5wt vs 6wt?

[Griffin4590]

so here is the deal I own both a 5 and a 6wt rod but I am short a reel for the 6wt. I love the 5wt but there have been a few times i felt over powered (25"+ fish) I fish a lot of dries and dont wanna lose the finess of a 5wt. I have recently started using dollie lamas a lot as well (parks hwy) and they are a little alkward to cast on the 5wt but not to bad.
guess the question is if its worth it to swap out to a 6wt for some extra power without losing to much finess
thanks
griffin

 

[muzzyman87]

I love the 5wt but there have been a few times i felt over powered (25"+ fish)

Thats a great feeling!

 

[bowdy15]

Have anything lighter than the 5? If so I'd ditch the 5 and keep the 6. Or what other rods do you have that might be heavier than a 6WT? Lots of questions to answer.

 

[dinker]

How about getting an extra spool with 6 wt line and carrying both rods on a backpack? If your reel's capacity is a problem you could save space by using gel spun backing. Fish dries off the 5 and the big stuff with the 6....

 

[cod]

An extra spool IS the answer.......ALWAYS go with enough gun.. By the way, u ever broke your favorite rod cuz of the fish? Ten thousand tears!

 

[ak_powder_monkey]

I'd recommend buying more stuff, you can never go wrong with more stuff

personally I fish with a switch rod when I'm streamer fishing, or a 7 weight although I've never felt like a 5 was too small to cast what I needed too...

 

[Griffin4590]

i like the second spool idea. I also have a 3wt, 7wt, and 8wt hahaha

 

[icb12]

SPOOOLS!

I recommend you buy the spools in a different finish then the original reel and fly lines in alternate colors, so you can quickly tell the difference when you jam your hand into the backpack and grab an extra.


A 6wt spool on the 5wt might make launching llamas easier too.

 

[cube01]

launching llamas.

Sounds like the next hit iPhone game...

 

[6XLeech]

I'd recommend buying more stuff, you can never go wrong with more stuff...

That's great...:lol:

 

[6XLeech]

Five & Eight … the path to perfection… Swap the 6 out. Five & Eight instead...

Five & Eight … the path to perfection… Swap the 6 out. Five & Eight instead...

Of the many fine suggestions you'll get, the best answer, of course...is to go with 5 wt & 8 wt rods

.

The 5 wt gives you that dry fly light touch, still enjoyable for Grayling, and with enough backbone for bigger fish... up to say, 24" on small water maybe...:think:

Trade the 6 wt up to 8 wt (or 9, depending). You'll get another reel out of the deal... On a budget, I'd look at the Redingtons or Okumas. Extra spool works well for a multitip line on the 8 wt. Fall fish get big and once in awhile, I wish I fished a 9 instead. Think Fall trout on the Kenai... or some big Fall Dollies even.

Not sure what the issue is with casting DLs. I saw Tony Weaver demonstrate a circle or Belgian cast years ago at GASS. Keeps the lead off my rod tip. Five & Eight = great basic quiver for most anything short of Kings around here.

Good luck, man. Someone's gotta catch the first fish soon...

 

[Franken Fish]

I would go with a 4wt and a 7wt, but thats just me!

 

[BrownBear]

You might tinker with other lines for the 6. The right one will let you keep the delicacy and finesse with dries, but add power for fish fighting. I'm fond of Wolff Triangle tapers in 6-weight and lighter. Great delicacy with dries, but with enough line out you can really wail out some long casts with bigger flies.

 

[cod]

I, too do 90 percent of my fishing with either my 5wt or 8 wt. And I agree with BB... Wolff triangle taper for my 5wt..best line I've used.

 

[6XLeech]

I, too do 90 percent of my fishing with either my 5wt or 8 wt. And I agree with BB... Wolff triangle taper for my 5wt..best line I've used.

Interesting. I've heard one problem with sharkskin (and probably airflow's line too) is they get dirty easily then are hard to clean. How long you been fishing the triangle taper (http://www.royalwulff.com/tt_lines.html)? Floating line right? Thanks.

 

[Griffin4590]

Well like i said i already have a 3,5,7,8wts all fully setup. I do however LOVE the "I'd recommend buying more stuff, you can never go wrong with more stuff" theory but i may have hit the limit on gear.
dont get me wrong i can sling a lama with the best of them on a 5wt but it requires more effort than i'm use to. I come from guiding in westen NC where ultra small dries are the norm and anything resembling a dolly lama would spook the entire river. I think what i'll do is spring for some better line and a better reel for the 5wt. any ideas on reels? I'm thinking lamson or galvin. I have a galvin on my 8wt and loved it for kings this past year but its not a cheap reel and the lamsons are half the price with the same features but i have no experence with um.
anyone wanna buy a brand new LL bean 6wt? never even mounted a reel on it. its a 4peice 9' comes with a sweet reel on case. heck i'll trade it for a reel hahaha

 

[Armo_Ak]

Great price on a Torque-5 here. I have a t-6 and t-8 and like both of them.

 

[danattherock]

I come from guiding in westen NC where ultra small dries are the norm and anything resembling a dolly lama would spook the entire river.

That is 3 hours west of me. We spend time in Bryson City quite often rafting and such. Would love to learn more about fly fishing in that area of the state. I got a Scott S4 8.5' 4wt just for that reason, but have not spent enough time in NC to put it to use. The wife and I work out of state, but will be home for the next 3-7 months. Shoot me a PM or email if you find the time or interest. Happy to tell you anything I can about fly fishing in Alaska of course. I have seen more of the state than most folks from North Carolina.





-Dan

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