6 weight rod and 5 weight line

wildlands · Sep 3, 2012

Ok here is the situation, going to be replacing a reel I lost. I have a 8' 1/5" -6 weight rod. I mostly bass and bream fish. I was looking at getting an extra spool to change out when I wanted to go to a lighter weight line for trout fishing once or twice a year. I have been told at one place I could go up or down one weight line on my rod and at another that I could only go up one. I was wanting to put 5 weight line on one spool for trout and do either 6 or even 7 on the other just depending on if I needed something a little heavier.

Can someone please clarify this for me. I have tinkered with fly rods for many many years but that is it tinkered. I have allways just used what I had and how it was set up not knowing if it is right or not. Looking at trying to do it right this time with a new reel and then and extra spool with the right line and wieght.

Should say I am looking at the Orvis mid arbour Access but that is for another discussion.
Thanks
Ken

fishmonger · Sep 4, 2012

Most fly rods work best with a matching line. A few work well when uplined, generally the stiffer or faster rods. Almost no rods work very well being downlined, except a real noodley, slow rod; the lighter line just doesn't load the rod. It is doubtful that your 6 wt is slow and noodley. An exception to not downlining a rod would be if the line you choose is heavier than is typical for that size line, like a few sinking lines out there. I would put a 6 wt line on your 6 wt rod.

If you buy your line at a good shop, you could ask them to set up a 6 wt demo rod with a 5 wt line and cast it, and I bet you will notice what i am talking about.

Its not the lighter weight line that is more appropriate for trout, it is the lighter weight rod. There is nothing you can do to make your 6 wt feel like a 5 wt with a trout on the other end. You could use your 6 wt as many do for trout and take advantage of that extra power and throw some larger flies and fish for bigger trout.

FM

Georgia Hard Hunter · Sep 4, 2012

fishmonger said:
Most fly rods work best with a matching line. A few work well when uplined, generally the stiffer or faster rods. Almost no rods work very well being downlined, except a real noodley, slow rod; the lighter line just doesn't load the rod. It is doubtful that your 6 wt is slow and noodley. An exception to not downlining a rod would be if the line you choose is heavier than is typical for that size line, like a few sinking lines out there. I would put a 6 wt line on your 6 wt rod.

If you buy your line at a good shop, you could ask them to set up a 6 wt demo rod with a 5 wt line and cast it, and I bet you will notice what i am talking about.

Its not the lighter weight line that is more appropriate for trout, it is the lighter weight rod. There is nothing you can do to make your 6 wt feel like a 5 wt with a trout on the other end. You could use your 6 wt as many do for trout and take advantage of that extra power and throw some larger flies and fish for bigger trout.

FM

Take Fishmonger's advice on this he is exactly right

fishndoc · Sep 4, 2012

Although not ideal for trout, a six wt will work if the rod is not too heavy and stiff. My first fly rod was an old 6wt Fenwick fiberglass that I still occasionally use for nymph fishing.

As already mentioned, uplining (using a line one size larger than the rod) is usually ok, and can be helpful if you are casting very short distances, as is often the case here in the southeast.

Looking at trying to do it right this time with a new reel and then and extra spool with the right line and wieght.
Should say I am looking at the Orvis mid arbour Access but that is for another discussion

For trout fishing, and even most warm water fly fishing, the fly line is far more important than the reel, and to some degree even the rod.
I would rather cast a $100 rod with a $75 fly line, than a $500 rod with a cheap line.

For 99% of the trout we catch, the reel is just "bling".

wildlands · Sep 5, 2012

Thanks, guys for the information. Looks like I will stick with a 6 weight line and just make sure it is good line.

So second question should I just spend a little more on a better real with good line or stick with what I was thinking and get one spooled with floating line and an extra spool with weighted (Sinking line) line. Remember I am trying to get more serious about fly fishing and trying to learn so my questions might sound a little doumb.

fishndoc · Sep 6, 2012

Floating line is all you need for trout fishing; even for nymphing along the river bottom, all you need is to add some split shot to your leader.
For still water fishing, occasionally a sink tip line is useful, but even here a floating line works fine most of the time.

I would just buy a good quality WF6F line and start fishing with it, and be saving my money for a 4 or 5 wt outfit if you find you really like trout fly fishing.

Georgia Hard Hunter · Sep 7, 2012

wildlands said:
Thanks, guys for the information. Looks like I will stick with a 6 weight line and just make sure it is good line.

So second question should I just spend a little more on a better real with good line or stick with what I was thinking and get one spooled with floating line and an extra spool with weighted (Sinking line) line. Remember I am trying to get more serious about fly fishing and trying to learn so my questions might sound a little doumb.

Opinions differ on reels, I personally won't spend more than $50 bucks on a reel, I don't very often hook up with huge fish and need a good drag (I seldom Bass fish) . I buy low end Okumas I also landed a 8lb Rainbow on the Toccoa with a 4wt while using a Okuma Sierra about $35, 10 minute fight and the drag worked flawlessly. So for me the reel is just a storage device for the line. I prefer a floating line for almost all trout fishing although i do have a 6 wt Sage that i use a 6 wt 10ft sink tip class 6 (fast sinking) for streamer fishing in order to get the streamer deeper works pretty well. The 6 wt floating line I had I put on my ST Croix 5wt to over line it as it was too stiff for me. I prefer slower action rods and the St Croix Avid 5wt even though its supose to be a medium action rod felt like a broomstick to me.

6 weight rod and 5 weight line

wildlands

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fishmonger

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Georgia Hard Hunter

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fishndoc

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wildlands

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fishndoc

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