Spey casting fly lines - new AFFTA standard
- not simple!

Fly Lines for Spey casting and two handed rods.

History (since 1962)

Fly lines used with double handed rods since the turn of the twentieth century were mostly double tapered. After 1962 they were made to AFTMA standard weights based on the mass of the first 30 ft of line excluding any parallel tip portion. It became apparent that the old system was not applicable to modern line designs and following an article entitled AFTM – A Fictitious Tangled Mess? that I wrote in early 2003 a group of fly fishing industry experts got together to explore changes.

The problems with the AFTM system when applied to the new line designs

• The advent of complex line taper designs made following AFTMA standards ineffective
• Line makers followed their own standards
• There are many spey lines, each made to different weight standards
• Rod makers design rods around their favourite lines
• Customers are confused and this hinders rod and line sales

A small informal committee including Al Buhr, Steve Rajeff, Tim Rajeff, Simon Gawesworth, Andy Murray, Jim Vincent and Bruce Richards (with input from many others) was formed to investigate the problem and propose solution and they came up with the following proposal. AFFTA will review the proposal for possible official adoption at its 2005 board meeting but it appears that with no significant objections or changes being heard several manufacturers will start to implement the new standards prior to official adoption.

Spey/2 Hand line standards proposal to AFFTA

*TBD to be decided