Curious if most people use DT or WF lines when fishing bamboo? Do you cast rods on grass with the same line? Have noticed many people seem to prefer casting
rods with WF lines but often switch to DT's when fishing.... Personally prefer DT lines for everything up through 5wts but notice that above that I seem
to always line up a WF for the 6, 7 or 8 wts. Curious what the overall preferences might be throughout the line weights for others. TIA
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Line Preferences (DT or WF) throughout the WT's
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 Pentalux |
Line Preferences (DT or WF) throughout the WT's |
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Posts: 37 07/17/2008 09:00 |
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varmint255 |
#1 | |||
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Posts: 292 07/17/2008 09:18 |
I use DT for my 3,4,and 5wts.When I use the 6wt I throw a 6WF........just personal preference for me.
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seattlesetters |
#2 | |||
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Posts: 283 07/17/2008 10:00 |
I use DT lines on 3-5wt, and both DT and WF on the 6wt.
EDIT: Drew's post below reminded me there is a certain 8'3" 5wt I'm kicking around the idea of ordering that would probably get a WF line matched with it. It would be a "big water, big wind" rod so it would make sense to try a WF.
Last Edited By: seattlesetters 07/17/2008 10:31.
Edited 1 time.
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tedgolden |
#3 | |||
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Posts: 2551 07/17/2008 10:07 Moderator |
On rods 8' and under I will usually use a double taper line. I have a couple of rods in this range which cast equally well with a DT or WF, but most cast
best for me with a DT. On the 8 1/2' and the few 9' rods I use a WF line. On the Orvis rods which call for HDG (6) lines, I have found a Wulff
Triangle Taper 5 (formerly 5/6) works best.
Exceptions: A 6'9" Constable R. H. Woods and a Summers 275 show a strong preference for a 4 WF line for me. I use a 4 WF on an Orvis 7/4 and haven't tried a DT. |
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Hipgnosis |
#4 | |||
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Posts: 477 07/17/2008 16:30 |
DT for me; 4 - 6wt. Bigger rods, I'm using plastic and probably a WF line.
HIPGNOSIS
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Ben Kann |
length is not the measure... | #5 | ||
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Posts: 90 07/18/2008 17:38 |
I prefer DT 4-5 (especially the DT5 with the Granger 8642 - that's pretty close to perfection) and WF lines from 6 on up. This isn't just
"personal preference". I'm usually using the lighter rigs in tight quarters and/or with smaller flies. By the time I go to the heavy stuff,
I'm usually trying to reach out (and I need all the help I can get).
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cebfishing |
#6 | |||
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Posts: 436 07/19/2008 04:15 |
I use a DT 4 wt and WF for 5-7wt. I have a couple 8ft rods that seem to really work well with the 5 WF lines.
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mvinsel |
DT for all sizes | #7 | ||
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Posts: 304 07/21/2008 17:19 |
A double taper (or mid to long belly line when you get to spey sizes) gives a big advantage for linemending, and to not have to retrieve any shot line before
casting. I prefer to use these up to 13' in Bamboo. Just this weekend I felt an advantage with a midspey + sink tip over my skagit casting friends, as I
could make big mends at the full distance of the cast to get that tip to sink, with an 11' #7 Sharpe Scottie.
We were fishing small flies so the big Skagit lines were not necessary. The only fishing I do where I prefer a WF (or scandi, skagit & shortbelly spey lines) is in stillwaters or some very specific fishing where I don't need to mend and am retrieving the fly anyway. Another instance where this makes a huge difference is when it's well below freezing and you're "cast and step" fishing. If you don't have to bring wet line into your guides, there's no iceup and that's not feasible with a WF at distances beyond the belly. If you're fishing within the belly length, there's not much difference anyway. -Vinnie in Juneau |
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TomTrout |
#8 | |||
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Posts: 108 07/21/2008 18:41 |
With light line rods 1-4 I use dt lines. Before anyone asks my Orvis 7/3 does handle the dt 1 and 2 wts very well. I like the 2 wt best with it.
For my 5 wt depends on what I'm fishing dry and wets get dt, nymphs and streamers get the wf. Got to add that most of my rods in this wt are either 4/5 or 5/6 rods. For 6 on up all are wf. Tom |
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john channer |
#9 | |||
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Posts: 601 07/21/2008 22:05 |
I rarely try to fish more than 30'-40' away from me, so I've never felt any great need to use WF lines, besides, DT's last twice as long.
john |
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oldtrout |
#10 | |||
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Posts: 58 07/22/2008 18:01 |
DT for 3-6 wts.
DT and WF for 7 wt. WF for 8wt. I don't have anything in bamboo lighter than a 3 wt or heavier than an 8 wt.
Last Edited By: oldtrout 07/23/2008 11:26.
Edited 1 time.
