Fly Fishing -Starting again: Kit Recommendations
- Thread starter JWFilips
- Start date
Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
Jim, the numbering system runs numerically, light wt to heavy. So a 4 wt is much lighter, meant to use a much lighter line and fish for smaller species fish with smaller flies than an 8wt for example. You might use a 4 wt (think of it as an ultra light spinning combo) on trout on small cricks and streams with flies size 12-22 and use an 8 wt on largemouth Bass with poppers on a lake or river. Takes more rod to hurl a heavier line a further distance, and it takes a heavier line to carry a larger fly and to handle larger fish, although as with ultra light spinning gear skill in playing the fish can overcome the lighter equipment. Hope that helps.
fiver
Well-Known Member
the weight like Bret points out is the strength of the spine.
like a regular rod where you can have multiple variations.... heavy spine and a fast action tip = heavy/fast, or you can have a medium/medium or a medium/fast.
I like a tip with a faster action for shore fishing if it isn't very windy or if the fish are smaller and the bight is hard to pick up, or if I am fishing with a bit of slack in the line.
a heavier tip weight comes into play when the wind picks up and I want a tighter line to the bait, and I also like that heavier slower tip action when I'm going around tossing jigs at specific targets along the shore line.
the tip stops when my wrist stops, so I don't have any extra ''follow through'' I didn't add.
a fly rod weight is about the spine strength and what you expect to match it to.
you could reel a person or a 200lb fish in on a 4 or 5 weight rod, but you'll both be too tired to do anything once you get it to shore/the boat.
trying to throw a wispy size 22 damsel fly on an 8 or 9 weight rod is possible, but good luck placing it down anywhere near that little riffle 35' away and keeping it in the strike zone for more than 2 seconds.
especially if there is any sort of wind helping you out.
like a regular rod where you can have multiple variations.... heavy spine and a fast action tip = heavy/fast, or you can have a medium/medium or a medium/fast.
I like a tip with a faster action for shore fishing if it isn't very windy or if the fish are smaller and the bight is hard to pick up, or if I am fishing with a bit of slack in the line.
a heavier tip weight comes into play when the wind picks up and I want a tighter line to the bait, and I also like that heavier slower tip action when I'm going around tossing jigs at specific targets along the shore line.
the tip stops when my wrist stops, so I don't have any extra ''follow through'' I didn't add.
a fly rod weight is about the spine strength and what you expect to match it to.
you could reel a person or a 200lb fish in on a 4 or 5 weight rod, but you'll both be too tired to do anything once you get it to shore/the boat.
trying to throw a wispy size 22 damsel fly on an 8 or 9 weight rod is possible, but good luck placing it down anywhere near that little riffle 35' away and keeping it in the strike zone for more than 2 seconds.
especially if there is any sort of wind helping you out.
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TFO is good, wf line to match rod weight. Put rod tip on ground, butt in hand and press down. If limber , 5wt line. You will need a reel with disk drag! Palming is for pros and fingers on the line burn. Forget the Tippett, 10 or 20# salt water leader, with 3 to 6# leader work fine. About 3' each. Relearn your knots, Davy knot for most buggers. Nail knot tyer for line to leader is worth the few $. Oh, extra wide reel is neat but standard cabelas black one is fine. Problem with old wire loops is they were plated and rust, just clean them on new rods.
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oscarflytyer
Well-Known Member
as I mentioned on pm, I am NOT a kit fan. They skimp on the line, and that is THE most important part!