# Tarpon fly reel backing



## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

I have 12 wt. and 13 wt. Fly reels. I'd like to get more backing on them than what 30 lb. Dacron does. One of fly fishing friends, yes I have a few friends, says use braid, 50 lb. To be exact.
He said go to Amazon and get a 1,200 yd. Spool.
What about cutting fingers off?


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

permitchaser said:


> I have 12 wt. and 13 wt. Fly reels. I'd like to get more backing on them than what 30 lb. Dacron does. One of fly fishing friends, yes I have a few friends, says use braid, 50 lb. To be exact.
> He said go to Amazon and get a 1,200 yd. Spool.
> What about cutting fingers off?


This has been asked on this forum, at last count, around 12,937 times. 

1. If you are worried about that then use Jerry Brown 65#. Its nice and soft.
but even more importantly.
2. If a fish is running WTH do you have your fingers around the backing in the first place! 

I have been using braid type stuff for well over 10 years on every reel I own and I have never been cut. Early on with some of the harder braids I did have a short "burn" session and quickly learned that my hands don't belong there anyhow!


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

I went on Amazon and found a 1,200 yd. Spool of Hercules braid that looked OK


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

permitchaser said:


> I went on Amazon and found a 1,200 yd. Spool of Hercules braid that looked OK


I wouldn't. Why do you need more than 300yrs anyway?

If you feel you absolutely have to have more backing, then spend the extra money and get something good so you can keep all of your fingers.  Currently out of all the backings I've tested (and I think I've compared all of them now), it would be Rio's GSP 50 or Seaguar's Threadlock 60lb hollowcore. Both as super smooth and will give you all the extra backing you need without issues.


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## BGBrown311 (Feb 15, 2016)

I would also agree that Jerry Brown 65Lb or Hollow Ace from Shimano are the way to go. All my reels have braid backing but for my 10 on up I use the above. Not all braids are created equally!


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

I bought some Cortland 80


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

Backwater said:


> I wouldn't. Why do you need more than 300yrs anyway?
> 
> If you feel you absolutely have to have more backing, then spend the extra money and get something good so you can keep all of your fingers.  Currently out of all the backings I've tested (and I think I've compared all of them now), it would be Rio's GSP 50 or Seaguar's Threadlock 60lb hollowcore. Both as super smooth and will give you all the extra backing you need without issues.


I looked up Rio GSP 50 and for 1,000 yds. $259


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

You have time to look for a deal.


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## TheAdamsProject (Oct 29, 2007)

permitchaser said:


> I looked up Rio GSP 50 and for 1,000 yds. $259


Yea, I would go with 600yd spool of Seguar Threadlock for approx $140. Use 200yds on each reel as a topshot of backing that you will be handling and then back the threadlock with something like regular micron. In my opinion it is better and will actually be cheaper.


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## BGBrown311 (Feb 15, 2016)

permitchaser said:


> I looked up Rio GSP 50 and for 1,000 yds. $259


You certainly don't need braid made by a fly company, it's bound to be more expensive. I would buy a hollow braid as it is softer and you can put a locking loop for fly line connections or splice your running line directly into the braid.


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## IRLyRiser (Feb 14, 2007)

It depends on where you fish I guess. I fish from a boat so I prob don’t need more than what reg micron offers. I have a friend that fishes big tarpon on the beach. He uses hollow braid for obvious reasons. Standard braid can get hard on fingers. I guess it depends on how much you use your hands for drag. Some people use a lot of hands, some people let the reel do the work. Both are right, just personal preference.


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## LowHydrogen (Dec 31, 2015)

Sufix 832 80lb, I'm typing this with all my fingers.... asdf jkl;


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## mac (Jul 24, 2017)

has anyone done a test with braid to see it actually cutting? or is this just a legend?

maybe I'll attach some to my impact gun and go to town on a rack of ribs


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Want to learn whether super braids cut - without needing a bandaid afterwards... Take a piece of it and lay it on a small branch (say less that 1/2" thickness and see just just how long it takes to saw through the branch - and that can't compare to the line screaming out with a big fish on the other end.

Yesterday we caught and released our first big tarpon of the year at Flamingo (an accidental catch - the water is still a bit cold) on spinning gear - not fly... That reel was loaded with 30lb braid and had an 80lb tarpon on the line. When the reel starts screaming I always make a point of telling any new angler to never touch the line - for good cause... Just another of those "ask me how I know" deals... Mono can cut you as well - but nothing like what braid can do.

