8 Best Fly Lines for Trout – 2023 Buyer’s Guide

// Updated: March 19, 2023
Leonard Schoenberger
Latest posts by Leonard Schoenberger (see all)

Fishing for trout is hugely popular amongst fly fishers. It can be done with different setups. Here are the best fly lines for trout.

Table of Contents:

Types of fly line for trout

What to look for in Trout Lines

Best Fly Line for Trout Quick Answer List

Best Double-Taper (DT) Lines

Scientific Anglers Frequency Trout Double Taper

Cortland 444 Classic Double Taper

Weight Forward (WF) Fly Lines

RIO Products Elite Gold

Orvis Clearwater WF Fishing Line

Shooting Heads

RIO Products InTouch Trout Spey Shooting Head

OPST Commando Smooth (Integrated) Skagit Shooting Head

Best Nymph Fly Lines

RIO FIPS Euro Nymph Line

Cortland Euro Nymph Mono Core

Conclusion on the Best Fly Lines for Trout

Best Lines for Trout: FAQ

Trout fly reel Orvis Battenkill
A Rio Line on an Orvis Battenkill Reel

Types of trout fly lines

Most fly fishermen and women will fish for trout sooner or later in their life. Traditionally this type of fly fishing was often done using double taper (DT) lines. Those are fly lines with longer heads that form long loops and are great for delicate presentations.

In recent years weight forward lines (WF) have become increasingly popular. There are two reasons for that. They are easier to cast for beginners since they have a shorter, heavier head that turns over more easily. Secondly, when fishing with streamers weight forward lines are a good option considering the heavier weight of these flies.

Besides these two standard types of fly lines for trout, shooting heads have become popular as well. Especially amongst sea trout fly fishermen and women this type of line has seen an increase in recent years. They are easy to cast and a good option if you are casting into the breeze.

Lastly, trout fly lines for nymphing techniques such as euro nymphing are on the rise. Since nymphing is a great way to catch (big) trout this style has evolved over the last decade. Almost all major manufacturers now produces special nymphing lines that stand out due to their lower diameter to get the nymphs to where the fish are faster.

Rio Products FIPS Euro...
Scientific Anglers...
Cortland 444 Floating Fly...
Commando...
Rio Products FIPS Euro...
Scientific Anglers...
Cortland 444 Floating Fly...
Commando...
$59.99
$45.95
$64.95
$109.99
Rio Products FIPS Euro...
Rio Products FIPS Euro...
$59.99
Scientific Anglers...
Scientific Anglers...
$45.95
Cortland 444 Floating Fly...
Cortland 444 Floating Fly...
$64.95
Commando...
Commando...
$109.99

Last update on 2023-02-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

What to Look for in Trout Fly Lines

Before choosing a trout fly line you should ask yourself the following question: where am I going to use the fly line and what style will I be fishing?

This question is crucial because it determines what kind of line you should be getting: double-taper, weight-forward, shooting head, nymph fly line.

If you are mainly fishing dry flies for delicate trout, a double-taper fly line will perform best. If you are into fishing streamers in faster water a weight-forward is a good option. Should you mainly be targeting steelhead in bigger rivers a shooting head trout line or a single-spey line are great choices. In case you are preparing a nymph setup, a dedicated trout nymph line complements that setup best.

Best Fly Line for Trout Quick Answer List

1. Scientific Anglers Frequency Trout Double Taper

2. Cortland 444 Classic Double Taper

3. RIO Products Elite Gold

4. Orvis Clearwater WF Fishing Line

5. RIO Products InTouch Trout Spey Shooting Head

6. OPST Commando Smooth (Integrated) Skagit Shooting Head

7. RIO FIPS Euro Nymph Line

8. Cortland Euro Nymph Mono Core

No matter what style of trout fishing you are practicing, we’ll give you our favorites in all categories. We’ll also make sure to include trout fly lines for all budgets. Let’s go.

Best Double-Taper (DT) Fly Lines

In this first part of the review we’ll look at double-taper (DT) fly lines for trout. As mentioned before these are a great option for delicate presentations. DT fly lines feature a longer belly compared to a weight forward line.

After the head they taper off to a lower diameter. At the opposite end of the line they feature the same setup, hence the name double-taper. This means once you’ve used one end of the line for a while you can simply turn it around and will basically have a new, unused fly line.

