LINE & LEADER

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Choosing the right fly line for your fishing situations can be challenging; your line must work in concert with your rod, reel, and leader. When choosing line, there are several considerations: weight, taper, density, color, backing, and leaders.

Leaders come in several lengths and sizes, and the choice you make on the water depends on the fishing conditions and your fly sizes. We recommend you have several choices available at any given time.

The tippet is the part of the leader to which your fly attaches. Leaders and tippets are typically rated on an “œX” factor from 0X to 8X that indicates their size, where 0X is the thickest and 8X is the thinnest.

For questions about lines, leaders, or tippets, call (907) 586-1550 or email us for more information.

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  • The SA Amplitude Smooth Bonefish Plus is the perfect line for anglers that wish traditional bonefish ...
    The SA Amplitude Smooth Bonefish Plus is the perfect line for anglers that wish traditional bonefish lines were just a little bit heavier.  The added mass helps with casting in the wind and turning over larger bonefish flies.
  • The SA Amplitude Smooth Titan GT is a beefed-up version of one of our favorite big fly lines, the Ti ...
    The SA Amplitude Smooth Titan GT is a beefed-up version of one of our favorite big fly lines, the Titan Long. Built with an extra strong core this is the line to reach for when pursuing monsters.
  • The SA Amplitude Smooth Tarpon line is designed with a short head to load quickly for those last-min ...
    The SA Amplitude Smooth Tarpon line is designed with a short head to load quickly for those last-minute casts to huge cruising fish.  Wind up and send it.
  • If you want to get it all done with one tropical fly line, the SA Amplitude Smooth Grand Slam is it. ...
    If you want to get it all done with one tropical fly line, the SA Amplitude Smooth Grand Slam is it.  Tarpon, bonefish, permit; this line does it all with authority.
  • The SA Infinity Salt casts almost exactly like your favorite Infinity trout line.  It smoothly load ...
    The SA Infinity Salt casts almost exactly like your favorite Infinity trout line.  It smoothly loads a wide variety of rods and doesn't mind casting into the wind. As an all-around tropical line, the Infinity Plus is a winner.
  • The SA Infinity Plus is an exceptional do everything Alaska fly line.  The long head and add weight ...
    The SA Infinity Plus is an exceptional do everything Alaska fly line.  The long head and add weight make for a great indicator line, but it crosses over nicely for throwing big bushy mouse patterns.
  • If the warmwater flats are your destination, this is the line you want. Rio's Bonefish line is the l ...
    If the warmwater flats are your destination, this is the line you want. Rio's Bonefish line is the line by which others are measured. If you are fishing out of a boat or are looking for a line that can maintain stable loops at very long distances, the Premier Bonefish line is for you.
  • The Rio Bonefish Quickshooter is the great equalizer of tropical fly lines. Super easy to pick up an ...
    The Rio Bonefish Quickshooter is the great equalizer of tropical fly lines. Super easy to pick up and cast, it has become a favorite of novices and experienced anglers alike. If you are wade fishing the flats and quick casts are needed, the Quickshooter is the line to go with.
  • SA's Creek Trout line is the ideal choice when it comes to small stream SRC trout fishing in S.E. AK ...
    SA's Creek Trout line is the ideal choice when it comes to small stream SRC trout fishing in S.E. AK.  The line has enough mass to turn over heavy streamers like Mini Dolly Llamas or bead rigs yet retains enough delicacy for large dry flies.  The compact head loads fast and allows you to get into the most ridiculous places imaginable.
  • Here in Alaska, we have found the Type 6 to be the ticket if you are looking for a sink tip line.  ...
    Here in Alaska, we have found the Type 6 to be the ticket if you are looking for a sink tip line.  This gets you down to where the beast lay.  There are monsters at the bottom of those deep, dark pools.  Let the Sonar Titan get you where you need to go.
  • The SA MPX is a weight forward do it all line.  With less mass than the Titan Long this line is ide ...
