WF-lines for parabolic rods/DT-lines for standard tapers?

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maruoff
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WF-lines for parabolic rods/DT-lines for standard tapers?

#1

Post by maruoff »

Hope you and yours are all doing well!!

Its deep winter here. Time to let the mind wander and get on to hairsplitting themes like where to get small partridge feathers for flies smaller #16 and what line-type is best for which rod/taper etc. pp...

Despite the cold I managed to get out and cast a few lines and rods with a friend.

Our findings were interesting:
we mostly cast longer rods in the 8-8.5ft category e.g. Howells, Powell, Winston, Heddon, Pezon etc.

There was a tendency in the longer "standard" rods to be quite unstable and "nervous" when coupled with WF-lines. DTs seemed to make the rods smoother and easier to cast. The rods

The parabolic rods e.g. like the Pezons definitely liked and handled the WF-lines with a more agressive front taper better. This is what I find for shorter parabolics as well.

Have you made similar "discoveries" reg. WF and DT-lines?
Could also well be that the longer vintage rods were especially made for DTs of course and dont respond well to the more agressive front tapers of WF-lines (because of the thinner tips?). A DT-silk was superb as one can imagine so that would speak for that "theory".

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ibookje
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Re: WF-lines for parabolic rods/DT-lines for standard tapers?

#2

Post by ibookje »

Interesting experiment Marcus.

With DTs (and WF with the belly part not out yet) the heavier belly part in the guides of the rod adds mass to the rod while casting. This is more noticeable with longer rods. Simply because there is more line (=mass).

Rods with softer tips also have a more noticeable difference. When casting a WF, once the belly is out of the tip guide the tip of the rod gets all the force. With a DT the mid and butt section gets to work too as those parts are also carrying the mass. The result is that the casting feels smoother, less nervous.

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mer
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Re: WF-lines for parabolic rods/DT-lines for standard tapers?

#3

Post by mer »

"What is parabolic"
Traditionally, smaller butt section and a little heavier tip (simplified and based on what Ritz said). So a parabolic under load bends at the butt first and at some point, it just won't bend any more, so more loading gets the middle bending.

"Standard/progressive/semiparabolic"
They typically load from the tip to the butt, the opposite of the parabolics. Simplify "once the belly of a WF line is out the tip there is relatively little loading added". To me that means the rod won't bend further down. What if at that point the rod has a hinge in it by design? I think you could wind up with the rod feeling nervous. A little less load and you're above the hinge. A little more and you're below it. Since a DT line is always adding load as you extend it, you wind up bringing more of the rod into play. So feels less nervous.

Wasn't it Garrison that made a comment when asked about parabolic rods along the lines of "Well that should really catapult the line".

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quashnet
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Re: WF-lines for parabolic rods/DT-lines for standard tapers?

#4

Post by quashnet »

Late in 1949, when Paul H. Young felt that he had perfected the taper for the Parabolic 15, he used an HDG Ashaway nylon fly line for his lake fishing, but an HDH silk line "for stream use, where close up work is required." The nine-foot PHY Nymph Rod of the late 1940s was also marked for HDG or HDH lines, depending on the circumstances. When I visited Michigan and fished the Boardman River and the North Branch of the Au Sable, I was amazed to find how well an original Para 15 (built by PHY in October 1954) worked with a DT5F line in those settings that influenced PHY's thinking about rod design. As Hexagenia flies emerged at twilight in a North Branch pool, upstream curve casting with the double-taper line gently placed a big dry just where I wanted. It was a different game on the Boardman one afternoon. One practical point, that we don't always think about when test-casting a rod, is its ability to roll cast. The Para 15 consistently roll-cast the same DT5F line across the width of the river and deposited a small nymph within a couple of feet of the far shore. The DT line also allows for better mending of the fly line across the current flow. Among the smaller parabolic rods, the 7'2" PHY Driggs is a superb roll caster with which I always fish a double-taper line. I would use a WF line for powerful parabolic rods in long-distance fishing situations. It doesn't matter how well the line mends if you can't reach the fish. But otherwise, a DT line often seems to be my best choice for trout fishing.
Please visit and bookmark the Paul H. Young Rod Database
Image
Other rod databases: Dickerson , Orvis , Powell

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Flykuni3
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Re: WF-lines for parabolic rods/DT-lines for standard tapers?

#5

Post by Flykuni3 »

Agree w all observations here. In my experience my many soft rods feel nervous, overworked and abused w WFs. At castarounds Ive mounted reels from others and at first cast Ive stopped—why didnt you tell me this is a WF? And its off the rod asap.

(I have a coupla para-style rods, and one Para 15, and rarely use them these days.)

Booman2
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Re: WF-lines for parabolic rods/DT-lines for standard tapers?

#6

Post by Booman2 »

Powell, Winston, Howells.... Some fantastic rods to cast. My experience is with Howells and Winston and with my limited skills, I can make most lines work, except those made 1/2 side heavier. I do know that Gary Howells used Chalkstream Masterlines and Sci Anglers. Masterlines are long gone, and Sci Anglers tapers have changed many times, so I guess that what works will vary.
Great thread. PMD16 is an expert with Howells, Winston and Powell rods and may chime in.

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Flykuni3
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Re: WF-lines for parabolic rods/DT-lines for standard tapers?

#7

Post by Flykuni3 »

Yes to the Chalkstream Chancells, hv two and am babying them along.

Cross Creek
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Re: WF-lines for parabolic rods/DT-lines for standard tapers?

#8

Post by Cross Creek »

I hated both parabolic tapers and WF lines until I tried them together. Now it’s my favorite combination. Too bad it took me nearly 50 years to figure it out, lol.

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maruoff
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Re: WF-lines for parabolic rods/DT-lines for standard tapers?

#9

Post by maruoff »

Cross Creek: LOL indeed!

Took me only 35 years so guess am well in time!

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