My New Echo Lift 6 Weight

Recently, I received an Echo Lift in the mail which came as a result of Waylon sitting on my Echo Base. The Base was discontinued and the section that was broken was not able to be replaced. The Lift was provided through the Echo warranty program and it feels good to have my fly rod collection complete again.

The only step that I had to take to make sure the rod was in proper operation, was to pair it with the right reel and line.  I took all of my reels to see which would balance with the rod while at the same time offer the correct amount of line and backing capacity.  I then had to see which line would pair best with the rod and my casting abilities/tendencies.  I wanted to make sure that the rod loaded in the "Goldilocks Zone".  I didn't want to overwhelm or underwhelm the rod.  I went by both touch and sight to accomplish this and finally ended up at the right combination.

The endeavor took a little time but it was worth it.  The need to pair a fly rod with the right fly line cannot be understated.  A fly rod is probably going to be the largest investment and most important tool to an angler.  In my opinion, the second most important factor is the line.  The line can help determine casting distance, casting accuracy, and how the rod feels when it is operating.  While fly lines sound like a "one size fits all" type situation, I can assure you that is not at all accurate.  A weight forward, floating, six weight line from Rio might make your rod function differently that the same type of line from Scientific Anglers.  

Like so many aspects in fishing, it is important to experiment with rod and line combinations.  As anglers, we change flies, depths, and locations to get the best experience.  Doesn't it make sense to do the same thing with our rod, reel, and line set-ups?  If this is something that you have never considered, hopefully I have given you something to think about and consider in the future.  If you already understand the principles that I have mentioned, you might consider testing out your rods with different combinations of line that you already have at your disposal.  Regardless, it's an important and fun undertaking...especially when the fishing is slow or you just can't get on the water!