Tom,

Here is my take on over lining.

On my slow action and medium action rods, which I use for dry flying, I mostly do not over line. Mainly because I know I will often make some long casts and that means there will be a lot of line out to load the rod, so I don't need to have heavier line.

Now then, on many of my medium-fast and fast action rods, I do in fact over line. With those I am often chucking heavy streamers or doing some deep nymphing on large rivers. Many of the casts are fairly short and I want the extra weight of a heavier line to help load up my rod. In fact, on my Sage XP's, the Sage people suggested one line heavier for that reason.

Exceptions to the rule: Yes there will always be exceptions. When pocket water fishing on very small streams or creeks, I will often over line by one size just because I want a little more weight on the line since I am making very short and exact casts upstream then picking up the line and stripping in the line or high sticking the rod if the brush will allow that, so I want more control over my line.

So, depending upon how far you will be casting with your 4 weight and what size fly, you may consider going to a 5 weight line. But, since it is a 4 weight you shouldn't try to over stress the rod by casting flies that are simply too big or heavy. If you want a delicate presentation on a dry fly, stick with the 4 weight line. If you want to chuck a small streamer or popper or hopper out there, go with the 5 weight.

Either way, there is a reason why fly lines come in different price ranges. The better the line the more it costs. Recently a friend of mine called me and was asking what reel and fly line he should get for his new trout rod. My advice was to not spend a fortune on the reel, since for 99.9% of trout fishing the reel simply is a tool that holds line, but don't skimp on the line. The line is important, actually more important than the reel and for that matter the rod, since they are making so many decent rods now days.

That is my take on it and I am sure others have different opinions.

Larry ---sagefisher---