I have 2 questions...

[1] I am new to fly fishing, but don't want spend money for 2 setups. Can I use saltwater flyline for fresh water? If so, how well does it work?

[2] I read an old post about someone using a 6 weight flyline for 5 weight rod. How well does that work?

thanks

You could do that. The main reason for saltwater lines I believe is heat resistance and resistance to the salt. If you were to get into some really cold water the saltwater line might be a bit stiff but no big deal.

The thing about a six weight line on a five weight rod. The short version is that there is no reason that could not be done. Depending upon the particular line and particular rod you might like it a lot or not at all and the next guy who picked that same rig up and cast it might feel 180° opposite to you about it's casting qualities.

When you get a chance, read this Common Cents System.

Buy a HeadStart line from Scientific Anglers it should cost you half of what a "Mastery Series" line cost. Use it in fresh and salt.

If you don't do that, consider buying a "fresh" line and using it in salt instead of the other way around: a "bass taper" is going to suit you well. But a true warm saltwater line in TX in any month except August is going to be so coiled up like a telephone cord that you don't want to use it.

where are you gona do the most of your fishing?

i think if you go with a saltwater line you will be fine, unless you get a bonefish line or one that is made for tropical waters

because there are other flyfishers who fish the salt, for sea trout, stripers, blue fish, ect they fish pretty cold waters.


somewhere on youtube there is a vid of a man landing a bonefish on a 4wt food for thought i guess

Thanks for everyones advice.

I fish both water. i do most of my fishing at lake and Livingston Dam for whitebass, but i love to chase those seatrout when the birds are working at trinity bay. For that, I will use the flyrod for fun, since i caught a 4 lb. buffalo with my 3 weight flyrod. that got me hooked, so I think the 5 weight rod will suit me well for both of my fishing, but i never see a 5 weight saltwater flyline, only 6 weight i saw at Gander Mt... That's why i ask if I can use a 6 weight line for a 5 weight rod. thanks

to answer about the 6 wt on the 5 wt rods, yes it is done quite a bit. The main reason it that it loads the rod faster and makes casting easier. as far as lines go, get a decent reel with a second spool and fill it with saltwater line, then you have one rod capable of both.

I've fished the Texas Gulf Coast a fair amount, including time with several guides. The big challenge down there is the wind, which is almost always blowing (at least when I fish there.) The guides I fished with recommended a seven weight rod when the winds were light and a nine weight when the winds were blowing. So you may find it a challenge to do much in those conditions with a five weight, unless you have a really fast five and throw really tight loops. Try it out if you want, but I think after a trip or two, you'll be looking for a heavier rod.

I agree with bohunter that, at minimum, you should have two spools with a freshwater and a saltwater line. Freshwater lines would get sticky and hard to cast in the heat of the Texas summers on the Coast, while a saltwater line would be brittle and coiled in the cool waters you'd want to fish for the white bass runs in the spring.