The head: everything before the running line, ~39 ft.
Fly lines
Weight forward — the line that shoots
Draft reference — pending review.
What it's for
The all-rounder, and what your Tactical Card usually means by a line. All the casting mass sits in the first 35–45 ft — a fat head that loads the rod in a couple of false casts, then shoots the thin running line behind it for distance.
The beats
Tip
A short level tip, about a foot, protects the taper — the bit you'll trim over the line's life.
Front taper
6–10 ft thinning towards the leader. Shorter turns over big flies and punches wind; longer lands small flies softly.
Belly
20–25 ft of the thickest line — this is the casting weight. Nearly all of the head's mass is here.
Rear taper
The step-down to running line, 5–12 ft. Longer rear tapers carry smoother loops when you hold more line in the air.
Running line
50–65 ft of thin, light line. It follows the head through the rings on the shoot — free distance, but you can't properly cast it on its own.
Common faults
False-casting past the head
Loops go wobbly and die once too much line is out; the cast hinges at a point and dumps.
Fix: The head-to-running-line join has left the tip ring, so you're waving weightless running line. Carry the head, no more, and shoot the rest.
When you'll use it
- The default profile for nearly every lough and reservoir line you'll buy, floating or sinking
- Distance with few false casts — reaching fish on a drift before the boat does
- Wind: the concentrated head keeps its shape where a long belly gets blown about
Related
Sources & how we know this (3)
- WF anatomy and section lengths: tip ~1 ft, front taper 6–10 ft, belly 20–25 ft, rear taper 5–12 ft, head 35–45 ft of a 90–105 ft line
Scientific Anglers — Understanding Fly Line Tapers · 2026-07-11 - How the weight-forward head loads the rod and shoots running line; the hinge past the head
Trout and Salmon — How a weight-forward fly-line works · 2026-07-11 - Front/rear taper length trade-offs for turnover vs presentation
Angling Active — Understanding weight forward fly line tapers · 2026-07-11
Draft reference — pending review.