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Thread: Xplorer Classic 3/4 Wt Casting Advice

  1. #1
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    Default Xplorer Classic 3/4 Wt Casting Advice

    Good morning everyone,

    Just wanted to know if anyone else has used this rod extensively and your experience with it?

    I purchased this rod last year November when I started getting into Fly-Fishing and as I did not know much about fly fishing gear, it was affordable at the time and it has served its purposes so far(Have caught stocked trout, Blue Gill and Small Bass so far).

    I have always found the rod to be quite "flappy" if I can use the word like that(I use it with a 4Wt Floating Line as advised by the salesman), since obtaining the rod, I have mostly used tapered 3x leaders and 3 X tippet(total usually around 8 - 10Ft) targetting anything in small dams, lately as I have been trying to get a bit more into the Technicalities behind FF, I have been experimenting with longer leaders in an attempt to maybe try my first solo river session with this rod later the year.

    I have been experiencing a lot of difficulties in casting with short amounts of fly line and long leaders, I am trying to mimic what we did when I went with a guide for a day on the Elandspad(Small amounts of Fly line generally half the length of the rod, Long leaders almost 1.5X length of Rod,3Wt rods).

    Can anyone maybe give some tips on how they found this rod and their own experiences with it(Preferably someone who owns/owned one and fished with it, I have been for casting lessons with Tim Rolston and Phillip from Winetalk has helped me with leaders, both who has helped me a lot, only problem with the pros is they have been doing it so long they can practically cast everything from a broom with rope attached right down to a car ariel with 1Lb Nylon attached without blinking so I dont always pick up on the small things they already know).

    Any Tips/advice will be appreciated.

    Thanks in advance.
    Cheers
    "I wasn't born a fisherman, but I will damn well die a fisherman" - Anon.

  2. #2
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    The 4wt line, depending exactly what it is, MAY be overloading the rod.
    To fish streams, all you need to start if with is the 9ft 3X leader, and add a couple of feet of 5X.

    Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk
    Gary
    Flytyer - Where great flytying begins

  3. #3
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    Hi Gary,

    Thank you for the feedback. Much appreciated.

    I use a Rio Trout Floating Line, its a WF taper. I have tested casting at a few distances and with my current casting level, generally feel like the rod starts to overload at about the 10 - 12 meter mark, I checked the measurements of the fly line and I believe it is give or take where the taper starts to narrow down. At this distance the rod feels like it is not capable of shooting any more line without the cast just falling apart. This might also be my own casting limitations kicking in.

    I am considering getting a 3Wt Dt line to see the differences in the rod action at various distances.

    Once again for info on both casting and leader set-up.

    Cheers
    "I wasn't born a fisherman, but I will damn well die a fisherman" - Anon.

  4. #4
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    Yes I agree.... also, never go with a tippet the same as the leader, always step it down. From a 3X leader, step down to a meter of 4x, or 5x as Gary says. If its a DT 4wt, then perhaps is is overlining the rod, but a casting lesson wont hurt at all.
    Quote Originally Posted by GGY View Post
    The 4wt line, depending exactly what it is, MAY be overloading the rod.
    To fish streams, all you need to start if with is the 9ft 3X leader, and add a couple of feet of 5X.

    Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk
    Disclaimer.... none of my posts are intended to be "expert advice"..just opinions from someone who is willing to help where he can.

  5. #5
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    Look, a 3-4wt, is a stream rod, If you are trying to cast more than 10 to 12 meters, you you going to struggle anyway, its not really designed for long casting. Also remember that a DT line has a higher physical weight than a WF line of the same rating, and for the 30 feet or so, will show you no difference, as they are the same, so a DT line isn't going to make any difference. Get some casting lessons before you start throwing money at the problem. Chances are you aren't casting properly..
    Quote Originally Posted by Uli@84 View Post
    Hi Gary,

    Thank you for the feedback. Much appreciated.

    I use a Rio Trout Floating Line, its a WF taper. I have tested casting at a few distances and with my current casting level, generally feel like the rod starts to overload at about the 10 - 12 meter mark, I checked the measurements of the fly line and I believe it is give or take where the taper starts to narrow down. At this distance the rod feels like it is not capable of shooting any more line without the cast just falling apart. This might also be my own casting limitations kicking in.

