DT versus WF
I just spotted this on the FF&FT website.
"DT casts farther
At the recent BFCC competition at Brentwood, casting in poor conditions of
light wind and continuous mist and drizzle, BFCC secretary Mike Marshall
cast his DT line to win the #5 Distance. Mike's cast resulted in 105' 2",
while his second place entrant, James Warbrick-Smith, was left standing at
just 93' 5". "
I do have WF lines myself but for the last few years I have found DT more satisfying.
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Donald/Scotland
Looks like Mike was on his game while James was having a bad day. That, or one casts better than the other.
If someone has 105' of line out, and if most fly lines are 100' then that means said caster would have 5' of backing beyond the last guide of the rod. Hopefully that last 5' was from shooting line, cause I can't imagine that it'd be easy to cast with the backing beyond the last guide on the tip.
I dont have a DT line myself, I've always had WF lines but with all of the recommendations I plan to buy a Cortland Classic DT Peach line this season to see what all of the fuss is about.
If you think about it a DT line will weigh more as the amount of line one has in the air increases past the 30' of head on a WF.
Aerializing more weight, for this cowboy anyway, makes things more difficult.
The thinner running line on the weight forward should make obtaining distance easier.
I can't imagine anyone carrying an entire DT fly line while false casting. That line had to be shot after the final haul.
Over the years I've used all kinds of different tapers. Except for special situations I think the DT is the best design for both fishing and casting. It works better for short casts, roll casts better and Spey casts better. Unless I'm fishing big heavy flies I'm using a DT line.
Texas, your forgeting about the rod and leader. Casting competitions are measured from the fly to your feet, so holding your arm & rod out give you an extra 10', now add a 9' leader and you at 19' now you add the amount of line cast, now that makes a 105' cast only requires 86' of line out of the rod tip.
The man who coined the phrase "Money can't buy happiness", never bought himself a good fly rod!
I agree with GusG and although I use both WF and DT lines, I find the DT handles better for me. Firstly, the thicker (stiffer) belly of the DT line gives me better control, especially in the wind. Secondly, I don't have the annoying problem of the thin running line constantly tangling. My running line becomes so twisted, I once spent half of a float trip untangling it! Interestingly, I can cast either the same distance!
Donald, I agree with you completely. I started out with WF only. Tried a DT and liked it a lot. Am replacing my WFs with DTs as they wear out.
I may be the worst caster on this board, so don't take me as an authority. I just find that I have almost no occasions when I need to get into the running line part of a WF.
I've found I can cast much farther with DT than with WF (about 15-20 feet into the backing on my heavier rods, and nearly to the backing with my 4wt). I find that the extra weight loads the rods better (also with more control) and once you get out a bit past the halfway mark the backtaper starts acting more like a weight forward and allow to shoot line with a tremendous amount a momentum. In addition to this you get all the advantages of a Double Taper at close range (which is probably a more practical advantage). For those who aren't quite as proficient at casting, perhaps a long belly WF is something worth a try. I do just fine with them even though I generally can't stand ordinary weight forward lines.
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