    The SA MPX is a weight forward do it all line.  With less mass than the Titan Long this line is ideal for smaller streamers as well as nymph rigs.  If you are looking for a true do-it-all line this is a great option.
  • VersiLeaders are ideal loop on sink tips designed for switch and spey casting. The welded loop on th ...
    VersiLeaders are ideal loop on sink tips designed for switch and spey casting. The welded loop on the end makes it easy to attach to your line and the mono on the other end makes adding a short leader a breeze. Choose from sink rates of 4 IPS or 6 IPS.
  • Hareline's Flat Lead Free Wire is great for adding to fly patterns that need the extra weight withou ...
    Hareline's Flat Lead Free Wire is great for adding to fly patterns that need the extra weight without the bulk, or it can be added to the leader as an alternative to split shot
  • The SA Amplitude Smooth Andro Indicator is one of the best nymphing lines we have seen.  With a lon ...
    The SA Amplitude Smooth Andro Indicator is one of the best nymphing lines we have seen.  With a long and heavy head, this is the line you want when beading here in Alaska.  This is a fantastic line for steelhead fishing or beading up big rainbows and Dollies in the fall.
  • The SA Titan Long is purpose-built for throwing big flies to big fish.  Can you say Mega Dolly Llam ...
    The SA Titan Long is purpose-built for throwing big flies to big fish.  Can you say Mega Dolly Llama?  If you want to throw big mouse flies or streamers in Alaska, this line is hard to beat.
  • The Rio Elite Switch Chucker is ideal for fishing & casting big flies, sink tips and indicator r ...
    The Rio Elite Switch Chucker is ideal for fishing & casting big flies, sink tips and indicator rigs. Its compact, heavy head is designed to deliver your set up in tight quarters. It handles MOW tips beautifully as well so fishing a sink tip of up to 10 feet is a breeze.
  • RIO’S TWIST CLIPS are ultra-fast, easy connection clips that allow anglers to change flies with ex ...
    RIO’S TWIST CLIPS are ultra-fast, easy connection clips that allow anglers to change flies with extreme ease and speed, and prevents leaders and tippet sections getting too short. Simply tie the appropriate sized clip on to the end of your leader and either twist or clip on your fly. The Size 2 Twist Clips are trout fly focused and are ideal for flies in #4 - #8. The Size 3 Twist Clips are more salmon/steelhead sized and work with flies in the #1/0 - #4.
  • Fly fishing in Alaska means casting big flies and the Elite Predator Line is designed specifically t ...
    Fly fishing in Alaska means casting big flies and the Elite Predator Line is designed specifically to deliver big offerings. It has an oversized body with a powerful front taper to turn over lead eyed leeches, Dolly Llamas or any other mega fly you might be casting. The Predator roll casts quite nicely as well.
  • The Skagit Max Power is the 'Short' version of the Skagit family and is ideal for switch rods and sh ...
    The Skagit Max Power is the 'Short' version of the Skagit family and is ideal for switch rods and short Spey rods. If you are swinging Alaska-sized flies on your switch rod this is the line you want. The refined taper smooths out the cast when using MOW Tips or 10 feet of T11 or T14. And with a Slickcast coating these lines are the most durable and long lasting on the market.
  • Not sure which running line to get for your switch or Spey rod? Get this one. We love Rio's Metered ...
    Not sure which running line to get for your switch or Spey rod? Get this one. We love Rio's Metered Running Line. It is super slick so it really flies but it is still easy to handle with cold hands. It has a low stretch core so hook sets are solid and executing casts is straight forward. And the color changes every 10 feet so you can easily gage how far your cast went and effectively cover a run or pool.
  • Fluoroflex Strong is the ideal fluorocarbon tippet material for all your trout fishing needs. We lov ...
    Fluoroflex Strong is the ideal fluorocarbon tippet material for all your trout fishing needs. We love how it seamlessly matches up with Rio Trout Leaders. The smooth finish allows knots to seat smoothly and not pull through and it is exceptionally strong in all sizes. 30 yards per spool.
