Phil,if the fly line vendors thought fly casters (fishermen) "didn't CARE about the line after the first 10 to 30 feet" they would not make so many specialty lines! Fly line improvements over the last 60 years are numerous and beneficial to all of us fly fishermen! I would no more take an old type line to tropical salt water than I would wade in rubber waders that existed 60 years ago.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/01/2021 11:13PM by Phil Erickson.

Phil: I appreciate and applaud the improvements in fly line designs and materials, But I can't understand the fact that fly line manufacturers and packagers don't reveal the weight of fly lines beyond the first thirty feet? I assure you that fly casters who false-cast more than thirty feet of line are interested in the weight of the first forty feet and even fifty feet of line. It would not take much effort or much ink to reveal this information on the box of a new fly line.

From personal experience a; wet noodle needs a different line than a broom stick. If there was a better way to pair the line to the rod than what is currently offered, it would certainly help. I guess we need to try to get the fly shops to have different lines we can also try with the rod of interest. I really haven't seen that. Most of them let you cast the rod your interested in but they don't have the specific line to sample on your rod to try.

From experience I know that the single most important characteristic of a fly line is its weight and how this weight is distributed. This weight is not a trade secret nor a patent, so I can't imagine why the weight isn't revealed [Not everyone is limited to fly casts of 30 feet or less].

Phil, i have a set of digital scales that weigh in grains, grams etc. that i got from walmart for about $20..they really come in handy..

ben: Stores that sell fly line won't let me open the box, unroll the first 40' or 50' of line, and weigh it. That's great for increasing fly line sales but it @#$%& for fly rodders who cast farther than 30 feet.

I'd try to locate a fly shop that has a giant wallet of demo lines they'll let customers check out (take your CC info in case you don't bring them back.) Our local shop offers this service and it's awesome. It's been my experience that trying to suggest an ideal line weight, length, and taper for a builder or angler is often a fool's errand, particularly when dealing with two-handed rods. I can usually get guys close based on what they tell me about their experience and intended application, but there is NO substitute for being able to try our multiple lines for a given caster/rod combination. It's common for this advice to upset folks that just spent $1000 on a rod and expect a silver bullet when it comes to line selection.

I think that many fly line manufacturers do list the weight of the first 30’ to 45’ of their fly lines on their websites. I just checked a number a fly line websites and they all listed head weights. Here is just one example from Rio.
[www.rioproducts.com]
Norm

Norman: Thanks. That's just the information I am looking for, short of being able to cast the line with my own rod prior to purchase. I'll chalk up my new $100 "9 wt." line to learning - the hard way. The manufacturer of this line offered to substitute one of their lines with a heavier 30' taper if I returned the new line I have. Fair enough, but I STILL will have no idea how much the first 40 or 50 feet of line which I frequently false cast will weigh?