Fly fishing question

[TGlide]

I have a old Fenwick backpacking fly rod (7ft) rated for 6 weight. I would like to use it on small streams/ brooks. Should I use 6 weight line or go to a lighter line? Or is my tippet size more of a factor depending on the fly I'm using?


Thanks

I have an old, 1980 vintage Fenwick. Is yours fiberglass?

 

[mep1811]

I have an old, 1980 vintage Fenwick. Is yours fiberglass?

Yes it is . I just started using it with 5 weight line . It seems to work fine.

 

[aknightinak]

I'm a run what you brung kind of fisherman.

Many of those rods often behave more like an x/y/z-weight. I have a fiberglass Fenwick in a 2-piece, 8- weight that is the flexiest, mushiest thing I've ever casted. If yours has similar action, I can't imagine you'd notice a difference with one weight lighter line, especially on a small to middling stream, but I bet it would absolutely chuck a one weight heavier line.

A rule of thumb someone once remarked on tippet was to go no greater than 2x the weight of the rod. That said, I've been known to run 30# on an 8 to drift home-cured roe for cohos. Fishing bait with a fly rod generally shows you who the elitists on stream are immediately, too.

 

[SpeyRod]

Glass is very forgiving so, as you have discovered, it will play nicely with a 5wt line. My small stream rods tend to be lighter and loaded one weight heavier. When casting short, 10-15’, a heavier line actually loads the rod better. My favorite small stream setup is a 6’ glass or bamboo 4 wt loaded with a 5 wt line. When you are fishing with the tippet and 3’ of fly line it feels much better.

 

[aknightinak]

Glass is very forgiving so, as you have discovered, it will play nicely with a 5wt line. My small stream rods tend to be lighter and loaded one weight heavier. When casting short, 10-15’, a heavier line actually loads the rod better. My favorite small stream setup is a 6’ glass or bamboo 4 wt loaded with a 5 wt line. When you are fishing with the tippet and 3’ of fly line it feels much better.

I grabbed a 7' 6" 3 with a 4 line at Bean while I was visiting family last summer. This Redington had the price point over everything else and a few inches more length. I still wanted reach on larger creeks, which I fish more than real skinny troughs. New favorite, it took my summer grayling trip to a whole new level when I got into schools of 14-18 inchers. As much and as long as I've loved it, I might not ever fish my 5 wt in upland headwaters again.