over-lining a rod, or how to turn a 6wt into an 8wt?

[rel]

I regularly overline by 2 wts when fishing the salt, and I have a couple of rods that will overline by 3 wts and actually cast better than with the regular rated line. Ron

[dudley]

I have a $25 Sportman's Guide 8wt that I used to fish with a 10wt line.
It was short a couple of guides and had a cheap reel seat so I rebuilt it. Now it casts best with an 11 or even 12wt line
You don't know until you try

[branhap]

I think all rod types are a bit different. My main rod is a 6wt, that seems to throw light weight dries better with 5 wt line, however works best with hoppers, and nymph rigs on 6 wt line. Meanwhile I have an Orvis 9wt that has to be overlined 1 to 2 sizes just to cast farther than arm's length. But once you get a powerful enough line, boy can that rod scream out the line.

I wish there was an easy way for me to test cast various lines with each of my rods to help find the sweet spot. *sigh*

[rel]

I think all rod types are a bit different. My main rod is a 6wt, that seems to throw light weight dries better with 5 wt line, however works best with hoppers, and nymph rigs on 6 wt line. Meanwhile I have an Orvis 9wt that has to be overlined 1 to 2 sizes just to cast farther than arm's length. But once you get a powerful enough line, boy can that rod scream out the line.

I wish there was an easy way for me to test cast various lines with each of my rods to help find the sweet spot. *sigh*

If you can get to a fly shop pick up an Umpqua fly line scale @ $20.00. Then you can weigh the lines that work on your rods and match the same weight line to another rod. Of course if you are throwing dries then the line is probably a double taper and you maybe carrying alot of line in the air but you can measure the weightof that amount of line and try a weight forward line that is heavier to achieve the same results. Ron