Maxcatch Braided Fly Line Backing 20lb 100yds Orange with Tapered Leader 9ft 5X 6pcs Review (2026)

Who benefits from the bundle

Maxcatch packages this backing with six pre-tied 9ft 5X tapered leaders, which makes it a practical pick for anglers setting up a new reel or outfitting a beginner rod without ordering backing and leaders separately. The orange color backing is easy to spot when a fish runs deep into it, a small but useful visual cue during a long fight. Anglers who already carry a leader wallet stocked with their preferred tapered leaders will end up with spares they may not need, so the value of the bundle depends mostly on whether the leaders fill a gap in your existing kit. For someone assembling a full trout setup for the first time, having backing and leaders arrive together removes a step from the process.

What is actually in the box

The backing itself is a braided 20 lb test line, 100 yards per spool, which is the standard freshwater trout backing rating and length for filling out most reel spools. The included leaders are 9 feet long, tapered to a 5X tip, and described as pre-tied with a loop connection, so they attach to a fly line loop without needing a nail knot. Maxcatch builds the tapered leader from clear nylon copolymer material, aimed at giving knot strength and abrasion resistance while staying invisible to fish. Six leaders per pack is enough to cover a season of typical tippet rebuilding for most anglers, since a tapered leader is usually replaced or shortened as the tippet end gets used up through fishing and re-tying flies.

Setting it up and everyday use

Spooling the backing follows standard practice, an arbor knot to the reel and a loop or nail knot connection to the fly line, filled until the fly line sits near the outer rim of the spool for a faster retrieve. The pre-tied loop on each leader means you can attach it to your fly line's loop connection in seconds streamside, without carrying extra leader material or tying tools. As the tippet end of a tapered leader shortens from re-tying flies, most anglers add fresh tippet with a blood knot rather than replacing the whole leader, saving the included leaders for when the taper itself gets too short to cast well. Store spare leaders coiled loosely in a wallet to avoid kinks.

Where the bundle makes sense and where it does not

Compared with buying a standalone Scientific Anglers or Rio Dacron backing spool, the Maxcatch bundle adds real value for a first time reel setup by including leaders, at the cost of being locked into whatever leader length and tippet size comes in the pack. Anglers who prefer a specific leader brand or need different tippet sizes for different flies will find the bundled leaders less flexible than buying leaders separately to match their fishing. Against premium Dacron backing from established line makers, the braided backing here performs the same basic job, holding a fish and filling the reel, without the brand reputation some anglers pay extra for.

Bottom line for new reel setups

Choose this if you are building a trout reel from the ground up and want backing and leaders in one purchase rather than assembling separate items. It is a practical, budget friendly way to get fishing quickly. Anglers who already have a leader supply, or who want to choose their leader brand and taper independently, will get more value from a standalone spool of backing paired with leaders bought to match their specific fishing. First time reel builders in particular will appreciate having everything needed to get on the water in a single, simple order.

Frequently asked questions