the
Micron I've used was sold as being ok for salt water use, that it wouldn't rot
if treated reasonably well.

I've always used the regular Micron (never the Micronite gelspun stuff) mostly
because its wicked easy to blind splice different colors. And so far, at
least, I've never had backing rot or mildew. A good warm water soak, flush and
air-dry after a salty trip seems to work well enough.

The only problem I've ever had with Micron was trying to find the 30# Red
stuff without resorting to mail order...

/daytripper

[Aaron Hammer]

Another question.

What is blind splicing? Know a good reference to learn it?

Thanks.

~Hammer

"daytripper" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 25 Jan 2004 17:53:42 -0600, "Aaron Hammer" >
wrote:
>
> >Ever tried the sal****er Micron?
> >
> >~Hammer
>
> Not that I'm aware of - I don't think Cortland was selling teflon-coated
> backings the last time I loaded a reel. otoh, I'm almost certain all of
the
> Micron I've used was sold as being ok for salt water use, that it wouldn't
rot
> if treated reasonably well.
>
> I've always used the regular Micron (never the Micronite gelspun stuff)
mostly
> because its wicked easy to blind splice different colors. And so far, at
> least, I've never had backing rot or mildew. A good warm water soak, flush
and
> air-dry after a salty trip seems to work well enough.
>
> The only problem I've ever had with Micron was trying to find the 30# Red
> stuff without resorting to mail order...
>
> /daytripper

[Mu Young Lee]

On Sun, 25 Jan 2004, Aaron Hammer wrote:

> I know Orvis, SA, and others make small diameter backing. Does anyone has
> advice on the best backing (for the money)? Anyone compared a couple brands
> and have preference?

I have a very large arbor reel that I use for fishing the California surf.
There is not enough room for enough backing so I use a gel-spun
polyethylene backing, 30 lb test Power-Pro. This is available from your
local bass fishing tackle dealer. I have never used the GSP fly line
backings but I know that the Power-Pro has a smooth coating and is
therefore less abarasive than other GSP lines I've used for conventional
fishing. Nevertheless, what Mike Connor says is true. This stuff will
slice your fingers. That doesn't stop the hardcore conventional tackle
guys who use if for chasing 300 lb tuna. The high end sal****er
conventional reels do not have level-wind mechanisms so they have to
guide the GSP onto their reels with their fingers.

Mu

[Mu Young Lee]

On Sun, 25 Jan 2004, Aaron Hammer wrote:
>
> What is blind splicing? Know a good reference to learn it?

If you buy any Rio fly line it will show you a little description.
Otherwise you should purchase the Cortland splicing tool, it's only $2.

Mu

[daytripper]

On Sun, 25 Jan 2004 22:13:39 -0600, "Aaron Hammer" > wrote:

>Another question.
>
>What is blind splicing? Know a good reference to learn it?

Not much luck Googling up a description, so I'll give it a try.

Let's assume you're splicing a red section to a white section.
Lay the ends of the two lines side-by-side, with about 12" of overlap.
Make a small mark on each line in the dead center of the overlap with a felt
tipped pen. Call this the 6" mark.

Then put a mark on each line where the tip of the other line ends (ie: this
mark would be 12" from the end of each line). We'll call this the 12" mark.

From here you can use Cortland's tool, or you can make your own by cutting a
two foot piece from a High E guitar string, heat up a spot in the middle, and
fold the line flat in half using a pair of pliers. Key here is to make a very
tight bend, but to do that without breaking the string (unless you're plain
lucky) takes a little strategically placed heat.

Take the red line in hand. Stick the tip of the tool (or the folded end of the
wire) into the red line at the 12" mark, pointing toward the 6" mark. Staying
within the hollow core, thread the tool into the line, emerging at the 6"
mark, leaving a couple of inches of the tip of the tool exposed.

Now take the tip of the white line and insert it into the tip of the tool (or
within the tight bend of the wire). Make sure it's tightly lodged, then gently
back the tool out of the red line, dragging the white line within. Remove the
tool from the red line (at its 12" mark) and unhook the tip of the white line.
The 6" mark on the white line should be exactly aligned to the 6" mark on the
red line at this point.

