Rod and line weight question???

[terry13111]

I read in one of my books that when a rod is listed for a certain weight line, its meant for WF line, and that the rod is meant for a weight lower for a DT line. For example, a 6 weight rod is meant for a WF6 line, or a DT5. Is this true?

The reason I am asking is, I have a 6 weight rod that I always wished was a 5weight. So, I was thinking about trying a DT5.

[DaleW]

It has been my experience that a rod designated for a certain line weight will handle going up or down a notch. In other words, a rod listed for a 6wt line will also handle a 5wt or a 7wt - maybe not as efficient as the 6wt but it will work. Makes some sense that the lower weight double taper might work better. I have an 8' 6wt rod that I line with a level 7wt line for using poppers while canoeing down river. I like that rod for just that purpose and it seems to handle the poppers with the 7wt, side casting and getting up under the river side over hanging brush. By no means a distant caster but for up to 25 - 30', most excellent.

One of the advantages of having several different weight rods and reels and lines is to try different applications to find out what works and what doesn't. But I'll tell ya, this subject will bring out all kinds of hair splitting whimsical notions!



Dale

[fcch]

Terry,

(I could be mistaken here) .... the wt of the line is measured as the total weight of a section of line. I believe that it's about 30-45 ft. Once that length of line is out, no matter if it's a WF or a DT, the line is supposed to have the same weight. This means, that the rating on the rod is correct for the purchased line no matter if it's a DT or a WF.

In my (limited) experience, the rod maker is far more savvy than I, so I rarely "over line" or "under line" a rod. That said, I do tend to "feel" as if the Scientific Anglers WF steelhead and trout tapers (a long belly WF line) are slightly heavier than other models. 'Fur instance, I had a test line SA Mastery Series WF 6wt on a rod and it was "slowing down" the rod. I put Sharkskin, same maker, which is also a WF and it just perked up the rod.

(let the games begin )

[tailingloop]

I am not sure how the author of that book would know that all rods are weighted for a WF line. Do they know all rod designers?

I have seen some old rods the actually listed a line wt and either DT or WF after the rating.

Lines are rated based on the weight of the first 30 ft of line, minus a level tip section that is usually around 6". A 6wt DT and WF line will weigh the same for the first 30ft.

Now, a WF line has a back taper that transitions to a thinner running line, but a DT line does not have a back taper and the line is a continuous diameter until you get to the taper at the other end. The middle section does not transition to a thinner running line like a standard WF line. So once you get more than 30ft of line out past the rod tip, the DT line will be heavier because of the thicker line. So that may be why the author of the book suggests going down a line size when fishing a DT line. However, if you do that, you may find the rod does not load as well for shorter casts of less tan 30ft.

Now today we have all sorts of variations of WF lines such as long belly distance lines, bonefish lines, steelhead lines, triangle tapers, and so on. With these lines the point where the belly of the line transitions to the back taper and then running line may be well past 30ft from the tip, even 50 or more one some lines.

But rods are not marked for a specific line, just a line wt. Most rods today will work quite well with lines one or two line weights above or below what they are rated for. And while there are a number of situations where I go up or down a line size on my rods for specific situations, most of the time I just use a line wt that matches the rods, whether it be a DT, WF, WF Distance taper, Saltwater Taper, bass taper, Triangle taper and so on.

[DG]

Whatever line the rods casts with, for YOU, is what weight rod it is, for YOU. Someone else may feel differently about the exact same rod with the exact same line, since no two of us have the same opinions about how a rod should feel. Using a 5wt line will not make a 6wt rod a 5wt rod, if the rod casts best with a 6wt line. Like many others here, I have uplined or downlined rods many times, sometimes on purpose and other times out of necessity (forgetting a reel). Most rods of mine, I can fish them up or down about two line weights before it really gets annoying, and all of them do fine plus or minus one line weight.

[terry13111]

Thanks guys, guess I am just going to have to try it.

P.S. by the way the author is John Gierach.

[Bugsy]

This was the thinking years ago. However, I believe Orvis was the only maker that marked their rods with the recommended WF line, suggesting the angler step down a size for a DT.

BTW, Geirach = fiction.

[ridgeliner]

I read in one of my books that when a rod is listed for a certain weight line, its meant for WF line, and that the rod is meant for a weight lower for a DT line. For example, a 6 weight rod is meant for a WF6 line, or a DT5. Is this true?

The reason I am asking is, I have a 6 weight rod that I always wished was a 5weight. So, I was thinking about trying a DT5.

Your rod might cast better for you with a 5 wt. or maybe a 7 wt. line..............but it is still the same rod. By changing the line it does not change the rod. By that I mean it still weighs the same, still the same length, etc. If you want a 5 wt. I suggest that you buy a 5 wt. rod. It probably will be lighter in weight and certainly will have other differences.

[anglerdave]

I am not a big believer in over or underlining a fly rod. Just personal preference I guess. But if I had a 6wt rod and wanted to see how it cast with a 5wt line, I would try and borrow the line from a buddy or go down to a fly shop and put a reel with a 5 wt line on and make some test casts.

I must confess however, that I have experimented with different weight lines on different rods of mine and have always preferred the weight line recommended by the manufacturer.

As far as line goes, I understand the SA GPX is rated a 1/2 line weight heaveir. So maybe their 5wt line would cast well on your 6.

[Colston Newton]

I have enough lines that I can try a rod with a range. I then use the one I like best...usually within one weight of the rating one way or the other. Often the rating is based on what the maker thinks most people like. I have a penchant for slow, so I tend to overline.