RE: fly rods

[Tim Harris]

The SP series is a pretty soft rod and that could be your main issue, your friend’s 6 wt may be a much stiffer/faster rod and it will turn flies over better.  I have a 586SP and an old 590RPL.  On the SP I throw a 5-weight line but on the RPL I use a 6-weight because it just won’t load with a 5-weight until you get a lot of line out.  My own opinion is that the SP series is pretty much right on for line weight.  Make sure you slow your casting down to match the rod and know that it is a softer rod and won’t have the same power as some of the faster rods.    I doubt you’d hurt the rod unless you started chucking a 300 grain sink head on it, then it may snap.   Tim   From: owner-[EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:owner-[EMAIL PROTECTED]] On Behalf Of ed Sent: Saturday, October 23, 2004 10:52 AM To: waflyfishers Subject: fly rods   I have a question regarding a SP 9FT 5wt. I am not a very good caster so may be off base in my thinking. I used a friend's 10ft 6wt rod this summer and The 6wt seemed to turn over large dry flys  and flys with a dropper attached much better than my 5wt did or was this because the line was heavier AND the rod was a foot longer?   To save money was thinking of using the 6wt rocket taper on my 5wt 9ft SP in the future. cheaper than buying a rod - reel and line..... I could use it for large trout and small summer run steelhead???   My question is will the heaver line be bad for the rod over time or is the SP like some other fly rods that seem to work better if you go I line wt heavier?       Thank you,