This is mainly targetted at folk who fish stillwaters. Why do i see most anglers using 7 weights and upwards? Is it an irrational fear that a 5wt won't handle some wind (utter nonsense!) A 7wt or 8wt or whatever is seriously overgunning for trout Maybe a heavy sea trout or salmon rod but our normal troots

Opinions please?

And before anyone says wind, i know a few guys that will cast a full line in a wind...

I am not the worlds best caster but i get by,i have tried useing a 9ft 5# rod on a res with a bit of a breeze and i just cannot get it to work for me i have had lessons in the past and the instructor has said "look if you find you cannot get it right with the 5# then try a 7#" well i did and it worked,so that is why i use a 7# when i am on the res when there is a bit of a breeze on.

I wouldn't like to spend the day pulling a di7 back on a #5 rod......

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i personally find it easier to cast a 5 or 6 weight line further than a 7 or 8, the extra leaverage of the heavier line makes it difficult and uncomfortable for me to control the loop,

a heavier line will shoot further though. and big heavy lures can be tricky on a light line.

I have a #4 and a #8 wt rod. In a wind, the #4 is fine, so long as the wind is not in yr face. That's when I get the #8 out - for me it's just not worth the hassle of trying to belt out a lighter set-up.

It will depend on the size of the res and the fish you expect to hook too.

The action in the rod at those weights seems to have a bearing. Some of the res fish are easily as big as a good sea trout. Got my #8 bent in half yesterday on Stocks and a smash tippet that was 7Lb off a Daddy. God knows what size the fish was.

If you are C&R you don't want to be all day trying to get a 10Lb fish to the bank on a 4 or 5 wt.

I get the same argument from the Salmon guys.....if you think an #8 is overgunning, try throwing a B&W Norway 15ft #10-11 around for a while

Others on here will give a more informed and lucid explanation , but thats my €2 worth ......

Agreed, the lighter line is easier to cast, esp for long periods. in fact I can shoot my 8ft #4 easily as far as the 10ft #8 if there's no headwind.

Good pt about fly size too - I'd agree the heavier rod/ line gets the big files out much better.

Often wondered about 'you folks' rod choices, save for some specific exceptions. In the main, for trout most of us PNW's will cap out at a 6 wt, but this is because we're fishing fast moving water and need a sink tip of some sort (fly size will also come into play). For still water fishing at 3-5wt is as about as big as most of 'us' will get.

Summer run Steelhead fishing? My 'fav-rod' is a 11'9" 3wt 2-hander done for me by "ACR" (Anderson Custom Rods). With water flows under 1500 cfs have yet to meet one that the rod wouldn't handle. Bigger/bushy/heavy flies ... well there the 6wt with a Scandi head would be choice number 2.

Between 1500 to 2000 cfs then the 7wt's come out due to the weight of the fly and sink tip to get proper 'turn over.' Only time I pull out a 9 or 10 weight is for chasing full on Pacific King Salmon ... there you need "beef!!"

Just my .02 cents.

fae

Er...

1. Wind - Whether some people can cast a 5wt into a headwind in a gale is hardly the point. It's easier for most casters with a heavier line. I note that you don't suggest a 2wt in your post, which makes it pretty obvious that for your skill and style of casting perhaps a 5wt is enough for you. Well done! For other people with different skill and style of casting perhaps a 7wt suits?

Or is it more that you enjoy "dick measuring contests" and your OP was a smug and self satisfied troll?

2. Further to point (1.) a heavier line can be cast at a slower line-speed in a wind and may present better than a 5wt hurled out at mach 10 with a tightloop just over the water...

3. Further to (2.) ever heard of a leader and a tippet? The line is a long way away from the fly in terms of presentation anyway.

4. A decent caster can fish expertly with a 7wt in a dead calm and present the line just as delicately. It's not about the weight of the line it's about the way it's presented to fall upon the water. If you can't cast a 7wt floater to land gossamer light then you may have casting problems of your own?

5. Line weight is often a side issue for prats who see some snobbery in using a light line. For starters you'll never snap your line playing a fish (even a 3wt is good to 20+lb) you break your tippet so you aren't "overgunned" even with an 11wt.

6. Whether there's as much fun playing the fish is also less of an issue with ressie and loch fishing which for many is more about catching multiple fish than playing them for ages, and if catch and release is the game you can bully larger fish to the bank quickly with the test curve of the rod (assuming a strong enough tippet) and avoid playing them to the point of death on overlight gear.

So there's a few arguments to offset your original post, but actually I'm not going to fall into your trap and attempt to dictate how you fish. If a 5wt suits you, great. If you really think that others are missing out and want to help, then explain why rather than make a sweeping statement about being over-gunned...

Overgunned in what way?

Yep that seems to sum it all up. never thought of the dick thing

Got to remember that one

All the best T.K

did you really write all that then wonder what he ment