  • The Launch is our favorite "standard length" Skagit head for your Spey rod. At 23'-25' in length, th ...
    The Launch is our favorite "standard length" Skagit head for your Spey rod. At 23'-25' in length, the Launch smoothly casts big flies and heavy tips. The use of Rio's proprietary Slickcast means this line will last longer and the newly refined taper better matches up with MOW tips, T-11, T-14 and other heavy tips.
  • Rio’s MOW Tips are the ideal way to add a sink tip to your switch or spey rod. Heavy MOW Tips are ...
    Rio’s MOW Tips are the ideal way to add a sink tip to your switch or spey rod. Heavy MOW Tips are 10 feet in length, built on a low stretch base, feature T-14 (9 ips sink rate) in the sinking portion and come in a variety of sinking combinations. They are looped on both ends and laser labeled for easy identification. In general Heavy MOW Tips work well on Skagit lines of 575 grains and above.
  • If bombing long casts with heavy flies off the beach is in order then the Outbound Short is your lin ...
    If bombing long casts with heavy flies off the beach is in order then the Outbound Short is your line. The full floating version is ideal for beach fishing for pink and silver salmon as well as searun Dollies and cutthroat trout. Or any situation where the fish are in the top few feet of the water column.
  • If you love to see your Skagit head really fly, OPST's Lazer Line is hard to beat. Lazer line is sup ...
    If you love to see your Skagit head really fly, OPST's Lazer Line is hard to beat. Lazer line is super slick, has very low memory for tangle-free casts and is low-stretch so you can feel those gentle grabs. See below for sizing recommendations.
  • If you are looking for all the benefits of fishing a Commando Head but without the loop-to-loop conn ...
    If you are looking for all the benefits of fishing a Commando Head but without the loop-to-loop connection, then the Commando Smooth is the line for you. It integrates a Commando head with a thin, slick running line to create a 100 foot line that casts like a dream on single hand, micro spey and switch rods. Note that the head length is given with each size, but the overall line length is 100 feet. For line size recommendations, see the image to the left.
  • The Commando Head is the one that started the trout spey and single hand spey casting phenomenon. Th ...
    The Commando Head is the one that started the trout spey and single hand spey casting phenomenon. These ultra-short heads (running from a mere 12' to 18' in length) will let you make all manner of spey casts on your 9 foot single hand rod, trout spey, or switch rod. Note that these heads must be matched up with a running line such as Lazer Line. For sizing recommendations see the image to the left.
  • The best nail knot tyer you have ever seen! Quickly attach leaders or backing to fly line, snell hoo ...
    The best nail knot tyer you have ever seen! Quickly attach leaders or backing to fly line, snell hooks and more. Clear instructions are included. Tie the nail knot, needle nail knot, snells and egg loops, nail knot splices, and more.
  • The Sharktooth is an ingenious tippet band that keeps your tippet from unwinding  and also doub ...
    The Sharktooth is an ingenious tippet band that keeps your tippet from unwinding  and also doubles as a cutter. Just pull out the tippet you need and pull it across the hidden blade to make your cut. No more fumbling for lost nippers or dealing with a rat's nest of material. 3 per pack. 

    Having tippet problems? Is the Maxima rubber band not getting it done for you. Keep your tippet under wraps with the Sharktooth Tippet Cutters.

    Fits most spools from Rio up to Maxima size. Three per pack.
  • This tippet material matches up perfectly with Rio tapered trout leaders. 30yard spools. ...
    This tippet material matches up perfectly with Rio tapered trout leaders. 30yard spools.
  • Great material for adding a leader butt to your fly line. ...
    Great material for adding a leader butt to your fly line.
  • A shorter, more traditional trout leader. Easy to turn over for novice casters, for use off a sink t ...
    A shorter, more traditional trout leader. Easy to turn over for novice casters, for use off a sink tip and as a "starting point leader" for adding more tippet.
  • If you are loading up a 9 weight or larger reel, 30lb Dacron Backing is what you want. 300 yards is ...
