the brain is churning again on a dual taper line.

[DJBerg]

so i was in the market for a new line for my 3wt, after reading on a bunch of different lines i settled on a wtf rio trout lt, figuring it's designed for softer action rods, has a super long taper so it will be awesome for presentation, roll casting, mending and single hand spey casting.

so the new local shop that's opening up, i had them order me the line, well they cant get a wf line but could get a dt instead. so after thinking about it a bit and looking at the taper, i doubt i will ever have more than 40' of line out anyways so i said why not, they're a new shop and i wanna help them get started up so i can have a somewhat local shop.

and this afternoon i got to thinking about that line, and what i had read. that the line is awesome for dry flies and other really light flies, but if you take 2' off the tip the line fly weight strength really increases.

so now since i have successfully welded loops on other lines, i think i'm going to cut the line directly in half, weld loops on the butt ends, and run them on a shooting line just like a switch or spey set up with interchangeable heads. one stock legth and the other 2' shorter for heavier weighted nymphs and what not.

so i'll ask you? since i highly doubt i will have more than 40' of line out on my 8' 3wt, do you see any issues with making 2 lines out of one?

 

[ryguyfi]

My question is why do you want a shooting/spey setup for a 3wt?

 

[Phish_On]

Seems like a lot of work.

 

[gfen]

What they said.

You know what people have been doing for the last 150 years of tapered lines? They turn it around when it wears out, that's what.

There's a reason no one has ever cut a line then spliced it with running line to make whatever the hell you're trying to do: Its pointless.

 

[DJBerg]

ok to simplify even more there's 80' of symmetrical fly line. with my 3wt i doubt i ill ever have more than 30' out for most fishing scenarios with the rod.

so now realistically i could probably skip the running line and go directly to the backing with a large perfection loop tied to it.

the reasoning for the shooting head style set up is the line will be two different lines for two different scenarios: again from what i have read by taking 2' off the tip of the line it will move heavier flies i.e. weighted nymphs and small streamers. so i leave one at the full 40' as a dry fly light wet fly line.

the spey style shooting head connection is for the ease of swapping lines. if you look at most spey style shooting lines the end of the running line has a large loop big enough to fit a spooled up shooting head through it. so this way instead of buying a second spool for my reel or having to completely remove the full 80' off the reel, and cutting bits of the tip off each time to switch setups i can simply pull the 40' off spool it up quickly and pass it through the larger loop releasing it from the backing and reverse with the other "side" of the line.

as to the spey casting simply another way to deliver your fly with little to no back casting room.

 

[pcray1231]

I have cut DT lines in half. I do it on my brookie rod. For that application, you're never throwing even half a line. So no, I've never seen the backing.

Same as turning it around, except you know that the back half will never rot while not in use. My reels get dunked fairly often. Even the un-used portion wears out when you get it wet.

The only thing I can say is that you have to add more backing to take up the extra room.

 

[gfen]

Just because you can doesn't mean you should.

Do you have an actual need to fill two different reels with 3wt fly lines?

If yes, then just cut the thing in half. Problem solved.

If no, then you're making a whole lot of work for zero gain. Turn it around when it wears out like everyone else has done for the last century.

I can also assure you that two feet of level line at the front of your shiny new line makes absolutely no difference at all to anything except your imagination and the guy who comes up with the marketing for the All New Rio Trout LT-X X-Treme Weighted Fly Taper Short-Long-Delicate-Weight-Designated-Taper line from Rio all new for 2014.

Its not rocket science, its just string.

 

[pcray1231]

I sort of agree with gfen. Only to a point.

And that point is that you don't have to "use" a line to wear it out. Turning a line around helps a little. But if it was under there, it still got wet, stored in a hot car sometime, maybe saw a little sun, etc. If you know that you absolutely will never use the 2nd half, why have it on the reel at all? It will be "like new" if stored in a dry basement.

But I do think you're barking up the wrong tree thinking that the front 2' is going to make a world of difference, or trying to make a shooting head, etc.

If you are ever gonna use more than half a line, put it all on there. You can turn it around someday and get more life. If you know you never will use the second half, then I'd say there's no problem with cutting it in half, and storing the other half.

 

[DJBerg]

Im not saying the 2' is gonna change the world but I guess how I see it why not and if it does it could be awesome, heck even going up to taking off 3'. Ya know what ever its a light line to begin with so that small chang could change the way the line handles.

Who knows what will actually happen but im gonna try any ways...

And if it doesnt work out as planned ill blood knot the middle back together, and melt the line till it comes back to shape.

 

[outsider]

I cut DT lines in half for small stream application. And I use them on "standard" reels with a center spindle, not large arbor reels. Not only can the other half of the line degrade as pcray states, but it will coil beyond repair after years of use. I store the extra half in large coils for future use.

