Question:

Hey I wonder too.  I was swimming off the shore of NC once and saw something go by a few feet away that looked just like the fish in that picture. Is that possible? It looks like it has the body of a shark but the head of a ray.  Is that what the fish you saw looked like?

I couldn’t really make out the flat head.  But the length, color, and position of fins (sticking up through the surface) seemed the same.  Just wondering if they exist in the Atlantic also…

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I met up with Lee along the western end of the 27 miles of coastline known as Malibu.  (a.k.a. sand shark among the locals) I’m assuming they’re not dangerous.

They have mouths that are similar to those of rays rather than true sharks.  Not dangerous. Mu

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Hey I wonder too.  I was swimming off the shore of NC once and saw something go by a few feet away that looked just like the fish in that picture.  Is that possible?

It looks like it has the body of a shark but the head of a ray.  Is that what the fish you saw looked like? Mu

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I met up with Lee along the western end of the 27 miles of coastline known as Malibu.  (a.k.a. sand shark among the locals) Great story.  I’m assuming they’re not dangerous.

Hey I wonder too.  I was swimming off the shore of NC once and saw something go by a few feet away that looked just like the fish in that picture.  Is that possible?

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Mu, you paint a picture that we’d all love to be a part of. Peter Visit The Streamer Page at http://home.cogeco.ca/~pcharles/streamers/index.html

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In article <Pine.SOL.4.33.0202051504270.9420-100000 [nice tr snipped] Hmm, I guess my recent attempt to repair the leak in my waders had not been successful.  Or had it? Mu

Thanks for both the TR and link Mu, Wet wading definately has advantages. Steve

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Thanks Mu.  Used to surfcast (big old baitcasters) the beach there while waiting for the surf to come up for my knee board.  Loved sandsharks.  Those things will tow you to La Jolla and back.  Every now and then (once a year or so) you would get a big flounder (20lb plus) and take it up to Bolsa Chica and barbeque it.  Then again, sandshark tail tastes pretty good to. Thanks for the flashback. — Frank Reid Reverse email to reply.

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I met up with Lee along the western end of the 27 miles of coastline known as Malibu.  (a.k.a. sand shark among the locals)

Great story.  I’m assuming they’re not dangerous. There would be something very different about fishing for fish that might choose to attack you. Willi

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Very nice trip report, I enjoyed reading it and shared the experience with Deb. Chris Fanning — keep ‘em coming

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I met up with Lee ,snippered

nice tr mu…. thanks. –ww

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hadn’t hit the beach in over a month but it was nice to get on the water once again.  Didn’t even check the tides.  If Lee said meet at 9 AM then that’s as good as time as any.

        spill the wine, take that girl.         great pictures.  can’t get that image in the blue ridge. thanks from your friend in the old north state wayno

