Line weights

[Ray Kunz]

How important is it, or should I ask what difference does it make, that you match your line weight to that which is recommended? It seems to me that if you go a size lighter you would load the rod the same with a little more line length and visa-versa. Am I off base here?

[jeffnles1]

Sometimes I use a 4wt line on my 3wt rod when I'm fishing in the Smoky Mountains or other small streams where I'm making really short casts. It seems to load the rod better when there's just a little line out.

I've never tried or needed to try to under line a rod but would assume it would act somewhat like a faster action rod. I'm just not a big fan of fast action rods. I may give a 4wt line a try on one of my 5wt rods some day just to see what happens.

Jeff

[JohnScott]

for a prior discussion of this subject.

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/s...verlining+rods

John

[Bobinmich]

No Ray, you are not crazy. A rod's rating is simply a professional at the manufacturing company's opinion of what line would feel best for the casting he thinks you will be doing. There is a tremendous amount of overlap and if you are casting in close you may want to upline especially if you have a very fast rod. The converse for longer casts can be true but is not done as often. If you want to get into the meat there are a number of good books on the subject. You could also look at some stuff I wrote several years ago when I was thinking along those same lines. Also get into Bill Hanneman's stuff on Common Cents (google same). Try:
http://www.hatofmichigan.org/uploads..._Casting_3.pdf
and see if it whets your appetite.

Godspeed and good fishing.

Bob

[Chuck441]

I was bluegill fishing a number of years ago with a friend. He was using a Sage 9', 4 wt. rod (don't remember the model). After hooking a 'gill, and it went airborne on the hook set, he (friend, not 'gill) said "I finally found something that'll load this rod!". Bobinmich nailed it. I don't think I'd load a Loomis rod with the same line as Steve Rajeff, who designs and tests many of their rods. Another good reason to buy from a good local shop. You can try different line weights on a rod to see what works for you!

Chuck

[Clay]

We have had many conversations about this exact subject on this board. These days I tend to not buy as many weights of fly line as I use to. I think that I have 12 or 13 outfits ranging from 3 to 10 wt but only use about 5 different line weights to cover the 8 different rod weights that I use.

I also think that action type is as much of a factor and your casting style as is the number that is put on the rod. I think that many fly fisherman would be surprised to know that there isn't a standard among manufacturers on what constitutes a rod weight designation. It is a subjective number that doesn't carry from one manufacturer over to another.

[herefishy]

Another aspect of this subject is that if you don't like the action of a rod, to try different lines on it. You might feel a lot different. I almost sold a rod recently that I didn't like, then changed lines and now it's great.

[anglerdave]

I have not owned any graphite rods that cast poorly with the line that the rod was rated for. Nor did they cast any better with a line size up or down. With today's graphite rods, I don't think a rod's line rating is just a best guess by the manufacturer. Those that feel they have to line up to get a fast action rod to cast better, IMHO need to either work on their casting, or perhaps may find a moderate to moderate fast action rod to me suitable to their casting style.

Although like Jeff when fishing tight streams, I have overlined a shorter rod to make the rod load quicker. But in those instances, I have very little fly line past the tip.