I`m thinking of getting me a #5 fly blank for long distance casting practice only. Does anyone have an idea were to go? I`ve been thinking of Sage TCR and Loomis GLX. Do you have any other long-casting recommendations?

Thank you!
Harald

For long distance casting with a 5 weigh line, you'll want to look at a 6 or 7 weight blank. Of course, most manufacturers who revel in long distance casting rods are already selling you a 6 or 7 weight blank with a 5 weight rating on it, for just that purpose.

I'd look less at brands and more at the intrinsic power of the blank. If you're talking about throwing an entire 90 to 100 feet of 5 weight line, then I wouldn't buy a blank that had an ERN of less than about 6.5. And anything in the range of 5 to 6 in the ERN category will likely run out of gas once you get much past about 60 or 70 feet. The only exception would be those blanks that are extremely fast action (AA68+).


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Look at the Dan Craft FT's. Eith the 5 or the 6 might be right up you alley....very fast blanks and, of course, Dan Craft excellence.

I'm no distance caster...nor a great caster (and not very good some days!)...but I can throw my 7 wt FT farther (or is it further?) than any other 7 wt or 8 wt I've cast.

But that might not be saying a lot!

Try 'em though!

Keith

With my Dan Craft signature III 9' 6 weight I can throw the entire 6 weight line plus 5-10 feet of backing if my timing is right.

Mark

Dan Craft seems worth trying. Have heard nothing but good things about them and the price is great! Any other ideas?

Thanks!

I checked the CCS data site and the Dan Craft Sig V 9' 5wt has an ERN of 6.49. That would make it a very good long range 5 weight rod. The Sig IV in the same length and line weight only has an ERN of 4.90 though so it probably wouldn't excel at long distances with a 5wt line.

Harold
If ypur practiceing for tournamemt casting, check if the tournament furnishes the rod & line for competion. If so, I recommend that you dupilicate the set up that you will have to use in competion.
Gil

Gil has a point some of the tounaments I've heard of here in the Pacific Northwest are done with Sage TCRs and SA Mastery XXD lines only.

Gil and Spencer:

I don`t think this is the case here in Norway. So I think I might start out with the Dan Craft that Shawn suggested. But I`ll get me an XXD to practice with anyway. Do you know if the longer orange competition-version is commercially available in the US?

Thank you!