I fish mostly small streams and creeks in the black hills of south dakota, but am still fairly new at fly-fishing. I’ve heard some locals mention a switch to a 3wt rod. Is there a good reason why I should switch. What benefits would come from the switch?
if you don’t think you should do it, you probably shouldn’t.
if the streams are truly small that 5wt’s prolly overkill.
mgj
[This message has been edited by mikeytwoshoes (edited 28 April 2005).]
I live one state over to your west. I say keep your 5 wgt for a while. I have fished some of the streams that you are probably talking about and a 5 weight will do you just fine. One thing that you have to remember is that you have a lot of wind there same as here and that 5 wgt will help a new fisherman in the wind a lot better than a 3 Wgt. Later you can add the 3 Wgt to your 5 Wgt and be able to use one or the othere when you need to. Just don’t get rid of the 5 Wgt. Ron
Ron has the right idea…keep the 5 and get a 3
Thanks for the input. There is some sort of wind pretty much everyday!
dmbfan - Cabela’s Three Forks 7.5 3pc. 3wt. is on sale for $39.99. I’ve fished with my buddies’ and there are a number of guys in our TU chapter that use it and love it.
Keep your 5, get the 3 and try it. SA Headstart line throws a country mile on it and last year my buddy pulled in 5-6 nice largemouth within a 20 minute period. Of course, he wouldn’t let me cast in the honey hole he found!!!
And, it’ll cast in the wind; we have some here in S. Jersey too!
Can’t lose. Regards, Jim
I went to a 3 wgt for most of my fishing last summer. I fish from a Hobie Float Cat on smaller lakes for the most part for panfish, bass, some trout, etc. I was very surprized at how much wind the 3 wgt would handle. Generally, if the wind was low enough for flyfishing the rod would handle it. I fished several afternoon that the “TV guy” said had gusts to 20 mph with no real problems. Of course, with the pontoon I could generally position myself with the wind on my beam worse case. And it was a hoot to handle the fish on the rod! I would reccomment getting the 3 - and then, of course, you’ll need a 7, a 1, etc… G
Donald
Hi DMB…my 2 cents…get good at using the 5 and then decide what rod(s) you want to add to your arsenal. A 3 wt has no advantage over a 5 in catching a fish. Good advice from Ron. Have fun!..Jason
understand what you really want in a rod, and than decide which type/action/weight is going to fit your style of casting, and help you improve as both a fisherman and caster.
than, instead of “trading in”, just add to your 5wt. save your money so you have enough to buy whatever you want while you are making your decision. when you feel ready, pick one and enjoy it.
i think most of us have a “quiver” of sorts. at least 2 rods, i would think…
You could always look into a St.Croix Legend Ultra in a 7’9" 3wt its a small rod but has some backbone to it, and then you could look to over lining it just a smidge with a Cortland precision taper flyline in a 3.5wt to deal with the wind. But thats only if your set on a 3wt. There are also tons of good 4wts to consider also.
cutty
It’s windy most days here, but when I think about it the wind isn’t all that bad in the hills were I fish. I’m not going to get rid of the 5, but I like the idea of adding the 3. Maybe later this summer when the hoppers pick up. There’s also a lot of brush and trees hanging over the water, the shorter rod has to be more manueverable.
careful throwing larger flies with a 3 wt. especially in the wind. unless youre using small hoppers, say #14 or smaller, id stick with the 5 wt.
i own a 3 and a 5, and i live in an area where relatively high winds (20-40mph) occur almost daily in the afternoons. i fish the rod appropriate for the size of the flies i plan on using, rather than anything else. if im using 18s and smaller, possibly with an occasional 16 thrown in, i use the 3 wt. if im throwing streamers or large nymphs, say 14 and above, i use the 5 wt.
i dont let the wind effect my decision, because i fish mostly streams and spring creeks. if the wind is really bad, i can roll cast anywhere i need to get to. its all about fly and tippet size for me.
try to remember that these are all opinions 
.
I own rods from 2 weight through 12 (no 11 wt). When trout fishing I rarely use anything lighter than a 4 weight because I simply see no advantage in the lighter rods and can do more (wind or large flies, for example) with the heavier rods.
For pure dry fly fishing on small, brushy, creeks I like using my 2wt 7’9" rod. For fishing a dry and a nymph dropper I’ll use my 3wt 7’9" rod. For using small wooly buggers I’ll use my 4wt 7’11" rod. Just giving you some food for thought. Good-luck!
I fish the Black Hills too. I bought a WW Griggs 3 wt. because it’s short and is useful in some of the streams where there’s lots of fly-snagging growth. It can be difficult to handle in the wind.
I use the 5 wt. for open fishing, when I need more distance, and when I’m floating on Deerfield, Pactola, and Sheridan Lake.
My suggestion is to get the 3 wt. and use what you feel most comfortable in any given situation. There’s lots of two rod carriers so hauling both shouldn’t be a problem. I got a nice one for my last birthday at Scheels in the R.C. Mall.
Elliott W.
I tie flies to give the fish something to laugh about.