Lines for Bass

Cliff

Steelhead
I'm a bass fishing neophyte. I have 7 & 8 weight rods, and I have appropriate floating and sink tip lines for both. Right now, for flies have three different colors of bead head Wooly Buggers, Muddler Minnows, Zonkers and Bunny Leeches, mostly in size 8. I also have a few medium sized poppers, and a couple of large segmented bass flies. Am I good to go with standard sink tip and floating lines, or should I think about investing in a bass bug taper line?

Thanks,
Cliff
 

Stonedfish

Known Grizzler-hater of triploids, humpies & ND
Forum Supporter
Have you cast your lines yet with the flies you mentioned?
If so and your current lines worked fine there is probably no reason to get dedicated bass taper lines.
SF
 

Matt B

RAMONES
Forum Supporter
I don't do a ton of floating line stuff with my 8 weight, but I do fish bass and salmon with it occasionally. Sometimes more than occasionally, actually. Anyway, I got a 9 weight SA Air Cel line for it for under thirty bucks and it works just fine for me. I like it and it wouldn't be terrible to go 2 line weights up either. Bass fishing is not usually a delicate affair.
 

Billy

Big poppa
Staff member
Admin
I'm a bass fishing neophyte. I have 7 & 8 weight rods, and I have appropriate floating and sink tip lines for both. Right now, for flies have three different colors of bead head Wooly Buggers, Muddler Minnows, Zonkers and Bunny Leeches, mostly in size 8. I also have a few medium sized poppers, and a couple of large segmented bass flies. Am I good to go with standard sink tip and floating lines, or should I think about investing in a bass bug taper line?

Thanks,
Cliff
I really like the SA Bass line they came out with last year. But it is spendy...
 

Cliff

Steelhead
Guys, thank you very much for your advice and suggestions. I appreciate it. I think I'm just going to press on with the lines I have now, and adopt a wait and see attitude with a dedicated bass line.
 

Pink Nighty

Life of the Party
Guys, thank you very much for your advice and suggestions. I appreciate it. I think I'm just going to press on with the lines I have now, and adopt a wait and see attitude with a dedicated bass line.
Late to the party, but you're spot on. If your finding yourself struggling to throw the flies you want to throw, look into the line. I've caught hundreds of bass on non-bass lines, and throw my really bug uglies on a 200-250g opst heads. They turn em over fine.
 

rattlesnake

Steelhead
Forum Supporter
What are your 7 and 8 wt rods? Or what is the action? That coupled with the lines makes a big difference.

Agree with the approach of fish the lines you have with the flies you have or bought or want to fish. Then see how that shakes out - if you feel like you need more oomph, consider a heavier line. If the line is overkill and crashing your flies, you’ll want a more subtle taper.

I like more subtle tapers on my softer rods and more aggressive tapers on my faster rods
 

Cliff

Steelhead
Thanks Pink & Rattlesnake. For the record I have a Loomis GLX 8wt, and an Orvis Shooting Star 9ft 8wt (bamboo rod) and a 7wt Gene Edwards bamboo rod. The GLX is a fast taper (to me) and the Orvis is also fast, but not as much. The 7wt is a medium speed rod. I have yet to fish the 7wt, but that's the rod I'm zeroing in on with bass and most salt water. Thanks.
 
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