Scientific Anglers Frequency Trout Double Taper Fly Line

The Scientific Anglers Frequency is one of our favorite DT trout fly lines on the market. It comes in a variety of sizes from DT3 – DT6 depending on the size of river you are going to fish. The Scientific Anglers Frequency‘s mid-length head enables you to make delicate presentations for example when fishing dry flies. The fact that this line floats is another plus when fishing dry flies.

Even if you want to fish small streamers for trout the Scientific Anglers Frequency will do its job. Overall a great trout fly line for less than $50. Welded loops make setting up this fly line easy.

Pros:

Greatly balanced line

Ideal for delicate (dry fly) presentations

Cons:

Not the ideal trout fly line for streamers

GET IT AT BASS PRO SHOPS

GET IT ON AMAZON

Cortland 444 Classic Double Taper Fly Line for Trout

The Cortland 444 Classic Double Taper is another excellent DT fly line for trout in a similar price range as the Scientific Anglers. This one comes in sizes from DT3 all the way up to DT9. This means you can also use it to target bigger species than trout such as bass.

The Cortland 444 Classic Double Taper has been on the market for decades and proven its quality over and over again. It’s a highly floating line that is easy to track due to its peach color.

The Cortland 444 Classic Double Taper also features welded loops. If you are looking for a high quality DT fly line for trout, you can’t go wrong with the Cortland 444. It will last you for years.

Pros:

Comes in a wide variety of sizes

Color makes keeping track of the line easy

Cons:

Not for beginners

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GET IT AT FISH USA

Weight Forward (WF) Fly Lines for Trout

Weight-forward fly lines are a solid choice if you are still fairly new to fly fishing or if you plan on mainly fishing streamers. The shorter taper design of weight forward lines makes it easier to turn the line over. Especially when you are fishing bigger flies, this can help to make better casts.

RIO Products Elite Gold

The RIO Elite Gold is a fantastic overall weight-forward fly line. By default it comes as a WF5, the perfect line weight for most trout fishing.

The RIO Elite Gold features Rio’s super slick coating for easy distance in your casts. The slightly longer head and back taper make this a great allrounder fly line that almost feels a bit like a double taper. Hence it’s a great line to present dry flies as well. On the other hand, the RIO Elite Gold has no problems turning over a heavier streamer pattern.

The RIO Elite Gold also comes with welded loops for easy rigging. SureFire tricoloured measuring system makes managing your line and distance control even easier. (read our in-depth review of the Elite Rio Gold here).

Pros:

Slick coating makes this line shoot extremely well

Good choice for streamers

Cons:

Steep price tag

GET IT AT REEL FLY ROD

GET IT ON AMAZON

Orvis Clearwater WF Fly Fishing Line

The “Made in the USA” Orvis Clearwater WF Fly Fishing Line has everything you’re looking for in a WF line. It is aimed at the intermediate caster since its compact head makes precise casts easy.

The Orvis Clearwater WF features a core made of braided monofilament. This technology makes sure the line performs well in a wide variety of conditions.

As most premium fly lines, the Orvis Clearwater WF features welded loops for an easy connection to your backing and leader.

Pros:

Made in the USA

Compact head facilitates turn over of the line

Cons:

A little less feedback than the Rio Elite

GET IT AT BASS PRO SHOPS

GET IT AT ORVIS

Shooting Heads

Shooting heads were traditionally often used in salmon and steelhead fly fishing. They provide a bigger weight to load your rod easier. They are connected to a so-called running line which then connects to your backing. Shooting heads give you flexibility in that you can change them for different types depending on your fishing situation. You might want to exchange a floating shooting head for a sinking one.

RIO Products InTouch Trout Spey Shooting Head

The Trout Spey Shooting Head is another one of our favourites from Rio. You can either fish it on a two-handed rod or a single-handed rod depending on your preferences.

Other than “normal” lines, shooting heads are measured in grain rather than a weight class. The lower the grain number the lighter the shooting head. Together with the Trout Spey Shooting Head you can use 10ft replacements tips or VersiLeaders to complete your setup.

A shooting head such as the Trout Spey Shooting Head are a great way to swing flies all day long for steelhead. We found it very easy to cover large distances and fish bigger rivers very effectively.

