Hi Ben
Sorry, there was a small bug in my last post.
It should have been the 6wt. MED I prefer to have on the HT for the whole range of line lengths to be handeled while offering me the best feeling of rod-line corresponding.
This thread to me wasn't about matching the rod to the line, but finding the best line weight for a given rod.
You are right, others prefer different rods for the same line.
The question is, does a high percentage of casters prefer (almost) the same line weight for the given rod?
To me, yes...
To your question... No, it is not, because (I think) we already have a system that does a good job. As Lasse I do believe that most rods will fit fine with the line weight the rod designers recommended. Since you offered to think about different rods that (identical to the HT) are all labeled as 6wt. rods, I think you kind of agree on this?
Let's take an example:
A student will ask me which Barrio SLX fly line to use on the HT fly rod.
On the Barrio website I find:
head length: 10m
WF4F-10 grams, WF5F-12 grams, WF6F-13.6 grams, WF7F-15.2 grams, WF8F-17.5 grams
The HT is quite stiff for a 6wt. rod in my book. ERN is 7,2 and AA 70.
The student probably will not cast with much of overhang but use the head length most of the times.
10 grams I think most fly fishermen would find significant too light on that rod.
12 grams I think still would feel very light to many of us.
17,5 gram I think will feel very heavy (in the average situation) on that rod.
So my recommendation would be in the 6-7 wt. corner for the SLX-HT combination.
Personally I would take the 7wt. here. But I could also think of the 6wt. for little more stiffness, if desired.
Especially on Spey casts (little less bend compared to overhead) I recommend the SLX 7wt. here.
Let's have an additional view to other fly lines:
Tellis offers a new Spey line:
#5 - 14 gram (12m head length)
#6 - 16 gram
#7 - 18 gram
I would recommend to use the 6wt. here (12m is little longer compared to the SLX head).
Loop Oti Stream
#5 - 12 gram (head: 10,8m)
#6 - 14 gram
#7 - 16,5 gram
#8 - 18 gram
I would recommend the 6wt. here. Maybe the 7wt. for a beginner in Spey casting.
So we find 13,6 - 16 gram for a 6wt. head in the length between 10 and 12m here.
All in all that (I think) matches well with the label "6wt." on the HT.
Which head weight would you recommend, Ben (let's talk SLX) and why is that?
(Your 6wt. Helios TF shouldn't be too different from the HT?)
Greets
Bernd
p.s.: Alex, a level line works quite well behind a shooting head
Otherwise it will have a strong turnover for huge flies if you like.