You won't break the rod, so trying it won't hurt.
In theory, there is a standard classification system (AFTMA) that manufacturers are supposed to adhere to when they rate fly lines. It is based on the weight of first 30' of line. When rod manufacurers rate a rod, they are supposed to rate it based on the standard fly line weights.
In practice, fly rods are rated by the manufacturers to cast a certain weight line at an intended normal fishing distance. For instance, an 8' 4 wt is almost certainly going to be a small stream trout rod for relatively light flies and close in fishing. As such, a manufacurer may rate the rod a 4, but design it to throw 20' of a 4 wt line since you'll not often have that much line out on a smal stream. If they designed it for a full 30' of line and you're only casting 15-20' of line, the rod won't load fully and will feel stiff and lifeless. On the other end of the spectrum, a 9' 9 wt is most likely a saltwater searching rod. Guys using that rod are probably banging out a full line all day in search of stripers and blues on the beach. Those rods are designed to throw a long line so they are rated a 9 wt line, but load best with 45-50' of a 9 wt line. If they designed them with 30' in mind, the long line guys would say that the rod was underpowered which is a critical sin for a saltwater rod.
One difficulty is when you don't know what the rod was designed for. A 9' 6 wt can be an all around rod, it can be a big stream trout rod, or it can be a light saltwater rod. If the manufacturer doesn't tell you, then you could be in for a surprise if you wanted a nice relaxed all arounder and got an agressive light saltwater rod. I've come across it more than a few times building rods when the blank looks great on paper but when you have it in your hand it doesn't match what the customer wanted. It wasn't designed for the same applications.
Fly rods will actually cast a fairly wide range of overall weight. I'm going to make some assumptions on your rod, but I think I'll be fairly close. It is rated a 5-6 wt rod so it is going to fish a 6 wt line a little closer or a 5 wt line a little further. The standard line weight for those lines is 140 and 160 grains as per AFTMA. So already your rod is 'rated' for a range of line weights. With a 7/8 wt line, you'll be in a similar grain weight with about 15-20' of line out.
Then consider that your 5/6 should have no problems with 15-45' of a 6 wt line. That means you can actually cast a range of weight from a bit over 100 grains to pushing 200 grains! Wouldn't you know, 200 grains is halfway between the standard 7 and 8 wt lines.
The consequences of using heavier or lighter lines is that the rod will feel different. It will load deeper with more weight and won't cast it as far or be as responsive in doing it. With lighter lines a rod might feel lifeless until you're throwing 60'.
Thanks
Rick
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. im only fishing rivers so what line would you choose? #5 or #6 weight? the rod is 5/6. its a svangsta rod. anyone ever here of them? i can really find much out about it on net.
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