[Mike Barrio]

Sandy and I were playing with SLX lines on his Bamboo rods yesterday, great fun!

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



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



Cheers
Mike

[Iain Goolager]

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]

Yes Iain, SLX WF4F on a #5 rod

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]

I'd try the 3wt on your rod Iain ,
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 .

Sandy

[Iain Goolager]

Yeah, I was going to use the 'boo when I was out on Sunday so will give it a try sometime over the weekend 

It does like a 4 wt though.

Iain

[Sandy Nelson]

It was designed for a 4 So that is no surprise

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

Sandy

[Iain Goolager]

Cool

[Euan Innes]

Good report chaps. 
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  )

 

[Sandy Nelson]

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
 

Sandy

[Euan Innes]

Oh Sandy, you probably just cost me money...

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

 

[Loxiafan]

I'd try the 3wt on your rod Iain ,
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 .

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]

...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 

Lindsay

[Marc Fauvet]

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]

Cool, cheers Marc. Will have to try it !  Looks like I need yet another Barrio line then  Out of interest, do you do the same (underline) with a GT90 or do you match ratings ?

Lindsay

[Marc Fauvet]

well, generally speaking i'm a chronic 'under-liner'  
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  

cheers,
marc

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

[Rob Brownfield]

...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 

Lindsay

I have a #4 and a #5 SLX, bought for the same numbered rods, both Orvis ZG tip flex 9 footers.

The #5 feels heavy on the #5 rod, so I tried the #4, and it works beautifully.

I used the #5 line on a Diamondback Flawless 9' 6" #6 and again, it felt much better for normal fishing.

I go back to the #5 rod and line combination if fishing large bushy/foam dries as it "punches" the fly forward with a short line.

[Sandy Nelson]

Cool its all interesting stuff.

I've been using the 4wt SLX on my 9ft S4 4wt Must go and try the 3wt on it now, just to see.
Must confess i do use a DT3 on it too  so just perhaps .

I guess its more good reasons to try before you buy, or perhaps why we end up with loads of gear and only use certain bits, i think i can see a theme here

Sandy

[Loxiafan]

Thanks for all the comments guys, lots to think about there ! Looks like a #3 SLX might be worth a shout, but then the #4 SLX seemed fine on both the 4wt Helios and Access, the 4wt Mallard fantastic with Access  Also, you guys that are under-lining can actually cast ! 

Lindsay

[Rob Brownfield]

Also, you guys that are under-lining can actually cast ! 

Not me!!!

[Loxiafan]

Not me!!!

I bet you cast better than me 

[Loxiafan]

OOI is anyone 'underlining' with the Mallard DT's ? I really like DT lines, esp. Rio LT Trout which the Mallard almost matches in tapers. Although I bought a #3 GT90 for my new Streamflex Plus #3, I am considering a Mallard DT #2 as 'the line' for this rod to give an 'ultralight feel' but with good control with more line out ? Haven't tried the new SF with the GT90 #3 yet though so may hold off pulling the trigger till I do so. However, a #4 GT90 on 9' 4wt SF does start to work the rod (much) more as you aerialize more line eg. tip doesn't recover as well, which is no real surprise ! Strangely a DT Mastery didn't feel oot of control  ??? The new SF's are not as whippy a the old model, more a progressive mid to tip action, but with a big troot (yes I catch them from time to time  ) you can feel the rod bend right down to the butt.

At £22 it's hardly going to have a bad outcome is it ? 

Folly ? Stick to proper AFTM ratings ? Put on a Mallard WF #3 ? If I can get to the Orvis open day I will bring this stuff along for the experts.

Lindsay

[Sandy Nelson]

Lindz

If a rod suits a WF4 then i would be trying it with a DT3, i have always underlined by 1 when it comes to DT's
I also reckons the SLX should be used in the same size as the DT.
I have a history of underlining rods, but then i also have a history of preferring DT's

So i'd say get a DT2 and give it a go

 

Sandy

[Ben Dixon]

Hi Sandy,

If a rod suits a WF4 then i would be trying it with a DT3, i have always underlined by 1 when it comes to DT's

When fishing at what range?


Cheers

Ben

[Sandy Nelson]

Fishing range, 10-60ft i suppose
But then i also tend to cast off the tip (unless i'm on a nice soft rod, which is why i like them ), so it is largely a personal quirk, Still worth trying though

Sandy

[Loxiafan]

Cheers Sandy, I would consider that a more than workable range, but I can see where Ben is coming from !

Lindsay