    If you are loading up a 9 weight or larger reel, 30lb Dacron Backing is what you want. 300 yards is more than enough backing for most applications and Rio's Dacron backing is our favorite. It is low stretch, high strength and very good quality. Color is Chartreuse.
  • If you need to carry big saltwater spools of tippet or a wide range of standard tippet then the Fish ...
    If you need to carry big saltwater spools of tippet or a wide range of standard tippet then the Fishpond Headgate Tippet Holder XL is for you. Guides take note: at 6 inches wide it can hold up to five 4" spools of tippet. Or it can hold up to 13 standard tippet spools. Adding or removing spools is a breeze and the days of searching through your pack for the 12 lb are gone!
  • In Alaska you actually need this stuff! Use 20 lb backing for for 8 weight lines and smaller. A t ...
    In Alaska you actually need this stuff! Use 20 lb backing for for 8 weight lines and smaller. A typical 5 or 6 weight reel will need about 100 yards of backing. A 7 or 8 weight reel will hold around 200 yards of backing.
  • FC Leader is our favorite fluorocarbon for fishing beads or streamer flies. It is strong, easy to kn ...
    FC Leader is our favorite fluorocarbon for fishing beads or streamer flies. It is strong, easy to knot, and most importantly extremely abrasion resistant. It also matches up really well with Rio Salmon Leaders if you want to add a fluorocarbon tippet.
  • The 10' Custom T-Tips from Airflo are perfect for situations where a short fast tip will get you int ...
    The 10' Custom T-Tips from Airflo are perfect for situations where a short fast tip will get you into the zone. 10 feet is the perfect length when matched with a Skagit Head for Short Spey and Switch rods.
  • Airflo Ridge 2.0 Running Line is easy to handle and shoots through the guides. If you are looking fo ...
    Airflo Ridge 2.0 Running Line is easy to handle and shoots through the guides. If you are looking for a running line that feels like fly line this is the one. A large loop in the front makes changing heads a breeze. Ideal for use with Skagit and Scandi Shooting Heads. Color is Red. 90 Feet in length.
  • Airflo's 14' Salmon/Steelhead Polyleader will get your fly down in the water column as well as provi ...
    Airflo's 14' Salmon/Steelhead Polyleader will get your fly down in the water column as well as providing "extra stick" when making a two hand cast.
  • Need to get down in a hurry? Rio's 30 foot, tungsten core T-series sinking lines are just for you. T ...
    Need to get down in a hurry? Rio's 30 foot, tungsten core T-series sinking lines are just for you. They are ideal for building a variety of custom head lengths. The 30 foot length is ideal for building one each of 12.5', a 10' and a 7.5' head.
  • We really like Rio's braided loops for creating lead heads such as T11 or T14. Attach to your fly li ...
    We really like Rio's braided loops for creating lead heads such as T11 or T14. Attach to your fly line with either super glue or a nail knot. 2 sizes to choose from with 4 per pack.
  • The Versi-Leaders are great sinking leaders that come in either 6' or 10' lengths. The welded loop o ...
    The Versi-Leaders are great sinking leaders that come in either 6' or 10' lengths. The welded loop on the end makes it easy to attach to your line and the mono on the other end makes adding a short leader a breeze.
  • The Airflo Streamer Max Short is one of our favorite sink tip lines for running mean leeches and bug ...
    The Airflo Streamer Max Short is one of our favorite sink tip lines for running mean leeches and buggers through nasty runs and fishy holding water. The 18 foot sinking head gets your fly down in the strike zone. Whether you are chucking big flesh for fall rainbows, dredging sculpins for slabs, or want a sink tip line that makes throwing a Dolly Llama easier, the Streamer Max Short will get it done!
  • The most popular fly line in Alaska is now available with a Connect Core Plus ultra low stretch core ...
    The most popular fly line in Alaska is now available with a Connect Core Plus ultra low stretch core. The Connect Core Plus stretches 30% less than a standard core fly line and lets you feel strikes more quickly, jack the hook set home with more authority and time your casts with even more precision. It doesn't get any better than this line!
