The Threes - 2021 Edition

I don't fish with 3-weights very often. But every once in a while they are fun. This is a fairly big change from 20-some years ago, when I did 99% of my trout and panfish fishing with a 3-weight. Of course at that time my Orvis Silver Label 7'6" 3-weight was the only high-quality rod I owned, so it was either that or stay home. Plus, I didn't know any better...

Now I would say 95% of my trout and panfish fishing is done with either a 4- or 5-weight, and the other 5% is shared between my 3-weights and my 6-weights. At this exact moment in time I own three 3-weight rods, but as we all know, that could change at any moment...

The Threes

Over the years I have owned several 3-weights that were 7' in length or shorter. They have all been fun to cast in the yard, but didn't seem to be all that useful on the water. They were too short for the waters I fish. And I had some good ones: a black Scott F703/3; an Orvis Superfine Glass 703-3; a John Irgens 6'6" bamboo; plus others. All of them have been moved on to other fisherpeople. Hopefully those people are enjoying them.

The Threes, again...

So, you would think that none of my current 3-weights would be under 7', right? Well, yes, that would be a fair assumption, but you would be wrong. A few weeks ago I acquired a sweet little 6'6" 3-weight Lamiglas Spring Creek series glass rod, and it is still in my possession. First of all, it has been way too cold around here for me to take it out in the yard and see how it feels. Maybe I will love it... And secondly, it is a lovely rod! I will keep it around, at least through the Spring, and see how it goes. 

Lamiglas Spring Creek 6'6" 3wt

The second 3-weight in my quiver is an amazing 7'6" Steffen glass rod. This rod is marked as a 2/3-weight. It might do well as a 2-weight, but I wouldn't know, since I don't have a 2-weight line to try on it. What I know is that it handles a 3-weight line flawlessly. I have cast some rather large poppers with this rod, and it has handled them with ease. Steffen Bros. sure make some awesome fly rods!

Steffen 7'6" 3wt and bluegill

My last 3-weight is another special rod. It is my maroon colored 8' 3-weight Scott glass rod that was made for the Japanese market, the F803/3. You don't see too many 8' Scott 3-weights around. This one is sweet! Just like all Scott glass rods, it is as smooth as they come. An excellent fishing tool!

Scott F803/3

Since I only have a few 3-weight rods I don't need too many 3-weight reels. So I have just two: a Lamson LP-1 Light, which is a click & pawl version of the venerable LP series reels; and a Ross Evolution #1. Both these reels work flawlessly, and do everything I need them to do. 

I am not sure if I will be writing about my 7-weight rods, since I only have two of them... Maybe I will switch things up and write about some flies I have been working on... I guess we will all have to check back in to find out :)