How to Tie a Line on a Fly Rod
- 1). Attach the fly line backing to the spool of your fly reel with an Arbor knot. Wrap the backing line around the spool with 5 to 6 inches of the line extending past the spool. Form an overhand loop with the free, or tag, end of the line with the loop going around the main line.
- 2). Tie a second overhand knot below the first one using only the tag end of the line. Moisten the knots with a small amount of water and pull the knots down tightly against the spool. Use scissors to trim any excess line from the tag end of the knot.
- 3). Wind the backing evenly across the face of the spool. Refer to the reel manufacturer's instructions for the amount of backing line to place on the reel.
- 4). Attach the backing to the main line with an Albright knot. Refer to the Animated Knots by Grog website for detailed instructions on tying this knot. Moisten the knot before pulling tight and trim any excess line from the knot with scissors.
- 5). Wind the fly line onto the reel. If all of the line will not fit onto the reel, do not cut the line. Many fly lines are manufactured with a weight forward or taper that may be damaged by cutting. Remove the fly line, adjust the amount of backing and install the line again.
- 6). Attach a leader to the fly line with a Surgeon's knot. Overlap the tag end of the main line and leader for 6 or 7 inches. Form a loop with the overlapped lines and wrap the leader and main line tag around the looped line. Make three total wraps around the loop, moisten the knot and pull down tightly.
