No, not at all. I think it's a very solid 6wt. I think it can handle small streamers but not much more than size 8, maybe size 6 with no weight. I think it has to do with expectations. If you are used to underlined 6wt graphite rods that are really 7wt or 8wt rods, it probably doesn't seem to meet up with that kind of power. My son has a Steffen 8.5' 5/6 2pc and it's a 6wt in my hands, no doubt. It is lovely, extremely capable, and yes powerful 6wt in my opinion. If you think it's a 5wt, then your expectations should be for what a 5wt can do which isn't the kind of flies you say you want to cast with it. Now don't get me wrong, I don't think graphite 6wts should be much different. But things sure have changed with what a 6wt should be expected to do. A 6wt should be able to do small streamers but also do dry fly work as a versatile rod. These days, with graphite being way under rated, people think think they should be powerful streamer rods. It's because fly rod companies under rate their rods for marketing reasons. They do it because prospective buyers rate rods now on how far they can cast in the parking lot, now how well they cast certain flies at 30ft. Just look at how Yellowstone Angler rates their rods. They don't even put 5 wt lines on their tested 5wts. They put 5.5 wt lines on them. Why? Because it takes a 5.5 wt line at a minimum to make them bend properly so that you can feel what they are doing. They aren't 5 wt rods any more. They are 5.5wt or 6wt rods at best. They talk around the really stiff rods but rate them lower but even the 5.5 wt rods should be rated lower because they don't do what a 5 wt rod is supposed to do, cast a 5wt line. It's time for us to step back and get real about what rods should do at their rated line wts. This has NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING to do with glass vs. graphite. It has to do with how rods are being rated. The relevance is that the graphite rod market is diseased with this problem, more so than the fiberglass market who is a more educated demographic that understands this issue better.

Have had an 8'6" 5/6 for 6 years. Have just fished it with a 5DTF. Does everything I want it to do: #10 streamers, #12-#16 wets, #12-#16 beadheads, #12-#16 dries. Handles rainbows and browns up to 6 pounds on medium streams and lakes. Have never had a 6wt. on it. Don't think the rod is designed to handle large streamers or beadheads.

I'd never get a glass rod to fish streamers. Actually, I wouldn't fish streamers period, but that's beside the point.

Glass for me are dry fly rods.

If your throwing large streamers on any 5 or 6 wt rod using a standard 5 or 6 wt line, you'll likely be disappointed. This is where mini skagit heads really shine...not to mention all of the other technique specific lines out there.

Cheers

Thanks Clarckman23 !!
When I fish large streamers I generally use a # 7 Loop graphite fly rod ( 3 pieces ) with floating line or shooting taper . Last summer I fished ( my first time ) a Opst skagit commando head and was very good because I was in a river where I could not cast backward because trees but if I have the choice and have enough space I prefer fishing with WF lines that make better flies presentations .

Regards !

Skookum- If you like it with a 5wt that is what the rod is for you and Mark designed it to throw a 5wt line in his (the designers) opinion. Some may prefer it with a 6wt and that is what the rod is to them.

Although I do not own any of Marks rods I have in the past, and they seem to handle both lines equally well for me although I generally preferred them with the lighter line.

My only 6wt glass is a 4pce (can't tell it from the 2pce I owned action wise), a TMR Streamer Special, which handles streamers and junk quite well up to size #6 weighted. I have never tried the rod with a 5 though as the 6wt seems perfect for it.

So I guess in the end the owner determines what or which line they prefer on their specific rod. Taking others advice may not satisfy you. By the way there are a plethora of graphite rods on the market both new and vintage that handle their designated line weights just fine.