Make room for the reel

If you use loops to attach the fly line to the backing, make sure the loop on the backing is large enough to let the reel pass through. This will help you avoid having to have the whole fly line pass through the loop. In stead you just pass the reel through. The large loop will not do any harm on the backing, and should a fish strip so much line that it takes you into the backing, the slender loop will pass through the eyes without trouble.