Backing

A line material commonly made out of Dacron or Gel Spun. Backing is used primarily on fly reels and center pin reels to give more line length for large fish. Fly lines are expensive and typically shorter in length which aids in casting but typically with the strength of Salmon and Steelhead on the Salmon River a fish can easily run the line length of the fly reel. Backing ensures that you have a strong line that can give you more line that is inexpensive in comparisons to the fly line. Backing also helps to fill up the spool and this is more important as fly reel arbors have become larger.