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I met up with Lee along the western end of the 27 miles of coastline known as Malibu.  I hadn’t hit the beach in over a month but it was nice to get on the water once again.  Didn’t even check the tides.  If Lee said meet at 9 AM then that’s as good as time as any. We suited up and started wading in the direction of the big beach mansions.  I had a couple of hits but Lee had a steady string of barred surfperch of all sizes come to hand.  I was rusty, hooking up with only 10% of my fish and then landing only 50% of those.  We were using red Hulas, a fly invented by a fellow named Terry Baird and modified by Lee. After a while we switched to brown Surf Rats and the action picked up.  We talked about what the fishing’s been like recently and caught up on what’s going on with each other.  He had had a conversation with Emilio Estevez a few weeks before while fishing this beach.  Mr. Estevez seemed quite interested in fishing. Lee also told me that a movie was being filmed nearby.  We passed a house that was being prepped by a bunch of key grips and best boys and whatever else those guys are called – you know the wierd technicians’ designations you read at the end of movie credits.  Meanwhile a local TV news helicopter was buzzing overhead.  The copter’s shadow was right over the spot I was casting.  Sheesh.  It hovered directly above us for about 10 minutes before I hooked into a large fish. "Hey Lee, I don’t think this is a perch."  I was fighting the fish with just my line hand when all of a sudden the creature decided to head out to sea.  The fight was on but the copter took off.  Maybe there was a slow white Ford Bronco headed down the highway somewhere. "Hey Lee, I don’t think this is a corbina either."  40 feet of line.  70 feet of line. "Hey Mu, that’s your backing.  Hey, keep your rod tip down." "Hey Lee, I’ve got a wind knot in my tippet that I was too lazy to untie." Even though I began to think that this fish might never slow down, I cranked up the drag to the maximum setting.  I’d rather break off a fish by fighting it than just stand there stupefied as it rips all the line off my reel. On the sandy beaches of southern California there are no roots for a fish to tie up your line.  There’s no far bank, just the horizon.  There is no downstream which leads to the ocean – this is the ocean. "Hey Mu, look beneath the waves." I saw something large and dark heading towards Santa Barbara.  After a couple of long runs, I was able to use the waves to help bring the fish close to shore.  Eventually it was wallowing right around Lee’s ankles. He offered to tail it and I agreed but it wrapped around his boots and broke off. It was a shovelnose guitarfish (a.k.a. sand shark among the locals) Anyway I was howling with pleasure.  Lee got a better look at it than I did but he estimated it to be around 4 feet long.  Had it been a corbina he’d have jumped on it – he’s convinced he’s seen some recent fish that would easily have eclipsed the world record (fly caught). We headed back to our cars and called it a day.  I noticed a wet spot on the crotch of my sweatpants.  Hmm, I guess my recent attempt to repair the leak in my waders had not been successful.  Or had it? Mu Flies mentioned in this post can be seen at http://www.garybulla.com/surf_flies.htm They are rather simple designs that almost anyone can tie. A photo of a large guitarfish is shown at http://www.garybulla.com/images/surfpix/pages/sandshark.htm

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Question:

live long and prosper, old boy Peter Visit The Streamer Page at http://home.cogeco.ca/~pcharles/streamers/index.html

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I’d like to take this moment to say thanks to all of ya’ll here at roff who provide me (and all of us) with such good entertainment, advice, trip reports, pics, and the like…. thank you….. thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Well said.  I, too, have enjoyed the virtual company here this year. I’ve learned a lot about fish and some about fishing.  And had fun. — rbc:  vixen    Fairly harmless remove invalid or hit reply to email. Though I’m very slow to respond. http://www.visi.com/~cyli

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I’d like to take this moment to say thanks to all of ya’ll here at roff who provide me (and all of us) with such good entertainment, advice, trip reports, pics, and the like…. thank you….. thank you from the bottom of my heart. thanks to all who deem it necessary to visit and fish with my worthless ass…. i love all of ya’ll like brothers….. what a great family. thanks to each and every clavemeister….. ya’ll are special…. and always will be. thanks to my customers at ezflyfish.com and wilson creek outfitters, i sincerely appreciate the support, your business, and your friendship. thanks for another day…. another day to fish. happy new year fellahs, a very special and happy new year for you all…… –waldo, new wader waldo <g

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waldo writes: thanks to my customers at ezflyfish.com and wilson creek outfitters, i sincerely appreciate the support, your business, and your friendship.

SPAM!!!!! Happy New Year to you too, walt, and may next year be better than this one. Don’t forget our fishing date in Feb. Louie

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and a HAPPY NEW YEAR to you too, Waldo!! May the wind be always at your back, may the road rise up to meet you, and may the GREAT BROWN of Wilson’s Creek thumb his nose at your offerings until that glorious sun filled day he glooms onto your Yellowhammer, rips line down to your backing, jumps high into the air, and on his third airborne effort, throws the fly which sticks neatly into the seat of your new waders and penetrates below the barb you forgot to pinch and DAMN, you forgot the beer again! — Wayne (and Jeffie is fishing up the side stream and thinks your hollering about the gnats!) To Fish is Human…To Release Divine!