  • Fly line dressing from the folks who know fly lines. Comes with a Wonder Cloth micro abrasive cleani ...
    Fly line dressing from the folks who know fly lines. Comes with a Wonder Cloth micro abrasive cleaning pad that is great for removing salt build up, dirt, algae, and other nasty stuff.
  • The Airflo Velocity is the ideal line for a beginner or someone looking for a smooth casting afforda ...
    The Airflo Velocity is the ideal line for a beginner or someone looking for a smooth casting affordable line. With its user friendly taper design, the long rear taper allows the line to grow with you as you improve and increase your casting range. Casts well on a variety of rods and does not break the bank.
  • Rio's Avid Trout line is solid performer in the mid-price arena. The Avid is super slick and is desi ...
    Rio's Avid Trout line is solid performer in the mid-price arena. The Avid is super slick and is designed for easy casting performance, with slightly heavier and shorter head lengths.
  • Airflo's five foot Polyleaders are a great way to add a "sink tip" to your floating fly line. Simply ...
    Airflo's five foot Polyleaders are a great way to add a "sink tip" to your floating fly line. Simply loop the Polyleader on your line, add 3-4 feet of tippet and you are ready to fish. They cast nicely and can be used on everything from light trout rods to heavy salmon set ups.
  • Rio's Light Saltwater Shock Leaders are ideal when you need some extra abrasion resistance for fish ...
    Rio's Light Saltwater Shock Leaders are ideal when you need some extra abrasion resistance for fish that are spiny, have sharp gill plates or rough mouths. Think snook, baby tarpon or other assorted reef fish. These leaders are 10 feet in length and taper down to 16lb test. At the end of the 16lb section, a 25lb fluorocarbon shock tippet is attached. Each leader has a perfection loop in it for quickly attaching to your fly line.
  • The Airflo Ridge Tropical GT line is specifically built for the bruising world of chasing Giant Trev ...
    The Airflo Ridge Tropical GT line is specifically built for the bruising world of chasing Giant Trevally. It has an agressive front taper so lightning quick casts can be made to marauding GT's. It features an extra strong 50lb core to better withstand enormous fish and gnarly coral.
  • Rio's Saltwater 10 foot leaders are perfect for all your tropical saltwater fishing and they come in ...
    Rio's Saltwater 10 foot leaders are perfect for all your tropical saltwater fishing and they come in the heavier weights you want. They are made of medium-stiff materials so they turn flies over in the wind and are very easy to tie knots with. Each leader comes with a hand-tied loop in it for quick leader changes. Matches up perfectly with Rio Fluorflex Saltwater Tippet.
  • Rio's Fluorflex Flurocarbon tippet is the 'Go To' tippet for bonefish, redfish and up to big game sp ...
    Rio's Fluorflex Flurocarbon tippet is the 'Go To' tippet for bonefish, redfish and up to big game species like trevally. It is a medium-stiff 100% fluorocarbon material that is easy to knot and has great abrasion resistance. Ideal for matching up with Rio Bonefish or Rio Saltwater Leaders. 30 yard spools.
  • Rio's 10-foot Bonefish Leaders are ideal for all your tropical adventures. They feature a medium-sti ...
    Rio's 10-foot Bonefish Leaders are ideal for all your tropical adventures. They feature a medium-stiff material that is ideal for turning over flies in the wind.
  • Rio's MOW Tips are the ideal way to add a sink tip to your switch or spey rod. Light MOW Tips are 10 ...
    Rio's MOW Tips are the ideal way to add a sink tip to your switch or spey rod. Light MOW Tips are 10 feet in length, built on a low stretch base, feature T-8 (7 ips sink rate) in the sinking portion and come in a variety of sinking combinations. They are looped on both ends and laser labeled for easy identification. In general Light Tips work well on Skagit lines of 475 Grains and less. Pick individual tips for your needs or get the whole kit with 6 different tips so you are covered in every situation.  

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