Using Braid for Backing

[Idadon]

Wanting to use a #6 Rio Trout/Steelhead Indicator for my new Cabela's 6wt 9' MTX. Seems like a nice Rod, pretty fast, very light. Going to put my garage sale Sage 3300 reel on. Figure it ought to work OK. Poblem is the reel only holds 100yds of 20 pound backing and a WF 5 line. The Rio has a 70' head so takes up a bunch of spool leaving room for only 40-50yds of backing. Obvious answer is to use braid, right.

I figured out some years ago that PowerPro eats fly line but I want a loop on the backing. I researched the problem and found some posts that suggest threading the tip of the braid thru several feet of backing and then taking that several feet of backing covered braid and making a loop with a triple surgeons knot. Or at least that's what I think I read. I guess the short piece of backing would isolate the fly line from the braid alright. Just wondering how well this really works before start spooling braid on my reel? Does the loop hold up to big fish?

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Except for special salt water situations, I don't use anything but high quality braided Dacron or braided Micron line for backing...20# and 30#. Cheap Dacron is huge.......

Braided Kevlar is dangerous and if is harder to knot well.

Some use Kevlar braid for over 100# salt water adventures like big Marlin and big Tuna.

If you get a larger reel it will be a better idea.....

The right answer is if you need braid your reel is too small.

A small reel with a lot of backing kind of sucks too.

Another idea is to shorten you fly line if that is possible and add more backing.

We do this for wading for Bonefish because the casting is not fare so 70 feet of fly line is good.

I like these new larger diameter fly reels that are so light too.

You get a much faster cranking retrieve speed...and your fly line is in larger coils.

All good.....

.

[FISHEYE]

Why do you need 100 yds of backing on a 5 wt? I fish a lot for tarpon, roosters, jacks etc, and I cannot remember any instance where I ever had one of these bruisers take 100 yds of line. For steelhead, you don't need 100 yds.

[Idadon]

You are both right I guess but that next bite might be a monster. Maybe I'll just go buy some really good 20lb backing and settle for less backing. I've got another reel I could use but I really want to use this Sage. After all the only time I was almost spooled was a sturgeon out by the Mothball Fleet. I had the option of chasing that fish with the boat.

OK I'm convinced. No braid for backing!

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Maybe cut the fly line down a little, naturally from the rear. Some line are 100 feet long. 70 feet is usually enough for fishing.

Then put the line on the reel backwards and add all the backing that will fit next.

Then turn it around....

[Carl Blackledge]

Wanting to use a #6 Rio Trout/Steelhead Indicator for my new Cabela's 6wt 9' MTX. Seems like a nice Rod, pretty fast, very light. Going to put my garage sale Sage 3300 reel on. Figure it ought to work OK. Poblem is the reel only holds 100yds of 20 pound backing and a WF 5 line. The Rio has a 70' head so takes up a bunch of spool leaving room for only 40-50yds of backing. Obvious answer is to use braid, right.

I figured out some years ago that PowerPro eats fly line but I want a loop on the backing. I researched the problem and found some posts that suggest threading the tip of the braid thru several feet of backing and then taking that several feet of backing covered braid and making a loop with a triple surgeons knot. Or at least that's what I think I read. I guess the short piece of backing would isolate the fly line from the braid alright. Just wondering how well this really works before start spooling braid on my reel? Does the loop hold up to big fish?

Idadon,

If you want to use your small reel, no problem. Cut your fly line back like Bill suggested, then add a #30 braided mono loop to the back of the fly line, then install #30 power pro backing on your reel and use the triple surgeons loop knot (6 times thur) to connect the two together. Remember all backing can cut you, I been using Power Pro since day one and haven't ever even had a scratch , but then again I keep my hand away from any screaming reel that has a fish on the other end. There are lots of different ways to solve your problem, what I suggested is just one. Hope it helps

Carl Blackledge

[Idadon]

Certainly is a good option. I've already got the mono braided loops and the PowerPro, and a pair of scissors for the fly line. Have you ever had a failure between the PP and the braided loop?

[Carl Blackledge]

Certainly is a good option. I've already got the mono braided loops and the PowerPro, and a pair of scissors for the fly line. Have you ever had a failure between the PP and the braided loop?


Idadon,

I haven't ever had a failure with 50 pound power pro surgeons loop connected to a 50 pound braided loop. Remember you doubling the power pro braid when you make a triple surgeons loop...Now when you hook a new fly line with the factory loop to braid, after a few uses, it will look like it's going to break any second cause the braid digs itself in to the soft factory loop, that won't happen with a mono braided loop to braid.

I have used the braid backing looped to a standard fly line with a #50 braided loop on hundreds of Sailfish-Marlin-Tarpon and a few thousand crazy dorado...Never had any kind of problem, and I pull on those big fish like they owe me money...you won't have any problems either, if that's the way you decide to go.

Carl Blackledge

[Mark Kranhold]

All great ideas , but that reel specs out 100 yards of 20# backing with a #6 line not a #5

[Idadon]

Oops, I appreciate the correction. It makes a difference. I think I'm going to wrap the line on the reel, add some 20lb backing and see how much I can get on. If I can get on more then 50yds of backing, call it good enough and go with the Dacron.

[Rick J]

Cortland Micron is thinner diameter than Gudebrod Dacron but not near as bad as braid - would look at this in either 20 or 30# and as mentioned cut back the fly line.

[Idadon]

I found some Micron backing Saturday. I wound the fly line on and got most of 100yds of backing on without cutting the back off the fly line. While searching around I found a good deal on a Rio Intouch Salmo/Steelhead so decided to use that instead of the Trout/Steelhead Indicator. Saved about $30! I really like the Salmon/Steelhead on my 8wt. Hope it works on the 6wt as well. I did up-line to a 7wt line based on my 8wt rigs performance and the tech's advise at Rio. Hoping I got this right.

When we castoff for Redding I plan to have a 4wt, 5wt with a Trout Max rig, a 6wt Switch with Spey line and a Skagit compact, a 6wt single hand with the Salmon/Steelhead and an 8wt a Salmon/Steelhead line. Have I forgot anything? Oh, and various tips too.