[SPAM] Matching rods & lines

Today I learned a great lesson - my Cabellas FT (Fast Tip) rod 6wt, is absolutely incompatible with the SA Mastery Expert Distance line. I switched the 6wt line to my least favorite rod, a Fly Logic 6/7 wt and heavier, and walla- I was hitting 75-80 feet every time. I had to put a great deal of power in my casts, but my loops were better, I could shoot more line with better control without the line dropping and I had better line speed. I was amazed because the rod is a "progressive action" rod. Does this mean that perhaps a manufacturer's designation of flex is on subjective? Perhaps the line manufacturers are remiss in not suggesting the ideal rod for their lines. They promote how their line perform but fail to mention that it depends on the rod and the compatible skills of the caster. I am also amazed that all of the books I have studied about double hauling that nothing is ever mentioned about rods or line.i The success of a distance cast is soley due to the caster's ablity to execute the proper mechanics. To this I say there is much more to be considered. I wonder why some rod manufacturere has not introduced a rod called the "Double Haul"? I say this because in practicing distance casting with the double haul countless hours, I have discovered that this move, the double haul, places more stress on the rod than any other cast I know. During the double haul there are a lot of things going on: more power exerted on the rod itself, more line stress, more energy being loaded and unloaded, more physical stress by the caster, etc. It seems to me that higher demand casts require rods that are made for such purposes. I question the Expert Distance Line in that it, as well as other high performance lines, should be recommended for certain rods and ACTIONS.

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Expert casters learn to very quickly adjust to widely varying line/rod combinations. I remember casting the same distance lines with different rods.....and different tip sections on those rods with Steve Rajeff as we worked with some Loomis prototypes and different lines. He demonstrated an uncanny ability to handle some gross rod/line miss-matched combinations with ease....Much better than I could even though I pride myself in being able to handle most strange combinations brought by students and candidates I've coached.

The trick is to develop the inate ability to sense many things at the same time as you start to cast....including the, "speed" of the rod, its length and taper, the relationship between the modulus of the tip section and that of the mid and butt sections and the design and weight of the line. This gives one a sense of how much line to have out of the rod tip for false casting, how much to carry before making a presentation cast, and how to adjust the loop for max efficiency......all this with a matching haul when required. This expertise takes years to develop as one works with many different combinations.

An intermediate caster gets comfortable with a fairly, "set" way of casting. He/she, then tries various rod and line combinations to come up with one which works best. Problem is that this won't work when casting and fishing conditions change radically. Sort of speaks to Lefty's statement that inexpert casters try to, "buy" casting expertise as they heed the hype of those who advertise fly rods and lines.

Years ago, I took Joan Wulff's course for instructors. She had one different rod/line combo for each of us. We'd cast at her pond, then each of was was asked to step over the next outfit and cast with that one...etc. until we had all made the switch from one to another radically different one 10 times. That was an eye opener. Joan could cast perfectly with any of them. We couldn't, until we learned how to make all these adjustments. That was her teaching point !

Of course, one combo of rod and line will work better for one set of fishing and weather parameters than for another set of circumstances. That will include the use of different leaders and flies of different weights and size. It's the casters brain which comes in to play as a, "super computer" to quickly adjust to all these variables. Takes years of, "downloading" ! Sounds to me as though you are at the stage of getting to realise some of this and are collecting mental data for early download.

Having said all that, I do find that there are some, "sweet mixes" of combos which work well for me and others which I can cast less easily. I suspect that will hold true for all of us.