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[Suther]

I have a few random questions Im looking for answers to.

First, why do you use dacron for backing when flyfishing?

Second, can anyone explain how one uses a Shakespeare wonderpole? If Im not mistaken, it has no guides, and no reel seat? (the website is not very explanatory...)
http://www.shakespeare-fishing.com/Shakespeare%C2%AE-Wonderpole-Rod/1285734,default,pd.html#start=11

Im sure I have more... but lets start with these two.

[HOOK]

Dacron - always unless you want gelspun backing


I think Wonderpole's are for small coarse fish. I have seen guys using them to catch small trout with a float and bait. extremely soft with a bit of backbone and yes just a chunk of line tied off the end

[TheFishingLad]

You see those pointless sticks used by the English in their televised fishing derbys

[Suther]

Dacron - always unless you want gelspun backing


I think Wonderpole's are for small coarse fish. I have seen guys using them to catch small trout with a float and bait. extremely soft with a bit of backbone and yes just a chunk of line tied off the end

gelspun backing?

[typhoon]

Dacron is a braided backing line that allows a hot fish to run beyond the 90 feet of your fly line and not spool you. It is relatively thick so it also does a good job of filling the spool so that each turn of the reel takes up more line.
Gel-Spun is a single filament backing line that is significantly thinner than Dacron so it gives you a lot more capacity for a smaller reel. It also has 2 major drawbacks:
1. It tends to "cut in" under heavy load which causes the backing to stick when being unspooled.
This can be mitigated by reeling it guiding it with your hand using a sharp angled left to right to left.
2. It is very thin and sharp. You never strip backing but if you happen to get your hand or arm in the way while a fish is pulling line it will cut you. Dacron will just burn you.

[Suther]

Dacron is a braided backing line that allows a hot fish to run beyond the 90 feet of your fly line and not spool you. It is relatively thick so it also does a good job of filling the spool so that each turn of the reel takes up more line.
Gel-Spun is a single filament backing line that is significantly thinner than Dacron so it gives you a lot more capacity for a smaller reel. It also has 2 major drawbacks:
1. It tends to "cut in" under heavy load which causes the backing to stick when being unspooled.
This can be mitigated by reeling it guiding it with your hand using a sharp angled left to right to left.
2. It is very thin and sharp. You never strip backing but if you happen to get your hand or arm in the way while a fish is pulling line it will cut you. Dacron will just burn you.

From researching it online a few days ago, it seems dacron is an older braided product, that is not as thin as the superlines of today we just call "braid"

I guess my question is why not just use mono as your fly backing?

[Derek Mcl]

According to legend, mono has so much stretch to it, it exerts a lot of torque on your spool when it is wound on.  Apparently, a spool full of the stuff can permanently warp your fly reel.

The problem is, why is it that this isn't a problem on mooching reels?  Maybe they are tougher.

I've never tested the theory and would rather not!

[Sandman]

I guess my question is why not just use mono as your fly backing?

I would guess that a mono of the same pound test as the Dacron would be thicker and stiffer and have more line "memory" as it sits spooled for so long.

[RalphH]

As mentioned dacron has little or no stretch and it doesn't rot - decades past linen was used to make backing.

In the past Mono could work up enough torque to spread the reel spool though with most good reels I doubt that's likely today.

Gelspun in breaking strains of 50lbs makes good backing. I've used it for years with no binding or line cuts however I've got dacron on most reels and I always use 30lb dacron.

[FlyFishin Magician]

I would guess that a mono of the same pound test as the Dacron would be thicker and stiffer and have more line "memory" as it sits spooled for so long.

Yes, I was thinking line memory would be an issue with mono.

[FlyFishin Magician]

As mentioned dacron has little or no stretch and it doesn't rot - decades past linen was used to make backing.

In the past Mono could work up enough torque to spread the reel spool though with most good reels I doubt that's likely today.

Gelspun in breaking strains of 50lbs makes good backing. I've used it for years with no binding or line cuts however I've got dacron on most reels and I always use 30lb dacron.

I've got Dacron backing on my traditional arbor reels.  I've got gel spun on some of my large arbor reels. I prefer the Dacron, but gel spun does provide more line capacity for sure.

[losos]

Shakespeare stick is a typical for European fishing you just tie line to the tip of it or some times the line runs inside pole and is attached to the bottom with some kind of shock absorber. This allow angler to take on big fish as the forces are better spread (unlimited amount of guides)  than with pole of any number of guides.
And yes you can  bring  a decent size of fish using this method. i know of guys that landed 10 kg carp using this method and fishing line was of really small diameter (in Europe diameter was main criteriom of buying line).  I hope that made sense for you.

[HOOK]

If you used mono as backing it would become extremely memoried and brittle over the years. You get a fish that takes it out and SNAP !!

I have 30lb Dacron that's over 10yrs old on a couple reels. It's been soaked completely, sitting in sun, .........etc. and still looks brand new. No worries about it rotting or having memory.

I bought a reel with gelspun on it and the first time I had a fish take backing off the reel it was so dug into itself the fish broke off due to the line stopping dead. I took it off immediately !


In regards to mono filled mooching reels, center pins......etc - If you were to look closely a lot of them should or will have a bit of dacron where the arobor is, might only be 50yrds but this is put there to keep the mono from expanding and popping your reel apart or cracking it. My old silex had 150yards of dacron plus 220 yards of mono and could still fit more !!