what kind of backing line do you use? and how many pounds? Is an 80 lb line strong enough for surf fishing? Thanks

I think 80 is plenty strong, thats the kinda stuff used for tuna ain't it ?

Saltwater fly line usually comes in about 100 ft of line, which is 33 yds of line. Say you cast 50 ft and hook a big fish at 40 ft. Without backing you would only have 50 ft of line to fight the fish, what backing does it allow you to have a lot more line for a fish to pull drag. Does that make sense?

Dacron, Micron, braided fishing line depending on what species your targeting. IMO 80lbs is way to much, I use 20 for pretty much everything and I read somewhere that most fly line is only about 30lb test. Plus you never know what you'll catch in the surf the more backing the better and the smaller the test, the smaller the diameter, the more backing the reel holds. If that makes sense?

IMO, 80lb is way overkill.

30lb is all you should ever need.

"No ma'am, he is not fishing in S. Padre, what a vicious rumor! He is on a dreary, two week out of town work trip". My best backing line.

OK; I got it. You guys can laugh. So what about the deep sea fishing for Tuna?

20# to 30# for most stuff. 50# micron on my big offshore reels. Anything over that is way overkill IMO and the thicker diameter lines end up costing you on line capacity.

30# Dacron. Just because it's a little more abrasion resistant then 20.

You can't crank down your fly reel to more than 30# of drag anyway, and if you could, you couldn't hold on to it!!!!

Most saltwater reels are backed with 30# dacron, or 30# micronite, if more line is needed on the spool. I've had good success using 35# GSP, also a space saver. On a recent Alaska trout and salmon trip, my fellow fisher Terry Gunn suggested using 30# Spiderwire as backing for both our trip and for future trips to the salt. I was able to get 300 yds of 30# Spiderwire on one of my large arbor spools.

I have been told the advantages of spider wire as well, but my only concern and why I haven't done it is, just think about how easy it can tear your hands up over regular dacron backing.

If something is ripping off my backing, I try to have my hands nowhere near the line. One's on the rod, and the other is either palming the reel for extra drag, or preparing to grab the handle to start taking in line.

I'm usually wearing sun/stripping gloves when fishing the salt, or even when catching stripers on the Red River. I've had too many cuts, nicks, or slices get infected if I don't.

I use Power Pro for the previously mentioned reasons of thinner diameter for the pound; 300 yards of 30# backing fits nicely on nearly any large arbor flyreel worthy of the salt with room to spare for flyline. Be aware however that all braids become dangerous when they are being pulled around at the rates of speed a big game fish can achieve - I have heard tales of PVC pipe being sliced like butter when a fish wrapped it during a fight, so just imagine what would happen to a finger.

Good advice.

I Frequently make tuna set ups for customers who want to chase Yellow Fin Tuna, here is my rigging. Very large capacity reel such as a Tibor Gulf Stream or Pacific, on the Gulf Stream I start with 550yds 0f 30lb braid then attach that with a bimini to bimini loop (looped through twice) to 150yds of 50lb braid (this part of the backing takes the biggest beating thus the higher test) then a bimini loop in the 50lb. The braid is cross hatched onto the reel so it does not cut down into its self and potentially break. I use Rio Leviathan 500 grain sinking fly line. I make a loop in backing end of the fly line by looping it over and securing the loop with three or four nail knots made with 17.6lb Rio hard mono. The backing bimini is then looped twice through this. I make a Collins Loop at the end of the fly line with 22 pound hard mono which gives me a 40 lb leader loop. Stripping gloves are a must and yes DO NOT TOUCH THE BACKING!! As you can see everything is designed with a much higher break point than your leader potentially saving some very expensive stuff! All this goes on a 16wt rod such as a TFO Blue Water HD rod. About $1,250 all together but, if you want to beat a yellow fin ya gotta have the right stuff!

Amazing rigging.