So I guess I have an excuse.....

[Humber Brad]

I've been having trouble with my casts since last year. Being an ardent believer in the phrase, "It's a poor craftsman who blames his tools." I've just been under the assumption that I just plain suck at casting. However, even though this may be the case, I think I have found part of the reason why my casting is just plain not effective.
I received a new rod under the X-mas tree this year, and my incredibly generous fiance just bought me a nice Okuma SLV 8/9 to put under it. When I brought it and my "9 wt" fly line down to my local fly shop to get some backing put on and then my line connected to it (it's just cheaper doing this) he was amazed at the line I had on there. He swore it couldn't have been anymore than a 6 wt! When I bought the line last year, the box said DT9F...and so did the little tag on the line itself! I mean, I knew I would most likely get what I paid for when I bought a cheap line at WallyWorld...but I wanted to at least actually get what I thought I was paying for! Of course, the box and recipt are long gone as I can't hold onto important receipts...only the ones for the bag of chips I had at the Irving and junk like that.....I found this out on the same day I lost 2 jobs thanx to the Canadian gov't cutting funding for student jobs AND I found out I wasn't going to be getting anymore student loans in September...so going out and buying a new line just aren't options. Then someone dropped a chair on my cell phone and it rained for the only 24 hour period I could go up to the cabin...it's been a rough week!

[J Castwell]

So, now you have a rod, reel,,, and no line for it?

[Humber Brad]

You are correct, sir...but in my defence (and it is apoor one, at that) I thought I had a line for it.....too trusting of labels, I guess. I'll have a new line by the start of the salmon season, June 1st, but for right now, my trouting abilities are suspect.

[Bobinmich]

Brad,
A good hand at a fly shop should be able to tell the difference between a 6 wt and a 9 wt. A 6 wt is maybe .050" in diameter while a 9 is closer to .065" If you were to hand me one in the dark, I would have a hard time feeling .015" difference unless I had them side by side. The 6 wt. is castable on a 9 wt. rod. You won't like it much but it can be done. It's kinda like casting with only 15 feet of line out with a normal set-up. Should feel pretty good with 60 feet of DT line out though.
I have not seen too many DT 9 wt lines. They are mostly WF on salt. I use 7 or 8 weight rods on steelhead. I suppose you need a 9 for salmon. The salmon we get in Michigan Rivers are like snags that move once they've been in for a few days.

Bobinmich

[Humber Brad]

It was a good hand at a flyshop who found the difference. I'd need a micrometer to find 0.15" difference in anything. It is castable, but when you pair it with an inexperienced caster, it really doesn't help.

[Greg F]

Weigh the first thirty feet of the line and convert grams to grains, see what line weight you have on the chart:

http://www.flyfishingforum.com/expertis ... atings.htm

[J Castwell]

If you get jammed up, let me know. I may be able to somehow get you a WF9F line.

[Humber Brad]

I'll try weighing it and see where I am...maybe I'm not as far off as I thought, but something definitely isn't right in the loading of the rod.