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tiptop
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Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 5:10 pm • # 1 |
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Joined: 01/06/15 Posts: 52
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Hello everyone, new guy here. Long time fly fisher from central OH. This has probably been asked and answered a dozen times, but where do you draw the line between regular fly fishing and UL? By the standards of 50 years ago when the average rod was a 6wt, much of what's fished today would have been considered UL.
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Jasonbu
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Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 5:45 pm • # 2 |
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Sr. Member |
Joined: 05/21/10 Posts: 303
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Hey Tom!
Anything #3 weight or less is considered ultralight.
Jb
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tiptop
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Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 5:57 pm • # 3 |
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Joined: 01/06/15 Posts: 52
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Hi Jason! So a 7'10" 4wt Sage TXL-F wouldn't be considered UL? Would a 8'6" BIIx 3wt fished with a WF4 be UL?
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Jasonbu
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Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 7:58 pm • # 4 |
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Joined: 05/21/10 Posts: 303
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A good question Tom. I figure, and this is just me talking, that the actual line used would take precident over what said rod company labels the rod. It's not uncommon for people to overline their 3wgt rods and its always fun to talk about them.
Jb
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Jasonbu
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Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 8:13 pm • # 5 |
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Joined: 05/21/10 Posts: 303
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I test cast one of the Winston Biiix 8'6" 3wgts and absolutely loved it, btw...
Jb
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tiptop
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Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 9:55 pm • # 6 |
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Jr. Member |
Joined: 01/06/15 Posts: 52
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Now I see the heading on the home page - "dedicated to fly fishing with rods in the 000 - 3wt. range". I guess that answers my question. So I guess fishing a 3wt rod with WF4 line qualifies
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Panfisher1
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Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 10:11 pm • # 7 |
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Hero Member |
Joined: 11/22/08 Posts: 2233 Location: Oregon/Florida
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Hmmmm ... Questionable what the fine line definition wise is, again in the Eye of the beholder ....some of us extreme UL fly fanatics who fish zero weight lines and 4'0 and smaller rods draw the line ( a-little play on words there ) at the 3 weight interval, some not willingly ...under and over lining is a whole different subject in classifying what your fly fishing ,,but again as long as your having fun catching those slimy scaly critters is all that counts, we have a tendency to get to technical in this great pastime ..
Paul
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Cliff Hilbert
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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 10:24 am • # 8 |
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Hero Member |
Joined: 12/27/10 Posts: 2253 Location: Plano, TX
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Well, if I fished for Great White Sharks with a 3-wt. lined with 5-wt line would that be considered ultralight or just plain stupid?
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Creek
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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 1:54 pm • # 9 |
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Full Member |
Joined: 11/05/12 Posts: 218 Location: Colorado
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I have an opinion on this. Since a 3wt is the dividing line for this forum. It will get the most attention.
I believe what's marked on the rod isn't that important. What the rod should do is cast a 3wt line well. It should load it close, and still be capable of a longer cast when needed. That would be a true 3wt rod. A flex test would also prove it to be in the range of a 3wt. Not everybody can do that test, so the fly line can be used to see what the rod really is.
After all. Why buy a 3wt rod if it doesn't cast a 3wt line like it should?
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Joe C
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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 1:58 pm • # 10 |
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Hero Member |
Joined: 02/27/12 Posts: 1956 Location: Chicopee, MA
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Cliff Hilbert wrote: Well, if I fished for Great White Sharks with a 3-wt. lined with 5-wt line would that be considered ultralight or just plain stupid? Fishing a 3 wt. rod for shark with a 5 wt. line = ultralight Lip landing said shark like you land all those monster bass you catch = stupid
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tiptop
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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 3:04 pm • # 11 |
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Jr. Member |
Joined: 01/06/15 Posts: 52
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"After all. Why buy a 3wt rod if it doesn't cast a 3wt line like it should?"Because sometimes a rod marked 3wt turns out to be a wonderful 4wt. For example, Winston BIIx 8'6" 3wt IMO
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Creek
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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 3:49 pm • # 12 |
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Joined: 11/05/12 Posts: 218 Location: Colorado
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tiptop wrote: "After all. Why buy a 3wt rod if it doesn't cast a 3wt line like it should?"Because sometimes a rod marked 3wt turns out to be a wonderful 4wt. For example, Winston BIIx 8'6" 3wt IMO That's fine, but it's a 4wt rod. To be called a 3wt rod it should cast a 3wt line. What fantasies the manufactures want to put on a rod shouldn't matter.
