Fly Fishing Q&A With Jerry Kiesow - July/August 2012
Column and photos copyright by Jerry Kiesow, Grafton, Wisconsin. Approximately 630 words, with three color images submitted to “On Wisconsin Outdoors” for the website, via e-mail, on a one-time-only-usage-non-exclusive-basis at your current rate of payment.
Casting For Answers - July & August 2012
Hello Jerry,
Billy and I had your beginners fly fishing class yesterday in West Bend. We got out my fly fishing stuff this morning to see what we had (it had been a Christmas gift from him 2 years ago) and have some questions about that please.
Do we have things weighted correctly? This was a kit that he had bought at Cabelas and it has a tapered leader of 7 1/2 4X 5LB, then the fly line of 6 WT, then a fly line backing of 20 LB. I think all of this came with the 8' pole that has a #5/6 weight. Are these the correct weights to be used together for pan/trout fishing?
We also have an old pole that has a weight of #4/5 and another one that feels heavier but we can't read the numbers on that one. How can we tell if it is worth using anymore? Just try it out and see if we like it? But how do we match line to that one? I remember that you said the lines and pole needed to be weighted correctly but now I am confused as to how.
Hope it is ok to ask you these questions and that they are not difficult for you to answer. We had a great time yesterday at your work shop, thanks again!
Dianne and Billy
Good morning to both of you,
Saturday did turn out to be a great day for everyone. Glad you enjoyed it. We certainly did.
Your Christmas gift sounds just fine. Whenever you have a rod with combination numbers on them for weights, as with your 5/6, it is advised to go with the higher number line, as your kit has. The heavier line cast easier.
The other older rods, not poles, unless they are physically broken, with guides missing and are really beat up will most likely be fine. You can check out the old 5/6 by putting the reel from the newer 5/6 on the rod and checking out how it cast compared to the new one. Then, now that you know how the two 5/6 rod/reel combinations cast, you can put the reel on the unmarked rod and see if it casts the same.
My guess would be, if it feels heavier as you said, that it will be more difficult to cast. If you have a fly shop near by, take the rod to them and ask if they have a #7 and #8 line set up on reels you can try while you are at the shop. If they do, cast the rod with each reel/line combination and determine which cast best. That is the combination you will want for that rod. It takes some doing, but it will be worth it.
Hope this helps. Let me know how this turns out.
Fly Fishing Q&A with Jerry Kiesow of On Wisconsin Outdoors
Submit your questions to Jerry via email at flyfishing@onwisconsinoutdoors.com
That’s it for now. As more question s come it, I will post them. Thanks to those who asked the questions, today and in the past. I hope the answers were helpful.
Keep a good thought!
To learn more about Jerry’s fly fishing classes, check out his website: http://www.jerrykiesowoc.com/. Click on the “Workshops” tag to find this year’s complete schedule. Submit your questions to Jerry via email at flyfishing@onwisconsinoutdoors.com