How much / what weight backing, for a wide-use 8 weight?

daytripper wrote:


Looks like one side of the question is under-represented to this point.
So I'll be the contrarian:
If you can get 300 yards of backing on the reel using 30#, go with 30#.

Given what you intend to fish for - or more to the point - over, I'd
definitely go with the 30# Micron for greater abrasion resistance.

Barracuda usually live in reefs. Reefs are brutal on flyfishing gear as it is.
30# backing might save you a pricey fly line. And flats fishing puts your line
near all kinds of shallow water hazards - it doesn't take coral for that to be
a problem, either.

I have been out of the tech end of the tackle for some time, and wonder
why the (pardon the expression) bass fisherman's "spider line" isn't
used for backing. It is so much thinner, for a given test, than
dacron. Or is that what the Gel stuff is?

I spent two years in Micronesia with the Peace Corps (living on the
beach -- dirty job, but soemone had to do it) in the mid-90's. I had
the only fly rod on the island. The locals laughed themselves silly
when they saw me "beating the fish". But when I started giving the
village as many trevally (Jack Crevalle) as they could carry, the kids
began "beating the fish" with string tied to sticks.
....anyway...caught a lot of baraccuda, on the little green 'cuda
killers I tied up, using a home built 9ft. salmon rod in 9wt with 6in.
extension butt and an old 3 to 1 Martin #72.
14 in of stainless leader made casting kind of sloppy, but the cuda
didn't seem to care, and I was wading wet, wearing reef walkers (swim
fin booties with rigid soles). Reef cuda up to 20 lb. didn't seem to
tear me off much, but they were C&R anyway. Blue water cuda (paddle
trolling with the same gear) were immediately thin sliced and dipped in
soya, lime, and wasabe -- just as good as yellow fin.

cheers

oz, who went into PC at the tender age of 55

"MajorOz" wrote...


I have been out of the tech end of the tackle for some time, and wonder
why the (pardon the expression) bass fisherman's "spider line" isn't
used for backing. It is so much thinner, for a given test, than
dacron. Or is that what the Gel stuff is?
cheers


Kind of wondering that myself. I've been using it for a couple years now
with no issues (no really big fish, either...) I have at least 200 yds of
50# Spider Wire as my backing. Why? I had it in the house. It may be the
worst thing in the world, but I haven't seen anything yet to lead me to
believe that.

Dan
Who has less than zero clue what 'gel stuff' means.

Dan
Who has less than zero clue what 'gel stuff' means.

The "Gel spun" referred to in some of the above posts.

cheers

oz