I know this topic has been dissected and reassembled on here a multitude of times but please be patient with me, I did read all four parts of the CCS treatise in the library and did my due diligence with the "search" function. I have been fly fishing for over 50,yrs. and have done a lot of experimentation with different lines on different rods but I have never used the CCS to determine "true rod weight" After playing with several different .Ines on several rods I was sure I knew what the actual rod weight was irrespective of what the mfg said, now I'm not so sure. After doing the ERN thing I'm not sure I did it correctly, I have two concerns. #1, in the CCS explanation it prompts you to attach a "pointer" of wire to the last section of the rod, what is the purpose of this? I did not do it. #2 the pictures indicate you attach your penny bag in front of the tip top, I attached it to the tio top ring. Did I skew the results by these 2 changes? Five out of the six rods tested lighter than I thought they would

The "correct" rod weight is whatever the manufacturer says it is. The CCS does not attempt to define "correct" rod weight. AFTMA set standards for line weight, not rod number weight. Any rod will cast any line at some distance, so manufacturers recommend the line weight that works best on the rod at some distance. The trouble is that they rarely tell you what distance that is. So, one company's 4-weight rod is another company's 6-weight rod, but both are correct. On the fly rods that measure an ERN of about 6.5, I find a 5-weight line is best for the distances I fish. Others may find that a 7 or even 8-weight line works best for them on the same rod.

The "pointer" is for reading the Action Angle. You can sort of guess without it, but the pointer serves as an aid as the eye tends to follow the curve of the rod tip instead of seeing a straight line against the AA chart.

Attaching the pennies to the tiptop ring or ring attachment point won't make any practical difference. The distance is too slight to matter.

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Thank you Tom

Many years ago I recommended a G Loomis Hot Shot blank be used as a short fly/conventional combo rod, I didn't have a bare blank with me so I just used one of my finished rods to test the feasibility, I liked it with a 7, or 8 wt line, 60 ft plus casts were easy and never taxed the blank, he built on it and liked a 5 wt line, we were both right. Tom has it right.

“The CCS does not attempt to define "correct" rod weight”

Tom’s comment above should be the first thing those interested in CCS should read. As you collect data on a variety of rods (graphite, bamboo, fiberglass) you’ll better understand each new rod or blank that you acquire.

"The greatest barrier to discovery is not ignorance, it's the illusion of knowledge" - Daniel J. Boorstin

Another interesting aspect of learning about our fly equipment is to measure the weights of fly lines. It's pretty easy to do and gives further insight into why our equipment performs like it does.

I think it is imperative to use the recommended pointer; it's too easy to misinterpret the tip angle without it. Much better than fooling around with the AA chart, keeping it level, interpolating the position of the pointer, is to use an electronic level or a cell phone with a level app. Piece of cake in comparison to the old way.

The "right weight" fly line for a specific fly rod and fly caster depends upon three things: the rod, the angler, and the line. I believe you would do a disservice to recommend a line or a line weight to a fly caster you have never seen cast a fly line.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/07/2022 11:15AM by Phil Ewanicki.

I measure fly line weight for my information, not to recommend to another. It gives insight into why the system is behaving the way it does. For me.