[Grampa Spey]

I don't think that this has been posted. I am not able to copy the weights and dimensions that are in the link to this site. Maybe someone can do this for us.


This looks like an excellent step in the right direction. Now it is up to the rod makers to step up to the plate with the line weight range that is handled by each rod they sell.

Congratulations to SA and Rio for this big step.

http://flyfishing.about.com/spey/speystandards/

New Spey Line Standards


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
September, 16, 2004

Bruce Richards of Scientific Anglers introduced the first American standard for Spey lines at the annual general meeting of the American Fly Fishing Trade Association. The new standards were unanimously approved by the board at the September 15 meeting in Denver Colorado.

The new standards presented by Richards were developed after extensive consultation with Spey experts associated with various manufacturers including Jim Vincent and Simon Gawesworth of Rio Products and others.

The adoption of the new standard will not require any product recall or repackaging. The manufacturers agreed to integrate the new standards as they produce new product and packaging. Richards expects most Spey lines sold in the U.S. to adhere to the new standard within two years. Rod manufacturers are expected to begin labelling their rods according to the line standards as well.

The new standard describes four different line designs (shooting head, short belly, medium belly, and long belly) which will be identified by the letters H, S, M, and L respectively. Each line category has a different allowable grain weight over a given length of line. For instance, a line advertised as a 9-weight shooting head would have a grain weight of 430 (28 grams) in the first 40 feet. A long belly 9-weight would have 780 grains (51 grams) in the first 80 feet. The new standards will have a +/- tolerance value, but those levels have not yet been determined.

(excerpted and tables not copied.)

 

[Jay Beckstead]

Here is the table from the web article converted to a word document, hopefully most can read this. I don't see it on the preview, but the form says it is attached to the reply.


Jay Beckstead

 

[Grampa Spey]

Jay, thanks it works well as a stand alone.

I copied it to my MS works, and it worked.

I was about ready to call up c BS's 60 Minutes to borrow their MS Word system.

Seriously, I wonder if there is a mistake in the last column of the table, the Long Belly Column.

It says 60 to 70', which is the same as the Medium Belly. It probably should say, 70 to 90 feet measured at 80'.

 

[Jay Beckstead]

I agree, I'm sure that the last column is incorrectly labeled. Have made the correction & converted it to a PDF file, which should make it even easier to read.

Jay Beckstead

 

[Speybro]

Hi all

It should actually read 70' or more, measured at 80'

Tight lines
Simon

 

[Grampa Spey]

Thanks Speybro

Hi all

It should actually read 70' or more, measured at 80'

Tight lines
Simon

I will make the changes in my MS file.

My trophy bride gave me your signed and numbered new book #153, "Spey Casting" for our 43 anniversary.

What a great present, and what a great book.

She said to ask you if you grew up in the Devon/Cornwall area.

Dave

 

[JDJones]

New Standard for Spey lines

This is great news! Glad to see it starting to come together. Wondering if any of the line /rod manufacturers have seen Peter_s_c's Casting Weight Model and the word doc that accompanies it? Now all we need is a reference to drams....As in single malt. :lildevl:

 

[Jay Beckstead]

I see you found the thread JD.


I've updated the column heading & added in the published Rio line wts for comparison. Attachments in MSWord & PDF.

 

[fredaevans]

New Spey Line Standards


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
September, 16, 2004
Bruce Richards of Scientific Anglers introduced the first American standard for Spey lines at the annual general meeting of the American Fly Fishing Trade Association. The new standards were unanimously approved by the board at the September 15 meeting in Denver Colorado.

The new standards presented by Richards were developed after extensive consultation with Spey experts associated with various manufacturers including Jim Vincent and Simon Gawesworth of Rio Products and others.

The adoption of the new standard will not require any product recall or repackaging. The manufacturers agreed to integrate the new standards as they produce new product and packaging. Richards expects most Spey lines sold in the U.S. to adhere to the new standard within two years. Rod manufacturers are expected to begin labelling their rods according to the line standards as well.

