"I'll use my cheap line for back yard practice and the Cortland when it counts. "

"Fodder for another thread.....Is that a good idea????????????"

Duckster suggested this, so I thought I'd start it up. Is it a good idea to use cheap lines for backyard practice to save wear and tear on your good lines?

Personally, I'd say not. Practice will yield the most benefit if you practice with what you fish. If I practice a roll cast with a cheap line and get it just right, what benefit is there when I go to apply it on the water and the fly goes farther than what I intended. It would be like practicing for NASCAR by driving around the track really fast in a Chevette. Technically, you are doing the same thing, but not.

Also, I like to practice on the water. It's alot more like fishing...well actually, it is fishing. Practice fishing is done on close local water, usually for panfish, so that I will be ready on those occasions where I get to go somewhere else and only have one good shot at it.