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’d like to take this moment to say thanks to all of ya’ll here at roff who provide me (and all of us) with such good entertainment, advice, trip reports, pics, and the like…. thank you….. thank you from the bottom of my heart. thanks to all who deem it necessary to visit and fish with my worthless ass…. i love all of ya’ll like brothers….. what a great family. thanks to each and every clavemeister….. ya’ll are special…. and always will be. thanks to my customers at ezflyfish.com and wilson creek outfitters, i sincerely appreciate the support, your business, and your friendship. thanks for another day…. another day to fish. happy new year fellahs, a very special and happy new year for you all…… –waldo, new wader waldo <g

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Question:

Beeswax, among other various uses, is one of the few materials used for lining moulds etc in the food  and confectionery trades for preventing particularly sticky sweets from sticking. They are known as release, or separation agents.  Glue is not used for this purpose. Bees use wax as a construction material, not as a glue. The whole construction of the comb is pure wax.  Glue is a foreign substance used to join similar or dissimilar materials. Paraffin wax is used for similar purposes to beeswax in other areas. Practically nothing will stick to a polished wax surface. Both of these waxes, and indeed a number of other substances may be used to prevent ferrules "binding". In this sense they are used partly as lubricants, and partly as solid separating agents. Binding ( in the case of carbon fibre, and other rod ferrules),is invariably caused by a substance rubbing against an identical substance, especially when the joint is tapered.    Wax of practically any sort will prevent this for varying periods of time, depending on how often the joint is used. Hard white wax works best, lasts longest, and is cheap and  convenient to use. Solid beeswax will stick to more or less nothing apart from itself, and only then when it is warm enough to melt, and the same applies to solid paraffin wax.  Most especially so, when polished after application. Liquid waxes, and other substances used for lubrication, like various oils etc, will indeed stick to things, trap dust, grit etc, and the lubricant coat providing the separation of surfaces will break down much more rapidly, simply because it will flow away. Hard polished wax will neither stick to things, nor will it flow away.  It is also intrinsically waterproof. This makes it ideal for treating ferrules. Some info on wax may be obtained here: http://www.wetestit.com/wax.htm Personally I don

Question:

BTW, just in case the OP fly fishes for trout but just assumed there aren’t any there, there are actually rainbow trout in the mountains in Kauai, at least when I was there about 8 years ago. Regards, Jeff

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We’re going to Hawaii, first to Kauai, then to Mauai.  Interested in doing some inshore saltwater fly fishing.  Any charters that specialize in that on either of the islands?

Despite the nay-sayers you can find saltwater charters in Hawaii who provide fly fishing.  We’ve fly fished Kona with Capt. Gene Vander Hoek ("Sea Genie II"), trying bait and switch for spearfish and small blue marlin.  Gene’s charters have set 26 world records, mostly for light tackle and he fly fishes himself in Costa Rica, Panama and Mexico.  And Del Dykes in Kona also knows fly fishing, per Trey Combs books.  Can’t help you with Kauai or Maui (which are not as noted for fishing as Kona) but there are likely guys out there.  Try a good search engine like www.google.com … good luck. Bill

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Fuck up the best line I had in decades!

The line didn’t allow itself to be fucked up<g. — Charlie…

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*Book’em* not *Bookem’,* dammit!

