Loops

A loop on the end of your fly line makes changing leaders easy (and a very streamlined connection). One can either needle knot a permanent heavy piece of nylon to the line and then tie a suitable loop knot (e.g., figure-of-eight), or you can attach a braided monofilament loop to the end of the fly line using the sleeve and super glue technique.

Leaders (casts)

The leader (preferable to the older, but ambiguous term ‘cast’) is the length of material attached to the front end of the fly line. The fine end of the leader, to which the fly is tied is known as the ‘tippet’ (or point). If the leader has short side branches off it, to which flies can be tied, these are known as ‘droppers’. There are various materials used for leaders and tippets.

Nylon Monofilament
In my opinion, still the best all-round leader material, where there is a high risk of abrasion (e.g., rocky rivers). Standard nylon mono has plenty of stretch and seems to be less critical of a poorly tied knot than other kinds of leader material and more forgiving of errors when playing a fish. MAXIMA is still the very best, I think. I prefer colourless or pale green in trout sizes and ‘chameleon’ (brown) for salmon fishing.

Fluorocarbon Monofilament
An alternative to nylon, Fluorocarbon has a higher density than nylon and therefore sinks more readily. Its refractive index is closer to that of water, so it is purportedly less visible under water. Fluorocarbon is very thin for its strength, but expensive.

Pre-formed leaders

Tapered pre-formed leaders have the edge over made up, knotted, leaders for turnover and presentation. One usually knots on a tippet and replaces this bit when it becomes consumed through changing flies. More expensive than home-made, especially if you have an off day with the casting!

Polymer/ Braided extension leaders

Used as an additional section between your fly line and leader tippet, poly-leaders are not as essential as some advertising might have you believe. Under certain conditions, they can be a damned nuisance. An extension leader that is not balanced to complement the existing taper on the fly line can adversely affect turnover. Extension leaders really have two uses: 1) to turn a floating line into a variable rate sink tip; 2) to provide extra tapering to improve turnover and presentation.

Backing

Backing is the reserve line you have on your reel attached behind your fly line. It’s insurance in case a big fish should run out further than the length of your fly line. Some types of backing are also used as a shooting/running line as an aid to casting, usually with short lines or shooting heads. There are several types of material used.

Nylon Monofilament
Excellent shooting qualities for shooting heads and relatively cheap. You can get more mono onto the reel compared with most braided materials. It does tend to tangle (terribly, sometimes), so wouldn’t be my choice.

Twisted Terylene
Cheap rot-free backing. Quite thin, so you can pack lots onto your reel. Has a tendency to kink, though.

Braided Dacron
Strong and limp. Traditional backing material favoured by many.

Braided Nylon Monofil
Very strong, with good shooting qualities, but bulky (can also be used to make your own leader loops).