I have used 6wt and 7 wt for bass fishing. Now I see others using 8wt, 9wt, and even 10wt lines and rods. I always thought 7 wt line and rods were the standard
for bass fishing. What's up with using larger wt lines?
photo by Cameron |
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What line wt should be used for large mouth bass?
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 omnivfly |
What line wt should be used for large mouth bass? |
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Sport
Posts: 10 (07/14/08 22:19:58) |
Last Edited By: omnivfly 07/14/08 22:28:48.
Edited 1 time.
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Cameron |
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Master Guide
Posts: 2094 (07/14/08 22:32:09) Moderator and Chat Room Host |
I'm with you omnivfly...I use a six or a seven weight for all my bass fishing. An eight weight or larger just seemed like overkill to me. I believe the
heavier weight rods are usually used is to aid in casting the large hair bugs and other meaty flies.
http://thefiberglassmanifesto.blogspot.com/
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Rockthief |
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Master Guide
Posts: 759 (07/14/08 22:56:25) Master Guide |
those big lines are used for yanking the lmb out of thick weeds and such. Does not seem like good sport, but I tell you that bass have got me good on a six
weight getting into the thick pond weeds. With a bigger rod I could have got them out. Still, ten weight seems like too much.
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 beauglass |
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Master Guide
Posts: 304 (07/15/08 06:58:20) Sport |
The deer hair bugs that I have just can't be fished with anything less than an 8wt. I'm sure I could tie them smaller but just haven't.
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yuhina |
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Master Guide
Posts: 950 (07/15/08 07:12:28) Master Guide |
Cameron wrote: I agree with Cameron, there are certain ratio between fly and the fly line. If the flies become too bulky or heavy, it will off balance
and make casting clunky. I think ,to me, it always flies size dictact my fly line choice.
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pearow |
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Master Guide
Posts: 1217 (07/15/08 07:24:26) Master Guide |
Again Cameron is right on about the line weight. The larger lines will turn over the bigger flies. I prefer to fish for bass with a 5 weight, but the larger
lines make it much easier to cast the big flies. The only other reason I have for fishing bigger line and rods is the vegetation we have. Bass live and thrive
in water with a high oxygen content, which is generally in weeds, grasses, mossbeds, lilly pads, etc. It takes a big rod to horse a big bass out of such
places. I overline a rod with a heavier line if I'm fishing tight quarters because the rod will load with 20 feet of line out, making casting easier and
more accurate casts are the result. For me flies to be cast and structure to be fished dictate rod and line weights generally speaking.-p-
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mdwwhw |
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Master Guide
Posts: 232 (07/15/08 08:56:11) Guide |
Pearow knows bass and habitat. With a 7 wt , say a 2-4 sized hook bass bug and a good breeze, I can't get anywhere with my casts. 8 wt, even overlined to
a 9 wt line on an 8 wt rod, is what it takes to move those suckers, especially when they are wet and you're trying to get into the weeds and brush or get
the fish out of the same. Bill Tapply of Bass Bug Fishing (and many other notable works) recommends a 9 ft 8 wt rod of a different substance than we usually
discuss here. I'll often use just 4 ft or so of 12 lb mono for a leader on a level or wf line. My 8 wt glass rods run 7'9 to 8'6".
Now, I'm not a great caster and I'm often in a canoe. |
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majicwrench |
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Master Guide
Posts: 801 (07/15/08 09:30:08) |
Like has been said, the bigger rods throw bigger flies with ease. I use my FF98 with a 10wt line a LOT for bass and pike, it will throw a big bass bug a
loooong way with absolute ease, and can also deal with a spinner/fly combo well. Big flies on lighter rods/lines are just way too much work, casting becomes a
chore instead of fun. As far as being good sport, a ten inch bass feels about the same on a ten weight as it does on a seven weight. The sport is in the hunt,
the strike.
Keith |
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JeffSod |
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Master Guide
Posts: 800 (07/15/08 10:34:27) Master Guide |
I love to catch LMB on a six or seven weight too. The only reason I picked up an 8wt for LMB is to chuck Bugs into and be able to retrieve the catch from places like this- 
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ribs1 |
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Guide
Posts: 90 (07/15/08 20:37:02) |
It all depends on the size of the fly to me. If you are chucking monster deer hair poppers and dalhberg divers and such then maybe an 8wt. Most of the time I
fish a 7 for largemouth.
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CaBassKingDumb |
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Sport
Posts: 51 (07/15/08 21:25:53) Sport |
How big are the bass? Huge flies=huge bass. Here in Ca. double digits are common... -ray |
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