Fly Rod Weight Guide
Find the rod weight that fits the water you fish, the fish you chase and the flies you throw.
Open tool : Fly Rod Weight GuideFly Line Weight Chart
The AFFTA grain weight standard for fly lines 1 through 12, and what each line is normally used for.
AFFTA fly line weight standard
The standard rates a line by the mass of its first thirty feet, excluding any level tip, measured in grains. Every figure below is the standard target with the permitted tolerance beside it.
| Line weight | Target | Range | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 wt | 60 gr | 54 to 66 | Small streams, tiny dries, panfish |
| 2 wt | 80 gr | 74 to 86 | Brookie water, short delicate casts |
| 3 wt | 100 gr | 94 to 106 | Small stream trout, spring creeks |
| 4 wt | 120 gr | 114 to 126 | Light all round trout, dry fly work |
| 5 wt | 140 gr | 134 to 146 | The standard all round trout line |
| 6 wt | 160 gr | 152 to 168 | Bigger water, wind, light streamers |
| 7 wt | 185 gr | 177 to 193 | Streamers, bass, large trout rivers |
| 8 wt | 210 gr | 202 to 218 | Steelhead, bass, light saltwater |
| 9 wt | 240 gr | 230 to 250 | Salmon, bonefish, heavier saltwater |
| 10 wt | 280 gr | 270 to 290 | Big saltwater, permit, pike |
| 11 wt | 330 gr | 318 to 342 | Tarpon and large offshore species |
| 12 wt | 380 gr | 368 to 392 | The heaviest saltwater work |
What the chart does not cover
Shooting heads, skagit heads and scandi heads are sold by an absolute grain weight for the head itself rather than by the thirty foot standard, so they do not map onto this table. Match those to the grain window the rod maker publishes for the specific rod.
Many modern trout lines are also built half a size to a full size heavy on purpose so fast rods load at short range. That is a design choice by the line maker, not an error. If a line feels heavy for its label, check the maker's published grain weight rather than assuming the rod is wrong.
Common questions
What do the grain weights in the chart mean
They describe the mass of the first thirty feet of the line, excluding any level tip, under the AFFTA standard. That is the figure rod makers design around when they label a rod for a given line weight.
Should I overline my rod
Some anglers go one line weight heavier to load a fast rod at close range or to turn over heavy flies and indicators. It is a legitimate adjustment, not a mistake. Cast it before you commit to it.
Does the chart apply to shooting heads and skagit lines
No. Those are sold by an absolute grain weight for the head rather than by the thirty foot standard. Match them to the grain window the rod maker publishes for that rod.