I wondered what was the "STIFFEST" , Most POWERful, BLANK for # 6, AND #9 weight FlyRods?
Notice that they might be differences between 6 AND 9 # wt rods of the same Series & Brand.
Thanks in advance for any opinion.

This is going to start quite a controversy, but I'll say it anyway - if the blanks are designed around the standards set by AFTMA for 6 weight lines, then all 6 weight fly blanks are, or should be, the same stiffness. So are all 9 weight fly blanks the same stiffness. If you have, for example, two 9 weight fly blanks and one is stiffer than the other, then one of them isn't a 9 weight fly blank.

Now we know that in the interest of getting some good reviews for casting distance, some manufacturers underrate a design so that when you get 60 or 70 feet of line past the tip the rod doesn't fold up but will continue to push that amount of weight. Thus, you take a 10 weight blank and list it as a 9 weight. Then when a guy is really pushing for distance that extra length of 9 weight line won't overload it. Get it?

Keep in mind that lines are rated for their weight over the first 30 feet. It is generally assumed, but not always adhered to, that you will have about 30 feet of line past the tip for making the cast. This is why you hear so many fisherman complain that they have to overline their fly rods now to get them to load. Those rods are actually underrated for the line listed as the manufacturers expected them to be used for distance casting. Trying to use them for casting at 40 or 50 feet can be frustrating unless you get some extra weight on there. Thus, a heavier line is used than the one the rod is rated for.

So, you can do the same thing. If you want a really stiff 9 weight rod - buy a 10 or 11 weight blank. If you want a really stiff 6 weight, buy a 7 or 8 weight blank. Now if you expect to get it to cast well you are going to have to get a bit more line (weight) past the tip. Maybe a lot more line past the tip!

You can also choose to buy a very fast action blank, which will at least feel stiffer in the hand compared to say, a slow action blank. The power of the two may be eactly the same but the feel will be quite a bit different.

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Try an Angler's Workshop Salt Stalker or Graphite USA blank. Both of them are more a moderate/fast action, but are very stiff. I've fished a 9 wt. salt stalker with a sinking 10 wt. with no problems. It quite possibly could've thrown an 11 wt. equally well.
Wes

Thanks a lot for the opinion !