Hello guys,
Here again after a pretty severe illness this winter.

I have the maxcatch v-feather 1 wt with a 1 wt line but it feels a little underlined. Does anyone have this rod too? Would a 2 wt line do better? Or is it too heavy?

Also which line would you recommend? Most casts will only be like 25 feet or so.


Dominik

Thanks. could you recommend a line?

That's a pity that it doesn't exist anymore. What do you think about that barrio smallstream line? It is supposed to be for short casts but it also says specifically on the site don't overline as the first feet are probably a bit heavier to allow casting with a short line (I think most lines are weighed for like first 30 feet or so aren't they?).

Regarding the previous comment about Barrio Small Stream lines—I recently ordered a Barrio Small Stream WF3. When I loaded it onto a reel that had previously held another (standard) WF3, the line wouldn't quite all fit. That's not all that meaningful by itself, but I then cast it on a "true" 3wt rod, and it was a little "clumsy" feeling. I unspooled the line and measured the tip and belly alongside SA Ultra WF3 and 4 lines, which are pretty much dead on for AFTMA weights. The Barrio measurements matched the WF4 and were signficantly thicker than the WF3, but the head was shorter on the Barrio. My deduction is that the Barrio is a shortened-head line of the next higher (standard) size, made to load at close ranges, but less delicate than other lines of equal rating. That's fine for my use, since brookies and bluegills tend to like larger flies than I might otherwise fish on a 3wt rod (with somewhat heavier, shorter leaders), and the Barrio Small Stream zings them out there without overloading my softer 3wt rods. A good line for its intended purpose, but maybe not the line that everyone might want for UL.

If you're referring to the Barrio Small Stream, I wouldn't put it that way. It's probably accurately weighed for its head, but that head is shorter than a standard WF head, so a Barrio SS that weighs 100 gr, for instance (WF3), is essentially ~24 ft of WF4/120 gr line (where the 120 gr encompasses 30 ft). It's a way of front-loading a lighter line without overloading a rod, but it leaves you with a somewhat less delicate line, with a somewhat thicker tip and belly. I would expect a Barrio SS WF1 to have a tip and belly as thick as a "standard" WF2, but with a shorter head, so the overall weight would be accurately described as a 1wt. It would therefore load an (honest) 1wt rod properly, but land on the water like a 2wt line. Keep in mind that my only hands on experience is with a Barrio SS WF3, so I'm extrapolating to the lighter weights from my observations and measurements.... That said, I've only come across a few 1wt rods I'd describe as "honest," with most casting better with 2wt lines, so YMMV.

You might want to try a 406 DT2. I love that line with my 2-wts. You could also just go up a size with the Maxcatch ECO lines. The 12-15 that I have actually taken the time to way have all been within a few grains of the AFTMA standard. In short, I would guess that the rod is at fault, not your line. I've had the v-light and v-feather rods (I actually prefer the less expensive V-light) in 1-3, and if I recall correctly they are all pretty fast. Oh, and I do not recommend the Rio Creek line. I have the 1wt, and it casts well, but the memory is horrendous.

@thx2Oman

I have a 3 wt v-light too, it is my most used rod, together with a barrio mallard line.

So I will probably try a 2 wt line now.