For those who fish ponds and lakes more than moving water, sinking line is preferable. He recommended that, by getting an extra spool for their reel, fishermen can switch line types quickly and easily. Line color is also a consideration for the fly fisherman. While the neon lines are easy to see on the water, they are also easy for fish to spot. Lafley recommended a more neutral color line that would still be visible but not quite as alien to the fish's surroundings.
Leaders are pieces of clear, tapered monofilament which attach the fly to the line.
They range from 6 to 12 feet. Each time a fly is changed, about 6 inches are sacrificed off the end of the leader. To preserve the length of the leader, tippet is added to attach the flies. The knot used most often by fly fishermen is the clinch knot, which is used to attach the fly to the tippet. The types of fishing flies themselves are as numerous or more so than real insects and their larva.