Fly line weight ?

[misfish]

I have 3 reels that I do not remember what weight the line is. Is there a way I can confirm ?

Thanks

[Tom S]

You'll need a sensitive scale and something to measure with. Take the weight of the first 30 feet of the line and compare it to this chart:

https://thelimpcobra.com/2012/08/30/single-and-double-hand-fly-line-weight-charts/#jp-carousel-8331

That should give you an idea of what line weights you have.

 

 

[dave524]

Might be able to mike it , when I first started we went by thickness and not the present numbering system based on weight of the first 30 feet..  The thickness was given a letter with H being thin and A being fat and heavier, so a light double taper was something like an HDH or slightly heavier like HCH and a weight forward or torpedo taper would be something like a GBF.  Isn't fun anymore that you don't have to dress your floating lines with Mucilin to keep them buoyant.

 

edit: this might help http://www.garyborger.com/2009/12/26/old-line-designations/

Edited April 3, 2018 by dave524

[misfish]

Thanks guys. I have use of a sensitive scale, and have a mic to measure thickness.

 

[singingdog]

Take it out and cast it. Seriously, the more I mess around with lines and different rods, the more I realise just how arbitrary line weight is. Does it suit your casting style, with the rod that your are using, on the water you will be fishing? 

[dave524]

1 hour ago, singingdog said:

Take it out and cast it. Seriously, the more I mess around with lines and different rods, the more I realise just how arbitrary line weight is. Does it suit your casting style, with the rod that your are using, on the water you will be fishing? 

Been there , dad was top notch tournament fly accuracy caster,  taught me. I often bought double tapers, usually one wt. heavier than what the rod called for. Then I would take them with the rod and false cast till I felt I had the optimum weight of line out, cut them at the rod tip and splice them to 50 or so feet of 20 lb. mono shooting line, Maxima back in those days.   2 lines for the price of one lol, and as I did a lot of lake fishing the added distance to casts was welcome. Yeah just take them out on the back lawn , cast them and match them to the rods, you might find better matches than playing the numbers game.

[ketchenany]

5 hours ago, misfish said:

Thanks guys. I have use of a sensitive scale, and have a mic to measure thickness.

 

And when the boss comes over and asks why you are not working, you tell him you didn't see him coming! 

[Tom S]

5 hours ago, singingdog said:

Take it out and cast it. Seriously, the more I mess around with lines and different rods, the more I realise just how arbitrary line weight is. Does it suit your casting style, with the rod that your are using, on the water you will be fishing? 

Yeppers. Line weights are great for a general idea, but for choosing an actual line go by how it feels on the rod. Especially if you're using a newer rod, as the current trend seems to be 'faster and lighter', meaning the rods don't always load up nicely with the line they are labeled for in real fishing conditions. 

[AKRISONER]

probably preaching to the choir, but anyone new to fly fishing...dont cheap out on your fly line. They last a long time and you dont cut them so just make the good initial investment. I bought a POS float line for my 5 wt and it is horrid stuff.

[BillM]

10 minutes ago, AKRISONER said:

probably preaching to the choir, but anyone new to fly fishing...dont cheap out on your fly line. They last a long time and you dont cut them so just make the good initial investment. I bought a POS float line for my 5 wt and it is horrid stuff.

Sharkskin is my fav.  Although it will be a little loud for some.

[DRIFTER_016]

9 minutes ago, BillM said:

Sharkskin is my fav.  Although it will be a little loud for some.

I've got some of that stuff.

It does work well but wears my stripping fingers out.  

[BillM]

Dave, it does!!!!   I think that's it's only downfall.    After a week on the Sutton, my finger basically fell off, lol.

[DRIFTER_016]

I got finger covers to help avoid the issue but have yet to use them. 

[BillM]

I just use a little cotton stretchy glove.  Seems to do the trick.

[cuzza]

Some manufacturers write it on the line like this

Otherwise, go and cast them - measuring diameters and weights is useless unless you know what line it is because they're all different weights and tapers.

The plastic spools the line comes on has a sticker that you can put on the inside of your reel to avoid this problem