Who cuts back the tip of their fly lines?

[ozarkwater]

Yet another survey.

Have reviewed my bookmarked topics and would like to update my info...

How many of you cut back the tip of your fly lines? Floating and or sinktip. [ and maybe a short write up on why etc. ]

I do not fish full sinking lines on my cane. Tried once 20 years ago on a T&T and a RLW and said never again. Just couldn't do it.

[Brooks]

Prior to SA doing welded loops on all their lines, they use to have 6” of level line at the end of the taper, which I would cut off.
On sink tips and spey tips, I have many trimmed or custom cut sink tips, for a variety of river current speed, depth, and varying conditions.

[adkfan]

I usually cut mine back

[ozarkwater]

OK. Two so far whom both say they cut back.

In lining up, do you stick with the "recommended" line for the rod after cut back?

Or...do you experiment, going up and or down in line weight, thereby fine tuning?

[Brooks]

Every rod needs experimenting with line weights, tapers IMO. The cutting back of 6” of the tip level section for me was just to get rid of the dead extra bit of line that was put there for, basically, extra material for tying knots to.

[16pmd]

It used to be that most lines had a few feet of level tip, and it was fairly common to cut them back according to one's taste. Almost all modern lines have 0 to at most 1' of level tip, so cutting back can mean shortening the front taper. Cutting back will make the line turn over harder, so can help if casting big flies or casting into the wind. I rarely do it, and use the lines as designed, as cutting back is a bit of a one-way street. You can reverse the effect of cutting back by adding a length of heavy butt material to the leader. Also, with the multitude of line designs the line companies are making, you can buy WF lines that are already made to turn over harder if that's what you usually want to do.

[ozarkwater]

It used to be that most lines had a few feet of level tip, and it was fairly common to cut them back according to one's taste. Almost all modern lines have 0 to at most 1' of level tip, so cutting back can mean shortening the front taper. Cutting back will make the line turn over harder, so can help if casting big flies or casting into the wind. I rarely do it, and use the lines as designed, as cutting back is a bit of a one-way street. You can reverse the effect of cutting back by adding a length of heavy butt material to the leader. Also, with the multitude of line designs the line companies are making, you can buy WF lines that are already made to turn over harder if that's what you usually want to do.

Was reviewing my many bookmarked line options and yes, most do not have that much of a "level tip" area.

[redietz]

I never cut back the tip.

[mer]

I always have, never made me change away from or to a specific line.
I think that Wulff used to actually recommend trimming the tip of their TT lines to get the desired casting performance, not sure if they still do. For me, that made a difference because TT lines always felt a little light to me on my rods in my normal fishing ranges. Trimming the tip helped.

[jim royston]

The tip has a purpose of transitioning from the belly to the leader. Why on earth would you cut that off?

[Mister Bill]

I am probably the odd man, but I buy sink tips with 10' sinking and cut them back to 5' and then use the Whitlock Zap a Gap connection.

It casts better and 5' is enough for what I do.

I also use the Rio Aqua Lux and Camo Lux slow sinking intermediates without any modifications.

Bill

[BGreer]

I do not cut back the tip of my fly lines.

In fact, I prefer fly lines that have a longer tip. Like 16PMD said, cutting back the tip will make the line turn over harder. That is fine, if that is what you are looking for.

I like a fly line to have a gentler turnover and for me, a longer tip accomplishes this.
There is the trade off though; longer tips don't turn over larger flies as well. If I'm going to be fishing bigger flies I will just fish a bigger line with a fat head.

Also as 16PMD said, almost all modern lines have no or little level tip. That's why I like the 406 fly lines. They have about 2 feet of level tip. I really like the way they cast and how they turn over at the end of a cast. I was skeptical at first but now I own a whole range of the 406 lines.

Brian

[flyfishingpastor]

Never have cut back the tips on my lines to improve casting. I DO cut off loops as I prefer to nail knot my leaders on, so of course I end up cutting off miniscule amounts of line as I replace leaders. I make sure to carefully seal the end with UV goo and cure it, both to seal the line and smooth the nail knot.

Pat

[GrsdLnr]

I think that Wulff used to actually recommend trimming the tip of their TT lines to get the desired casting performance, not sure if they still do.

Yes, Wulff still recommends cutting back a TT line if you think the rod isn't loading with the line right out of the box.

I've never felt the need to do so with a TT or any other line but that's just me.

[Brooks]

The tip has a purpose of transitioning from the belly to the leader. Why on earth would you cut that off?

Jim, I believe there’s maybe some confusion on term “tip”.
The front taper, as you state, transitions (or diffuses) the energy of the belly of the line, the leader continues to dissipate the energy right to the fly.

If you chopped back the front taper, it will certainly change the original design of the line, making it more powerful (I’m talking floating lines).

Most of my experience is with SA lines, and those SA that they’ve built for other companies.

Prior to their putting loops on all their lines, Bruce Richards designed all their lines to have 6” of level line, on the tip. This section, which in terms of the taper design is NOT part of the taper design, is only there for those that constantly cut off their nail knots, or make mistakes, or use too much material whilst tying their knot.

I always cut that off (on the older lines of which I have many), and I often use a needle knot for the butt section. I like my leader to start right where the front taper ends.

Now as I understand it, they now just leave enough level tip on their lines to be able to fold it over and weld it for their loop (which I carefully cut off close to the doubled up portion, so as to not cut into the front taper.) I find I now use the loops a lot on my “chuck-and-duck” lines.

[mer]

Brooks, I think that is the key. "How cuts off excess level tip on the front of their fly line" may be more accurate.

[CDCdun]

No cutting for me. I even like the loop to loop connection. A lot of effort goes into getting fly line tapers just right. Messing with them could definitely effect how they cast. Case in point, I had a scientific angler sharkwave line that my son used for casting practice. The leader got caught on something, so he cut it off and just cast the line. This ruined the end of the line at the welded loop and I had to cut a few inches off. I nail knotted a few inches of some heavy mono to the end and then a new leader. The line now turns over very hard. So much so that it’s hard to control the accuracy of the line. It cast quite nice before this. If the loop bothered me I’d try to minimize how much line I took off to remove it.

Jake

[ozarkwater]

Good responses. Many factors to consider for sure.

[PYochim]

I do not. These lines are designed with a purpose. The fellows who design them are better casters than I am.

[teter]

I don't regularly cut back tips. I do sometimes cut off a worn-out line loop and then cut off a factory leader loop to re-attach the two components. I have not seen a noticeable difference in casting qualities. And if I do, I adjust my cast to compensate.