We were in bad conditions yesterday with howling winds - I was probably more surprised by that tarpon than my anglers were - and it was their first time in the 'glades... I've got two more trips this weekend (a night and a day) and will try to post a full report again on Monday in the fishing reports section... No fly fishing this weekend though...


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## BGBrown311 (Feb 15, 2016)

Watched a buddy on a trip in Costa Rica hook a blue Marlin and not get his hand out of the way quick enough. The braid sliced through his glove and deep into his finger. Nice part about it was the cut never bled almost like it cauterized itself. Unfortunately line wrapped around the fly reel and fish busted off but still an adventure.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Any line will cut you when it’s screaming off a reel, I’ve seen guys get de-gloved by 100# mono offshore. Don’t be a dufus, keep your hands away from it.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

mac said:


> has anyone done a test with braid to see it actually cutting? or is this just a legend?
> 
> maybe I'll attach some to my impact gun and go to town on a rack of ribs


I did an unofficial "Backing Shootout" on these threads below. Many people here on the forum was involved sending me backing samples that I did that very test on, with feel and cutting test on various things. The main reason is I've had several people on my boat get their fingers slided badly on the boat, with wet hands, on hot poons and one with a monster redfish. So I've always warned people about that. These were guys with regular gel spun braided backing.


https://www.microskiff.com/threads/fly-reel-backing.55680/#post-468704

https://www.microskiff.com/threads/tarpon-leader-s.44642/page-2#post-354754


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

TheAdamsProject said:


> Yea, I would go with 600yd spool of Seguar Threadlock for approx $140. Use 200yds on each reel as a topshot of backing that you will be handling and then back the threadlock with something like regular micron. In my opinion it is better and will actually be cheaper.


You were the guy that turned me onto Seaguar Threadlock. I used that sample you sent in the backing shootout I did. You also sent me a link where they had it on sale, so I bought some. Really great stuff and silky smooth. Great idea of using it for a top shot.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

BGBrown311 said:


> Watched a buddy on a trip in Costa Rica hook a blue Marlin and not get his hand out of the way quick enough. The braid sliced through his glove and deep into his finger. Nice part about it was the cut never bled almost like it cauterized itself. Unfortunately line wrapped around the fly reel and fish busted off but still an adventure.


YEah I've seen that sort of thing 1st hand. I've been also cut too, poon fishing at night on several occasions and not seeing where to place my hand to palm the spool, in all the action of a hot running poon, with wet hands and got cut just accidentally touching the backing. But it wasn't deep enough to cut to the boat, but definitely cut thru the skin and down into the muscle a bit to cause me to bleed profusely until I could wrap it up and apply pressure on it. Blood all over the deck tho.


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## backbone (Jan 4, 2016)

I accidentally threw a loop around my reel clearing the line on a 120 lb fish last season. The dacron cut a 20# mono sized trench in the blank of my rod at the first ferrel. Finally caught up to the fish and unlooped the backing. Boated the fish btw. 
Try not to throw a loop around your leg...


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Also note, before the backing test I did back a couple years ago, I exclusively used 30lb Cortland Micron and was always able to fit 300yrds on any of my tarpon reels I've owned in the past, which I found to be some of the smoothest backing out there. That being said, I've never got broken off, including boating my biggest poon at 180lbs on fly at night in 45ft deep of water. If you ever got to the point where you saw all your backing being melted off the spool by a hot fish, then you just crank up the OB, follow the fish to gain some of it back enough so you can continued fighting it in the safety zone. I usually take a black sharpie and mark about 2-5ft of backing every 100yrds so I can watch for it and at 250yrds, mark it in red. 

The only time I've ever been spooled was the biggest poon I've ever had on (15yrs ago) where I saw the fish swim by on the surface after she ate 30ft from the boat. This was during a morning where we had spanked several smaller fish that morning (50-80lbs). The water was very clear and saw he swim right back at me after she ate.. She almost hit the boat. Then she screamed off, but were were tied up to a channel marker and the other guy couldn't get the boat untied fast enough, turn the boat around, crank up the OB and go chase her and my backing down in time before I watched the spool bleed off until I saw silver at the bottom of the spool and hear that "Crack" as the rod felt like it was going to jerk out of my hand. Anyway, I think she would have hit 200, which would have been my dream fish. So I'm stuck in Purgatory, trying to find her again one day.

Ok, where was I.... Oh yeah, if you do things correctly, you can keep a good fish on within 150yrds of backing. Same with sails. But I have no clue about marlin or big YFT and that where those higher capacity reels that can hold 50lb plus backing would come in handy.

