Help w/ Grain Weights

[mkoloch]

Wanted to get a fly line with a bit more weight for some of the deeper water that moves pretty strongly during the tide change overs. My first dilemma is for the Indian River inlet, mostly fishing from a boat. I am thinking the rod to carry is my 10wt with a 450 grain line. My second option for beach, jetty, etc... would be my 8wt with a 350 grain line.

My question would be how do you think those lines will cast with the rods. I think the rods should be ‘strong’ enough to handle that grain weight. Both rods are a mid-flex. Looking into the Teeny TS series for both lines.

 

[sandfly]

should be ok, just a chuck and duck cast..On my 10wt. I use lead core to get down on fast water around jettys.

 

[Fredrick]

mkoloch wrote:
Wanted to get a fly line with a bit more weight for some of the deeper water that moves pretty strongly during the tide change overs. My first dilemma is for the Indian River inlet, mostly fishing from a boat. I am thinking the rod to carry is my 10wt with a 450 grain line. My second option for beach, jetty, etc... would be my 8wt with a 350 grain line.

My question would be how do you think those lines will cast with the rods. I think the rods should be ‘strong’ enough to handle that grain weight. Both rods are a mid-flex. Looking into the Teeny TS series for both lines.

It depends on how stiff your rod is both of those wieghts are on the high end on what the rod can load . casting a 450 on a ten from a boat should be fine but in the surf it might not have that extra power you might need on a windy day as the same with the 8 wt . But it all really matters on what your rod can take . If your using Colton's I'm sure they will do fine .

 

[sandfly]

Fredrick, I have used a 450 gr. on my 10wt off the beach for years. No problems casting and it is not a stiff rod..most guys I know down on the beach use the 450 grain lines..8 wt a 300 gr. is good on the beaches down south (to light in my book for the NE.) Back bays ok but not surf..9 wt. 300 to 350 gr.

 

[Fredrick]

Sandfly i'm sure it works but not optimal for me. I'm the guy that is still using his fly rod when most go back to the car to get their spin rod

 

[teedee]

I use a shooting head system with 300-325 grains for 8wt and 400-425 for 10wt. With full lines it depends how much line you are carrying in the air. Trying on your rods is the only way to be sure.

 

[afishinado]

I really does depend on the rod as well as the caster. When messing around with shooting heads I tried casting different rods of the same weight rating and the lines that worked best for each were of different weights. Gotta experiment to find the optimum weight for the rod.

Also the line weight that works for one caster may not be be right for another - even using the same rod.

Sorry I couldn't be more helpful, but after seeing all the variations in line weights used by other anglers for the same rod, and also experimenting on my own, I don't believe there is a magic formula.

 

[mkoloch]

I think this weekend I'll be hitting my local fly shop for some trial & error. I like the idea of the shooting head system, but don't know how much I like the joint idea. I would prefer to have separate spools with full lines. I see this more as a today is boat day, bam switch the spools. Tonight is a jetty night, bam switch spools.

 

[afishinado]

mkoloch wrote:
I think this weekend I'll be hitting my local fly shop for some trial & error. I like the idea of the shooting head system, but don't know how much I like the joint idea. I would prefer to have separate spools with full lines. I see this more as a today is boat day, bam switch the spools. Tonight is a jetty night, bam switch spools.

A shooting head system is very handy since you can carry a floating, intermediate, Class III and a Class V or VI head, and change it over in a couple of minutes. Carrying multiple spools with different lines works very well for the fishing part, but is way more expensive and more difficult to carry. Give the shooting heads a try at your shop. If they don't work for you, than you can go with full lines and spools. Good luck.