2wt vs 3wt: Is there a difference???

[briansII]

Great advice. After completely filling your quiver with each weight rod, then you can go back and start duplicating weights with 3 weight fast, 3 weight moderate, 3 weight slow, etc......... It never ends

Wow. People really do this?

briansII

[littlefish]

Man! You guys are enablers!

I'm here trying not to spend as much and you guys encourage me to go out on the town!

So far I have a 5, 6 and 8.

Will definitely consider all your sage advice! Probably gonna go to Bob Marriot's sometime this weekend and try out some different weights!

Thanks again guys!

[fly addict]

Littlefish,
Here is something I learned to save a few bucks. I mostly purchase odd weight rods, 1,3,5,7 etc. It means I can use the same 3 wt line and reel on a few different rods, I own 9 3 wt rods. (Don't tell my wife). I have found there is not much difference between a 3 or 4 wt or a 4 or 5wt for me to justify purchasing every size rod.

[BrownBear]

I have found there is not much difference between a 3 or 4 wt or a 4 or 5wt for me to justify purchasing every size rod.

Vast wisdom there!

I started fly fishing with an even-weight rod (6WT), so our rack holds mostly even-weights as I jumped uphill and down 2 rod sizes at a hop. If I'm an even guy, does that make you an odd fellow?

Old joke. My usual fishing partner up here is all about odd-weight rods, so he's Odd Fellow to most of us who fish with him.

[briansII]

At some point, you are going to need one of these for a day on the stream.



I could fish a 5 iron....err, 5wt about 99% of the time, but then who would feed all those poor rod makers.

briansII

[fly addict]

I have found there is not much difference between a 3 or 4 wt or a 4 or 5wt for me to justify purchasing every size rod.

Vast wisdom there!

I started fly fishing with an even-weight rod (6WT), so our rack holds mostly even-weights as I jumped uphill and down 2 rod sizes at a hop. If I'm an even guy, does that make you an odd fellow?

Old joke. My usual fishing partner up here is all about odd-weight rods, so he's Odd Fellow to most of us who fish with him.

I'll take being called Odd as a complement...

[stanbery]

Great advice. After completely filling your quiver with each weight rod, then you can go back and start duplicating weights with 3 weight fast, 3 weight moderate, 3 weight slow, etc......... It never ends

Wow. People really do this?

briansII

No buddy does that except a few forum numbers that will remain nameless..............Midger, Bob, and Brian to name a few

jon

[flocktothewall]

I bought a 3wt TFO Finesse a long while back because it was being cleared out of a local Sport Chalet. I paired it with a Orvis Battenkill Barstock 1. It made a great so cal rod. Then the 2 weight was on sale so I bought it, and because of budget concerns I couldn't get another reel/line...

I had read at one of the fly rod shoot out reviews about the TFO finesse and the weight ratings of the rods. I can't remember where or who put the info out, but the Finesse 3 WT was actually a 3.8 something weight rod, and the 2 WT was a 2.6 or something like that... Meaning a heavier line loaded it best which confirmed for my particular set up that I like my 3WT with the 3WT line, but I LOVE my 2wt with the 3WT line.

[1mocast]

Since you have 5, 6 &8, consider the short 3 wt 7.5 ft for small brushy streams or 8.5 / 9 ft for open small streams. The 3wt is more versatile than the 2 wt.

[NorcalBob]

<<<No buddy does that except a few forum numbers that will remain nameless..............Midger, Bob, and Brian to name a few>>>
Hey, I'm now down to around 55 fly rods so take me off that list! Unlike someone else who shall remain nameless, I haven't bought a new rod in a couple of years!!!
And to take this back on topic, I'd also recommend a 3 WT over a 2 WT as it's more versatile (unless of course you have 55 fly rods, in which case you do need a 2 WT!). I can throw split shot with my 3 WT without banging the back of my head, but I have problems flinging lead with my 2 WT.

[John Harper]

I got a Redington Classic Trout, 3wt, 7 1/2 foot a few years ago. It's awesome, value priced, and everyone that's tried it loves it. Why spend the big bucks? It's almost effortless to cast.

John

[acorad]

I got a Redington Classic Trout, 3wt, 7 1/2 foot a few years ago. It's awesome, value priced, and everyone that's tried it loves it. Why spend the big bucks? It's almost effortless to cast.

John

x2.

I got the Redington 2 wt, it was on sale for like $80 or $90.

Paired it with a <$15 plastic reel from China (I assume).

It caught a bass on it's very first first cast.

Plenty of bass, trout, bluegill, a couple carp, and some kind of VA river chub/shiner since.

Looove the rod.

Andy

[Sasha]

I went the every other number route. As I started with a 5 way back when. Now that all is said and done, I have rods in the following: 0, 3, 5, 7 and 9. Once upon a time I also had 000 and 1 but got rid of those as they were a bit redundant after getting the 0. As far as difference between a 2 and a 3 as others said it won't be much. The biggest differences will come from such things as length, taper and action of the rod. You can have two three weights that are totally different.

I used to have a tfo 3wt that my wife picked up for me. While I appreciated the thought, the rod sucked and I hated fishing it. I now have a 3wt that I like much better but it is still not perfect. I just need to bite the bullet and get the one that I know I would enjoy and be done with it.

[atomicfly]

Wow. People really do this?

briansII

YES! even with 4 weights! lol

eric
fresno, ca.

[BrownBear]

Oh yeah. We have five 10-weights of various makes and models on the boat right now, one shipped off to Sage for repair, and a couple of more in the rack at home as spares.

Don't EVEN get me started on 8-weights. I don't really want to know how many, assuming I could even find them all on short notice.