I wasn’t commenting on the punctuation but the punch line (otherwise I would have mentioned the extra comma<g). — Charlie…

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I caught it when I read your post! 41 years of *cool* down the drain!!  Shit, I’m so stupid.  I hate myself. Fuckin’ idiot.  First out of the startin’ blocks, and what do I do?  Fuck up the best line I had in decades! Opie  –That’s Mr. Dipshit to you buddy!–

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – *Book’em* not *Bookem’,* dammit! I wasn’t commenting on the punctuation but the punch line (otherwise I would have mentioned the extra comma<g). — Charlie…

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We’re going to Hawaii, first to Kauai, then to Mauai.  Interested in doing some inshore saltwater fly fishing.  Any charters that specialize in that on either of the islands? Thanks, MB

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We’re going to Hawaii, first to Kauai, then to Mauai.  Interested in doing some inshore saltwater fly fishing.  Any charters that specialize in that on either of the islands? Thanks, MB

Forget it. Hawaii is not the place for flyfishing. Enjoy its other attractions. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/ something bogus to avoid spam)

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Bookem’, a guide, Dano! Opie  –That’s Mr. Opus McDopus to you buddy!–

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – We’re going to Hawaii, first to Kauai, then to Mauai.  Interested in doing some inshore saltwater fly fishing.  Any charters that specialize in that on either of the islands? Thanks, MB

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Bookem’, a guide, Dano!

Awesome<g! — Charlie…

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*Book’em* not *Bookem’,* dammit! Opie  –That’s Mr. Opus McDopus to you buddy!–

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Bookem’, a guide, Dano! Awesome<g! — Charlie…

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Question:

I re-tilled and seeded my lawn this spring with Yuma a hybrid Bermda grass. Just now starting to have a good solid growth of new grass, but also have an over abundance of nut grass. Anyone have advice on how to get rid of nut rog

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I re-tilled and seeded my lawn this spring with Yuma a hybrid Bermda grass. Just now starting to have a good solid growth of new grass, but also have an over abundance of nut grass. Anyone have advice on how to get rid of nut rog

  If this is the same thing I’ve got here in NC it’s the worst weed going.  Nodules distributed along little thin roots, so pulling it out just breaks the root and makes more plants.  I’ve tried RoundUp painted carefully along the grass blades or dripped into the crown with no success.  I’m told it doesn’t get past the first nodule.  The only thing I’ve found to do is lift up the top several inches of soil and dispose of it (where?).  Obviously that has its limitations. — Lloyd R. Fortney ….. http://www.phy.duke.edu/~fortney physics, research, teaching, photography, flower gardening, travel, and fly fishing

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Can someone describe what nutgrass looks like?? thanks Timothy B. Dyeson, PhD, LMSW University of North Texas Department of Applied Gerontology Minority Aging Research Institute www.unt.edu/depts/mari/ – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I re-tilled and seeded my lawn this spring with Yuma a hybrid Bermda grass. Just now starting to have a good solid growth of new grass, but also have an over abundance of nut grass. Anyone have advice on how to get rid of nut rog   If this is the same thing I’ve got here in NC it’s the worst weed going.  Nodules distributed along little thin roots, so pulling it out just breaks the root and makes more plants.  I’ve tried RoundUp painted carefully along the grass blades or dripped into the crown with no success.  I’m told it doesn’t get past the first nodule.  The only thing I’ve found to do is lift up the top several inches of soil and dispose of it (where?).  Obviously that has its limitations. — Lloyd R. Fortney ….. http://www.phy.duke.edu/~fortney physics, research, teaching, photography, flower gardening, travel, and fly fishing

–

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I’ve got the same problem — who doesn’t?! How about nuking the whole yard and starting over????  <g http://members.aol.com/wilona1/index.html Pages updated June 6, 1997 – NEW:  Handmade Baby Afghans!!! Gardening – Genealogy – Newsletter – Links

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I’ve got the same problem — who doesn’t?! How about nuking the whole yard and starting over????  <g http://members.aol.com/wilona1/index.html Pages updated June 6, 1997 – NEW:  Handmade Baby Afghans!!! Gardening – Genealogy – Newsletter – Links

Try a product called Image.  Also there is one called Manage. You can also use MSMA.  If you pull it make sure you loosen the soil that will give you  a better chance of getting the nutlet out of the ground.  The nuts grow out and down.

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Nut grass is also a good indicator plant of other cultural problems Compaction Poor drainage acid soil A long term investment in changing the culture will reduce nut grass – also consider a shrub/mulch planting.

