We’ve been working on the design of our first trout line. We want it to perform well at everyday fishing distances, with a construction that stands up to demanding use.
We started by analysing the range of tapers commonly used in fly lines: how head length, weight distribution and the tapered sections work together. This has helped us understand the trade-offs in each design and identify combinations that make sense for the fishing we do.
We’ve also consulted scientific publications on casting mechanics. These include Spolek’s study of fly-line dynamics (1986), Gatti-Bono and Perkins’ physical and numerical modelling work (2002), and the model by Ekander, Perkins and Richards (2025), which examines the behaviour of the rod, line, leader and fly together.
These papers help inform our design decisions: how energy travels through the cast, the role of air resistance and how the different parts of the tackle interact. We’ll still need to find out how our tapers perform with a rod in hand.
From this work, we’ve prepared several of our own profiles for prototyping. The variants differ in head length, weight and the shape of the tapers — the sections where the line becomes thicker or thinner. We want to see how these changes affect rod loading with a short length of line outside the tip, control of the line in the air and presentation of the fly.
To compare the prototypes, we’ve specified the weight of each section and where to measure it. Alongside the reference weight of the first thirty feet, we’ll check the first three and six metres and the full head. We’ll add further measurement points where needed. This will help us relate anglers’ feedback to measurable differences between samples.
In parallel, we’re talking to manufacturers about materials, coatings and what they can produce. We’re looking for the best materials and finishes we can incorporate, with particular attention to tip flotation, how smoothly the line shoots and durability.
The next step is to take the prototypes to the river and test them with local anglers, different rods and a range of fishing situations. Those tests will help us choose a profile and decide what needs adjusting before production.
We’ll share our progress and what we learn at each stage here. This is the first.