Which line weight for a multi rated rod?

[alanj]

Hi,
Which line weight should I choose for a rod that has multiple ratings?

My friend has just acquired an old Hardy Richard Walker "Farnborough" #7/8 2 piece rod. One of the early graphite rods I believe.
It came with a bright orange line that has been stored, along with the rod, for around 20-25 years. ( By stored I mean shoved in the back of a cupboard. )
Sadly despite a lot of cleaning, stretching and silicone applications it still resembles a slinky. Despite this it does seem to cast very nicely.
So time for a new one.
I have no idea what weight or make it is, but it is enormously long! The line seems to be around 150+ feet ( guestimate )and there is almost no backing.

So what should I be looking at to replace it? Should I go #7 or #8? Does it make much difference?

Usage will be for a beginner fishing some local, smallish, still waters in UK. So basically needs to be easy to cast.
I'm thinking a Bario GT125 looks a good fit. Same colour and cheapish. But 7 or 8?

Cheers
Alan

[Bendix]

Hi Alan

I won’t suggest any lines, as I don’t know the rod, or the Barrio line you mention. Maybe others will know better than me.

But when they wrote #7/8 on the rods back in the day, they typically meant that you should use a #7 DT line, or an #8 WF line.

Hope this helps a bit.

Cheers, Bendix

[Paul Arden]

It’s possible to weigh the first 10 yards of the current line with some accurate scales. Otherwise as Bendix says back then it was a DT7 or WF8. I don’t know of a commercially available flyline that was 150’ long!

Cheers, Paul

[Lasse Karlsson]

I don’t know of a commercially available flyline that was 150’ long!

Cheers, Paul

Snowbee extreme distance was/is 150 feet long
Snowbee also had one where the core extended outside the flyline so you would get both a flyline and backing for your reel..

Cheers
Lasse

[alanj]

Thanks guys,

I don't recall any obvious taper when cleaning the line. It did take up pretty much the entire spool - backing was less than 20 yards of mono. I assume it is a DT. I'll measure it properly when its replaced, but for the moment its fine for practice casting in a farmyard!

I'll get the Bario in #8. ( https://www.flylineshop.com/shop.html#! ... y=10329715 )

Cheers
Alan

[Paul Arden]

You’re right Lasse. Forgot about that one. The only other one I know was a MED line with a mono core that Bruce rolled off and gave a few away. But to find such a line on a reel… wasn’t there a Barstool line that was 140’? It has memory stored in coils but it might have been like this when new.

Cheers, Paul

[James9118]

I think the Snowbee ED 150ft line was a dual colour (orange and white I seem to recall). Could it be an original Barrio GT140 - I think these were all orange (or white) and ~140ft long?

James

[alanj]

The new line has arrived so when I go over to fit it I'll measure the old one.
Cheers
Alan

[Paul Arden]

You don’t need scissors Alan!

https://www.sexyloops.com/index.php/ps/ ... 6-7or-an-8

[alanj]

Oooh good link, thanks. Ordered some dealer scales ( only £9.99 now ) so will see.