On 5 Sep, 01:28, Mike wrote:
On 5 Sep, 01:03, wrote:

I'm looking for a medium/slow 5wt. Have a 2pc 8' 6" St. Croix Premier
now and it doesn't fit my casting style that well always feel rushed.
Any help appreciated,
Thanks,
Brian

You can slow the rod down quite appreciably by putting a heavier line
on it. In this case, probably half a #6, or even half a #7. This is
worth trying before you spend money on another rod.

This is because rod action is also dependent on the loading.

Slow rods in the lower price brackets are getting harder and harder to
find. This is a reflection of the general tendency towards faster
rods. Also, try the drifting mentioned elsewhere. This gives you more
time when casting.

TL
MC

Something else you might like to consider, is the following
phenomenon. Many people always cast about the same length of line, the
length they feel most comfortable with. Rather than extend, or even
shorten line, they move position. This is not "wrong" as such, but
very limiting. It may also scare fish under many circumstances.

If you aerialise a little more line, then you automatically slow down
the rod, and of course the cast itself. In order to train this a
little, cast at targets on your lawn, which are set at different
distances.

Per definition, and assuming correct rating, and a reasonable caster,
any given rod will cast thirty feet of the rated line best. This is
of course not always the case. For some casters it will cast best at
forty feet, or even more. Make sure you try casting at different
ranges before you finally decide a rod does not suit you, and overline
it if necessary to make it more comfortable at shorter ranges. On a
#5 weight line, with ~ 4.66r grains per foot, The ideal length and
weight is thirty feet of line at 140 grains. The ideal weight remains
the same, regardless of the length of line. ( Of course all rods will
cast a lot more than their ideal rated weight).

If you use a piece of #6 weight line at ~5.33r grains per foot, then
you have the ideal casting weight outside the rod tip at ~ 26 feet of
line.

140 grains /5.33grains per foot = 26.3 feet

for a #7 line 6.166 grains per foot. 140 grains/ 6. 166 grains per
foot = 22.7 feet.


This is often overlooked entirely.

Many people move on to faster rods as their casting improves, and this
will certainly give more distance, if you can handle them, but many
medium rods are more comfortable to fish with. Very soft rods have
problems of their own, and are not usually very good tools for many
casters.

TL
MC