Interesting thread, so many FF are buying into the overlining concept. The rods are designed to cast in fishing conditions, not parking lots. The 70ft cast on a lawn or the rodmakers driveway will quickly become 30ft casts with a wet heavy fly and windy conditions.

Many time I will underline a traditional or softer full flexing rod, my casting stroke is rather slow and longer than most. I do not use the wrist cast like many trout FF.

In a two day casting seminar I attended, we were taught to cast just the 9ft leader with a 8wt salt water rod. Short casts with a stiff rod are a matter of technique not rod action.

Overline for heavy wind resistant flys at shorter distance.

Normal line for general purpose short/medium/long distance.

Underline for soft floppy rods.

The Common Cents system is only a static deflection measurement, it tells us nothing about the rod recovery rate, tip bounce or butt strength. It is fine for comparing two similar rods side by side, not for determining the line rating. The bending at 1/3 the rod lenght is very misleading, a soft rod is not designed for casting the same as a fast rod or a medium/stiff rod.

Regards,
FK