Hi everyone!

I'm having some trouble with a new rod I've bought. It's a Ron Thompson Visionary #7 with a Scierra HMT WF7F line with loading zone. It's a very nice line, I've tried it on my buddys #8 and it was great. I think the action of the rod is medium, but don't know exactly.

I'm used to cast with a rather fast actioned rod #8 which I can cast over 90 feet with and the fly lands perfectly at the end of the leader. But with my new rod, I'm having some trouble getting the leader straightened. The fly simply lands behind the fly line very often I neither can't get the very high line speed on this rod as I can with my faster rod. Not even with double hauls. I cast about 75 feet with this RT Visionary #7 rod, but as said, I don't get the high line speed and the fly doesn't turn over very well all the time.

I hear many talk about, it's easier to cast with a softer rod than with a fast one but I think it's opposite. The fast rod generates more power, therefore higher line speed and distance. The tip on the fast rod don't go as easy under the straight line path and you don't get tailing loops as easy. But correct me if I'm wrong here I have only fly fished for 5 month, but this is my experience.

But back to the topic - Why am I having trouble getting high line speed and getting the fly to turn over with softer rods?

Sorry if my English is not so good, but I'm Danish

Regards Jonas

Hi Jonas

Difficult to offer good advice without seeing you cast of course, but it sounds like you are overloading the rod. Have you got or can you borrow a WF6F line to try on the rod, or a different WF7F line?

Best wishes
Mike

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At the heart of your fly fishing lies a good fly line! ...... www.flylineshop.com

I have a WF6F line I can try. But I have tried other soft rods and I really can't get a high line speed and casts over 80 feet with those soft rods Maybe it's ok and the way soft rods works I don't know. I think they need a wider casting arc maybe and the loading move seems more important with soft rods!? Is it easier to cast with an #8 rod than a #6 or #7, cause I haven't got any trouble with the #8 rods I've tried.

Jonas,

Just like the song!!

Slow down, your casting too fast, you need to make the back cast Laaaast!

And when the line comes forward again, wait a while with rod tip high, pointing forward - not at the sky, allow the line to straiten the leader, then lower tip to retrieve the bleeder!

Softer rods need a little more time to create the power curve. You'll soon master it; just enjoy the learning curve.

Great stuff Mostyn, you're spot on, I was imagining the same scenario.

Best wishes
Mike

__________________
At the heart of your fly fishing lies a good fly line! ...... www.flylineshop.com

Hehe thanks for the song I'll try slowing down some and see if it helps

Well, I wouldn't say slower, I would suggest longer. Lengthen your stroke and widen your casting angle. It sounds as if the rod is a lot slower than you are used to but you are using the same stroke you used on the faster rod. Or take Mikes advice and underline it by one or two weights.

Mike

Good advice above mate

My mate was used to fast rods gave him a go of my lovely middle action vision 9' 5wt ..........it was hysterical to watch line all over the place he wasnt giving the rod time to load / flex etc

Driving to rod foward before it was ready, once he slowed down and got the timing right he was putting out a much better line.

Better still he caught a fish and realized its way more fun catching on a softer rod than horrible stiff casting machines that seem all tghe rage these days more often than not the fish are at your feet

Oh he enjoyed it so much he went and bought a Vision 10' 5wt

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Englander

"Barbless since 2008"

Vision GT Four catapult 9' 6#
Vision GT Four SW 9' 9#
Vision 3 Zone 9' 5#
Vision Cult 9' 3#
Shakespeare Trion 9' 5/6#
Cortland Endurance 9' 6#
Shakespeare Expedition float tube
Vosseler DC3 reel
Okuma Helios 8/9 reel
Greys G series 3/4 reel
Snowbee Geo 3/4 reel

Thanks for the good advices I'll try them out next time Also gonna take my 6wt line with me and give it a try