IDing mystery fly lines
Okay, someone must have solved this problem! In organizing, what else to do when the wind is howling, and the temp is 20, I came across some lines that I have no idea of weight, WF, DT or anything. Any ideas on how to determine the identity of the mystery lines?
Thanks,
Mike
AFTMA Fly line weight ratings (grains)
Weight Grains Tolerable Range 1 60 54-66 2 80 74-86 3 100 94-106 4 120 114-126 5 140 134-146 6 160 152-168 7 185 177-193 8 210 202-218 9 240 230-250 10 280 270-290 11 330 318-342 12 380 368-392 Grains are weighed over front 30 feet of line.
Once you've got them sorted out mark the lines. Mine have a stripes to identify the weight (stripes = 3 wt.) and a wide band. The wide band ahead of the stripes is a WF line and behind the stripes a DT.
Check tapers with a micrometer or calipers. a weight forward line will have an increasing diameter which will be a much smaller diameter at around forty feet. A double taper will stay the same as the largest diameter until you reach the taper on thither end. A level line will of course have no taper.
I can think of few acts more selfish than refusing a vaccination.
Great! I know I can find a grain scale and a micrometer from someone.
Keep those ideas coming!
Thanks,
Mike
Umpqua offers (or, at least used to offer) a spring scale for weighing fly lines that was far more convenient than the usual grain scales (usually gunpowder reloading scales). The scale is calibrated in both grains and in AFTMA line weights from 1 to 13 and a clip at the lower end easily holds a measured thirty feet of coiled fly line.
That is one of the best tools to have. Too bad Umpqua stopped making them a couple of years ago. I am surprised no other company decided to make them. Must not have been a big enough market but I sure like mine.
Larry ---sagefisher---
I like mine too, Larry.
It is interesting to note that the AFTMA does not include the tip when they give specs for the first 30 ft....usually about 12 inches...Umpqua says just go ahead and include it as it doesn't make enough difference to be significant.
Last edited by ducksterman; 01-08-2015 at 06:45 PM.
I'm with Umpqua. That first level to taper section is insignificant. It would be nice to have a scale the you could hang loops from but I just have a small grains/grams scale with about a 3"x4" surface. I pull off 30' of line on the floor. Lift it without twisting it into roughle 6" loops. Depending on your loop size fold them over two-three times, put a small hair binder on them and put them on scale while lightly supporting line sticking out side. My binder weighs about six grains so it's easy to get a measurement this way. Is it dead accurate? Heck no but definitely good enough to establish line weights. Over time I've found DTs to be very close to list size and WFs to tend to go a little up the scale. It's always nice to see a recently purchased 4wt. DT hit the scale with the binder and give me 126 grains. Good confidence in line then.
Instructions.....?
I found my Umpqua scale the other day. Am now outta state. I do not have it with me for the next 6 weeks so cannot look at it to see if simple to use. I do NOT have the instructions.
Could someone email me the instructions to this scale?
tks n advance
Jim
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