I'm sure Jim was using the "110 feet" as a figure of speech. What he meant is that many casters are would like a 5 weight rod that that casts much farther than they can cast with their current rod. You need to consider the fact that the average guys gets most of his fish casting less than thirty feet or so, but I guess that's beside the point.

Concerning the question of heavier weight rods casting farther, that's true. A good caster using the double haul will cast farther with an 8 weight than a 5 weight. The 8 weight just has more power.