I just received an old Orvis fly rod for repair. It is labeled for a #9 fly line but this doesn't seem to be a 9 wt. rod. I think that I remember that the "#9" is an antiquated designation. What line weight should I start with to match this rod? Thanks for any input. Later, E...

Eddie Hinote
Guntersville, Al.

Eddie,
I know of no other nomenclature to describe a #9 rod. What makes you say that it is not a #9 fly rod? Some fly rods are more forgiving than others so the "flex" may be different. Your best bet is to call Orvis if you have a ?.

Also - if you have the rod for repair - what do you mean "match it"/
Herb

Glass, graphite, or bamboo? The Orvis bamboo rods have the reputation of being labeled with a higher weight than the modern preference. Partly that thought is to help sell the used rods with the undesirable hight ratings. Partly it is probably right. I do not know about the glass rods. They feel funny to me now anyway. The Orvis graphite 9 weight I have is probably stiffer than the rating.

It will easily cast a 9-weight line - at some distance. The trick is finding how much 9-weight line is required to provide the proper amount of weight. Keep in mind that 30 feet of 9-weight line and 60 feet of 9-weight line do not weigh the same.

Your rod will also cast many other line weights, again, at some distance.

...............

IMHO

After it is repaired. Depending on how your customer will fish it and the distance he wants to go he will have to start with a 9. if that is not a good -- Feel -- then change lines higher then lower in weight to see how it feels and the distance he wants to go.

Bill - willierods.com

I would try to avoid some of the guess-work by using CCS to find the ERN (effective rod number), which measures the relative power of the rod:
[www.common-cents.info]
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Unless, of course, you have many different weight fly lines to experiment with. Remember that what feels good to one person may not feel good to another, depending on ability, stroke, physical strength, casting distance, etc.

George Forster
Fort Collins, CO