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Can someone describe what nutgrass looks like?? thanks

  What I call nutgrass is a medium course, mostly vertical grass growing from a crown.  It has maybe 4-6 stiff leaves from each crown and there is usually a colony of at least a couple of dozen crowns.  They are maybe 1/4" or so wide and up to a foot or more in height if you don’t mow or pull it first.  It easily outgrows my bermuda: a day or two after mowing it will be twice as high as the bermuda.  But underground is where the real problem lies.  I havn’t tried the chemicals mentioned in another reply, but I’m going looking tomorrow. — Lloyd R. Fortney ….. http://www.phy.duke.edu/~fortney physics, research, teaching, photography, flower gardening, travel, and fly fishing

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This may be the one time that having a cat in your garden could help. My cats just love nut grass and have made it a scarce commodity in my yard. Lisa Peterson — Without Trucks, Minnesota Stops! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I re-tilled and seeded my lawn this spring with Yuma a hybrid Bermda grass. Just now starting to have a good solid growth of new grass, but also have an over abundance of nut grass. Anyone have advice on how to get rid of nut rog

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USE A CHEMICAL NAMED "MANAGE" 2 -APPLICATIONS

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Question:

Thought you all might be interested in a new Fly Fishing Loop of websites. The loop is just getting started, but already has been well received. It’s called the: Fly Fishing Loop Located at: http://homepage.interaccess.com/~tsteele/FlyFishingLoop/ Any fly fishing related website can be in the Loop. This can include, personal home pages, commercial websites (such as a manufacturers with products or services that are fly fishing related), fly tying sites, fly fishing clubs, organizations, links pages, fly fishing publications or periodicals, fly fishing guides, fly fishing shops etc. If it is fly fishing related and has a website, it can be in the Loop. You can get more information, and sign-up online. It takes about 2 mins. Everything you need to be in the Loop will be emailed to you automatically, after you sign-up. I hope that will take a moment to visit the Loop’s home page. The loop is devoted to fly fishing and all things related to the pursuit of fish on a fly. It needs your support. Website that are in the Loop will get increased traffic from the Loop. Visitors to the Loop will be interested in one thing…Fly Fishing. For commercial sites and those in the trade, the benfits are obvious, you get exposure to a specific audience of FF visitors to the Loop. Personal sites, organizations and clubs will get increased website exposure in the Loop, and can use the loop to get their word out, to the right audience as well! The Loop also benfits from the diversity and range of content that the various members have on their sites. Throught the Loop you can navigate all member sites, easily. I hope you will consider joining the loop. Tight lines and light leaders, Thomas Steele The Steelhead Site http://steelheadsite.com

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Thought you all might be interested in a new Fly Fishing Loop of websites. The loop is just getting started, but already has been well received. It’s called the: Fly Fishing Loop Located at: http://homepage.interaccess.com/~tsteele/FlyFishingLoop/

Hi, Just tried and got no connection. Could you verify that the above is correct. Thanks. Michael — Mit der Dummheit kampfen Gotter selbst vergebens -Schiller-

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Just tried and got no connection. Could you verify that the above is correct.

Works for me … must have been server trouble. Looks very cool and is a neat concept. Thomas Steele The Steelhead Site

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Question:

On casting in the surf.. A long rod helps (I use a 9 1/2 foot 7 weight, a 10 footer would be better) and a stripping basket is a necessity.  I also tend towards pretty stout weighted eyes on streamers an lead-head charlies (Texas coast selection here) to keep the surf from knocking them around too much.  Be sure you hang around cuts through the bars even if you’re in the wash.. Good luck, Andy Schreckenghost

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Anybody fly fish from the beach?  

