Thanks for the kind words! We try our best and it's nice to be appreciated.

Awesome, thank you! I appreciate you watching this channel now too!

Awesome, but no child support for you!

@@BowRiverTroutfittersCalgary That's alright, I'm 27... For real though, these videos are super informative. You're incredibly well spoken and a good teacher! Keep em coming!

We're lucky to have you!

Thanks! I'm glad you found it useful.

Our flylines absolutely do too. However, once in a while, we see loopless lines. Especially on the more affordable lines. Always good to know how to replace them when needed anyways. Thanks for watching!

Glad you found it helpful! I wish you success!

Hey as long as you are getting something out of it, we're happy!

I'm happy to help you out in two different fields!

Well said... cut those loops off

That's not a bad technique at all. Still with enough practice and experience we get pretty good at the shop using the TLAR system.

That sounds like an exhaustive amount of extra steps. Usually the reel specs are pretty clear about capacity. It’s better to underspool backing than over spool as to not scrape the framework of the reel or even get lockup. But basically, if your specs say it holds 100yds backing for standard line, you’re safe to put that amount.

@@SeemsLikeSomething not if you're into perfection.

Been doing it your way for a long time. The only way to get it right first time every time. I also just use very cheap braided Dacron.

Hmm, James are you referring to how much backing to put on so your fly line doesn't overfill the reel? We generally like to go maybe 10 percent less backing than what the manufacturer suggests so as to leave a little extra room for the flyline. We don't want it so full that the leader and rigging gets mashed against the cage of the reel everytime you reel in. Unfortunately there's no rule of thumb beyond that short of just trying to eyeball it and using the TLAR technique.

You can also just temporarily tape the fly line to the reel and then tape the backing to the fly line, wind it all in and see how much backing you then need. Unwind it all and then so the reverse. A little more work but more accurate and less chance of messing up and having to start over.

I might be missing the nature of your question, but it shouldn't really matter what direction it comes off the original spool that the fly line arrives on. What does matter is that the spool doesn't flip over constantly while reeling it on, because the less twists and coils the better. In the shop we will put a pencil through the center of the spool and one of the employees will hold it for you. Or if I'm at home alone I like to put the flyline spool into a bowl, or pot so that it can freely spin but not flip over on itself.

Sounds like a pretty good setup! I like to use wire leaders as well with a quick clip so i can rapidly change flies. I have also been skipping the wire lately and using 50lb Fluoro instead. It's been holding up very well! I wouldn't be afraid to go with bigger flies if I were you, at least on the 8 weight. 4 to 6 inch long flies can work very well and trigger the bigger fish. Otherwise you sound pretty dialed in!

Good question and I'll answer your other comment here as well Kevin. Dacron backing is affordable and offers a breaking strength which is well suited to most kinds of fishing. Braids, Gelspun, these are typically available in much stronger breaking strengths in some cases upwards of 65 pounds or more. However they also tend to be thinner than Dacron for the same breaking strength. Where we typically go to braided backing is when we want good strength but also much more line capacity on a reel. Usually this is for salt water or salmon/steelheading applications. You see a trout reel never needs more than 100 yards of backing so Dacron is ideal. But bonefish, permit, and tarpon can really take line and you might want 250+ yards of capacity. This is where braided backing makes sense. Now of course you can absolutely load up a trout reel with braid but it's overkill for sure. As for nylon mono being sensitive to UV light that is true but over fairly long periods of exposure. UV Glues use UV light to harden but do not exude UV light and therefore do not damage the mono. The minimal amount of UV light required to set the glues also is equivalent to a few seconds of direct sunlight and wont damage your lines in any appreciable way. Basically what you don't want to do is leave mono out in the sun baking for hours and hours.

Absolutely. Generally speaking most modern fly lines have different coloured sections to indicate what part is the head, and what part is the running line. In this case its easy because the end that goes to the fish will be coloured and only about 30 to forty feet in length and the running line which goes to the reel will be much longer at roughly 60 or 70 feet long. Now if the entire fly line is the same colour then the head section to the fish will be noticeably thicker then the running line to the reel. So attach the consistently skinny end to the reel and have the shorter and thicker end going to the fish.

@@BowRiverTroutfittersCalgary thank you so much sir 🙏🙏

Sure, you don’t need that much for most trout fishing however most reels are capable of more like 90 to 100 yards, and I feel it’s better to fill it up at least most of the way. It’s a balancing act because having too much is a huge no-no, mashing your knots and leaders against the reel. But too little loses some of its esthetic appeal, and to some extent reels “slower” due to the smaller diameter per turn.

They had to use the sun, like... well... cavemen.

Still do! You can watch me on PetaPixel

@@BowRiverTroutfittersCalgary yep, I used to be a photographer for like 25 years and still love it. You used to make nice new camera body reviews

Don't worry Ed, the uv glue on the nail knot is just an extra step to help it run through the rod guides smoothly. In the real world its very unlikely that an uncoated knot will cause any issues or giveway. Nail knots, especially if you do two side by side should not give way ever.

@@BowRiverTroutfittersCalgary Also, if you cut the end of the fly line at a slant, rather than straight across, you can carefully align the end of the flyline just beyond the nail knots to provide a more compact finish that is less likely to snag. A dab of superglue between the cut end and the main line will also tidy things up without the need for UV resin and a lamp.

@@BowRiverTroutfittersCalgary Thank you.

Very unpopular opinion! To each their own.

You've missed the whole point of Fly Fishing!

Because someone already setup your reel???