Quote:
Originally Posted by MK2750
A light line will perform poorly on a modern fast action rods under the vast majority of circumstances. This is especially true between 20-60 ft where most fish are caught. Light lining a rod so you might cast 80 ft while sacrificing medium and short performance is insane and nothing more than a sales pitch. For a distance competition only with a specially designed line it might work but it still makes absolutely no sense for fishing...........
..........My offer still stands if anyone wants to cast 4wt line better on my z than the 6 wt it is designed for.
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I have to disagree,it absolutely makes sense for fishing if the type of fishing you are doing requires or at least benefits from longer casts.For example,casting/stripping streamers from a lakeshore,saltwater flats,or my personal favorite type of flyfishing,swinging wets for salmon.Being able to cover more water or extending your reach is plain and simply gonna put your fly in front of more fish.I've regularly underlined my 8wt salmon rods with 7 and even 6wt lines and instantly gained 20-25%(?) distance,which translates to reaching lies that I otherwise could not.
Conversely,it makes perfect sense to upline your lite rod by a line weight or two if most of your fishing is on tiny creeks where a 30-40 ft cast is unheard of.
I have to agree with Pikebreath for the most part,although I'm not sure if I can wrap my head around how under/over lining a rod changes the loading characteristics as he's suggested,ie;tip flex,full deep flex etc.??For instance the AFTMA system rates a 5wt rod based on it being matched to 5wt line that weighs 140gr @ 30'.I'm not sure I get how the rod "knows" if you are using say for example 40' of 3wt line or 20ft of 7wt line to achieve that same 140gr outside of the tip?Regardless,the basic premise is sound,underline for long casting and overline for short.I'm not saying one should go out and buy 3 lines for every rod,but if the majority of your fishing leans towards one extreme or the other,there's nothing wrong with up or down sizing your go-to line to match your conditions,distance required,personal casting style/stroke etc.
In regards to your Z-Axis 6wt challenge,I guess that depends how you define casting "better"?Personally speaking,again going back to swinging wets salmon fishing,to me longer=better,so unless you can shoot a 6wt line 100' to the backing with that Z,I'm gonna say yes,I could cast it "better" with a 4 or 5wt line....jest sayin'.