Best 8-Weight Fly Line Hands Down

The 8-weight fly line is versatile. Of course, it can be used on 8-weight fly rods but it can also be overlined on a 6 or 7-weight rod.

The 8 weight is by far my favorite weight here in the office.

It lends itself to the perfect all-around fly rod weight for almost any fish and fishing condition.

We cover our favorite 8-weight fly lines below and everything you need to think about when buying a new 8-weight line.

When to use an 8-weight fly line (or 8 wt)

An 8-weight fly line is a great all-around fly line. Overline it on a 6 or 7-weight fly rod. And of course, throw it on your 8-weight fly rod as intended.

The 8-weight itself is versatile. Use it in warm water for bass and carp, in cold water for trout and salmon, and even in saltwater.

Understanding fly line tapers

Weight Forward Taper (WF)

Weight Forward Tapers are when the front or head section (approximately 35-40 feet) is much thicker than the running section. This additional line weight and diameter makes it easier to load the rod and cast your flies further. 

The Weight Forward Taper helps generate energy on the forward and back casts to help you shoot line out, especially during a double haul. 

Double Taper (DT)

The Double Taper is when there is a taper similar to the Weight Forward at the front and end of the line. The purpose of this is to create open loops useful when performing roll casts (and especially long ones with spey hybrid rods). 

How are Weight Forward and Double Tapers different?

Weight Forward and Double Tapers are similar – they help you generate more energy for longer and effortless casts. Try both of them on the water. It’s up to personal opinion. The Fishing with a Fly office is team Weight Forward but a couple of our fishing buddies are on the Double Taper team. 

Level Taper (LT)

A Level Taper fly line is the same diameter through the entire fly line. The taper makes long casts harder as it’s more difficult to load the rod. However, the line has a small profile on the water and displaces less when the line is laid down or taken up. If you’re fishing shallow, clear water it may be a good choice. But in our experience, a weight forward or double taper with a longer than normal leader (say 15 feet or more) does just as good and you can cast it further easily.

Shooting Taper (ST)

A Shooting Taper is approximately 30 feet on the front end of the fly line, which is heavier than the rest of the fly line. The Shooting Taper helps load the road to make double hauls and shooting lines much easier.

Features of the best 8-weight fly fishing lines

Floating, sinking, or sink tip

While this seems straightforward, we’ll briefly explain what each are before sharing what to look for: 

• Floating: the line floats on or at the surface of the water
• Sinking: the line sinks below the water
• Sink tip: the first several feet are a heavy line or cord that sinks. Often it attaches to a floating line to make the line more adaptable to fishing situations. 

An 8-weight fly line will almost always be a floating line. Most of your fishing will be shallow or at the water’s surface with a dry fly or emerger. Sometimes you can get away with fishing a small streamer such as a wooly bugger with an 8-weight fly line and rod. 

If streamer fishing is your strategy, you’d be better served with a heavier rod and line.

Fly line color

Fly line color is highly debated. There are two things to keep in mind: your ability to see the line in the water and the fish being above to see your line. 

Most of your fishing with an 8-weight line will be in clear water conditions and shallow. While a bright colored line will be easy for you to see, so will it be for fish. 

We recommend a bland color like white, brown, blue, or dark green. 

Mendability

The line’s flexibility and memory measure Mendability. The more mendable the more flexible and less memory it has. There are pros for both. Heavier line weights often are less mendable because they are thicker lines made for longer casts and casting heavier flies. 

Most 8-weight fly lines are mendable as the line is thin and highly flexible. Mendable line makes fishing in streams easier as your line falls where it is instead of remaining looped up.

The best fly-line brands

Piscifun

Founded in 2013 by two close friends who have always had a passion for fishing and family. This passion leads to the company slogan: “Fish with Family”. As a fishing brand dedicated to offering high-quality, affordable fishing gear, Piscifun strives to cut down circulation costs. 

RIO

Rio has been a leader in the fly fishing industry since its start in 1991. Jim and Kitty Courtright have been the founders of Rio, producing several fly fishing products such as waterproof journals, sticky labels, and hand-tied leaders. 

In 1993, Jim and Kitty entered into the knotless tapered leader and tippet market, and their revolutionary new tippet material, Powerflex, set the standard for reliability, strength, and suppleness.

Scientific Anglers

Scientific Anglers was started by three men (Leon P. Martuch, Clare Harris, and Paul Rottiers) with a vision to make fly fishing more accessible. They have achieved this by creating the best products with cutting-edge technology while still preserving the simple joys of the sport. 

Scientific Anglers pushes the limits of fly-fishing and encourages customers to not settle for the status quo.

Orvis

Orvis is one of the oldest fly fishing, let alone sporting goods companies in the US. They’ve been around for over 160 years. The Orvis company was founded by Charles F. Orvis in 1856.

They are known for high-quality fly fishing rods, reels, fly lines, and clothes. There is not much they do not make when it comes to fly fishing. 

The best 8-weight fly lines on the market

Orvis Clearwater

The Orvis Clearwater line is a good starting line. It’s strong, durable, and made by Orvis. It’s labeled an affordable fly line, especially when compared to others on the market. 

The Orvis Clearwater is designed for trout fishing. While this may be so, it’s also a good fly line for warm water fly fishing. 

Many customers rave about its castability in all conditions and from novice casters

Features:

• Length: 90 feet
• Material: Nylon
• Color: Lime green

Specs:

• Tip: 40 feet
• Total length: 90 feet

Scientific Anglers Aircel 

The Scientific Anglers make world-class fly lines. They are responsible for a lot of the cutting-edge research that has gotten fly lines where they are today. 

The Aircel series is made for warm water fishing. While it will work for cold water, the line may become stiffer than other cold water-specific lines. Rest assured anything made by Scientific Anglers will perform well and is backed by one of the fly fishing line pioneers. 

Features:

• Length: 80 feet
• Material: Nylon
• Color: Yellow

Specs:

• Tip: 35 feet
• Total length: 80 feet

PISCIFUN Sword

The PISCIFUN Sword creates an affordable fly line that can hang with the best of them. It’s a weight-forward floating line with an outer coating of nylon. The slick outer coating makes the line zip through the eyelets when double-hauling larger flies or making long casts. 

The line is 100 feet in length which is plenty for even the most advanced caster. 

Features:

• Length: 100 feet
• Material: Nylon
• Color: Orange, Moss Green, Fruit Green, Fluorescent Yellow

Specs:

• Tip: 35 feet
• Total length: 100 feet

RIO Mainstream Series 

The RIO Mainstream Series is a saltwater fly line. The saltwater line is more durable than the freshwater line as salt water is hard on almost everything. 

I like using saltwater lines even in freshwater as I feel like they cast heavier flies better and perform better in the wind. 

The RIO brand is not a newbie to the fly fishing industry. They are one of the most reputable brands in the space. When you buy RIO, you know you’re getting a quality product backed by world-class engineers and professional fly fishermen/women. 

Features:

• Length: 80 feet
• Material: Nylon
• Color: Blue

Specs:

• Tip: 35 feet
• Total length: 80 feet

Wrapping up: Best 8-weight fly line

Keep in mind when purchasing an 8-weight fly line or any fly line, know what circumstance you’ll use the line. 

Are you fishing in warm water or cold water? Freshwater or saltwater? If all, you’ll want to find the best all-around fly line (RIO Mainstream Series). 

Tight lines!