On 5 Dec, 21:02, wrote:

thanks for the replies. The blank I builit the rod on is rated 6wt but
I have a hard time believing that is the optimal weight to through
with it. When I strung it with 6wt line if felt like I was throwing a
stick through a mudwall even with 15-20ft out if I went to 30 flex was
felt under the cork...when I switched to 5 it opened up and cast like
a dream with minimal effort. The reason I asked is that I have read
that newer wf lines are designed for fast action rods and wasn't sure
if it was the same with dt. I have some dt4 maybe I'll try that lots
of snow here in Cleveland today so that might postpone it for a bit.
Thanks again,
Brian

There is no "rating" as such for blanks, or rods either for that
matter. The only rating applies to the line.

If the rod is bending to the corks with 30 feet of line out, then
there are basically two possibilities, you are overloading it, (= line
is too heavy) or you are trying to cast too fast. The "rating" as such
is actually meaningless.

Obviously you can cast it with a #5 WF so that indicates that a #6 is
simply too heavy.

Slow rods also require a slow casting action.

The only design feature of any real significance on any line is the
weight per foot. It is basically immaterial whether a rod is fast or
slow. A WF line exactly matched to a rod will cast very well, and a
shooting head best of all.

With regard to a DT , if the rod is overloaded with a #6WF, and casts
reasonably well with a #5 WF, then the only real option is to try a
#4DT, as using anything else will simply overload it at anything but
very short range.

TL
MC