There are two magazines, "Fly Fishing in Saltwater" and "Saltwater Fly Fishing", both have had articles on flyfishing from the beach.  There have also been articles detailing fly fishing from the California coast.  Fly Fishing in Saltwater also has a web site at: www.flyfishinsalt.com. While the site does not give all the information I would like about saltwater flyfishing, it is a good start.  Another web site is www.reel-time.com.  This is the Reel-Time, The Journal of Saltwater Fly fishing.  This is a pretty good site.  They have some good articles and an archive of articles that may just answer your fishing from the beach questions

Question:

Hello all:       I have been fly-fishing only a little while, and discovered the joy of small-mouth fishing the James River in Virginia.  Since its summer and the trout are sullen, it has been a great place to keep practicing my casting.  I have already gleaned a lot of information about using crayfish and dace style patterns, wooly buggers, etc., and I have been fishing the seams, bank overhangs, riffles, and the like.  Generally though, I have approached small-mouthing like trout.  Does anyone have suggestions specific to small-mouth bass that differ or are unique to this species, that improve your luck.  Also, any idiosyncracies of the James River? Best spots, places to avoid like the plague, etc.  I would appreciate any and all information, posted or e-mailed.   Dan Johnson

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      I have been fly-fishing only a little while, and discovered the joy of small-mouth fishing the James River in Virginia.   Dan Johnson

Dan, I enjoyed fishing near Pony Pastures in Richmond.  It does seem to get crowded at times, but not with ffishers.  There’s a good Orvis dealer in Richmond that has a lot of smallmouth knowledge.  Also check with Harry Murray of Murray’s Fly Shop.  He’s a smallmouth guru.  Let me know how you do…                                           Randy

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Dan, We’ve been fishing the Wingina to Scottsville stretch for about 20 years now.  There’s some beautiful water along the way and only two areas that can be a little hairy in the boats.  It’s best as a three day float.   Just don’t go weekends because of all of the tubers on the river. Doug

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Question:

I have been offerd a trip to the area of Dillion Co. in July. I would love to take advantage of this offer. Can anyone tell me what the fishing would be like there. Is a guide a must? are there areas that are easy to get to with out a guide? still water vs. river/stream? We have never visited the state before so we have no idea where we are heading.

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Dear visitor: July in Summit county offers a variety of flyfishing and regular fishing opportunities.  The obvious and most close is the Blue River which flows through Dillon.  There are also numerous private streams and ponds that you can fish.  The best advice I can give you is to call up the fishing stores in Breckenridge or Dillon and tell them what kind of fisherman you are (Novice, etc…) and decide if you are willing to spend money to have a private guide take you on private water.  They run anywhere from 125$/Day to $300/Day depending on the Luxery factor.  With the amount of snow in Summit county this year, runoff will be longer and may not be good in July in the Blue River.  I might want to try Beaver ponds if  the water is not clear.

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Question:

[snip] Before I go any further, let me state that I’m cheap, and really don’t want to spend more than $150 for a rod.  That being the case I have narrowed down my choices to two rods by Cortland; a 7′ 3/4 weight, or a 7.5′ 4/5 weight.  Now I already have a reel loaded up with 4 weight line. My question is for my type of fishing which rod would work best? Will the 7′ 3/4weight  rod get overloaded with a 4 weight line on long casts (not that these streams have very many places to make long casts)?  Will the 7.5′ 4/5weight rod be too stiff to load up properly with 4weight line on short casts (most of the casting type I do) and hence lose control and finesse? Any thoughts and/or suggestions?

