Best Fly Lines 2024: Weight Forward, Shooting Heads, and Saltwater Lines Reviewed
Fly line is the most important equipment decision in fly fishing — more important than the rod or reel in many situations. A bad fly line makes even a great rod cast poorly. A great fly line can make an average rod perform brilliantly. Here's what the most important differences are and which lines deliver.
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Rio Gold Fly Line
The most popular trout fly line in the world for good reason. MaxFloat Tip, moderate forward taper for versatility, and available in multiple visual options. Excellent out of the box and casts well through a broad range of conditions.The Rio Gold is the right choice if you fish varied conditions and don't want multiple lines. Nymphing, dries, and short streamers are all covered.
Rio Outbound Short Fly Line
Shooting-head design delivers long casts in wind with minimal false casting. Ideal for saltwater fishing from the surf, boats, and flats. Also excellent for swinging streamers in rivers where distance matters.Available in tropical coating for heat resistance in summer saltwater applications. The intermediate tip version sinks 1-2 inches per second — excellent for presenting at depth near structure.
Scientific Anglers Amplitude Trout
The best dry fly line for technical trout fishing. AST Plus slickness additive gives a frictionless coating that shoots through guides and reduces surface tension for longer, more accurate casts. Premium price but premium performance.Scientific Anglers is the oldest fly line manufacturer in the US. The Amplitude series represents their most advanced coating technology.
Buying Guide
Fly Line Buying Guide
Line weight matching: Match line weight to your rod's labeled line weight. A 5-weight rod fishes a 5-weight line. Going up a weight (fishing a 6 on a 5-weight rod) loads the rod faster — useful in tight casting situations. Going down a weight gives more delicacy.
Taper design matters: The taper is the shape of the fly line — how quickly the mass transitions from the running line to the head to the tip. Forward-tapered lines cast farther. Long-belly tapers allow more mending but require more line in the air. Shooting heads have heavy front sections for distance.
Floating vs. sinking lines: - Floating: Most versatile — works for nymphs (with indicator), dries, and surface streamers - Sink-tip: Front portion sinks while running line floats — excellent for swinging wet flies and streamers at depth - Full-sink: Entire line sinks — used for deep lake fishing and heavy streamer applications
Coating quality: Premium coatings (Rio's MaxFloat, SA's AST) reduce friction, float longer, and last longer. Cheap lines crack in cold weather and sink in their first season. Don't put a $20 fly line on a $400 rod.
Loop-to-loop connections: Modern fly lines come with welded loops at the front. Match to the leader's loop or use a surgeon's loop on the leader butt. Never tie a knot directly in the fly line — loop-to-loop connections are cleaner and transferable.
Temperature rating: Standard coatings get stiff in cold water. Cold-water lines (Rio Gold, SA Anadro) are formulated for temperatures below 40°F. Tropical coatings are stiffer and designed for heat — they'd crack in cold conditions.
Lines, leaders, tippet, flies, and rods — complete fly fishing gear reviews for CT anglers. Subscribe to Hooked Fisherman.
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