Ted Haas


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

backbone said:


> I accidentally threw a loop around my reel clearing the line on a 120 lb fish last season. The dacron cut a 20# mono sized trench in the blank of my rod at the first ferrel. Finally caught up to the fish and unlooped the backing. Boated the fish btw.
> Try not to throw a loop around your leg...


Wow!

One time I had a 40lb poon eat my fly in the evening on a stong outgoing tide at a bridge. It zipped out and jumped with a backflip and snapped it's head at the same time. As it did, it threw a loop in my running line with a slip knot, right around the wrist of my stripping hand. Then the fun started with fresh green poon on on the business end of my 10wt, with a strong outgoing hill tide, and jumping like crazy. I couldn't get the knot undone cause of all the tension on the line and couldn't let go of the rod cause I'd loose it. After several minutes of trying everything and my hand turning purple, I finally was able to slide 2 fingers of my rod hand into the loop and pull hard enough to slip my other hand out of the loop. There was only about 10ft left of fly line. I was thankful it was fly line and not some braided line like Power Pro that I see some dummies use, otherwise, it'd cut my wrist.


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## backbone (Jan 4, 2016)

@Backwater HaHa! The magic minute of clearing the line on a hot poon! No better dance to dance!! 
I have had my leg in there on a decent bonita. Thank god I wear pants! It gave me a nice rug burn.


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## finbully (Jan 26, 2013)

I am no expert. I'm not sure fly reels can stand the pressure of properly packing braid on to the spools so that it does not dig into itself. Maybe it will but I'd want an answer to that before I go loading a $300 spool with braid. If you have cheaper spools I wish you even more good luck!


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## finbully (Jan 26, 2013)

I am no expert. I'm not sure fly reels can stand the pressure of properly packing braid on to the spools so that it does not dig into itself. Maybe it will but I'd want an answer to that before I go loading a $300 spool with braid. If you have cheaper spools I wish you even more good luck!


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

backbone said:


> @Backwater HaHa! The magic minute of clearing the line on a hot poon! No better dance to dance!!
> I have had my leg in there on a decent bonita. Thank god I wear pants! It gave me a nice rug burn.


Dang, and I only wear shorts, cept when it's cold! 

Wait a minute, was I with you when that cobia zipped a baseball size wad of flyline mess thru my rod guides and took the end of my fly rod with it?


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

rcbrower said:


> I am no expert. I'm not sure fly reels can stand the pressure of properly packing braid on to the spools so that it does not dig into itself. Maybe it will but I'd want an answer to that before I go loading a $300 spool with braid. If you have cheaper spools I wish you even more good luck!


This is why it's important why you have your big fly reels and spools made out of solid billet bar stock aluminum, so they can take the pressure and not spread the spool. A spreading spool due to backing pressure a big hot fish can put on a reel, with applied heavy drag pressure and palming the spool, can in-fact, dig into the reel itself and hang, causing the line to break.

With smaller inshore saltwater fish, including most freshwater fish, it's not so important. However, having said that, I make sure all reels I keep for saltwater use, from 6wt up, are made from billet bar stock aluminum, because they last.


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## Sardina (Feb 16, 2019)

rcbrower said:


> I am no expert. I'm not sure fly reels can stand the pressure of properly packing braid on to the spools so that it does not dig into itself. Maybe it will but I'd want an answer to that before I go loading a $300 spool with braid. If you have cheaper spools I wish you even more good luck!


I literally destroyed a Tibor Pacific on a large marlin in the Sea of Cortez in 2008. Class tippet was 30 lb. Mason. Backing was 60 lb. hollow Jerry Brown. Fought the fish out of a panga in relatively rough conditions, so not a lot of help from the boat, and the backing was cranked back on under a lot of pressure through several runs during the fight. Spread out the spool. They replaced it, with no dispute. Not sure what their stance is now. Granted, not anywhere near a typical scenario, but even the best of gear has its limits.


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## RunningOnEmpty (Jun 20, 2015)

I'm using 50lb power pro because it was free. No complaints after 3 years.


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## backbone (Jan 4, 2016)

Backwater said:


> Dang, and I only wear shorts, cept when it's cold!
> 
> Wait a minute, was I with you when that cobia zipped a baseball size wad of flyline mess thru my rod guides and took the end of my fly rod with it?


HaHaHa, forgot about that one! We got one on the next pass though!



