Why is it that Orvis produced 7' - 7 weights and 8' - 8 weights when no other builder was making such heavy lined rods. I know that most fish better
one line weight lighter but the rod is still heavier than any of the competition.
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Orvis heavy weights
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 Empty Creel |
Orvis heavy weights |
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Posts: 87 07/02/2008 08:03 |
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jeffkn1 |
#1 | |||
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Posts: 1657 07/02/2008 12:14 |
My recollection is that Wes established early on in his career that the bulk of the fly rod market was for rods that took a six weight line or heavier. There
are two factors that come to mind. First, the tapered ends of 6 and 7 weight silk lines were fine enough to allow reasonable dry fly presentation. For a long
time, the all round trout rod configuration was an 8 ½ for a 7wt. An 8weight rod was suggested for either bugging or light salmon.
Secondly, fly rods were not just for fly fishing. One look at the number of fly rod size 'hard baits' produced in the last century will give you an indication of how popular small metal and wood lures were, and at a time when the fly rod was the only rod that would cast them. And then there's live bait, best fished in medium water with the long rod. When I sold tackle in the 1970's, 99% of our inventory (glass and bamboo) was 6wt and up. I recall getting in a Heddon glass 4wt once, one with a horrendous noodle action, and on slow nights in the shop it was good for lots of laughs but useless as a fly rod. We did have the Orvis 7-3 and the Orvis Nymph rod but both sold only in niche markets. Then graphites hit in 1973 and the fly rod world was forever changed. |
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WatercolorMan |
#2 | |||
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Posts: 872 07/02/2008 13:45 |
I use 2 Orvis rods and have for about 20 years. The first rod is the 7613 2/2 4 oz HCF (7) 1965, its a great rod that will toss the whole WF7F Line and keep on
going. But it fishes a WF5F very well from 25' on. Not to good at 15' but that is not why this rod was made. It will handle large hoppers if thats what
you need to fish and will nymph as well as any short rod will. If you bring several spools with you will have a rod of great versatility.
My other is the 8013 2/2 4 3/8 oz HCH (7) 1967. This is a powerful rod and is great in the windy west. I've used it with Steelhead, bass and large rivers going for trout in fast current. It will cast a 5WT line but shines with a 6WTF or DT, I use the 7 & 8WT lines for the bigger fish and flies. It will cast a #18 as well. I know many people down size the fly lines on there rods because thats what feels right for them. Walt Powell said that a good bamboo rod should cast well a line 2 sizes either way of the noted line wt for the rod. I wouldn't get to hung up on what the rod says but check out what the rod will do in your hands. We all fish in different places and under different conditions and having a rod that can adapt can be very useful. We can't always go back to the truck and change rods, but we can carry some extra spools. Alan |
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Greg Reynolds |
#3 | |||
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Posts: 1735 07/03/2008 20:10 Orvis Database Founder |
FWIW, Orvis didn't make 7-foot rods for 7-wt line. The strongest of them, the 11/64-ferrule models, came with a recommendation for 6-wt line, but are
really better with 4 & 5-wt line.
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Flyman615 |
#4 | |||
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Posts: 2794 07/03/2008 20:38 |
Thanks, Greg:
You wrote what I was thinking. Right on! Best regards, Scott 
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Budrichard |
#5 | |||
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Posts: 54 07/05/2008 14:36 |
I personally believe that the Orvis 7&1/2' #7 #13 ferrule weight rod is the best single model Orvis ever made. I first encountered this rod in the late
1960's when my fishing buddy purchased one in the Orvis '99' model. It cast and still does cast a country mile. He had Orvis make him another tip.
Always envious, it was only until a few years ago I found another Mint '99' and had Orvis make another tip to with it. Certainly suitable as light
salmon rod as Perk told my buddy. If I had to chose only one Orvis rod to fish with, this would be the one.-Dick
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Empty Creel |
#6 | |||
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Posts: 88 07/08/2008 09:15 |
I understand that you may like the Orvis rods and underline them. But my question was "why" the heavy line weight listings when other makers like
Payne, Leonard, Granger, Heddon and others did not build short heavy line rods. And why do you suppose Orvis did not offer say a 4 or 5 weight at 7 1/2'
. What was their target market for say a 8' 8wt rod?
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jeffkn1 |
#7 | |||
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Posts: 1659 07/08/2008 12:14 |
A look at a 1930's South Bend catalog will show that trout rods rated for an E line were rather scarce and that nothing was rated for anything lighter.
That same design approach carried over when Wes went to Orvis. AFAIK, he was not a light line fan. It wasn't a problem until the 1970's.
The 7 ½'/#7 rod made in the 50's or 60's performed just fine with a 7wt line made in the same era. It will perform just fine today with a #7 line that was made back then. The rods never changed but all the lines did. So now you can fish that 7wt rod with a modern 5 or 6, or if you have an old HCH you can probably do just fine with that. Orvis catalogued the 8 ½ #8 as a "light salmon" rod. I don't know what the 8'/#8 was intended for but I know I never sold one nor saw anyone else sell one, so as far as I'm concerned it's an aberration. If someone has a postwar Orvis catalog perhaps they can tell us what Orvis had to say about that rod. |
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cwfly |
#8 | |||
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Posts: 702 07/08/2008 13:29 |
Jeff, In 1970, thanks to the seduction of advertising, I bought the 8' for an #8 and generally remember what the catalog said. It was lavishly described
as the one rod for all your fishing, from streamers to tiny dries; it could do it all. So I bought one - still have it - but I don't use it for much.
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jeffkn1 |
#9 | |||
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Posts: 1660 07/08/2008 14:04 |
That makes sense, Charlie. By the mid-70's, Orvis was calling the 8 1/2 for a #7 the All Rounder. The rods have lengthened and the line weights have gone
down.
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Quick Reply
The Orvis database by Greg Reynolds Finally available again!!
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