Pros:

Excellent choice for all-day casting

Turns over big streamers with ease

Cons:

Takes a little getting used to on single hand rods

GET IT ON AMAZON

GET IT AT TRIDENT

OPST Commando Smooth (Integrated) Skagit Shooting Head

The OPST Commando Smooth (Integrated) Skagit Shooting Head is a fantastic shooting head for trout fishing that has gained a big followership in recent years.

OPST (which stands for “Olympic Peninsula Skagit Tactics”) was founded by steelhead icon Ed Ward. The OPST Commando Smooth (Integrated) Skagit Shooting Head is special because it is a so-called integrated shooting head. This means there is no connection from shooting head to running line, the running line is integrated instead.

This gives you less flexibility but makes retrieving your line more seamless. This can come in handy for example when fishing for sea trout or sea-run cutthroat in saltwater because you can seamlessly strip in your line and can get takes right in front of your feet.

The OPST Commando Smooth (Integrated) Skagit Shooting Head is an excellent choice for that kind of fishing. It is also perfect for swinging flies for steelhead. Make sure to check out OPST’s rods as well. The Pure Skagit Series works beautifully with the Commando Skagit Shooting Heads.

Pros:

Integrated shooting head takes friction out of the equation

Perfect line for two-handed trout spey rods

Cons:

Less versatility because of integrated shooting head

GET IT ON AMAZON

GET IT AT TROUTS

Best Nymph Lines

As we mentioned in the beginning of this review, nymph techniques like Euro nymphing become ever more popular. The reason is simple: you can catch a lot of (big) trout fishing this style.

RIO Fly Fishing FIPS Euro Nymph Line

The RIO FIPS Euro Nymph Line is a fly line specifically designed for euro nymphing. It’s a very thin and light fly line to complement your nymph set up.

The RIO FIPS Euro Nymph Line‘s tip is also highly visible to detect any subtle take which happen often when using this technique. A low stretch core contributes to a direct connection to your tippet to set the hook safely.

Pros:

Low diameter uses drag effectively

Visible tip for easy take detection

Cons:

Only useful for a euro nymph setup, limited versatility

GET IT AT BASS PRO SHOPS

GET IT ON AMAZON

Cortland Euro Nymph Mono Core

The Cortland Euro Nymph Mono Core is another great line for pure nymph style fishing. It comes in a variety of diameters with the .022 one being the most popular.

The DT version of the Cortland Euro Nymph Mono Core allows you to fish other techniques as well. If you are purely into nymphing and want the least line sag and the most sensitive way to detect subtle strikes you should opt for the level version.

Pros:

High versatility for a nymph fly line

Reduces drag effectively due to its low diameter

Cons:

A little less visibility compared to the Rio Nymph

GET IT ON AMAZON

GET IT AT AVIDMAX

Brown Trout Madison River
Trout are one of the most sought after species on a fly rod – Photo: Shane Rickert

Conclusion on the Best Fly Lines for Trout

As you can see from our review of the best lines for trout there are many different options to choose from. It really depends on your style of fishing. If you want a line to cover several situations and techniques you should go with a DT or WF line.

Shooting heads and nymph lines for trout are more specialized gear for certain conditions. If fished right, they give you an advantage in these situations and can add a different level to your fly fishing game.

Rio Products FIPS Euro...
Scientific Anglers...
Cortland 444 Floating Fly...
Commando...
Rio Products FIPS Euro...
Scientific Anglers...
Cortland 444 Floating Fly...
Commando...
$59.99
$45.95
$64.95
$109.99
Rio Products FIPS Euro...
Rio Products FIPS Euro...
$59.99
Scientific Anglers...
Scientific Anglers...
$45.95
Cortland 444 Floating Fly...
Cortland 444 Floating Fly...
$64.95
Commando...
Commando...
$109.99

Last update on 2023-02-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Best Fly Lines for Trout: FAQ

What color fly line is best for trout?

The question of color in trout fly lines has been discussed for a long time. Some fly fishermen believe that colors such as grey, light green and white work best. However, many trout fishermen also use lines in bright orange, light green and even red and catch just as many fish.

What is the best fly line weight for trout?

The standard fly line weight for trout is a 5 weight (#5). Depending on the size of the river or creek you are fishing you can also size down to a #4 (for smaller creeks and hence generally smaller trout) or up to a #6 for bigger trout species such as steelhead.

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