Sardina said:


> I literally destroyed a Tibor Pacific on a large marlin in the Sea of Cortez in 2008. Class tippet was 30 lb. Mason. Backing was 60 lb. hollow Jerry Brown. Fought the fish out of a panga in relatively rough conditions, so not a lot of help from the boat, and the backing was cranked back on under a lot of pressure through several runs during the fight. Spread out the spool. They replaced it, with no dispute. Not sure what their stance is now. Granted, not anywhere near a typical scenario, but even the best of gear has its limits.


Do you have any pics? Did it warp the spool?


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

RunningOnEmpty said:


> I'm using 50lb power pro because it was free. No complaints after 3 years.


Brahhh..... Band saw!


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

backbone said:


> HaHaHa, forgot about that one! We got one on the next pass though!


No, you got that one!


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## Sardina (Feb 16, 2019)

backbone said:


> Do you have any pics? Did it warp the spool?


No pics. Got a ton of video with my brother rejoicing in my literal pain during the fight, though.  Caused enough stress to the reel to deform the spool and put it in contact with the frame. Took it in to the shop that had ordered it for me when I got home and they worked with Tibor. Got a replacement within a few weeks. Never have had occasion to pull anywhere near as hard on the replacement. Yet.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Here's an incident about really big fast fish that you might want to remember... A guy I know actually got to fly fish for black marlin down south (small ones) and was told by the boat's captain to make sure that he had absolutely no drag set on his reel... Very skeptical he did just that then got his one and only shot at a small black (about 200 pounds est.). He made the cast as the sportfisherman went out of gear and actually fed the fish and hooked up solid -then watched his line just melt off of the spool straight away from the stern of the boat. Just moments later that same small marlin was jumping wildly two hundred yards in front of the boat. Yep the critter was so fast that it was jumping in front of the boat while the backing was going the opposite direction off the stern of the boat... The slightest bit of drag would have parted the tippet from the water pressure alone... 

Who knew? My buddy didn't land the fish since it came loose after only a few jumps but he's a believer on that no drag proposition for really really fast strong fish (and yes his reel was loaded with braid...)....


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## FlyBy (Jul 12, 2013)

I've had several big cudas do that. One took the fly and ran straight away from the transom. I was facing that way with the rod bent and the cuda jumped behind me at the bow of the boat within 5' of my buddy on the casting platform.


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## finbully (Jan 26, 2013)

I’m going to try 68# Hatch on my 10 W. Just ordered a 200 m spool.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

Backwater said:


> Also note, before the backing test I did back a couple years ago, I exclusively used 30lb Cortland Micron and was always able to fit 300yrds on any of my tarpon reels I've owned in the past, which I found to be some of the smoothest backing out there. That being said, I've never got broken off, including boating my biggest poon at 180lbs on fly at night in 45ft deep of water. If you ever got to the point where you saw all your backing being melted off the spool by a hot fish, then you just crank up the OB, follow the fish to gain some of it back enough so you can continued fighting it in the safety zone. I usually take a black sharpie and mark about 2-5ft of backing every 100yrds so I can watch for it and at 250yrds, mark it in red.
> 
> The only time I've ever been spooled was the biggest poon I've ever had on (15yrs ago) where I saw the fish swim by on the surface after she ate 30ft from the boat. This was during a morning where we had spanked several smaller fish that morning (50-80lbs). The water was very clear and saw he swim right back at me after she ate.. She almost hit the boat. Then she screamed off, but were were tied up to a channel marker and the other guy couldn't get the boat untied fast enough, turn the boat around, crank up the OB and go chase her and my backing down in time before I watched the spool bleed off until I saw silver at the bottom of the spool and hear that "Crack" as the rod felt like it was going to jerk out of my hand. Anyway, I think she would have hit 200, which would have been my dream fish. So I'm stuck in Purgatory, trying to find her again one day.
> 
> ...


There's a knot for anchor rope called a quick release.
I use it when I'm staked out for poons. I also have a big float and a bright tennis ball on the anchor rope. Ted i think you taught us the QR knot or mentioned it and I figured it out


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

permitchaser said:


> There's a knot for anchor rope called a quick release.
> I use it when I'm staked out for poons. I also have a big float and a bright tennis ball on the anchor rope. Ted i think you taught us the QR knot or mentioned it and I figured it out


Yeah that would have been great if I tied up the rope on that marker pole and then was in charge of untying it. 

I guess it wouldn't be called fishing if everything always happened perfectly.


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