Overlining Rods

[sherrib 0]

What is the advantage of overlining a rod? I am building a 2 weight rod and was just wondering what the advantage of putting say a 3 weight line on it would be. I've not overlined a rod before. Thanks in advance, Sherri B

[Joe Hard 0]

I am sure there are plenty of reasons, but I think it just helps you feel the rod load better. Its great for casting bigger flies like streamers in strong winds. I am sure you will get several responses, but I can remember several past posts about overlining rods, might want to check them out. Good luck with the rod build.

[Grunt 0]

I have a little six foot St Croix 2/3. I have a wf 4 weight line on it. This little rod is for fishing small tight quarters streams up here in the NC mountains. Usually when I cast I only have four or five feet of flyline out of the tiptop. The added weight of a heavier line allows me to throw the line farther. It also works better in the wind and roll casting too.

Finding a small light weight reel that doesn't break the bank was a challenge I settled on a TFO midge.

[utyer 0]

The "weight" of a fly line is based on the weight of the first 30 feet of the line (give or take a little.) So to provide enough weight to properly load a rod, you need to have that 30 feet out past the rod tip as you cast. That is where the optimum balance between the line and the rod will be. You can cast most any rod (regardless of line size) with either more or less than that 30 foot length of line out. You need to use a little more power in your casting stroke with shorter lines to load the rod, and with a LOT of line out you can use less and the extra weight of the line will load the rod. Most weight forward lines will have a belly (heavier) section that is at least 35 to 45 feet long. Some lines will have long belly sections up to about 60 feet. For each 12 feet of extra line out past the rod, you are in fact loading the rod with the next heavier line size. So if you start with a 2 weight line and cast with 55 feet of line in the air, you are now overlining the rod with something equivalent to a 3 to 4 weight line. ANY rod can be overlined, in the example above you can see that most rods are in fact overlined when longer casts are made.

 

If your planning on fishing a rod in “tight quarters” on small streams, you would not usually have much line past the rod tip. In those conditions it makes sense to overline the rod with a heavier line. Just remember that it will begin to overpower the rod when you have a lot of line in the air. Any rod will cast a range of weights, and any rod will finally reach a point where it cannot handle the weight of either more line out (in the cast) or a heavier weight.

 

Starting with a 2 weight, it would be properly loaded with about 20’ of a three weight or 12 feet of a 4 weight. Just remember that by starting with a heavier line size you can reach a point when the rod cannot handle the weight. When overlining, it’s better to use a WF (weight forward) line rather than a DT (double taper) line. Many times the WF lines are the only ones you will see in the stores. Both lines will be pretty much the same in the first 30 to 40 feet, after that, the WF tapers down to a light shooting line for the rest of its length. This would not add significant weight to your casting load. A double taper on the other hand will add a line size for every 12 to 14 feet of line. If you overlined your 2 weight with a 3 weight in a DT line, the effect of the line would be to load the rod as a 2 weight with 20’ of line, a 3 weight with 30 feet of line, a 4 weight with 45 feet and so on.

 

Hope this makes sense.

 

[DancesWithHeadCement 0]

Overweighting and underweighting a fly rod has many uses as described above.

 

Rod manufacturer's don't always build rods for a single line weight - the old Powell Rod Co. in California is a prime example, Walton's rods were listed as 5-6-7 or 8-9-10, implying that all three could be used.

 

One of the best things about using a larger or smaller line size is that the increased weight (or decreased) can tailor the rod action to the style you prefer most. Actions are typically mentioned as "Fast" - "Medium" - or "Slow" ... which normally describes the top 1/3 flexing (fast), 1/2 the rod flexing (medium), or the rod flexing from tip to butt (slow).

 

If you have a "tippy" or fast action rod, yet prefer a medium action, just bump the line weight up until it's action is to your liking. Rods aren't fragile, and can accomodate two or three line sizes larger or smaller with no ill effects (other than the rod action changing).

 

What the vendor claims the rod throws best is not always true - it's a combination of the "feel" you like in the rod, coupled with the physics... as a 2 weight can throw a 13 weight line, but it might do so poorly.

 

I commonly fish line sizes other than what's listed on the blank, mostly for "feel" reasons, I tailor the rod to act the way I like best.

[Just Tie 0]

It is very simple. The heavier the line the less distance you can cast with it but you can cast heavier things, closer in with more accuracy but the lighter the line the more you can cast and be accurate with it but you will find fishing closer in more difficult.

 

You could theroretically cast a 10 wt line on a 2 wt rod you just couldn't use more than 10 feet, if that.

 

I use a 7 wt fast sinker on a light 6 wt rod and it is fine with it. A fast sinker is about 1 wt heavier in preformance than a similar weight floating.

 

You won't be shot for using a sightly out of balance set up. You can often do it to suit the scenario you are fishing.

 

The same goes for rod length.

 

Hope that helps,

Jason.

[sherrib 0]

Thanks everyone for the help. Sherri B

[letumgo 0]

Thanks from me, too, everyone. I found this post and all of the answers to be very interesting to read. I look forward to trying over and under lining my fly rods to see how differently they behave. Great question and answers. :headbang:

[Al Beatty 0]

Hi sherrib,

 

I like to overline some of my rods based on the fishing conditions. I will often put a #6 line on a 4 or 5 weight rod when I am planning to fish a really small stream because most of my casts are short, like 15 to 25 feet (plus the leader) in length. It takes less of the length of a heavier line to properly load the #4 (or lighter weight) rod.

 

Also, in years past I think some of the rod companies got into a "lighter-is-better" contest with their rod lines each year they brought them on the market. At that time I often overlined a rod just because a heavier line felt better to me. I haven't noticed that tendancy as much in recent years. How about the rest of you? Take care & ...

 

Tight Lines - Al Beatty

www.btsflyfishing.com

[dwiltshire 0]

I overline the rod on two main occasions - when piking and when sea-trouting at night. I do it for piking 'cause I want to see the fly as it emerges from the depth, watching for follows. The overlining allows me to load the rod a bit quicker with the smaller amount of line.

 

Fishing at night, I find it helps too. Shorter casts are calle for, so I want a line that'll load the rod quickly and shoot the line fast. In the dark the more time the line and fly are in the water and not aerialised....the better

 

Also, in years past I think some of the rod companies got into a "lighter-is-better" contest with their rod lines each year they brought them on the market. At that time I often overlined a rod just because a heavier line felt better to me. I haven't noticed that tendancy as much in recent years. How about the rest of you? Take care & ...

www.btsflyfishing.com

 

 

Interesting one Al. Some of my older rods have very much benefitted from overlining. The last couple of rods (Hardy / Sage) have been spot on and don't seem to have benefitted in the same way. Not sure if that's a change in their ratings, or the spec of the rod and the speed with which the black loads..

 

PS. Just received Steve Thornton's 'Flytyers of the World' and really enjhoyed yours and Gretchen's entry