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Hugh,

AFTMA was an industry standards organization that setup a system for determining line size. That same system is in use today. If you walk into a tackle store and ask for an 8 weight line, you will get the proper line for your rod. I would recommend a weight forward floating line (it will say WF8 on the box) for your rod. The earlier suggestion of a Pflueger Medalist reel is an excellent choice. These reels are one of the all time bargains in fly tackle. They will also have enough heft to balance your rod.

If you are comfortable with Internet mail order companies, Hook & Hackle is a hard vendor to beat. Their Hi Floater lines are a good line at a good price. They also sell Medalist reels. If you prefer a local store, some of the big box companies often clear out their stock this time of year. I've bought some Cabela's fly lines for some very short money in the late fall. Some local stores will help you install the line on your reel if you purchase it there. This can be well worth the money.

The little barbed eyelets are a classic technique for attaching a leader to your fly line. But they have pretty much gone out of style and are hard to find. Most fly lines come with a loop formed on the end of the line. A small loop is tied in the leader and the two loops are threaded through each other to interlock them (it is easier than it sounds). The advantage is you can change leaders easily whenever necessary. Again, this is something your local store can probably help with.


Tom