Do you ever change your backing?

[Flat Lander]

I am a novice when it comes to fly fishing. I will troll with a fly on small lakes and I will go once a year to Hosmer or the Deschutes. I have only went after trout. I have never changed my backing. How often should I do this? This year we are going to give Davis a try. I don't want to start a "thing" here but what flies would you suggest for the bass at Davis. I am thinking beeded and non beaded buggers, poppers, and leeches.

Thanks, Tom

[Abalone]

I never have, but if it showed signs of wear Definatly replace it.

Even if I troll I never let out more line that I would see my backing unless of course a fish pulls it out...

[Mad Mikey]

Truth be told you won't see your backing that much. Backing's supposed job is to help hold onto a fish that gets out beyond the length of your flyline.

While that rings true, the best thing backing does is to keep your flyline wrapped around a larger diameter spool, thus enabling your drag to work more efficiently and keep your flyline from having "memory" issues.

If that makes sense?

I buy saltwater rated stuff for my trout/steelhead reels and never have a worry.

[AndyK]

Dacron or synthetic backing probably never needs to be replaced unless you have a fish wrap it around some obstructions and it gets frayed. This probably happens more often in salt water, especially around coral.

I had several Springers this year run downstream and get my backing wrapped around rocks. In one case the fish broke off; in another instance, I had to manually unwrap the backing and still landed the fish. I did examine my backing afterward and it appeared to have survived intact.

[Slow and Low]

Nope. I do however see it a bit, although not lately.

[Steelie Mike]

The only thing that I have ever needed to do is remove a couple of feet due to my minds view of frays in it. I too see backing from time to time :grin:.

[Flat Lander]

Thanks guys. I have used one reel for over 10 years. I am changing it to sinking line and wasn't sure how far to go. The first 4 years I didn't know there was backing :grin:

Thanks again - Tom

[Wiggley1]

Ahhh the good old days...

When fat fighting browns used to run me into my backing. Gotta love the west slope states.

[garyk]

My backings are so old I think they're made of horse hair

[Two Fister]

I don't change the backing but I will retie the knot that connects the fly line and backing every couple of years for the heck of it. This habit is the result of watching a flyline swim away with a fish that shouldn't have been able to break it off. It's one of those things that when you need it all heck is breaking loose and it needs to work properly.

5 minutes to retie/superglue a nail knot or watching a $55 fly line swim downstream? Thank goodness it wasn't one of my multi-tip spey lines at $130-$150 a crack...
TF

[D3smartie]

while working in a fly shop i have seen guys bring in reels with backing that is bad and rotten... some of the backing would break with slight tension on it so i had to replace it all...
i test mine once a year to make sure it hasnt gone bad... better safe than sorry!

[D3smartie]

oh and i too see my backing from time to time

[TrapperJohn]

Backing is like underwear... if you don't change it, everyone is going to eventually notice and you will be very embarassed.

I usually double check mine at the start of the year by using my reel winder and reversing the spooling process. This puts the line side on the backing side and the backing side on the outside, thus allowing me to me inspect the whole setup - fly line for cracking/cuts, backing for similar problems and/or rot, knot for integrity. Then I reverse the process, returning the backing side to the inside and the line side to the outside, and I'm ready to fish.

Got it?

Having said all that, I have spools that have never had the backing actually replaced. Seriously, I think for me it is a ritual that gives me peace of mind when I hit the water again.