MED Line for practice?

[Bendix]

Hi All

I am contemplating on purchasing a MED line in a 5wt for casting practice on grass.

The thing is, that I go practicing my cast every once in a while, typically using rods rated for 5 and 6wt lines (mostly 6wt). I have always been practicing with the lines that I also use for fishing, since this has made most sense for me.

But for an intermediate caster like me, who will be practicing fishing casts, and not competition casting, will it make any sense at all, to use a 5wt MED line for my training sessions, or should I just stick with what I’m using now?

The things I usually practice, is distance casts, and presentation/precision casts.

/Bendix

[bartdezwaan]

Hi Bendix,

I would advice you to, if possible, try one before you buy.
I know a lot of good casters and instructors who do not like the MED.

Cheers, Bart

[Paul Arden]

Hi Bendix,

My advice is this, almost every instructor has a MED, every comp caster uses this line and it is the line for the world championships. At some point in our progression as a flycaster it becomes an essential line to have. I recommend it to all my intermediate level students.

There is a fishing version at 105’ and a 120’ version in orange. An alternative training line is a DT.

Cheers, Paul

[bartdezwaan]

I find this quit a statement Paul.
There is not a single instructor in Holland who uses this line. They might have one, but the instructors I spoke did not like it. Over the years I have also spoke quit some UK instructors too, and am not aware many of them use the MED.
Bendix made it clear that his main purpose is not distance casting. Competition casting is the only reason I would tell someone he really needs the MED.

I hope more people jump into this thread. I would really like to know how most feel about this. I am hesitant to advice this line. This is just my experience talking to other casters. As you probably know, I love it myself.

Cheers, Bart

[Paul Arden]

Hi Bart,

I think one of the key areas for advancement as a flycaster is a longer carry. It involves tracking, delayed rotation, improved double haul and indeed lots of key form elements. A MED or DT (or Thunderbolt or 125) are all good lines for this.

If someone doesn’t like it, then I think that’s actually a good reason to train with it, because the only real reason not to like it is because carry is an issue. Yep the front is a bit loaded weight wise with the MED but I think those are fishing considerations not casting ones.

There are not many lines I recommend for intermediate casters but this is actually one of them! Failing that I would recommend a DT. I think everyone should have a long belly line and preferably one that is true to weight.

Cheers, Paul

[bartdezwaan]

Hi Paul,

I agree with all your points about why you should want to learn to cast the MED.
Thing is, I used to advice people to buy one. There is not a single person who came back to me and said “wow, great advice”. They all hate it.
I am quit sure that if I would say that they should learn to cast it, most of them would think “go f### yourself”. Many of this people are instructors and are happy to cast a nice line to 90ft. Who am I to tell them it is not enough?

Cheers, Bart

[Bendix]

Hi

Thanks for the replies.

@Bart
I don’t have any opportunity to try the MED, but I can purchase one at wholesale price. So it won’t be too expensive to get one... But you do have some interesting points, which has given me some things to consider.

@Paul
The interesting thing you say, is that the MED is good for practicing how to carry a long line. Because one of the things I have been practicing with my 5wt rod, is to carry the fly to the target (during dry fly fishing) rather than shooting the distance. I find this approach to be more accurate (regarding what I said about practicing accuracy).

One of the lines I have now for this purpose, is a Scientific Anglers VPT in a 5wt, which is bang on in regards to AFFTA standards (according to the box... I haven’t bothered to measure) and it has a 13,4 meter head, which I think is close to what you call a line with a long head. This is also the line I have used for my dry fly fishing during last years season.

/Bendix

[Graeme H]

I have a couple of MEDs, but I don't use them for practice. Only for (vainly) measuring of myself against others using the line as a standard.

Get a brightly coloured DT line or two and practice with them. They are much cheaper, can be reversed and allow you to practice carrying the full line length. Plus, they are great for fishing!

Cheers,
Graeme

[Paul Arden]

Hi Bart, well I think it depends on why it’s being recommended. If it’s to go fishing I would not recommend it without knowing more details. But since it’s about intermediate and beyond casting training then I have no hesitancy in recommending it... and learning to cast it. In fact I did exactly this last week for one of my students who was trying to learn distance casting technique with a MPX.

Hi Bendix, if SA say it’s true to weight then it is. That’s a 44’ head. The MED is 68’ in that weight. A training drill that I teach is to measure the maximum carry you can hold. Work on lengthening this carry. Over time you will measure this length getting longer. This is a very simple drill that I find fun, is far less affected by conditions and should be done regularly.

As Graeme writes a DT will accomplish the same result and is certainly an alternative. It is also a line I recommend owning. Where I like the MED is the head length is around perfect length for turning around large D loops.

Cheers, Paul

[Torsten]

The MED is here sold in the online shops for 100€, quite expensive for a training line, grass wears lines quickly. Although, in the same shop the SA Amplitude DT costs 140€ (I think the US companies got completely mad with their pricing). I've bought recently a chinese line from Amazon incl. shipping for 10€ and found it quite OK!

Torsten.