[LFN]

I know I asked this on the old GFO but lets try again. Buying a 5 wt line and wonder what oyhers use=WF or DT.
Follow up question would be why?

Lou, on board the Debit

 

[Worm Drowner]

What are you planning to fish for? Unless I was fishing dry flies, I'd go with the WF.

 

[Shortdrift]

WD hit it on the head. I'll add that you had better be a fairly accomplished caster if you want to use a DT. I used a WF for native and stocked rainbows in PA as well as for brookies. A DT may require a little longer leader but it will settle gently if you cast it properly.

 

[stonefly71]

I use both but a wtf more then Dt a double taper is the same as a wtf at the first 30 ft guess it just depends on what and where your fishing.

 

[cornmuse]

I know I asked this on the old GFO but lets try again. Buying a 5 wt line and wonder what oyhers use=WF or DT.
Follow up question would be why?

I guess I'll chime in with my own $0.02. On my 4wt and below I use a DT exclusively. On my 5wt I have a long-belly WF. On my 6wt and above I use exclusively wf, typically a Bass Bug taper or radical taper like that.

Why?

On the 4wt and 5wt I usually fish small creeks and both the DT and the long belly offer a better opportunity to mend a line and roll cast with control past 30' or so. An added advantage of the DT is the ability to reverse the line when one end gets a bit ragged. I have also found that on those occassions when I have to reach out to 50' plus a double taper allows me to false cast a longer line and also loads my faster rods better at those distances. Admittedly this is not an everyday thing, but tossing small nymphs to tailing carp in the summer often requires working 40 to 60 feet out. A heavier rod simply makes too much of a ruckus in skinny water.

YMMV

Joe C.