Backing question

[zum]

Bought a new reel it's specs say 80 yards of 20 lbs backing with a 4 wt line.
If I go with 100 yards of 20 lbs and a 3wt line, will it be to much or should I just stick with 80?
Cabelas prestige premier size 1.

 

[fredaevans]

Sounds like you'll be chasing trout with that set up. 80 yards is probably just fine for 99.99 percent of the fish you'll hook. The fish you will really remember is the .01. For better context the 'average' fly line is 90 feet, and with 80 yards of backing you're talking about another 240 feet behind that.

Fred

 

[zum]

Lol...I'm not worried about getting spooled or even getting to the backing.
Trout early season and smallmouth summer months.
Backing I bought was 100 yards and was thinking the retrieve and release of line may be quicker,if towards the outer edge of the spool.
Plus what am I going to do with 20 yards of unused backing.
I will probably stick to the 80 though, thanks for the reply.

 

[northern flicker]

Put the line on first then as much backing as you feel is appropriate. Then reverse the line.

 

[fredaevans]

Put the line on first then as much backing as you feel is appropriate. Then reverse the line.

+1, with small reels this is the easiest way to assure you've got a properly filled spool.

Fred

 

[myfly]

Plus 1

Mike

 

[GrtLksMarlin]

In addition to the above be careful not to over fill your reel....Remember, that first time you lay your line in there you are being very careful about it...Subsequent times it will tend to go back on as it does, and you might just find that nice new fly line suddenly jammed up on your reel body as you pull in a nice fish and the line stacks up in one area.

20 yards of backing is not going to improve your reel speed noticably....It might just be enough though to stop it cold mid retrieve.

B.E.F.

 

[fredaevans]

B E F brings up a very good point, regardless of the size of the reel. Folks have a real tendency to put the backing on 'too loose' and a tight fly line on top of same. Tie the backing to a 'fence post,' what-ever and back away.

As you reel in really put some tension on that stuff. Ya-Ya you can over do it, but it will take quite some effort on your part before you 'stress' the reel spool.

fae

 

[cab]

In addition to the above be careful not to over fill your reel....Remember, that first time you lay your line in there you are being very careful about it...Subsequent times it will tend to go back on as it does, and you might just find that nice new fly line suddenly jammed up on your reel body as you pull in a nice fish and the line stacks up in one area.

20 yards of backing is not going to improve your reel speed noticably....It might just be enough though to stop it cold mid retrieve.

B.E.F.

What he said.

I like to load my reels "light" for just this reason. Lost fish a couple of times. I would put 60 yds. of backing on , more for weight to balance the rod than anything.

CAB

 

[zum]

Did the line first,backing second method.
Never thought about the fact line doesn't always go back on the reel, as nicely when fishing...may have to loose alittle backing.

 

[northern flicker]

Great points about an overloaded reel guys. Not fun. I would even chop a few yards off the back end of a WF line to avoid that. In my dreams I still need some backing.

 

[outlaw45]

I only put on about 40' of backing and cut my DT in half. Onlywhen fishing small streams and not big trout. never had a problem.
Outlaw

 

[turbineblade]

Backing is useless -- I use the 30# kind in whatever color is cheapest just to get the arbor of my reels loaded up more quickly, knowing that for FW I'll probably never see it again...and I fish on the Potomac river in addition to trout streams.

For SW I use the 30# for strength and try to have at least 100 yards of it -- but beyond that I don't care or think about backing.

I read an article where Lefty Kreh said in his 50 years of bonefish he's never needed more than 100 yards of backing, and he's rarely needed the 100. I'd say he's put backing to more use than most everyone else ever will...so I wouldn't worry much about it.

For trout I wish I could figure out a way to use that pipe insulation like the other guy on here -- using lots of backing is a total waste of money for trout, I agree.