One of the essential techniques to master in fly fishing is managing the fly line. And one of the primary aids in managing the fly line is a stripping basket.

A stripping basket is where line is place as it is retrieved, keeping it out of the water and the kelp lettuce (the latter during summer months); away from rocks; or under wading boots – depending on whether the fishing is being done from the beach or wading. In addition, a stripping basket can minimize line tangles and eliminate the drag from water tension as any attempt is made to shoot fly line (gain extra distance by releasing the line on the forward cast).

They are very handy, but they can add weight to the other gear being worn or carried; can get in the way if a backpack or sling needs to be swung around to the front; they can fill with water in waves or surf; and can cause banged knuckles during the stripping process.

Not every fly fisher uses a stripping basket.

I know several guides who wouldn’t wear one under any circumstance. As they use only floating lines, they feel they can overcome the water’s surface tension and work the line out enough through false casting before shooting the line.

I feel the same way when I’m using a floating line. But when using an intermediate line, which I use primarily, not using a stripping basket can be an exercise in futility.

I’ve owned a number of different stripping baskets. All had features both good and bad.

For a number of years I used the Linecurv stripping basket made in Denmark. These are quite popular among fly fishers around Puget Sound.

Made of a durable plastic, it’s worn via a web belt that threads through slots in the back. Overall it worked well, though I didn’t care for the rounded spikes that were to prevent tangles (they didn’t seem to stop tangles) and the lack of drain holes could be a problem when the basket accumulated water. And it can become a bit cumbersome when walking back from a long beach walk.

So I continued to look around and found that Scientific Anglers has their own imported stripping basket from Denmark: the eCoastal Stripping Basket.

Lighter than the Linecurv, it’s made of a biodegradable foam material. The flexible spikes do a great job of minimizing tangles; it has drain holes, and it’s not a fully contained basket, which means it doesn’t accumulate water. And I find the open front makes stripping a good deal easier – I don’t need to be concerned with banging my hand.

About the only downside I can find is that the belt attaches to the basket through velcro, rather than being threaded through slots. That was one of the concerns expressed in a review I read. I’ll have to watch to see if this becomes an issue.

But for now, it works great (and I still have the Linecurv as backup).