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Re: Nobody likes 4 wts?
Post 10 Jul 2022, 14:03 • #26 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 11/06/17
Posts: 2498
Location: South of Joplin
"SA mastery trout WF 4 "
Thanks, Aurelio. I'll keep that model in mind, if it turns up on special someplace. I've never been a WF fan, because they typically turn into running line too soon, and I've never been able to roll running line.


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Re: Nobody likes 4 wts?
Post 10 Jul 2022, 14:59 • #27 
Guide
Joined: 08/19/16
Posts: 314
Location: Brazil
I most certainly have no dislike for 4-weights. When I really started fly-fishing, lines and rods were already classified with numbers in the AFTMA system. In my area of SW Michigan, 5-weights were about as light as could be found; 4-weights were hard to come by. For that reason, the 5-weight became my go-to for trout fishing. Sometimes a 4/5 rod would seem like a real delight with a 4-weight DT line, making it seem quicker and faster.

That changed for me as 3-weights and lower became a viable option. So nowadays my preference is still for odd-numbered outfits: 1, 3, 5, 7, and then breaking into 8. While it is true that it’s possible to fish with long, fine leaders with pretty small flies using heavier rods, there is one thing to bear in mind. If you’re using something like a 6X or 7X tippet, the lighter rods have a more flexible tip to help protect those fine tippets. By matching fly size, line weight, and tippet size, one can better optimize the fish-fighting potential of all three to land fish faster and more conveniently and safely.

And there's another way to deal with wind. With something like a 4-weight, a silk line, silk substitute, an intermediate or sinking line will offer less air resistance.


Last edited by PampasPete on 10 Jul 2022, 19:33, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Nobody likes 4 wts?
Post 10 Jul 2022, 16:25 • #28 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 10/09/09
Posts: 2796
Location: US-NM
Trev it’s a long belly not you regular WF which I also dislike........Aurelio


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Re: Nobody likes 4 wts?
Post 10 Jul 2022, 16:51 • #29 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 08/25/08
Posts: 1526
Location: Delton, MI
PampasPete wrote:
If you’re using something like a 6X or 7X tippet, the lighter rods have a more flexible tip to help protect those fine tippets. By matching fly size, line weight, and tippet size, one can better optimize the fish-fighting potential of all three to land fish faster and more conveniently and safely.


While there is truth in that, and I can tell by that you know what you’re doing, I sure see a lot of guys using 2 and 3 wts taking a long time fighting larger fish, when they should have a significant bend in their rod. When asked they invariably say they’re using a 3wt (or 2wt) and don’t want to break their rod. Those guys have no business with a rod like that. They do it at the expense of the fish. Why buy it? The rods can take it and are built to do it. I’m not down on 3wts but learn how to use them for crying out loud. About the only time I use 7x though is for Tricos and midges and sometimes use a 8’1” Kenney for that. But my glass 4 and 5 wts seem to protect 6x and occasional 7x just fine. But most of those can cast with just one foot of fly line out. Few graphite rods perform that stunt well and are not as protective of finer tippets. What I use my 8’1” Kenney for the most though is bluegills with 5x and they tend to find a way to jump into my freezer.


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Re: Nobody likes 4 wts?
Post 10 Jul 2022, 17:24 • #30 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/07/18
Posts: 428
Location: US-MA
I think I own close to 10 4wt rods - fiberglass and graphite 3 fiberglass. The 7’ 4wt Fenglass is my favorite fiberglass and maybe my favorite 4wt. Great out East here for a lot of brooks to midsize streams, and for panfish in ponds.


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Re: Nobody likes 4 wts?
Post 10 Jul 2022, 17:44 • #31 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/11/06
Posts: 2516
Location: Nature Coast Florida
One of the nicest rods I ever had was a Sage TXL 7'10" 4wt..

I sold it for some reason to buy other rods. Unfortunately can't afford them all.

Barry


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Re: Nobody likes 4 wts?
Post 10 Jul 2022, 19:36 • #32 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 12/05/06
Posts: 2086
Location: US-PA
I have about 14 4wt rods of various sizes.