 

[FrequentTyer]

Lots of guys cut DT lines in half as described for the reasons described. As for cutting off 2', try it and see what happens. If it doesn't work the way you like, you still have a good half to fish.
If we all just do what everyone else has done, we won't make much progress.

 

[krayfish]

Prior to cutting your line, call Rio tech department and tell them your idea. They might say it's fine to do that or that it completely screws up the line. I've read about guys that have jumped off of bridges but never crossed my mind to follow their lead.

 

[bikerfish]

in your application, I don't think I'd cut the line, your going to use it on an 8' rod, so you'll be fishing bigger waters, and just maybe will want that entire line at some point.
I DO cut my DT lines, but only to fit on teeny little reels for brookie fishing, and as gfen said, I fill 2 reels with backing and half a line each, and I rarely cast 15 feet of it.

 

[PennKev]

DJBerg wrote:
...the line fly weight strength...

The what? Lol.

At most, removing 2' is going to only change the weight of line being cast at a fixed distance by a few grains and is negligible. Additionally, the longer a length of line you cast, the less you will notice the difference, if you noticed anything to begin with. You may get a slight difference in leader turnover since you are cutting off a couple feet of what is generally a level tip segement of the fly line. But again, I don't think you'll be changing a whole lot by removing 2 or even 3 feet of line.

Kev

 

[Fishidiot]

Heck, give it a try.
I chop up and rejoin fly lines and shooting heads (and fly rods) all the time. It's fun to experiment. Can't say that my Rube Goldberg gear has ever worked better than the original design......but it has allowed me to recycle parts and line sections and has often produced satisfactory results while saving some money.

Experiments like this, although they may wreck some perfectly good lines, really help with one's insight to how rods and lines perform.
Do it, and then tell us the results.

 

[dano]

I cut my 2wt DT line to fit my reel.
As far as cutting the tip of lines. I alway found that cutting a few inches from the old 444 lines helped the turnover in short casting in tight quarters and flinging large dries.
I've fished the Trout LT. In the lighter line weights, I ended up cutting off the welded loop as it kills any presentation value that the long front taper gives. Matching the line tip to a knotless leader took me to the Umpqua leaders as they seem a bit more supple and finer in the butt section than other brands. There still, I ended up cutting off the level tip of the fly line and slightly into the taper to match the butt of the leader.
I very much liked the old Rio Selective Trout (without the welded loop).

DJ, You are right in that removing a bit of the tip will give you a slightly punchier line. But, you probably would have been better off getting a line such as Rio Grand as that's pretty much what you are building. Supple with a blunt tip.

 

[pcray1231]

If you do cut a few feet off the front, the biggest thing to watch out for is waterlogging it. You're going to open up the core. The part that repels water is the outside. So that core would soak up water and your leader to line transition will degrade and sink.

Cover that open end with Loon Knot Sense or something to keep the water out.

 

[gfen]

Cutting a "few inches" removes the level tip.

Cutting two feet simply removes the front level tip, plus a portion of the front taper. If you had a line with a typical 6' front taper, that would mean something.

-but-

In the case of this line, it removes 6" of level and 18" of front taper. This particular design features an 18.5' front taper, thus 18" doesn't mean anything.

Can I suggest picking a line that better fits your profile if you feel the need to hurl jigs on a 3wt?

 

[DJBerg]

DJ, You are right in that removing a bit of the tip will give you a slightly punchier line. But, you probably would have been better off getting a line such as Rio Grand as that's pretty much what you are building. Supple with a blunt tip.

amybe a gold, but a grand?!!?!?!? i dont think my m-series will handle that much weight.

pretty much my thought are to sort of get two line styles out of one, though i'm not all that sure this will work as planned but maybe taking the level tip section and doubling it over on it's self and welding that together maybe a better "punchier" option. the line is light as is and making it even lighter doesnt seem to be what i am wanting to do with this. more thoughts stirring, just brain storming for now...

If you do cut a few feet off the front, the biggest thing to watch out for is waterlogging it. You're going to open up the core. The part that repels water is the outside. So that core would soak up water and your leader to line transition will degrade and sink. Cover that open end with Loon Knot Sense or something to keep the water out.

great point ray, that would have been an after though of damn to late...

Can I suggest picking a line that better fits your profile if you feel the need to hurl jigs on a 3wt?

this is the base line that i wanna play with, but there's a second option with this line and i am just brainstorming on getting another use out of the other side.

 

[jdaddy]

I think you guys are confused. This guy has this line in hand and he is planning on doing things to it which no one agrees with. He did not ask if he should or should not butcher a line, rather he TOLD you what he was going to do with it and asked if there was any downside. He is GOING to do it because it's his and he wants to. The only thing he asked is if there was a down side to doing this nonsense.