If you’re the type to follow the herd. Read what it says on the rod and line it.
I like to think for myself and use what feels good.
The fish don’t care what I use. I’m sure none of you care. I care though, and will use what I like.
Fly rods are sort of like golf clubs. There isn’t a fly rod that will fit everybody no more than one golf club will fit everybody.
You can take the same 5 iron and use different stiffness shafts, lengths, lies etc. You do this because we aren’t all the same size, strenth, tempo etc.
In a fly rod we pick the length, weight, action etc. After we pick everything we want it still might not feel excactly what we’re looking for. Our only option to fine tune the rod after that is line choice. Use it.
From what I’ve seen/experienced about overlining, I think most times it’s done because the person can not feel the rod load with the regular line and are trying to get a long cast. So they overline in order to feel the rod load better and then usually end up with a tailing loop. And from personal experience I know of two types of situations that cause me not to feel the rod load and try overlining: 1. (but least often) the rod feels like a broomstick and nobody could feel it load and 2. (almost all of the times) I didn’t stop my backcast firmly and surely and there was no real opportunity for my much-maligned rod to load. In both of these cases, learning to cast better (as in stopping back and front and up high enough) has made me less inclined to want to overline a rod. That said, my cast still sucks. On the other hand, I catch fish and I enjoy improving my cast. And besides all that, yesterday the trout took my flies, the weather was warm and moved to crisp later in the day, the company was good, and my new vest has all the pockets I’ll ever need.
Pete, I meant at close range, too. I’ve got a rod that nobody can feel load and I’m still bad enough at this that I can’t feel rods load that others swear are a delight to cast.
Jim, yep, if the manufacturer suggests underlining the rod it must be ok to do so. To be honest though, I wouldn’t know a G. Loomis IMX from a GLX. Hope that’s not surprising. I’m really not that up on that many rodmakers. I’ve got 4 Sage fly rods and then from there it’s assorted glass, a Bean’s LiteLine 9wt. salt and some assorted cane rods. I’m in need of other rods and will build them this winter perhaps. An 8ft. for 7 wt. maybe. And maybe a 6 and even a 5 wt. I just don’t have everything covered that I’m doiing now.
I have noticed something over the years about over/underlining, this from being short stocked on fly lines mostly, and that is sooner or later I can cast about any line on any rod. Sure cuts down on the number of lines/spools/reels that I have to pack around. Though here lately I’m piling up more reels, spools and lines. Guess that’s why I need more rods…I mean I think that’s a good excuse…or reason may be a better word. Overlining seems to make rods slow down…and these days I like slow. Underlining seems to make me have to work the rod harder but I do achieve distance easily once I’ve got most of the flyline past the tip. Anymore though, I’m down around 70/75 ft. I used to get the whole dang line out but now I’m afraid I’ll hurt myself.
Hey Jeff, yep I do, heck I even know 5 chords…oh, C, A, G, E, and D… ! Oh yeah, I’m a picker and a grinner alright !
Bamboozle, I like a D7 after an Eb, or between a Dm and a Gm.
Cheers,
MontanaMoose
P.S.
Man does that 4wt. line just
fire out of a 9wt. fly rod or what?
Think I’ll call it a windcutter rig or
sumthin’.
Wow, guys !!
I’ve read and heard all this before, and here’s the deal. 1. I’m with Castwell, I don’t think I have a “casting style” yet. I only been at it about 30 years. I got 6wt on a 6wt, and an old 7 with 7on it, and a big ol’ horrible 9/10 with 10 on it that I use on the beach… and then, 2. What difference does it really make? get a rod you like, whatever weight, or several rods if you like. Fool around with them or don’t till you get ‘em set up with whatever line you like best on ‘em. Then get ta fishin’, ‘cause it’s really only two states of being…
Fishin’ and Ain’t fishin’. I’d rather be fishin’…with pretty much any rod/ line combo. Overlined, underlined, or just lined…happy fishin…ModocDan
I wrote a nice, non-judgemental post to this topic on Monday night and when I clicked on Submit it went out to freakin’ cyberspace; so, here’s an article that’s quite informative on the subject by a guy who’s been fishing longer than most here have been living…
Thank you, Jim. That article sums it up pretty well. I really do think that anyone needing to analyze our sport to death needs to donate their gear to a local youth organization and take up needle point.
Thank you, Jim. That article sums it up pretty well. I really do think that anyone needing to analyze our sport to death needs to donate their gear to a local youth organization and take up needle point. :)[/quote]
Nighthawk, when you do needlepoint, do you the same size punch yarn that the pattern calls for, or do you upsize it a notch or two to fill in the frame better? :shock:
Thank you, Jim. That article sums it up pretty well. I really do think that anyone needing to analyze our sport to death needs to donate their gear to a local youth organization and take up needle point. :)[/quote]
Nighthawk, when you do needlepoint, do you the same size punch yarn that the pattern calls for, or do you upsize it a notch or two to fill in the frame better? :shock:
