# 7WT flies and conditions



## 7WT (Feb 12, 2016)

Pretty much everything you can throw with an 8wt. Depends on how stiff your rod is. I often overline my 7 wt- I don't pay much attention to line wts- but almost always do for a floating line overline.- intermediate's sometimes. flies- pretty much you will figure it out- deceivers, smaller clousers, smaller mullet flies- most bonefish flies. If windy then I jump up on rod wt often to a 9.
Always good to have more than one rod for different setups.


----------



## Doublehaul (Oct 3, 2015)

skiffm8-08 said:


> Hey all, have a question regarding utilizing a 7wt on saltwater flats, bays, mangrove lines. I hear alotta rule of thumb as to not go under 8wt...well I did. Just got a new addition 7wt setup. What type of fly sizes can I be expected to throw on this setup. Lets say throwing a Rio directcore flats line in 7?


depends, to some degree on the rod and to a larger degree casting ability. What types of flies do u have in mind? I would say rule of thumb to stay with med bead chain eyes or XS/S lead eyes. Thinking hooks from #6 o #1 or so.


----------



## kjnengr (Jan 16, 2018)

I would start by saying that your casting style/ability is the biggest deciding factor. Grab a variety of sized flies and do some lawn casting and see how your setup does. That should tell you your limits for heavy and/or bulky flies.

That being said, I built a 7 wt TFO TiCr 4 years ago with the intent of using it for summertime redfish in Louisiana. It does very well throwing sz 1 crabby patterns with small (1/40 oz) lead eyes. I'm sure it would do very well with baitfish patterns up to about a 1/0 as long as they weren't too bulky. It throws sz 4 poppers for bass easily as well. 

As long as it's not too windy and you aren't throwing huge flies, I would have no problem throwing a 7wt. I think you made a great decision with the 7 wt.


----------



## TheAdamsProject (Oct 29, 2007)

Not to rain on your parade but with the Rio Direct Pro at 210gr, you are still technically throwing an 8wt. A lot will depend on your casting ability but you should be able to throw pretty much any flats or mangrove pattern to shrimp and crabs, along with bass poppers...etc.


----------



## hipshot (Sep 29, 2018)

You can use as light a rod as will throw your flies under the current conditions. I routinely use a five weight. The eight is for heavy flies; you won’t be using them too often on the flats. In deeper water the seven and eight see a lot more use.

I still hear people say “You need X weight rod for this fish and Y weight rod for that fish; that’s all malarkey. It’s about what you’re throwing, not what you’re throwing at. The heavier the rod, the sooner it tires you out. If a lighter rod will cast your fly, use it.


----------



## kjnengr (Jan 16, 2018)

hipshot said:


> I still hear people say “You need X weight rod for this fish and Y weight rod for that fish; that’s all malarkey. It’s about what you’re throwing, not what you’re throwing at. The heavier the rod, the sooner it tires you out. If a lighter rod will cast your fly, use it.


Agreed. And what I consider a "big fly", "long distance cast", and "windy" might be different from what everyone else considers it. 

There are no rules in fly fishing.


----------



## numbskull (Jan 30, 2019)

TheAdamsProject said:


> Not to rain on your parade but with the Rio Direct Pro at 210gr, you are still technically throwing an 8wt. A lot will depend on your casting ability but you should be able to throw pretty much any flats mangrove patter to shrimp and crabs, along with bass poppers...etc.


Uhhh.....yes and no.
I think the 7wt Flats Pro is better thought of as a 7wt bonefish line for guys who want the head weight concentrated in a shorter carry than as a mislabeled 8wt. 

The front 12' of the line is basically a standard 7wt taper followed by 26' of a thicker/heavier line. The first 30' does indeed weigh 210gr (technically an 8wt) but the total 38' head weighs only 252gr (mostly rear weighted). A Rio 7wt Bonefish line is 198gr at 30' but 287gr at full head length (? 50'). Both lines will thus have a similar turnover/presentation (which is determined by the front 10-12feet) but the Flats Pro achieves it with a shorter carry. By comparison the Rio 8wt BF line has a total head weight of 320 grains. This is significantly more mass so it is capable of carrying a heavier/bulkier fly than the 7wt Flats Pro, even if the Flats Pro's first 30' technically falls in the "8wt" range.

I own a 7wt Flats pro that has been used on a 7wt T&T Exocett and it works fine but is not something I'd rave about and I wish I had bought their Bonefish line instead.


