I just built a Batson 8'6" revelation fly rod and I plan to bass fish with it oh and it's a 6wt . What would be a good line for this rod. I'll be using poppers and streamers mainly. Thanks in advance.

My best advice is to go to a local fly shop (if you have one) and talk to the guys there and cast a couple different lines. Chances are you'll probably end up with a line that is at least a 1/2 weight heavy maybe even a full line weight heavier than it is rated i.e. A "heavy" 6wt line or a 7wt line. I prefer weight forward lines for my graphite rods, some like double taper so they can flip the line around when the tip starts to wear. The other thing to consider is how warm the water is where you'll fish...certain lines are designed for warm water species, while others excel in cold mountain streams. Good luck and let us know what you end up with.

Lots of bass taper lines out there designed for throwing hair frogs, sliders, Dahlberg Divers, Clouser's, etc. I go that route. I'd also own a 20 ft. or longer sink tip line, wouldn't buy anything heavier that 200 grains, one of my favorites is the Teeny Nymph TT 200.
One of my bass fishing secret weapons is a full sink line with a very short level leader, using a hair bug with lots of floatant applied. The subsurface, undilating action gets everything's attention as you strip it in. I demonstrated this in a fish tank at the San Mateo Sportman's show. With a hair bug, with the point cut off, I had virtually all the bass, half the trout and one sturgeon hit the bug. One 12 inch bass hit the bug as I was removing it from the water, and I lifted him completely out before he would release it! This on the third day and the bass gear pros were getting little or no action from the fish. Homer Circle showed this to me. Deadly in laid down timber, etc. not so in milfoil and such that will foul the bug.

Spencer, what kind of hair bug are you using. Sounds like something I might try.
Norm

I wasn't supposed to be a presenter, they had a no show, or something. So I talked G Loomis out of a rod and reel and two lines, a floating and sink tip. Umpqua Feather Merchants donated a #2 Dear Hair fly, flat nosed like a popper, it was yellow, they cut off the point just behind the barb. Had to buy a Cortland full sink.
Anyway, not so sure how great a presenter I was, but I didn't have to be, after I talked for a while. I just asked them to let me know when the bug got hit, with everyone involved it was a fun. The kids yelling and bouncing around and the older folks just shaking their heads at the attention that bug got. Things were slow till I put on the full sinker. It was a great time and something I'll remember always.

Thanks Spencer, I think I found what you were talking about at Umpqua. I am certainly go to try this. Sounds like you had a fun time!
Norm

I wrapped a 9 foot 8wt rod this year for LMB with poppers and streamers on an inexpensive no-name blank. I usually fish my 8wt rods with a cheap basic Rio floating bass taper (i believe Rio, though may have been Cortland, either way, we're talking a $39 bass taper line). A buddy let me cast his Sage LMB fly rod with the matching Sage Performance Bass Largemouth taper line. Wow. The improvement in several ways was amazing. no wonder i never fish high price gear, ignorance can be bliss.

I bought the one size smaller Sage line, the Smallmouth 290 grain line (i still cannot justify spending full price, i got it new at a good deal, email me if you want to explore that source). Fantastic, even with my cheap no-name brand blank. You may want to consider the next size smaller for your 6wt, Sage's Bluegill line which is 230 grain. it's basically overlining a bit. But the line is also thicker and more supple, and floats well if i remember correctly, and designed to throw bigger bugs. BTW, i also fish with an intermediate, and a type IV line for subsurface needs.

eric
fresno, ca.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/13/2016 02:21PM by eric zamora.