The two line weight ratings usually refer to a double-taper line (the lower weight) and a weight-forward line (the higher weight). Eg: a 7′ 3/4 should load correctly with either a DT3 or a WF4… If the line you already own is a WF4, you’re probably all set for now –   although when you eventually replace that line, I’d go with a DT3: working a small stream with a 7′ rod (I have a Winston 7′6"/2wt for this) I favor a DT line for at least two reasons: roll casting a DT is a heck of a lot more effective than trying to do the same with a WF line; and a DT line lends itself to finesse than a WF (the latter tends to land with a splash). Regards, /dave <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< < Digital Equipment Corp.    Alpha Server Engineering  < <           "Read this and nobody gets hurt"           < <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have a question regarding rods that have ratings for 2 fly line weights.  First let me explain my situation.  I mostly fish small streams, where the trout rarely exceed 12" and the brush and trees make for very tight quarters.  I’m considering the purchase of another rod.  My current 8.5′ 7weight is too big for this type of fishing.   Before I go any further, let me state that I’m cheap, and really don’t want to spend more than $150 for a rod.  That being the case I have narrowed down my choices to two rods by Cortland; a 7′ 3/4 weight, or a 7.5′ 4/5 weight.  Now I already have a reel loaded up with 4 weight line. My question is for my type of fishing which rod would work best? Will the 7′ 3/4weight  rod get overloaded with a 4 weight line on long casts (not that these streams have very many places to make long casts)?  Will the 7.5′ 4/5weight rod be too stiff to load up properly with 4weight line on short casts (most of the casting type I do) and hence lose control and finesse?

Okay, This culd be answered in a long missive going into theory of graphite modules, but… A dual rated rod is like any other rod, it’s just being a bit more accurate about what you can do. That is, any rod will handle more than one weight, the weight orinted on it is what the designers had in mind. A 4/5 rod will act a bit stiffer and thus a shade less responsive with a 4 weight line than with the 5 line. On the other hand, a 4/5 with the 4 will shoot line farther and will be a quicker rod to set the hook with. Finesse is sort of in between the two, you will have lots of power and be able to straighten the 4 out, but with a 5 you’ld get better "feel". Hope this helps, ask away if you need more. Bill Curry Tight Lines Tackle shop and Guide Service Lockeport, Nova Scotia, Canada Ph/Fax : 902-656-3329

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I have a question regarding rods that have ratings for 2 fly line weights.  First let me explain my situation.  I mostly fish small streams, where the trout rarely exceed 12" and the brush and trees make for very tight quarters.  I’m considering the purchase of another rod.  My current 8.5′ 7weight is too big for this type of fishing.   Before I go any further, let me state that I’m cheap, and really don’t want to spend more than $150 for a rod.  That being the case I have narrowed down my choices to two rods by Cortland; a 7′ 3/4 weight, or a 7.5′ 4/5 weight.  Now I already have a reel loaded up with 4 weight line. My question is for my type of fishing which rod would work best? Will the 7′ 3/4weight  rod get overloaded with a 4 weight line on long casts (not that these streams have very many places to make long casts)?  Will the 7.5′ 4/5weight rod be too stiff to load up properly with 4weight line on short casts (most of the casting type I do) and hence lose control and finesse? Any thoughts and/or suggestions? Thanks, D.P. Ignorance is bliss.

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I have a question regarding rods that have ratings for 2 fly line weights…… <mostly fish small streams…. I have narrowed down my choices to two rods by Cortland; a 7′ 3/4 weight, or a 7.5′ 4/5 weight….. Now I already have a reel loaded up with 4 weight line….. My question is for my type of fishing which rod would work best? Any thoughts and/or suggestions? Thanks, D.P.

Hey, D.P. The long and the short of it is test cast them.  I have not cast either rod you mention and without knowing the action of the rod it is not possible to answer your question (not that I will let that stop me), so your best bet is to stick a leader on your 4WT line with a piece of yarn attached and try them out. I suspect you will find that the 3/4 is the better choice. In general for short cast situations going one line size up gives you better loading of the rod, and thus higher lines speed. Course the argument can be made that at short distances you do not get much of loading of the rod anyways and you are actually casting the line alone and therefore could use a broomstick for all the difference it would make,  I tend to figure people with that kind of attitude are Insensitive wretches who have no appreciation of the finer things in life. P.S.  If you have not tried out the ST CROIX rods give them a check too. I don’t know about their shorter rods but the 9 FT. 5 WT is the best casting rod for it’s price on the market (IMHO).   Steven B.

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