----------



## TheAdamsProject (Oct 29, 2007)

@numbskull precisely why there can be much more that goes into this than just saying I need a 7wt line for my 7wt rod. No need to worry or lose sleep over it though.


----------



## hipshot (Sep 29, 2018)

“There are no rules in fly fishing”

I beg to differ, sir, there is one:
Just have fun.

I haven’t seen it here, perhaps because so many of us are fluff chuckers, but on many fishing forums there’s always one fly angler who tries to make the new or prospective fly anglers believe that fly fishing is a dark magic, mastered by few, and immersed in mysterious and complicated technicalities. The reality is that fly fishing can be as simple or as complicated as you want to make it. Whether you tie your flies or buy your flies; whether you own two fly rods or twenty; whether you throw poppers at bream or toads at tarpon, it’s about having fun, and one doesn’t need to be rich or have a genius IQ to participate. One of the many things I like about this forum is the lack of eletist snobs scaring off prospective fly anglers. We all participate at our own level, and no one cares what level we’re comfortable at.


----------



## Caleb.Esparza (Jan 31, 2016)

I use a 7wt pretty frequently and have had no problems with redfish upwards of 25 and 30lbs in shallow water. It’s not my first choice by any means but when you’re fishing skinny sometimes the big girls make an appearance and you work with what you have. 

I typically don’t throw flies that are weighted heavier than small dumbbell eyes or medium bead chain with a 7wt because I like bonefish lines or a triangle taper with that particular rod. It’s a great tool for walking the beaches of our local barrier islands chasing redfish, sheep and pompano in clean water when the wind is manageable. 

This is my personal best redfish on a 7wt, Caught wading knee deep with a size 6 black crab.


----------



## brokeoff (Sep 2, 2016)

numbskull said:


> Uhhh.....yes and no.
> I think the 7wt Flats Pro is better thought of as a 7wt bonefish line for guys who want the head weight concentrated in a shorter carry than as a mislabeled 8wt.
> 
> The front 12' of the line is basically a standard 7wt taper followed by 26' of a thicker/heavier line. The first 30' does indeed weigh 210gr (technically an 8wt) but the total 38' head weighs only 252gr (mostly rear weighted). A Rio 7wt Bonefish line is 198gr at 30' but 287gr at full head length (? 50'). Both lines will thus have a similar turnover/presentation (which is determined by the front 10-12feet) but the Flats Pro achieves it with a shorter carry. By comparison the Rio 8wt BF line has a total head weight of 320 grains. This is significantly more mass so it is capable of carrying a heavier/bulkier fly than the 7wt Flats Pro, even if the Flats Pro's first 30' technically falls in the "8wt" range.
> ...


If comparing fly lines by wt per the AFFTA standards isn’t it only the first 30’ that we should compare? After all, when they were established weren’t they only using DT lines?

Head length on two lines that are well over 30’ makes the arguments irrelevant. I do understand the argument more so on a BTT or OBS.


----------



## numbskull (Jan 30, 2019)

brokeoff said:


> If comparing fly lines by wt per the AFFTA standards isn’t it only the first 30’ that we should compare? After all, when they were established weren’t they only using DT lines?
> 
> Head length on two lines that are well over 30’ makes the arguments irrelevant. I do understand the argument more so on a BTT or OBS.


If comparing lines on AFTMA standards then, yes, only the first 30' matter. 
If comparing lines for fishing/casting/real world use purposes then the AFTMA standard is less helpful and total head length and weight as well as front taper choice are a lot more important......unless all you can carry and cast is the first 30' of line. 

For sight fishing where accuracy and distance are equally important the ability to carry longer lengths of line is useful and, when doing so, the weight of that line needs to be taken into account. This is where head length and total head weight are more important measures than the the AFTMA standard.

An 8wt rod is not designed to cast just 210grains. Indeed, it is intended to handle much more weight, say 300 grains, without bogging down even in the hands of the most powerful casters. Trying to throw just 210 grains for distance with an 8 wt rod is difficult for most casters. Hence if a line has a short head and is labeled for an 8wt rod that head will be significantly heavier (often 2 line sizes).....but it is still meant for use on an 8wt rod and that is why it is labeled as an 8wt. For the same reason shooting heads are typically heavier than AFTMA standards.


----------



## skiffm8-08 (Jan 11, 2020)

Thanks for all the input fellas, really helped out. Ill have some postings of some positive results soon. FISH ON!


----------

