AFTMA line weight

[mauryrol]

Lotsa talk about fly line weight but how many of you out there have actually weighed yours? I have weighed 9 different lines, ranging in all qualities from the foreign knock-offs to respectable lines in the $60-70 range from reputable manufacturers and ALL of them (except one) weighed considerabley more than the AFTMA ideal weight (most were at the far end of the acceptable range) and one 3wt weighed in between a 4 and 5! I have double-checked my method and am using an electronic scale used by the black powder guys for weighing powder in grains. Any suggestions or comments? Thanks.

[mcnerney]

That is very interesting results, you would think there would be more uniformity, especially with the higher end lines. How do you weigh the first 30 ft accurately, without destroying the line?

Fly Rod AFTM Rating
AFTM Code	Weight (Grains) First 30 Feet of your Flyline	Acceptable Weight Range, Grains
1	60	54-66
2	80	74-86
3	100	94-106
4	120	114-126
5	140	134-146
6	160	152-168
7	185	177-193
8	210	202-218
9	240	230-250
10	280	270-290
11	330	318-342
12	380	368-392

NB: 437.5 Grains = 1Ounce = 28.4 Grams

Larry

[Diver Dan]

It's not any better when you test the rods either. The only thing I can suggest is to test the rod before you buy it. And since you most likely won't be able to test the line prior to purchase, either buy it and then carefully take off the first thity feet, test it and place it back in the package for return to the store, or call the manufacturer and ask what the head weighs on the lines you are thinking about.

There is a part in the "common cents system", part 4, that covers how to weigh your line for those of us without a powder scale.

http://www.common-cents.info/

[Hardyreels]

Now it is time for the dinosaur report,

Ever since I got my first decent fly rod I have purchased the line that was recommended for my rods. In only one instance have I found a rod in my possession that actually prompted me to use any weight line other than that printed on the tube or rod. That occurred with my bamboo flea rod and I found that a three weight worked much better than a four. The rod is very soft and the heavier line was obviously putting too much flex into the shaft after you had 20' or more line out the tip.

None of my other rods have caused me to experiment with different lines and they all seem to preform perfectly. I think that with each new year the intense competition between rod and line manufactures to gain a larger share of a somewhat finite market sets the stage for too many hairs to be split. By the splitting of hairs I mean to say that in the effort to make the claim that any one line or rod is substantially different from that of a competitor companies may be tweaking things a bit too much.

Let's face it, I don't fish because I am looking for something new to stress over. I have plenty of those issues presented to me on an almost daily basis. I do not weigh my lines unless I get a few of the same color mixed up without labels. I take my rods, reels, and lines out and fish with them and all seems right with the world.

From the cave of............

Ard

[Brewmaster]

Originally Posted by Hardyreels

Now it is time for the dinosaur report,

Ever since I got my first decent fly rod I have purchased the line that was recommended for my rods. In only one instance have I found a rod in my possession that actually prompted me to use any weight line other than that printed on the tube or rod. That occurred with my bamboo flea rod and I found that a three weight worked much better than a four. The rod is very soft and the heavier line was obviously putting too much flex into the shaft after you had 20' or more line out the tip.

None of my other rods have caused me to experiment with different lines and they all seem to preform perfectly. I think that with each new year the intense competition between rod and line manufactures to gain a larger share of a somewhat finite market sets the stage for too many hairs to be split. By the splitting of hairs I mean to say that in the effort to make the claim that any one line or rod is substantially different from that of a competitor companies may be tweaking things a bit too much.

Let's face it, I don't fish because I am looking for something new to stress over. I have plenty of those issues presented to me on an almost daily basis. I do not weigh my lines unless I get a few of the same color mixed up without labels. I take my rods, reels, and lines out and fish with them and all seems right with the world.

From the cave of............

Ard

Ard - is there a spare tunnel in your cave?
Like you - I buy the rod I want, get the line rated for that rod and have found them all to perform just fine. The only intentional exception is I have purchased a few of the "1/2 line extra weight" fly lines like the SA GPX for use on heavier faster graphite rods (6wt-8wt).

[mauryrol]

The line is weighed by coiling the first thirty feet and placing it on the scale; the balance of the line is set off to the side. Not perfect but certainly more desirable than cutting it!

---------- Post added at 09:02 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:52 AM ----------

I agree -- we can all become obsessed with minutia when all we want to do is fish. I also agree about your observation about almost all of the lines rated for a particular wt rod cast well; overlining or underlining as a particular situation may warrant. The best way to match the two is just go try out various combos. I just found it to be a curiosity that the actual wt of the various lines was so far off from the ideal AFTMA wt; but when one considers that a slightly overweighted line, esp with the faster graphites, will perform easier and cast "farther" (when ever that is necessary!!) for someone who is less than an expert caster one may wonder if the line manufacturers don't have some great conspiracy to market effectively. Let's just go fishin' and leave all the technical BS to the golfers! :-)

Mauryrol

[mauryrol]

to Diver Dan -- Thans for the direct to "Common Cents." A big help. I have fished the opener on LOTW off and on for many years; stay at Randall's out of Baudette. Not a pro-rod builder but have built/refurbished 20-25. Hoped the "wallies" are out in force this year; unfortunately, I can't make it. Would sure like to tie into a big 'ol northern with my flyrod sometime.

[charged]

I'm pulling up this old thread.

I recently purchased a gram scale. I had a few unknown lines that came with the purchases of used reels. From casting these unknown lines, I had a good idea what weight they might be, but did not know for sure. After weighing these lines, and converting their weights to grains, I found that my best guesses were fairly close. I then went ahead and weighed my known lines. I found that some of the manufactures lines consistently weighed a full weight above there official weight in the Aftma chart.

I found this finding interesting. I think that if one keeps track of the Aftma rating on the lines they like to cast with any one rod. They will easily be able to duplicate that desired performance in terms of cast-ability when purchasing there next line, simply by matching the AFTMA weight.

I don't understand why manufactures don't list the actual AFTMA weight, instead of there own subjective (wt.) rating, especially when their lines could be a full weight off the standard. I believe this consistent standards deviation contributes to why people will prefer one manufacturer over another. In my case I found that I was actually casting a few lines that were a full weight above in the AFTMA chart then what I thought they were. This finding does not bother me because these are the lines that I felt cast best with the given rods, But I now know how to duplicate the casting characteristics that I prefer when choosing a new line.

[Diver Dan]

And that in a nut shell is why you can't trust the manufacturers. This goes for rods as well as lines. The common cents system that was in rod maker magazine has virtually free methods to check both your rods and your lines. I have tested all of my rods and most of my lines. It is way more important to check lines with spey rods than single hand rods. Spey rods all have a pretty narrow grain window, where you can pretty much cast any line on a single hand rod. Most of the common cents system article if not all of them can be found on line.

[Frank Whiton]

Hi Everyone,

Here is one reason that broad line weights don't cause more problems. Most Graphite rods can accommodate a range of line weights. So when you buy a 5wt rod and the line is heavier than a 5wt most of us would not know the difference. We adjust our stroke and go fishing. I am glad that line manufacturers lines are usually heavier than the AFTMA ratings as a lighter line might be harder to to cast.

Frank