What to do with a Level line?

[Max]

Level running lines primarily are used with shooting heads attached to them for distance casting. Salt water fly fishing is where I see this set up mostly.

I also see these level lines used quite a bit in Great Lakes tributary steelhead fishing where significant weight is used on the leader to get the flies down to those bottom hugging winter steelies. The skinny running line has less resistance to the water flow and gives a better drift. The significant weight provides the momentum to make the cast and shoot the running line.

[stonefly71]

My 7 1/2 yr. old son can cast a LL about 30 ft. and thats what he fishes with. But then again I made his rod from a ultralight spin rod and martin reel. But he catches fish with it and don't have to worry about him messing up a good line till he gets better. As if he can cast a LL he will be able to pitch a wt.fw line real good. And was going to say use it for tying bodies as someone else said. Later Matt

[Bobinmich]

Max,

We usually use a #2 level for chuck and duck in Great Lakes tributaries for steelies. Mono is too rough on the fingers and the #2 flyline shoots really nice.

All the old fly lines were level as I recall until they started tapering silk lines. Tapered lines cast better but you can learn to cast without them, e.g. Matt's son. I'm sure he will think he is heaven when he graduates to a tapered line.

Bob