Is it easier to teach someone to flyfish with a heavier line weight rod and line combo that they can feel the rod load like an 8 foot 6 weight (but the combo will feel heavy in the hand) or an overall lighter weight combo…say a 9 foot 3 weight…very lightweight construction…where the rod will almost seem weightless…
We are talking about adult novices…
Howdy Cap,
That is a good question. First I have to know the person and the back ground.
A Heavy rod in a bass fishers hand will just be powered out. Way to much power from the start, Were the same person with a light weight outfit would be afraid of breaking it and will use less power.
Now with a person that has a hands on personality would like the heavier rod because they could feel the load.
I would say it is a trail and error to find just the right combination for each student.
No one way it right.
ol Al
Ol’ Flysoup
Flycasting is as easy as flysoup
Teaching a new caster to “feel” the rod loading (IMHO) is more a question of rod “action” than shear weight".
A #9 rod with a balanced WF line is a lightning fast action is just as difficult to load fully as a #5 which is just as well balanced.
I (in my limited experience) teach newcomers with the appropriate equipment for the context and target at hand (species, wind, flies to be cast, etc) so they understand the rod selection part of things.
Depending on the personnality of the person, I’ll go through the differnt rod actions from slow to medium to fast.
On rare occasions, I’ll over line a rod to slow 'em down a tad, but not change the rod weight.
Christopher Chin
Jonquiere Quebec
[url=http://www3.sympatico.ca/chris_chin/:b21a2]http://www3.sympatico.ca/chris_chin/[/url:b21a2]
[This message has been edited by fcch (edited 08 April 2005).]
Many start with a 4 ft piece of rod and yarn--------
Bill
I just remember Mel when he was teaching the hauls would cut a 8 wt DT line in half splice it to some running line on put it on a 5 or 6 wt rod This heavy level line could sure be felt with the 5 wt rods.
I have used 5/6 St. Croix Imperial rods in 8-9 ft for years as teaching tools. I load them with SA’s bright chartous line. WF6F
This the student can see. For years I have used the orange lines but the new SA is even easier to see.
ol AL