fly rod line weight test Options

[OSD]

Accuratly measure the distance from the rod tip to the grip ( not the entire length of the rod ), and divide that number by ten. Write that number down, you'll be needing it. Example 86"/10=8.6"

Next, clamp the rod grip to a table so the rod is held in a horizontal fashion rigidly. Be sure no portion of the rod touches the table. Measure the distance from the rod tip to the floor. Hang a paper clip to the tip and start adding washers or nuts to the clip until the tip flex's down exactly 1/10 of the free rod length or as in the example 8.6 inches. You can do this easily by subtracting 8.6" from the floor measurement and use weights to reach that target measurement. Double check all of your measurements!

Remove the paperclip, and all washers or nuts, and weigh them on an accurate gram scale. Example: Clip, nuts and washers total = 43 grams. Then divide 43 by 8.6=5 and see the chart below to evaluate the line size. Our example indicates the stiffness ratio of this rod to require an 11 weight fly line to optimally load it!

Stiffness Ratio: (grams/inch) .............Recommended Line Weight

1.4 - 1.6............................................... ..................3

1.6 - 1.9............................................... ................. 4

1.9 - 2.2 .................................................. ..............5

2.2 - 2.6............................................... ..................6

2.6 - 3.0............................................... ..................7

3.0 - 3.5............................................... ..................8

3.5 - 4.15.............................................. .................9

4.15 - 5.0............................................... ...............10

5.0 - 5.9............................................... .................11


Incidently, it doesn't matter what your flex charactoristics are, noodle soft or poker stiff, this prevails!