Fly line is the most important and most overlooked component in your fly fishing setup. A great rod will underperform with the wrong line, and a modest rod can perform far above its price point when it's matched with the right taper and coating. This section covers our complete fly line review library, freshwater and saltwater, floating and sinking, standard and specialty tapers, all tested on the water by experienced anglers who know what to look for.

100+ fly lines from every major brand and dozens of specialty makers have been cast, fished, and evaluated by our team, giving us a comparison base that spans price points, tapers, and applications. These reviews reflect what we actually found, not what the spec sheets claim.

Rio Premier Outbound Short Night Shift Fly Line Review

Rio Premier Outbound Short Night Shift Fly Line Review

Patrick Blackdale
Partnering with our friends at Rio, we’ve taken their long-loved Outbound Sho...
How to Choose the Best Fly Line for Streamers in 2025

How to Choose the Best Fly Line for Streamers in 2025

Patrick Blackdale
Stripping streamers is one of the best ways to consistently catch large trout...
How to Choose the Best Fly Line for Panfish

How to Choose the Best Fly Line for Panfish

Chandler Crans
Fly fishing for Panfish is a great way for beginner anglers to get into the s...
How to Choose the Best Fly Line for Beginners

How to Choose the Best Fly Line for Beginners

Chandler Crans
Choosing the right gear is important in any sport, but especially in fly fish...
How to Choose the Best Fly Line for Carp

How to Choose the Best Fly Line for Carp

Chandler Crans
Targeting Carp with a fly rod is as entertaining as it is difficult. Using th...
How to Choose the Best Fly Line for Pike/Musky

How to Choose the Best Fly Line for Pike/Musky

Chandler Crans
Pike and Musky are some of the most aggressive fish in freshwater. They're to...
How to Choose the Best Fly Line for Pacific Salmon

How to Choose the Best Fly Line for Pacific Salmon

Chandler Crans
We've already talked about choosing the best fly rod for Salmon and the best ...
How to Choose the Best Fly Line for Steelhead

How to Choose the Best Fly Line for Steelhead

Chandler Crans
We’ve already talked about choosing the best fly rod for Steelhead and the be...
How to Choose the Best Fly Line for Small Streams

How to Choose the Best Fly Line for Small Streams

Chandler Crans
Choosing a fly line for a 3wt or a 4wt fly rod can be difficult. Small stream...
How to Choose the Best Fly Line for Stripers

How to Choose the Best Fly Line for Stripers

Chandler Crans
First, we’ve already talked about choosing the best fly rod for Stripers and ...
Tropical Saltwater Fly Line Shootout & Buyer's Guide

Tropical Saltwater Fly Line Shootout & Buyer's Guide

Stephen D' Angelo
The most talked about and least understood part of fly fishing equipment is f...
How to Choose the Best Fly Line for Redfish

How to Choose the Best Fly Line for Redfish

Chandler Crans
We traveled to NOLA this winter and tried our hand at these notorious Bulls. ...
How to Choose the Best Fly Line for Permit

How to Choose the Best Fly Line for Permit

Chandler Crans
If you follow our blog or are researching your next fly rod or fly reel for a...
Fly Line Temperature Guide: Tropical vs. Coldwater Fly Lines

Fly Line Temperature Guide: Tropical vs. Coldwater Fly Lines

Chandler Crans
We receive a bunch of questions about when to use which fly line and how air ...
How to Choose the Best Fly Line for Bass

How to Choose the Best Fly Line for Bass

Chandler Crans
Maybe you're an experienced Bass angler who's looking to get into fly fishing...
How to Choose the Best Fly Line for Bonefish

How to Choose the Best Fly Line for Bonefish

Chandler Crans
Bonefish are one of the most popular gamefish in tropical saltwater environme...
Trout Spey Fly Lines: How to Choose Lines and Tips

Trout Spey Fly Lines: How to Choose Lines and Tips

Ben Freeman
One of the most confusing aspects of Spey casting is lines (and tips). Unfort...
Fly Line Backing Shootout and Buyer's Guide

Fly Line Backing Shootout and Buyer's Guide

Chandler Crans
It’s always a cringe-worthy moment when a trophy fish runs you into your back...
Winston Fly Line Reviews and Recommendations: Fly Line Buyer's Guide

Winston Fly Line Reviews and Recommendations: Fly Line Buyer's Guide

Chandler Crans
Wondering which Winston lines are the best for different fly fishing scenario...
RIO Fly Line Reviews and Recommendations: Fly Line Buyer’s Guide

RIO Fly Line Reviews and Recommendations: Fly Line Buyer’s Guide

Ben Freeman
Rio is a relative newcomer to the fly line game. They made their first fly li...
Next Page Page 2

30 articles