Hello,
I have been fishing all summer with a 4/5 wt rod. It is really enjoyable to fish. A friend gave me a 8wt and I could not wait to try it out. I tried it in the yard (with no lure) for a few minutes and it seemed to do a nice job but not as much fun as the 4/5 wt. I took it to the lake this evening with a large poping bug. I was using a 6 ft piece of 10lb test mono for a leader. Not much fun! Bug got wraped around leader several times and I thought I was going to hook myself several times. Any advice?
Casting an 8 weight requires significantly more energy than a 4/5 weight. Sounds like you are not accelerating all the way to your stop point. What you are probably experiencing is equivilant to a “tailing loop.”
I had the same experience going to a 9 weight for the first time. Keep in mind that big spider on the end of your rod that you are trying to flip out on the water without dropping it on your head. Or use the JC left forearm technique which you can find on this website.
Tom…I’m not meaning to getting into the nauseous discussion of what is fly fishing and what isn’t…that doesn’t matter.
One of the things you need to consider is the size of what you are casting related to your equipment…a quarter isn’t necessarily that big …but weight is also an issue.
I see Bob posted…He deals with the casting technque which I think is likely the issue…though I’m not sure I like that 10# mono leader…I’ll let greater minds than mine deal with that.
You are used to one thing, and now you are playing a totally different game.
Practice, Practice, Practice!
Get back to your basics, don’t try to throw the whole line. Work close and you will build distance with technique. It’s all a little different although strangely similar. Don’t give up.
Oh, and a quarter sized popping bug, on an 8 wt is small to average. Just wait until you try and toss a size 3/0 clouser with 1/8 oz eyes. You’ll be glad you were fishing barbless after your first cast.
Try starting with a tapered leader. Your trying to turn over 6’ of not even tippet material. I’m sure it’s not easy. Then try to open up your loop, casting large heavy fly’s require high line speed or more open loops. A double haul will keep the line moving fast enough to keep your loop from closing/tailing.
I fish an 8wt most of the time in the salt.Your leader is too light to do what you want to do.If you want to use a single piece of mono,use #15.This will allow the popper to turn over without collapsing.A 4’ piece of #30 looped to a 2’ piece of #15 works well also.
For an 8wt, I would go with X feet of 30# Maxima for your butt section, then add 1/2 X feet of 25# and then 1/4 X of 20#. With a big bug, I would go with 0X or 1X tippet (18 to 24 inches). Personally, I go with 5 feet + 2-1/2 feet + 15 inches = tippet. Blood knots are good for this, stronger than Surgeon’s.
I learned this lesson trying to toss Pike Flies with a 4X leader - it don’t turn over!
A straight 6’ piece of mono is perfectly fine for casting poppers and hair bugs
I do it all the time, but I use 12-16# test.
What you need to realize is the poppers and especially hair bugs are more air resistant then any other flies you’ve ever thrown before.
Tight, perfect loops are not possible
Slow your cast down, put a slight ‘arc’ in your cast to open the loop.
It will make a big difference
It sounds like you are losing control of your line. Slow down and watch your line in front of and behind you. Don’t change the direction of your cast until you see the line, leader, and bug has fully extended in front of or behind you.
The bigger popping bug acts a like a parachute on the end of your line. They are slower and take longer to move through the air then most other flies. Line speed does not cure the problem seeing as the bug dampens it.
I like even heavier lines for those types of bugs 10’s and 11’s on 6+7 wt rods. The mass pulls the bug through the air. Kinda the same reason why the sage “Bass rods” have that really heavy line on them.