I may have gotten my lines mixed up

This board is for discussing concerns of fishing bamboo fly rods. Examples would be, lines, actions, classic and modern makers actions and the like.

Moderators: pmcroberts, uniphasian

Post Reply
Mister Bill
Master Guide
Posts: 784
Joined: 12/25/11 08:20

I may have gotten my lines mixed up

#1

Post by Mister Bill »

I have two identical Rio line models, one for WF 4 wt and the other WF 5 wt.

I think I may have gotten them mixed up the way I marked them on their spools, and then again, maybe not.

Besides a scale, which I do not have, is there a way to tell which is the # 4 and the # 5?

Can you tell by looking at them at the same given distance?

I have a micrometer. What part should I measure?

I could also rig up both and comparison cast, but I am looking for a lazier way.

User avatar
jhuskey
Bamboo Fanatic
Posts: 6334
Joined: 12/14/12 15:45
Location: IL

Re: I may have gotten my lines mixed up

#2

Post by jhuskey »

Just measure through the head of each line, the WF5 should be fairly consistently thicker, but just by a hair

Mister Bill
Master Guide
Posts: 784
Joined: 12/25/11 08:20

Re: I may have gotten my lines mixed up

#3

Post by Mister Bill »

Thanks.

It worked.

Close call, but it worked.

.02 inch difference.

It turned out that I had not switched them, but I was second guessing myself so bad that it was driving me crazy.

I have TMB.

Too Many Birthdays.
Last edited by Mister Bill on 10/16/21 15:28, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
ibookje
Bamboo Fanatic
Posts: 5019
Joined: 12/23/04 19:00
Location: The Netherlands
Contact:

Re: I may have gotten my lines mixed up

#4

Post by ibookje »

When identified get a sharpie and mark the tip of the line. Short stripe is one line weight, a long stripe is five line weights. Never to be mistaken!

User avatar
SpringCreek
Bamboo Fanatic
Posts: 3202
Joined: 02/24/07 19:00
Location: Wildwood, MO
Contact:

Re: I may have gotten my lines mixed up

#5

Post by SpringCreek »

You can also lay them down side by side and compare the head length. The 5wt will likely be about a foot longer than the 4 wt.
Then as it was, then again it will be. Though the course may change sometimes, rivers always reach the sea. - Led Zeppelin, 10 Years Gone

http://www.splittingcane.com

User avatar
Hellmtflies
Bamboo Fanatic
Posts: 8036
Joined: 01/14/12 10:27
Location: Bozeman, Montana

Re: I may have gotten my lines mixed up

#6

Post by Hellmtflies »

ibookje wrote:
10/16/21 13:55
When identified get a sharpie and mark the tip of the line. Short stripe is one line weight, a long stripe is five line weights. Never to be mistaken!
Or, make 4 lines perpendicular on the line for the 4 and 5 for the 5. Simple. But that needs to be done long before you mix them up. :)

User avatar
ibookje
Bamboo Fanatic
Posts: 5019
Joined: 12/23/04 19:00
Location: The Netherlands
Contact:

Re: I may have gotten my lines mixed up

#7

Post by ibookje »

Well with so many stripes can be a bit hard to distinguish, hence the thicker/longer stripe for a #5 :)

kakaryan
Guide
Posts: 173
Joined: 04/16/17 11:41

Re: I may have gotten my lines mixed up

#8

Post by kakaryan »

Just get a rod to cast them and feel which one is heavier.......easy.......Should be pretty obvious, provided that they are identical model.

User avatar
Hellmtflies
Bamboo Fanatic
Posts: 8036
Joined: 01/14/12 10:27
Location: Bozeman, Montana

Re: I may have gotten my lines mixed up

#9

Post by Hellmtflies »

ibookje wrote:
10/16/21 14:40
Well with so many stripes can be a bit hard to distinguish, hence the thicker/longer stripe for a #5 :)
So, you're say'en dat count'en up to 5 is too much for ya? :)

User avatar
ibookje
Bamboo Fanatic
Posts: 5019
Joined: 12/23/04 19:00
Location: The Netherlands
Contact:

Re: I may have gotten my lines mixed up

#10

Post by ibookje »

That and eye sight is playing tricks on me :)

User avatar
Flykuni3
Bamboo Fanatic
Posts: 3267
Joined: 12/21/11 14:11
Location: California

Re: I may have gotten my lines mixed up

#11

Post by Flykuni3 »

You gotta strip out the entire length of the running line, then carefully measure every 2', add up the total, and then divide by two...kidding people kidding.

Bill Terry
Guide
Posts: 264
Joined: 11/28/20 16:55

Re: I may have gotten my lines mixed up

#12

Post by Bill Terry »

A lot of lines nowadays are labelled. Otherwise, if two lines are the same brand and model, the micrometer should work. If not, the best way would be to coil up the first 30 feet and weigh them, but you need a scale accurate to the nearest hundredth of an ounce.
Ad piscatoribus sunt omnes res secundi.

h.l.bro
Member
Posts: 15
Joined: 05/12/20 15:48

Re: I may have gotten my lines mixed up

#13

Post by h.l.bro »

I have a small scale that I put a plastic cup on, then press the tare button and put 30' of flyline in the cup. The one I use cost about $15 on Amazon
https://smile.amazon.com/Magnum-1000-Di ... 028&sr=8-2
and it will measure in grains, grams, ounces, etc.

User avatar
Mike1227
Sport
Posts: 55
Joined: 12/17/17 12:34
Location: SW Idaho

Re: I may have gotten my lines mixed up

#14

Post by Mike1227 »

kakaryan wrote:
10/16/21 14:55
Just get a rod to cast them and feel which one is heavier.......easy.......Should be pretty obvious, provided that they are identical model.
If they were true to weight there would only be 20 grains difference. If the 4 was on the low side, and the 5 on the high side, the difference could be as much as 40 grains. 40 grains is almost 1/10 of an ounce, not to mention you would need exactly the same length out of the rod tip.
Maybe it's just not that easy.
Maybe you could tell the difference, but I could not.

User avatar
Anglers Cane
Guide
Posts: 183
Joined: 12/22/04 19:00
Location: Western Pa.

Re: I may have gotten my lines mixed up

#15

Post by Anglers Cane »

ibookje wrote:
10/16/21 14:40
Well with so many stripes can be a bit hard to distinguish, hence the thicker/longer stripe for a #5 :)
I can count to 5. Easy! To make it even easier, I mark 5 rings on my 5 weights just past the line/leader connection; 4 on my 4's, etc...
Black magic marker for Triangle tapers, blue for weight forward.

Post Reply

Return to “Fishing Bamboo Fly Rods”