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orange caddis |
dt or wf | #11 | ||
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Posts: 186 07/23/2008 19:52 |
i like the wulff long belly or wf depending
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Chip Node |
#12 | |||
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Posts: 533 07/24/2008 08:17 |
Depends on the rod, I tried WF's on some rods from 2 to 5wt that previous used only DT's but found I prefered them with the WF's. Fish 6-8wt
WF's predominately due to the longer casting distances, though I keep a DT6 spooled for large trout sipping BWO's early and late in the season. tim
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Cane Head |
#13 | |||
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Posts: 2178 07/24/2008 13:23 |
I use a mixture of WF, DT, and long belly design lines. The DT in 4 & 5wt mainly on small streams when any type of distance isn't a concern. WF or a
long belly in 5/6/7wt when I want to reach out when fishing the Missouri. But most of all, my use of these line tapers hinge around which line wt and taper I
feel that one of my rods works best with. My Abrams rendition of a 7613 feels best with a 6WF and sluggish with a 5DT and unddergunned with a 5WF even though
Streamer said he made it with the 5wt 7613 taper. I have a 7' Deluxe that while Orvis list it an HDH, feels great with either a 444 4DT or Orvis' HLS
5WF. My 4 1/8 oz 7 1/2 Battenkill rated for a HCH feels sluggish with a 6DT, over taxed with a 7DT and a virtual cannon with a 7WF. So in the end, for me, iy
isn't about which line taper I prefer, but what the rod tells me it likes.
Cane |
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Zenkoanhead |
#14 | |||
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Posts: 1351 07/24/2008 15:43 |
I have lightweight rods that prefer WF lines, so the distinction is not in the line weight. Generally I find that a fast or delicate tip often casts best with
a WF line. Stout and progressive tips tend to favor DTs. As is often observed, there is very little difference in taper between a WF and DT in the first 35
feet of many lines. The softness of the core and coating makes a bigger difference. Don
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Bill Lambot |
Line Tapers | #15 | ||
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Posts: 119 07/25/2008 16:12 |
I generally assume that my bamboo and fiberglass rods which are all 4-8 weights, heavy on the 5s and 6s, will perform best with a DT line and my graphites
which run from 4 to 12 will perform best with a WF line. These generalities have worked out suprisingly well. Part of it is that I only rarely cast my bamboo
or glass rods more that forty or fifty feet. I think the sweet spot of their performance envelope is often between about twenty and thirty feet. On fiberglass
and bamboo rods I only use floating lines because I think that sinking lines can put too much stress on the rods when they are retrieved. I think that softer
more supple lines cast better and harder finishes shoot better, so my bamboo DTs are softer lines like a Cortland 444 peach.
Every rod is unique and has its own eccentricities. Part of getting acquainted with a new rod for me is taking it out and lawn casting it with a half dozen different weights and tapers. Ususally, there will be one line that really lights a particular rod up and really brings it to life. When you find it, you will know immediately. On rare occasion the best line for a rod changes with the distance you are casting. I have an Edwards quad that casts very nicely with a DT in close but is much happier with a WF at longer distances. I have Wulff triangle taper lines that I typically use on my graphite rods and on very rare occasion I have found a bamboo rod that responds well to one. I tried a couple of the SYLK lines and didn't really find any strong benifit so to avoid yet more duplication, I just dropped them. I don't know a systematic way to find the best line for a rod. In the absence of any comments from the previous owner, I usually start with a DT5 or a DT6 and then just keep trying different lines until I find the one that wakes that rod up. Good luck. Bill Lambot |
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 tiptop |
#16 | |||
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Posts: 303 07/25/2008 20:06 |
At distances of 40 ft. or less (30' of line + 10' leader)I don't think it makes much difference since the first 30' is pretty similar
regardless of DT or WF. IMO the variation at the shorter distances can be attributed more to manufacturer and model more than whether it is DT or WF. At
longer distances each rod has its own preferences and I will line accordingly depending on where I'm fishing. Another factor that hasn't been
mentioned is that the DT requires a larger and usually heavier reel and if I'm fishing a shorter rod I'll usually choose a WF to use a smaller reel to
keep the weight of the reel down -- I hate shorter rods with heavy reels.
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WatercolorMan |
#17 | |||
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Posts: 922 07/27/2008 04:20 |
I used DT lines for years. Flipping them for extra life. Cutting them in half for my small reels. Saving $ always made me feel good. As time went by and new
lines were developed I started using some of the new WF Lines and found some rods performed better with them. Then all the treads on the fly lines got me
wondering if another line someone else was using on his 7613 would work better on mine as well, and so it goes.
I now lawn cast my rods all the time looking for the best combo for the different rods and stream size I'll be fishing them on. So now I may use a WF for one creek but a DT on the river with the same rod. It's been an education and can be a matter of getting the performance your looking for on the water. I tie my own leaders and adjust them as well. I find a real short leader helps when I'll be making a lot of short cast most of the day, it helps get a bit more fly line out, which helps get the fly where I want it. So I like both and rod size doesn't make a big difference to me. Like tiptop I want the right reel on there. I guess thats why I have so many, at least thats what I tell her. |
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steeldog94 |
#18 | |||
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Posts: 66 08/06/2008 07:15 |
I use DT for my 3,4, 5, and 6 wts and I use WF for 6, 7, 8, and 9wts.
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ibookje |
#19 | |||
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Posts: 1261 08/06/2008 15:15 |
I use WF lines simply because I can fill it up with more backing to make the reel 'large arbor'.
This way the line doesn't get all spiraled up getting memory. Jay |
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bluno |
#20 | |||
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Posts: 133 08/07/2008 02:45 |
I agree with Watercolorman it depends on the fishing situation and required distances. It depends also on the taper, because a DT line can overload certain
rods on long distances.
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- Members Corner
- Forum Announcements
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- Rod making, restoration, repairs and discussion on those related topics concerning bamboo rods.
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