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tiptop
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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 5:05 pm • # 13 |
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Jr. Member |
Joined: 01/06/15 Posts: 52
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I think sometimes it's not all that clear cut. Personal preferences in how a rod loads and the distance fished varies. Fly line tapers vary and their grain weights deviate from the standard. Most rods will do just fine casting two different wt. lines. In the case of the Winston I mention, it'll load in close with both weight lines but better with the 4wt. But if cast at long distance, the 4wt will overload sooner. Winston chose to label it a 3wt but it will fish both very well. Maybe it should be called a 3.5wt or a 3/4 wt. like some fiberglass rods.
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Creek
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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 5:31 pm • # 14 |
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Full Member |
Joined: 11/05/12 Posts: 218 Location: Colorado
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Exactly. You can always use different lines on most rods. as you said some fish close, and one line heavier feels better. Some use one line lighter for more distance.
However, most all rods have a line that does everything pretty good. The sweet spot for all around fishing, and the line that casts best at the standard distance that lines are measured at. The weight of the line that does that best is what the rod weight is.
It's a shame that rods can't be marked for what they really are. There's no standard at all. They can't even get the length right. Go into a fly shop, and look at the 9' rods lined up on a rack. I'll bet you won't find many rods exactly the same length.
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Jasonbu
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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 6:12 pm • # 15 |
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Sr. Member |
Joined: 05/21/10 Posts: 303
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Agree with Tiptop, it's about personal preferences and fly casting is after all very subjective. When curious about a 3wgt rod my first question is always: Is she a 2/3wgt, or a 3/4wgt? I think labeling them as such is a good thing.
Jb
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Cliff Hilbert
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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 6:16 pm • # 16 |
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Hero Member |
Joined: 12/27/10 Posts: 2253 Location: Plano, TX
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sbreech
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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 6:23 pm • # 17 |
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Joined: 04/29/11 Posts: 234 Location: Central Ohio
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linecaster
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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 9:13 pm • # 18 |
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Hero Member |
Joined: 07/10/09 Posts: 1555 Location: Plano Texas
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Jeremy defined this forum as 3 weight and under, which theoretically the rod casts, he did not say only a 3 weight that only casts a 3 weight line. Bill Byrd says ultralight is 1 weight and under, Warmfly says 4 weight and under. If you think 3 weights are not ultra light then fish what you think is ultralight for you. This forum is for those who love fishing ultra lights. I feel guilty sometimes fishing my 4 and 5 weights because I cannot brag about what I caught on them on this site.
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Creek
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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 9:20 pm • # 19 |
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Full Member |
Joined: 11/05/12 Posts: 218 Location: Colorado
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Pretty sure you misunderstood what I was saying.
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mbarker68x
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Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2015 10:14 am • # 20 |
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Hero Member |
Joined: 03/02/11 Posts: 1003 Location: Vinton, Va
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Simple, get a 1 or 2wt, over line it with a 2 or 3wt line. Have fun! Isn't that what it's all about anyways. I mean really why are we doing it if it isn't fun. I'm not putting food on the table, so this is 100% fun, stress relief or what ever you want to call it. I'm down to 3 rods in the family. Wife has a 9' 4wt from Roger in evil bay, I have a 8' Cabela's 4wt, and a 7' RDP 2wt. If I decide to use one of the 4s,I just don't post about it, and if I feel the need to post I just do it in the off topic section, or just don't mention the rod wt in the post. I have done that a few times, but hopefully not enough to get reprimanded for it.
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