Firstly, thanks to all those who posted welcomes, much appreciated!

But I did say I would be asking some fairly daft novice questions, so here's my first one...

Bought a Greys GRXi 9ft 5/6 wt rod. I obviously don't have enough experience to give an objective opinion of this rod, but subjectively, it feels just right. Compared to even the lightweight carbon match rods I'm used to wielding, it's a delight to handle. Can't wait to get out there and use it 'in anger'...

But... the rod came supplied with a 25m GRXi 5wt fly line. The line has no loops in the end to attatch the leader, but there is a short length of clear (plastic/silicone?) tubing, plus a braided loop and tail included.

Presumably I need to fix these to one or the other end of the line to give me a leader loop, so how do I go about doing this, and does it matter which end of the fly line I fix it to?

Your help would be much welcomed, and it's only fair to warn you, this is probably just the first of many such enquiries!

Thanks in advance, best regards, Castaline

Castaline
I'm presuming this is a weight forward fly line, it should say wf somewhere on the box, list of contents if there is no box.
If it is weight forward then the first thing you need to do is find the reel end. This will be the end of the flyline starting with a long section (10 meters + probably) of level, thin line. The opposite end of the fly line will have a short thin section tapering into a thicker section, this will be the end you attach the braided loop to.

Before you start on the loop end you need to attach the backing to the reel with an arbour knot, see webpage below
http://www.animatedknots.com/arbor/i...matedknots.com.

Reel around 70-100 metres of backing onto the reel and cut the backing.

Then tie the reel end of the fly line to the backing using an albright knot, below

http://www.animatedknots.com/albrigh...matedknots.com.

Wind the flyline onto the reel as evenly spread as possible.

Once all the fly line is on the reel, dip the very tip of the line in superglue (stops water wicking up the line) and leave to dry. Then using an "inchworm" technique attach the loop, This thread explains the technique. http://flyforums.co.uk/showthread.ph...hlight=braided Then you're ready to go.


Steve
W

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Steve


"There he stands, draped in more equipment than a telephone lineman, trying to outwit an organism with a brain no bigger than a breadcrumb, and getting licked in the process." Paul O'Neil

Steve has covered it all for you, there, but if I were you, for the first time, try and get someone to do it for you and watch him.

You didn't mention Backing there..have you got some? It's needed to pad the reel out and to handle that fish of a life time..when you get it

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Roy

steve101,

Thanks for a very detailed and helpful reply. The line is marked WF; left to work it out for myself, having never heard the term weight forward, I might have thought WF stood for wet fly. A thing like that could confuse a stupid person...
On closer inspection, the line has a tag identifying the reel end, so no problems there.

But...I'm having trouble attaching the braided loop. Your link, and a couple of other sources I've read all indicate that the braid is hollow, and the fly line should be fed inside the braid. But try as I might, I cannot get the end of the fly line into the braid. All it's doing is seperating the fibres of the braid. Plus, the fly line seems to be at least as thick as the braid, so I can't see how it would fit. Am I doing something wrong, or have I got a different type of braided tail?

Thanks for your help so far,

Best regards, Castaline

Castaline - When you first start to insert the flyline into the braided loop it may well split the fibres. As steve101 mentions, the inchworm technique should help. One other thing, you have got a sleeve on the braided loop haven't you? You will need to to pull it over the fly line when you have it inserted into the braided loop?

If you really cannot get the line into the braided loop, you could always use a needle knot to attach your leaders to your fly line.

Roys is good advice, for the first time go to a tackle shop, preferably where you bought the goods from, and ask him to show you.
It's a doddle once you watch and you will be able to do it in no time.
As Roy said, don't forget to put backing on the reel first, again ask at the shop. Good luck, it all gets easier from now on.

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"A glint of sun has warmed the air,The flies will soon hatch out, To lure and tempt from their deep lair, The bonnie speckled trout." SKB tackle supporter. I love Furled Leaders.

Castaline
I'd echo what the lads above are saying, get someone in a tackle shop to show you how to do it - I tried to do it the first time from instructions on the web and was tearing my hair out after going through 3 or 4 loops without getting one on successfully, it's hard to explain in writing but very easy once you're seen it done.

Steve

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Steve


"There he stands, draped in more equipment than a telephone lineman, trying to outwit an organism with a brain no bigger than a breadcrumb, and getting licked in the process." Paul O'Neil

steve101, mrtrout , simonb and royvs,

Thanks, fellas!
Popped into Baileys tackle in Warwick this afternoon. Problem solved in 30 seconds flat! And you're right, it's much easier to understand the technique when you see it demonstrated, than to do it from written instructions.
One more small step successfully completed...
And when the guy in the shop says, " anything you're not sure of, just drop in and we'll sort you out ", I reckon he's got himself a new customer...

Cheers! Castaline

Wise man. Now don't forget to post a picture of your first Trout on the fly.
Happy hunting.

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"A glint of sun has warmed the air,The flies will soon hatch out, To lure and tempt from their deep lair, The bonnie speckled trout." SKB tackle supporter. I love Furled Leaders.

Excellent. The guy at your local tackle shop sounds a decent chap, and good on you for supporting him. Our local tackle shops need all the help they can get.