My new 5-6wt. fiberglass fly rod is actually a 6wt. rod as that is the maximum line rating but with the 5wt. line, it becomes a 5wt. outfit to me. If that makes any sense at all. Some folks would call the outfit a 6wt. due to the rod max. line rating. But I call the outfit by whatever line I happen to have loaded on it. I have a fishing buddy that uses fast action graphite fly rods and overlines his outfits by one line size so the rod tip will load line for faster line casting but he calls his outfits by the rod max. line rating (forgot to mention, he recently called it by the min./max. rating). What do you fly anglers call your “outfits”, based on the rod max. line rating or by the actual line on the outfit? Just curious :). Maybe I’m using the wrong wt. designation or does it even matter? Thanks.
:oops:
My theory …
If a rod is 5-6 and you load 6 - then it is a 6 weight.
If a rod is 5-6 and you load 5 - then it is a 5 weight.
If a rod is a 5 and you overload 6 - then you will be stoned by the snobs. LOL. Of course, they already make fun of us for warm water fishing anyway!
TTFN, I have to go pray for a small snowstorm to cool things off. Dang it is hot - maybe we should change the forum title to “Hot water Forum”.
Okay, here’s the way I learned it: the dual line weight designation goes back to when double and weight forward tapers where relatively new. The way it worked was that a rod marked 5/6 wt was designated for a 5-weight double taper or a 6-weight weight forward taper. Since there is so much more line weight in the body of a double taper, at distance (past 30 feet) a lighter weight DT will load like a heavier WF line. Hence the dual designation. At short distances (line weights are established by the weight of the first 30 feet, so DT and WF lines will load equally up to that distance) a 5wt is a 5wt and a 6wt is a 6wt no matter which taper you use.
Having said all that, though, it really comes down to which line feels best in the hands of a particular caster with a particular stroke. That’s why there’s so many different rods and lines out there. I like a slower stroke, so I usually wind up going with the heavier line. That’s just me, though 8)
TampaJim,
If a rod is a 5 and you overload 6 - then you will be stoned by the snobs. LOL. Of course, they already make fun of us for warm water fishing anyway!
That’s funny.
My theory …
If a rod is 5-6 and you load 6 - then it is a 6 weight.
If a rod is 5-6 and you load 5 - then it is a 5 weight.
At least I’m not alone by going by the actual wt. of the fly line on the outfit rather than the max. rod wt. rating by itself. If I was asked what my rod wt. (by itself) is rather than the outfit though, then I would use the max. line wt. rating of the rod. No joke about the Florida heat. Its bad :(.
I like a slower stroke, so I usually wind up going with the heavier line.
Yeah. I know what you mean. I have a 6-7wt. with 7wt. line on it and it is slower (I like them slow) but I wanted a tad bit faster stroke on my lighter fly rods so I went with the lower wt. lines.
(line weights are established by the weight of the first 30 feet, so DT and WF lines will load equally up to that distance)
Thats good to know because I always thought line weights were based on converted line diameter. Is the weight in grams, ounces, or other?
I havea 6’6" fiberglass rod rated up to 5 wt line. I use 3. 4 and 5 wt lines depending on the water and the type of flies use. Allweights cast well to mewith minor adjustments of the casting stroke. 8)
bluegill222 is dead on. When a maker builds a rod and then test it, he determines the best line wt for the rod and sometimes it falls somewhere in between and in the BUILDERS OPION it cast a 5wt DT and a 6wt WF equally as well so it’s a 5/6 wt.
Personal opion: The rod weight is what the maker has determined it to be wether you over/under size it or not.
I remember back in the day (BG before graphite), you went into a bonafide fly shop (very upscale) and picked out a nice bamboo rod and the clerek (very old and probably born on the banks of the neversink with a silver reel seat in his mouht) would wave the rod around and hand it to yo and say " This rod is a 7 weight…or HGH or somethin like that." and you took his word for it, bought the right line and went fishing. I have a 5 weight Elkhorn graphite rod, I have cast every kind and weight of line you can imagine on it and I have fun, catch fish and deal with the moment. It is a game I play with myself. Sometimes I win, sometines I lose. For more years that we are fishing graphite now, rod manufacteurs made bamboo rods with no line size what so ever on the shaft. Heddon, H.I, South Bend, Shakespear, and even Granger. Funny, they turned out to work in the end…I guess that just means all level lines where the same? I have found out that old rods use heaver lines at their best apex. This is my opinion, you judge for yourself. Jonezee
I’m confused. Shouldn’t that be a 5 wt. WF and a 6 wt DT?
Yes, it does make sense. Thanks.
Ed