    I am considering getting a 3Wt Dt line to see the differences in the rod action at various distances.

    Once again for info on both casting and leader set-up.

    Cheers
    Disclaimer.... none of my posts are intended to be "expert advice"..just opinions from someone who is willing to help where he can.

  6. #6
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    Hi Andre,

    Thanks for the feedback.

    Was not aware of the weight distribution on the different tapers, very good point you make. Not worth wasting money on a 3Wt line then as you mentioned.

    I am aware that the 4Wt is a stream rod ideally, thing at the moment is it is the only rod I have so I am kinda trying to push the rod a bit and trying to teach myself to understand the action and reaction of the rod, to different amount of line outside the tip, wind etc.

    I went for casting lessons, only thing was at that time I used a 5/6 wt provided by instructor so the action between that rod and my own is a bit different, therefore there is a bit of figuring out that I needed to do.

    I had two good practice sessions both yesterday and saturday, used a shorter leader(Maxima 7 - Maxima 5 - To 3x Tippet), and just focussed on short casts and keeping tight loops and I must say the rod performed very nicely with tight loops and good turnover of the leader, generally focussed on not using more than 10 feet of Fly line outside the rod tip with a 10 Ft Leader(Short I know, but it is a start).

    But there is stil a lot I need to figure out and must say that is what I enjoy the most about the fly-fishing, it makes you think about what you are doing

    Thanks alot Andre, your advice is well heeded.

    Cheers
    "I wasn't born a fisherman, but I will damn well die a fisherman" - Anon.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Andre View Post
    Look, a 3-4wt, is a stream rod, If you are trying to cast more than 10 to 12 meters, you you going to struggle anyway, its not really designed for long casting. Also remember that a DT line has a higher physical weight than a WF line of the same rating, and for the 30 feet or so, will show you no difference, as they are the same, so a DT line isn't going to make any difference. Get some casting lessons before you start throwing money at the problem. Chances are you aren't casting properly..
    Andre has alluded to it, but unless there is differences if the FRONT taper design, a Xwt WF and a Xwt DT generally should have the same mass in the from 30ft (excluding the 1st 1ft, which is usually level) - this is how the AFTMA weight ratings are designed.
    I agree that trying to cast past 10m unless you have had some lessons means you are likely to come short, since you are likely to try aerialise ALL the line, and unless you adjust your casting stroke and/or haul, you are going to come short. The basic skill that lets you cast ~10m will not work the same to casdt 15-20m.

    Quote Originally Posted by Uli@84 View Post
    Hi Andre,
    Thanks for the feedback.
    Was not aware of the weight distribution on the different tapers, very good point you make. Not worth wasting money on a 3Wt line then as you mentioned.
    It may not be the line, but could be good to try a friends 3wt line and see it this helps - hopefully the friend has more casting experience and can indicate whether it is an overlining or casting fault.
    Gary
    Flytyer - Where great flytying begins

  8. #8
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    Thanks Gary,

    Have planned another casting lesson in April provisionally, this time will take my own rod and hopefully figure out another bit to the puzzle.

    Just a another question following your comment, in general how would you adjust you casting stroke when going for longer casts when compared to the shorter cast required on cape streams?

    Cheers
    "I wasn't born a fisherman, but I will damn well die a fisherman" - Anon.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Uli@84 View Post
    Thanks Gary,
    Have planned another casting lesson in April provisionally, this time will take my own rod and hopefully figure out another bit to the puzzle.
    Just a another question following your comment, in general how would you adjust you casting stroke when going for longer casts when compared to the shorter cast required on cape streams?
    Cheers
    "unless you adjust your casting stroke and/or haul"
    You need to stop/pause & drift backwards on the back cast, to allow the longer line to straighten and load the rod, then make the forward cast - possibly using a haul.
    Another adjustment is that you shoot line for distance (using a haul) on the final forward cast, rather than try get it all in the air during the cast.
    A decent casting instructor will show & teach you this.
    Gary
    Flytyer - Where great flytying begins

  10. #10
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    Thanks again Gary,

    Done bothering you now.

    Time to get back to drawing board.

    Cheers
    "I wasn't born a fisherman, but I will damn well die a fisherman" - Anon.

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