Thread: How much / what weight backing, for a wide-use 8 weight?
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Old December 1st, 2005, 03:19 PM posted to rec.outdoors.fishing.fly
Ken Fortenberry
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Default How much / what weight backing, for a wide-use 8 weight?
wrote:
Hi all,

I'm normally a trout fisherman, and thus far all the rods I own are 5
weights and under. This Xmas I'll be getting an 8-weight set-up, to
use for, well, basically everything else I come across: stripers or
bluefish out at Montauk (or even from the piers here in NYC), small
barracudas and what have you down in the Keys, the occasional Salmon
trip (for example, out at the Salmon River in Pulaski NY), and Steelies
wherever.
snip

Is 20# heavy enough for the uses I mentioned (as opposed to 30lb)?

Yes.

And, is 100 yards enough?

No, especially for steelhead. A 15 lb. steelie will scream off
100 yards of backing in a New York nanosecond.

If the answer is no to either, should I maybe be looking for the next
size up reel, or a different reel altogether?

I'm not familiar with Orvis reels, but if you like the IV
you'll probably like the V.

--
Ken Fortenberry