I am putting together my kit after a number of years away from the water and was wondering what opinion people had on the importants of different lines in their armory! I have as priority Wf Floating line and High D sinker and about to add another probably an intermediate though with so many lines available nowadays some opinion would be appreciated!

I have a floating, intermediate and sinking and I rate them for importance in the same order. Rarely use the sinking but like to have it anyway.

if you are having trouble prioritising which to buy a set of John norris lines, they are a whopping £5.99 each and people rate them very highly (i read they are made by shakespeare, the shakey made lines are very nice), for less than the price of a cortland line you could get a full set and backing...

Then if you feel the need upgrade them as you see fit...

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I can vouch for the Norris lines being terrific value for money and better than a lot of the more expensive lines

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How poor a thing, sometimes I find,
Will captivate a greedy mind - Isaac Walton.

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The set of 3 lines RobertS advised is now almost a classic combination, and it will serve you well as an all round set on most lakes.

If you like to give us a bit more of an idea where you will be fishing, there might be some subtle tweaks to be made. For example, if you are fishing small South of England clearwater fisheries, you could usefully swap the fast sinker, which won't really get much use on Avington, Chalk Springs and the like, for a DT floater one size lighter than your rod is rated. By contrast, if you are mostly reservoir fishing, go for 2 different speeds of sinker ie 4 lines not 3.

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"In wine there is wisdom. In beer there is strength. In water there is bacteria." - German proverb
JH based near Southampton

I used to fish with an #8/9 weight with an armoury of every density going and chase stockies year round.

Now I mainly wild fish and use a #6 with two lines; a floater and an intermediate. If the fish are not in to upper levels of the water I am not that bothered fishing .

I'll still happily break the cat-ice for Salmon

I recommend a reel that allows you to quickly switch out reels so that you can carry three spools, one with weight forward, one with intermediate, and one with sinking line. This way, if you get to the river and something has changed or changes you can adjust.

For example, years ago I was fishing early run-off action on the Firehole River in Yellowstone Park. The river was high and moving quickly and many anglers came for a look and turned away. I stubbornly pounded the water to no avail, but I knew they were down there eating. I added split shots to my heavy nymphs but I still couldn't get a bight. Work had me heading back to Bozeman the next day so this was my window or I would surely miss the early action on The Firehole yet another year. So finally, a light bulb went off in my head, and I switched the spool out to my sink tip line which I had never used before buying it only to fish from a float tube in a pond some day. Anyway, the sinking line made all the difference in the world and I was able to get my line down fast enough to swing some nymphs by a few trout and get em to bite.


Good luck to ya and welcome back!

Try to buy lines to your highest budget a cortland ice blue a must for me also have a cortland floater,otherwise the pirate on here sells top quality lines at a good price.

Taff