Fishing The Fly Scotland Forum

Mike Barrio

SLX and Bamboo
« on: 05/03/2013 at 15:27 »
Sandy and I were playing with SLX lines on his Bamboo rods yesterday, great fun! :cool:

The rods certainly cast well with this line profile.

Here is Sandy at the loch yesterday.







Of course I had to have a play too :z3



and experiment with line carry :cool: when I was supposed to be clearing up and baling out boats :z4



Cheers
Mike

Iain Goolager

Re: SLX and Bamboo
« Reply #1 on: 05/03/2013 at 16:07 »
Was it a 4wt Mike?

I've tried it with a 4 and it is nice - haven't tried a 3 yet.

Iain

Mike Barrio

Re: SLX and Bamboo
« Reply #2 on: 05/03/2013 at 16:21 »
Yes Iain, SLX WF4F on a #5 rod :wink

I think Sandy has worked out that his rods like the lower weight in an SLX, so if the rod likes a normal WF5F and DT4F ...... then it likes the SLX WF4F.

Cheers
Mike

Sandy Nelson

Re: SLX and Bamboo
« Reply #3 on: 05/03/2013 at 18:47 »
I'd try the 3wt on your rod Iain :z16,
The taper you have is a 4wt with a lighter dry fly tip, i have a fancy it will love the 3wt SLX. Worth trying both though to see. Each rod is slightly different but that light dryfly tip really does load up very quickly :z16.

Sandy

Iain Goolager

Re: SLX and Bamboo
« Reply #4 on: 05/03/2013 at 19:03 »
Yeah, I was going to use the 'boo when I was out on Sunday so will give it a try sometime over the weekend  :z16

It does like a 4 wt though.

Iain

Sandy Nelson

Re: SLX and Bamboo
« Reply #5 on: 05/03/2013 at 19:08 »
It was designed for a 4 :z16 So that is no surprise :z7

It was just my new one is designed for a 5 and when i was messing about i tried it with the 4wt SLX and it was a revelation.
The rod still likes the 5wt and the Mallard 5 but it really feels awesome with the 4wt SLX. So something i think you should give a try :z16

Sandy

Iain Goolager

Re: SLX and Bamboo
« Reply #6 on: 05/03/2013 at 19:17 »
Cool

Euan Innes

Re: SLX and Bamboo
« Reply #7 on: 05/03/2013 at 19:36 »
Good report chaps.  :z16
Turns out that my Greys bamboo #3/4 actually likes a #4.5. The SLX #4 was just a bit light but the Orvis Power taper was just right.

I'll bring it along to the Orvis day to try some other lines.
(Might be after a new Battenkill 2 Ben  :wink)

 :z1

Sandy Nelson

Re: SLX and Bamboo
« Reply #8 on: 05/03/2013 at 21:16 »
That actually makes a lot of sense.
I've just gone through my notes and found the graphs for your rod and I have it as 4/5wt
And a taper somewhere between a classic Payne 100 and Paul Young perfectionist, both designed for a DT 4.
FYI it is like the top half of the Young with the butt section off the Payne, although it is very similar to both rods and a touch faster than my recent Garrison based rods. So I can see exactly where you are coming from, it might well be looking for a little bit more weight to load at fishing distances, but I would reckon on the 4wt SLX being rather nice on it, especially when you find it's sweet spot :wink
 :z18

Sandy

Euan Innes

Re: SLX and Bamboo
« Reply #9 on: 05/03/2013 at 21:45 »
Oh Sandy, you probably just cost me money... :z4 :z4 :z4 :z4

I'll take it with me so we can conduct tests. Looking forward to this  :z16

 :z1

Loxiafan

Re: SLX and Bamboo
« Reply #10 on: 07/03/2013 at 12:32 »
I'd try the 3wt on your rod Iain :z16,
The taper you have is a 4wt with a lighter dry fly tip, i have a fancy it will love the 3wt SLX. Worth trying both though to see. Each rod is slightly different but that light dryfly tip really does load up very quickly :z16.

Have thought about 'underlining' a SLX or GT90 particularly on the Streamflex XF2's, but then I watched Ben and Kev toss great loops and distances with a Rio LT DT #4 and a 9' #4 XF2 and re-evaluated ! I mainly use (for dries) a Helios 10' #4 and a Access 9' #4, both Tip Flex. Is it worth trying a #3 SLX on these do you think (have just bought an Olive #4 SLX too) ?

Cheers,

Lindsay

Loxiafan

Re: SLX and Bamboo
« Reply #11 on: 07/03/2013 at 12:48 »
...sorry just realised you are all talking about Bamboo rods here and I am off topic. Question still stands though, esp. as SLX is slightly higher than standard AFTM ? Anyone tried 'underlining' the SLX on 'normal' rods  :z4

Lindsay

Marc Fauvet

Re: SLX and Bamboo
« Reply #12 on: 07/03/2013 at 13:14 »
hi Lindsay,
yes, unless there's a need of throwing heavier/bulkier flies or fishing very close i vastly prefer underlining the rod's rating by one class with the SLX on just about all rods. it's personal of course but that's where the 'sweet-spot' happens for me :)

cheers,
marc

Loxiafan

Re: SLX and Bamboo
« Reply #13 on: 07/03/2013 at 13:20 »
Cool, cheers Marc. Will have to try it !  :z16 Looks like I need yet another Barrio line then  :z4 Out of interest, do you do the same (underline) with a GT90 or do you match ratings ?

Lindsay

Marc Fauvet

Re: SLX and Bamboo
« Reply #14 on: 07/03/2013 at 13:33 »
well, generally speaking i'm a chronic 'under-liner'   :z4
but if we want to get into specifics, comparing the SLX to the GT90 is a little like comparing apples to oranges. the SLX is purposely built to be a heavier line. it's one of the reasons that makes it such a fantastic line for rolls and speys.

the GT90 can of course do r&s but really shines for aerial casting. in aerial casts we don't necessarily need the majority of the line's mass near the rod tip as with r&s.
my set-up for general trout is one spool with a GT90, basically for upstream and another with an SLX for across or down.
once again, personal preference but the simple rig above lets me fish any which way and cover all possibilities on the stream and change them in a matter of a few minutes  :cool:

cheers,
marc

ps- regardless of what the rod is made of....  :z4 :z4 :z4

 




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