The new standard describes four different line designs (shooting head, short belly, medium belly, and long belly) which will be identified by the letters H, S, M, and L respectively. Each line category has a different allowable grain weight over a given length of line. For instance, a line advertised as a 9-weight shooting head would have a grain weight of 430 (28 grams) in the first 40 feet. A long belly 9-weight would have 780 grains (51 grams) in the first 80 feet. The new standards will have a +/- tolerance value, but those levels have not yet been determined.

Spey Line Standards
Shooting Head
Head length 30'-50'
measured at 40' Short Belly
Head length 50'-60'
measured at 55' Medium Belly
Head length 60'-70'
measured at 65' Long Belly
Head length 60'-70'
measured at 80'
Line
Weight grains/grams grains/grams grains/grams grains/grams
6 250/16.2 420/27.3 460/29.9 600/39
7 300/19.5 470/30.5 510/33.1 650/42.2
8 360/23.4 530/34.4 570/37 710/46.1
9 430/27.9 600/39 640/41.6 780/50.6
10 510/33.1 680/44.2 720/46.8 860/55.8
11 600/39 770/50 810/52.6 950/61.7
12 700/45.5 870/56.5 910/59.1 1050/68.2

 

[Lohi]

SpeyLine Calculator

I have plotted all known (to me) todays SpeyLines agaist the new Standard. The plot can be found on my tiny homepage at: Suomalaiset Speysivut

There you can also find a small gadget called SpeyLineCalculator, which you can use to determine the Speyline Standard Designations of your current, nonstandard lines. It is a small windows exe, and does not harm your computer. I have slightly extended the standard, from 20 ft to 120 ft, assuming that the same slope applies from 20 to 30 as from 30 to 55 ft and 80 to 120 ft the same as from 65 to 80 ft. (I have also taken the liberty of extending the standard to classes 13 and 14, which obviously do not exist, at least yet :biggrin: ).

Feel free to load the calculator, and use it as you will. Should you have any questions about it, feel free to ask.

WBR, Lohi

 

[Lohi]

Have you Peter tried the Calculator? Do you think that there is any use for that kind of application? Based on the vast response, one might be iclined to think that there is not

 

[Lohi]

Thanks :biggrin: I knew that I could count on you. Have you btw made any deeper analysis of the standard, e.g. compared to the CWM? Personally I am disappointed that the standard does not take the casting weight of the line into account by any means. If the head weight and length match, it is a std line, be the line level or tapered into any direction :tsk_tsk: . But then again, any standard is better than no standard at all

 

[Carl]

A validation/testing time as it becomes known

Hi Lohi. I just loaded the calculator, and need to try it with my lines. I do think it will be useful. Not so many fishermen are as involved with the numbers--perhaps they judge more by feel or by others' recommendation. This forum helps with that as a place to share experience with different lines. Your work, along with the CWM, are very important to improving analysis and standardization in the two-handed world. My experience is that many more will benefit from it than will use it. Anglers who will not use the calculator themselves will rely on comments from we who do use it, as it gives mathematical standardization to comments that are otherwise without reference. Thank you for your important work to design/build it.
Carl

 

[Lohi]

Thanks for the kind words Gents. Although the calculator is nothing compared to the Peters CWM-work, and also to the work the guys did with the std (Richards, Vincent, Gawesworth, ???). For me it was just a drill, as I was teaching myself a new programming language.

As to the weight classes over 12, obviously they do not exist in the std, but just to get an idea of certain lines, I thought that it would be nice to know, how far off they are. The classes 13 and 14 are just imaginary, assuming the same grain difference per length as for classes 11 and 12 (100 grains at all line distances). So 13 is 12 + 100 grains and 14 is 12 + 200 grains. Maybe #15 should have been included also?

Yes, My GS 8/9 is a solid #11.6, which has been obvious to me for a while, as it is too heavy for my 10/11 rods. But, according to the Rio 2005 catalog, the GS are going on a serious diet, the average weight loss was something about 300 grains. This means that the linemanufactures are taking the std seriously. And why they souldnt, since it was Rios and SA:s joint venture!