Yup, I hate 4wts... ;)


Last edited by Bamboozle on 15 Jul 2022, 04:46, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Nobody likes 4 wts?
Post 10 Jul 2022, 20:35 • #33 
Guide
Joined: 02/27/12
Posts: 233
Location: US-AR
I am all about 4wts. Such an important line weight for me. Dries, nymphs, and streamers. I even own a 8' 4wt designed for light warm water fishing. My list so far

Barclay 8-4 - (Chris calls this the Redeye special. A rod designed around fishing for Redeye bass in Alabama.) A fantastic multi purpose 4wt.
Diamondback Diamondglass 8' 4wt - This is one of the Vermont rolled rods. Such a wonderful casting rod.
********* ********* Glass 7'6" 4wt - A great small stream setup. I like it on the smaller trout streams in Missouri, and take it out west for creek fishing.
Scott G 904-2 - Classic Scott G series from the 1990's. This is my tailwater midge rod. Great on spring creeks.

I do have a couple of rods that cross over between 4wt and 5wts.
Barclay 7'9" 4wt/5wt - It fishes a 4wt just fine.
Barclay 8'2" 4wt/5wt - In my hands it likes a DT5, but I have fished it with a Rio Gold 4wt before and it seems to handle it fine.

So do not shy away from 4wts. They are very capable rods.


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Re: Nobody likes 4 wts?
Post 10 Jul 2022, 23:56 • #34 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/11/06
Posts: 2516
Location: Nature Coast Florida
Forgot about the 0rvis 7/4's. Had a couple of those and wonderful rods.

But, someone else owns them now.


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Re: Nobody likes 4 wts?
Post 11 Jul 2022, 05:55 • #35 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19077
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
Fish don't like 4-wts - they keep running away from them.

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Re: Nobody likes 4 wts?
Post 11 Jul 2022, 07:23 • #36 
Guide
Joined: 04/04/13
Posts: 197
Location: Central Maryland
Bamboozle wrote:
7'0" 4wt McFarland Spruce Creek
7'0" 4wt Winston Retro
7'6" 4wt Winston Retro
8'0 4wt Winston Retro (I have two these)
8'0" 3/4wt Steffen (Liederman build)
6'6" 4wt Orvis Flea
7'0" 4wt H.L. Leonard 38H
7'0" 4wt Dietrich Brothers Willow Beetle
7'6" 4wt Orvis Seven Four
8'0" 4wt H.L. Leonard 40L
8'0" 4wt Winston TMF
8'0" 4wt Winston DL4
8'6" 4wt Winston DL4
9'0" 4wt Winston DL4

A 7'6" 4wt bamboo is in my cross hairs and I may have forgot one or two...


Don't you know it's bad luck to count your rods?


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Re: Nobody likes 4 wts?
Post 11 Jul 2022, 11:27 • #37 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 12/05/06
Posts: 2086
Location: US-PA
It's bad luck to have your WIFE count your rods, as a matter of fact it can be VERY, VERY bad luck...

Good thing she doesn't know my online aliases. ;)


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Re: Nobody likes 4 wts?
Post 11 Jul 2022, 12:59 • #38 
Guide
Joined: 07/07/19
Posts: 221
Location: US-WI
Wow. I really like 4-weight glass for the kind of fishing I do.
This thread caused me to check.
About 1/3 of my glass rods are 4 weights.
From 6’4” (64p) up to 8’6” (D-glass).


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Re: Nobody likes 4 wts?
Post 11 Jul 2022, 14:46 • #39 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 03/16/08
Posts: 3540
Location: Upstate-NY
I fish #3s and #5s probably 85% of the time. the rest is the occasional #4, #6, or #7.

I do find my #4 collection to be a bit ‘tweener… but that is probably more of a factor of the types of waters I fish most, and not that they arent great rods that are excellent fishing tools


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Re: Nobody likes 4 wts?
Post 11 Jul 2022, 17:05 • #40 
Master Guide
Joined: 05/20/12
Posts: 980
Location: Eugene, OR
You’re a subtle fish, Moto. Look at this lively thread you provoked by claiming that nobody likes 4 weights. Some I like to fish with (all 2-piece):
Fenwick FF83 8’6”
Lami honey 7’6”
SA System 4 7’2”
Phillipson MF76L & MF80L
And the Fenwick GFF 634 (6’3” 4wt), because it’s weird and it catches fish and I like it, though it’s graphite; never seen one before. Have you?