You're half way done!

Now take the white line in hand. Poke the tool into the white line at its 12"
mark, pointing towards the 6" mark. Push the tool to the 6" mark, pop the tip
out, hook the end of the red line to the tool, pull the tool back out,
dragging the red tip with it.

Don't snug the line tight yet!

You want to end up with the tips of the two lines buried inside the cores.
Trim the two tag ends so they are barely sticking out, then draw the line
smoothly from the center of the splice outwards. Keep massaging the splice
until the ends are hidden, then repeat with increasing tension, until you've
drawn the slice taught.

Et voila!

If you're the paranoid type you can suspend the splice a couple of feet from
the ends and put one drop of super glue directly at the ends (the 12" marks).
I've never done that, yet I've never had a splice let go.

Cheers

/daytripper
(waiting for a DRC job to finish...this late night work is getting old...)

[Martin]

Probably the best backing for salt water fly fishing is Bionic Braid (Rod
Harrison Australian Made)
It's available by mail order from Australia from alpine angler
www.alpineangler.com.au , not sure about availability from stores in the
states, but it's a far superior product and not much more expensive than
normal braids.

Cheers,
"Harry"


"Aaron Hammer" > wrote in message
...
> I've seen many reviews for fly lines, but hardly ever any for backing.
> I realize it is not as important in many situations, because an 8" brookie
> never pulls more than about a foot of fly line. However, I also want to
do
> some salt water fishing, and know backing choice will be much more
> important.
> I know Orvis, SA, and others make small diameter backing. Does anyone has
> advice on the best backing (for the money)? Anyone compared a couple
brands
> and have preference?
>
> Thanks
> Hammer
>
>
>

[Charlie Choc]

On Mon, 26 Jan 2004 06:13:56 GMT, daytripper
> wrote:

[snip instructions]
>Et voila!
>
Good description of the technique, DT. I use the same method to put a
loop in my backing for a loop to loop connection with my fly line.
--
Charlie...

[daytripper]

On Mon, 26 Jan 2004 05:28:53 -0500, Charlie Choc
> wrote:

>On Mon, 26 Jan 2004 06:13:56 GMT, daytripper
> wrote:
>
>[snip instructions]
>>Et voila!
>>
>Good description of the technique, DT. I use the same method to put a
>loop in my backing for a loop to loop connection with my fly line.

Thanks, CC. Now I can point to Google the next time someone asks ;-)

I have done the really big backing loop thing to my larger reels, especially
my wide arbor 11-12 - as it makes changing lines a relative snap, so I don't
have to carry an extra weighty spool on the flats...

cheers

/daytripper

[Harry]

The New Improved Bionic Braid overcomes all the shortcomings of existing
spectra/dyneema braided and fused lines. Uses a third less fibres and is
certainly the very best quality and value for money i've used for flyline
backing. It's now on 5 of my reels and the rest will follow.
I'd be using bionic braid 50lb for anything over about 6 or 7 weight. and
if required, go down to 30 for under 6 or 7. It's available online from
www.alpineangler.com.au i believe. You can check out Rod Harrisons site for
more opinions about it by going to www.harro.com.au . Quality of the bionic
braid has been acknowledged by guys like Lefty Kreh, Flip Pallot, Buzz
Bryson, Dan Blanton and Dean Butler (Aus) for it's excellent properties as a
fly line backing.
Cheers,
"Harry"
http://groups.msn.com/FlyFishingDownUnder
Remove fishy from email address to respond





Top line for throwing spinnerbaits around too.

"Aaron Hammer" > wrote in message
...
> I've seen many reviews for fly lines, but hardly ever any for backing.
> I realize it is not as important in many situations, because an 8" brookie
> never pulls more than about a foot of fly line. However, I also want to
do
> some salt water fishing, and know backing choice will be much more
> important.
> I know Orvis, SA, and others make small diameter backing. Does anyone has
> advice on the best backing (for the money)? Anyone compared a couple
brands
> and have preference?
>
> Thanks
> Hammer
>
>
>