Fly rods garner a lot of attention because of their function and price. Fly selection is the focal point of so much stream-side attention. But without good line and the right leader, nothing is going to catch any fish. Your cast and your presentation depends on fly line, leader, and tippet as much as rod or fly.

You probably have a backup rod and a whole box of flies with you. What about line and leader?

With lessons learned from years of experience vacillating between overpacking and  being found underprepared, I  feel like I’ve found a relatively safe framework for having what I need. More importantly, I have what  I need when I need it. It isn’t some revolutionary system. It probably won’t save you hundreds. It definitely won’t lead to a significant uptick in trout. But it might make things a little bit easier.

Here’s the four things I keep in reserve so I’m ready to keep my lines and leaders ready to go:

Tippet

I always have a stack of spare tippet spools in my gear bag. Usually, that means one each: 0X-7X. That small cylinder of material stays in the car if I’m on a trip, ensuring the brand and diameter I need is available. Personally, it is easier to proactively pick up an extra 30 yards of 4X and fish until my old spool runs out instead of constantly checking how much is left before I buy. Although monofilament has  a “best by” date, it will last indefinitely if kept out of the sun and at  a reasonable temperature.

Leaders

I like to have at least four spare leaders on my person while fishing. Even though catastrophic leader failures aren’t a common occurrence, they’re so inconspicuous that there isn’t a reason to not have a well-stocked leader wallet. For decades, I have carried two 7’6″ 3X tapered leaders and two 9′ 6X tapered leaders. These length/diameter combinations set me up for virtually any trout fishing scenario with a few quick tippet additions. And once again, it is good to know they’re in a pocket of my pack alongside some poly leaders, sighter material, and tippet rings.

Line

While I always have a spare spool or reel in the car when I am on a trip of any length over a half day, I won’t bring a new line. However, I like to buy line I like when it is on sale and have at least one on hand at home. I’ll fish a line until it needs to be replaced, but I don’t want to be in a situation when I have to drive from shop to shop to find what I need, wait 10 days for the mail, or pay through the nose if I don’t have to. And though I don’t obsess over finding super low prices, I’ll grab a line  (or two) that I really like if it is being discontinued or a shop is closing.

Backing

Hypocritical as I am saying this, it is best to have backing and line wound by a machine at  a shop. But, because I am impatient, I do it at home a lot. Consequently, I have a big backing spool. After years of buying 200 yards here and there, I realized it is wasteful and not cost effective. A giant spool of nice backing will last you decades of new reels and the occasional backing replacement job.

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To summarize my approach:

• One backup spool for every tippet diameter travels with me and stays in the car.
• An assortment of knotless tapered leaders can always be found on me, in my pack.
• I try to keep a quality replacement fly line at the ready at home.
• A big spool of backing is the most economic and efficient option if you’re winding yourself.

Thoughts? Different perspectives? Let me know below.