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Re: Nobody likes 4 wts?
Post 11 Jul 2022, 17:35 • #41 
Administrator
Joined: 01/10/06
Posts: 7811
Location: Holly Springs, NC
Lunker75 wrote:
And the Fenwick GFF 634 (6’3” 4wt), because it’s weird and it catches fish and I like it, though it’s graphite; never seen one before. Have you?

The GFF634 was a late 70s design. The skinny rod shafts and large sleeve ferrule are from that time period. Johnson's Fenwick book shows a catalog page from 1980 that lists the GFF634 and a catalog page from 1982 that does not.

Long glass and short graphite 4 weights? A bit backwards from what the current market promotes, but that's OK.


Tom


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Re: Nobody likes 4 wts?
Post 11 Jul 2022, 18:02 • #42 
Master Guide
Joined: 05/20/12
Posts: 980
Location: Eugene, OR
Tom,
Yes, indeed — an R serial number dates that short one to 1977-78.


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Re: Nobody likes 4 wts?
Post 11 Jul 2022, 21:03 • #43 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 10/09/09
Posts: 2796
Location: US-NM
Never new they made a 634 I have two 7 footers a 1st gen. and a second which fish great....Aurelio


Last edited by aurelio corso on 14 Jul 2022, 09:13, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Nobody likes 4 wts?
Post 11 Jul 2022, 21:12 • #44 
Guide
Joined: 08/14/16
Posts: 158
Location: Berkeley County, SC
I personally don't have any desire for anything lighter than a 4 wt; a six inch trout is plenty fun on my six piece Axisco (and my Prime for that matter.) And a sixteen inch trout, or a feisty sunfish, is a real hoot!


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Re: Nobody likes 4 wts?
Post 14 Jul 2022, 07:41 • #45 
Sport
Joined: 06/27/14
Posts: 73
Location: US-NY
I enjoy fishing small streams...

3#'s are perfect for 90% of the trout fishing I do at home in the North East
4#'s are perfect for 90% of the trout fishing I do while traveling out West

There are exceptions to these rules, but then again we all hang out on a forum dedicated to fly rods. I expect that want comes in more than need at this point in time.


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Re: Nobody likes 4 wts?
Post 16 Jul 2022, 12:55 • #46 
Guide
Joined: 07/22/20
Posts: 175
Location: Ancient City, Florida
Just finished an NFC 4wt for my wife. It is a surprisingly good little caster. I am going to have to do one for myself. Might have to redo the epoxy, grrrr, why I did it without my magnifier is beyond me. Old Timers?

My first 4wt, so I put an old Orvis 5wt trout on it. Very pleased but definitely will get a 4wt line. Will be a nice handy small stream rod.


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Re: Nobody likes 4 wts?
Post 16 Jul 2022, 23:20 • #47 
Guide
Joined: 12/28/19
Posts: 129
Well I like 4wts. I have 10-14 of them in graph and glass, from 4'6" to 11' . My favorite is a 7'6" Blue Halo bought from a member here.


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Re: Nobody likes 4 wts?
Post 17 Jul 2022, 21:12 • #48 
Master Guide
Joined: 06/07/12
Posts: 865
Location: US-CA
Lunker75 wrote:
You’re a subtle fish, Moto. Look at this lively thread you provoked by claiming that nobody likes 4 weights.

Ha! Subtlety is not my middle name. My first post was actually a reaction to a couple of different posts in threads on Orvis SFG and Scott glass rods. I think the post that provoked this thread was something like, “Who doesn’t like 4wts?”

I do sometimes get into situations where I wish I had a rod one or two line weights up from the one in my hand - which is usually a 4wt. But that’s my fault, not that of the rod.


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Re: Nobody likes 4 wts?
Post 17 Jul 2022, 22:46 • #49 
Guide
Joined: 02/18/18
Posts: 276
Location: US-TX
Well done Mark !
Carl


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Re: Nobody likes 4 wts?
Post 18 Jul 2022, 10:34 • #50 
Guide
Joined: 04/04/13
Posts: 197
Location: Central Maryland
motosacto wrote:
I think the post that provoked this thread was something like, “Who doesn’t like 4wts?”


Which was in itself a response to a post that mentioned "4wts that nobody likes." I wondering who "nobody" was.


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