TFO 11′ 5wt. Spey??
- This topic has 22 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated Nov 25, 2006 at 11:15 pm by
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I have just ordered a TFO 11ft for 5wt rod, it should arrive this weekend. This will be my #4 rod at 11ft and designed for two handed overhead/spey casting. I also have several 12 1/2ft rods for 6wt and 8wt spey lines,,,they are too heavy for the smaller rivers and trout/smallmouth fishing in southern N.E. My larger rods are 14ft, 15ft and 16ft all for 10/11wt spey lines.
The way I like to handle the longer rods when stripping line is to tuck the rod under the casting arm and strip with two hands,,,,,this is a long time saltwater technique to accomodate the heavy 9ft 10wt-11wt striper rods and heavy reels.
The TFO 11ft 5wt is designed to spey cast with the Rio 5/6 Windcutter line or overhead cast with a standard WF 5 or 6wt line. I will begin the overhead line selection with a SA WF6F Nymph line,,,the new design has a total head length of 66ft and should be good for turning over heavy flies. I also have the Rio 5/6 Windcutter to test, this line is too light for my 12 1/2ft 6wt spey rods, one is the TFO 6126-4 and the second is a Sage 6126-3 in Graphite IV.
I also have the Sage 11ft for 6wt which at present has a cork handle designed for single handed casting, it is due for modificaitons later this winter with a 6″ butt extension. It will spey cast a 6wt WF6F or WF7F very nicely. My other two 11ft rods are the CND Atlantis series, the 9/10wt and the 11/12wt, these are made for two handed overhead casting and work great with Rio Outbound lines and 40-45ft shooting heads.
In the three day class I attended with Jim Vincent and Simon Gawesworth of Rio,,,,they demonstriated exceptional spey casting distance and line control with a 9ft 5wt rod. It is all about technique and timing not the exact line matching to the rod or nothing works. Everyone in the class had a different casting level and we had a pile of demo rods (approximately 40 rods) and every Rio line made for selection and test casting. Some students liked the heavy load and full flex bending and others preferred the lighter lines and faster action rods. They all worked if the basic principles of casting were followed.
Great discussion and very different views on the 11ft rods.
Regards,
FK
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