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Post 21 Oct 2021, 17:46 • #1 
New Member
Joined: 12/02/20
Posts: 2
I'm new to the forum, and I'm trying to get information about 3 wt. glass rods.
I currently have two 4wt glass rods ( Orvis SF and Fenwick Fenglass) ...but I'm looking for a rod that will cast short distances with not much line out ( 2-8 ft), mostly drys, but can handle small nymphs or a small dry/dropper rig
I fish the Sierras and want to use the 3 wt for many of the small streams here.
I think the Scott 663-4 would be great, but is out of my budget.

I've looked at several alternatives, and want to get some feedback on which of these might be full flexing (slow action) ...Moonlit Lunar S glass 3wt, Moonshine Revival 3wt, Cane & Silk 7' 3/4 or 6.6" 3/4 wt., LL Bean Pocketwater 6.9 3wt, Cabela's CGR (can't find a current 3wt...did they discontinue this size?), Redington Butter Stick 7" 3wt
Any other suggestion would be appreciated
Thanks


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Post 21 Oct 2021, 18:03 • #2 
Guide
Joined: 02/15/15
Posts: 141
Location: US-LA
If you can give the Orvis Superfine Glass 6'6" 2 weight a try with a 3 wt. line.


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Post 21 Oct 2021, 18:07 • #3 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 05/22/16
Posts: 1760
Location: SJC
I have the same 3wt's you do, plus the 3wt CGR (and a couple of others [embarrassment :) ]). May I also suggest the 2wt CGR -- I like it with a Maxcatch "Gold" WF3F. Here it is in the Golden Trout Wilderness a few years ago.

Image

I don't have the Moonlit Lunar 3wt, but I do have a couple Lunar 2wt's, and I also use them with 3wt lines. One is the stock build -

Image

The other is a custom build, done by Bejuco Flats Fly Co, which I prefer much more -

Image

If you do end up getting a Moonlit Lunar, I'd highly recommend a Bejuco Flats build. His name is Pablo, and he has an ebay storefront, which makes things easy.


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Post 21 Oct 2021, 19:36 • #4 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 11/06/17
Posts: 2498
Location: South of Joplin
Odonata, fully flexed/fully loaded with <8' of #3 line?


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Post 21 Oct 2021, 19:45 • #5 
Guide
Joined: 08/11/20
Posts: 229
Location: Ontario, Canada
If it’s within your budget, I’d get in touch with Shane to inquire about the Trout Smiths 7’3” 3wt he’s got in the classifieds.


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Post 21 Oct 2021, 21:25 • #6 
Master Guide
Joined: 04/12/18
Posts: 457
In my limited experience, it seems that a whole lot of "2-weight" rods really 3-weights. :-) I'd start wiggling some of those...


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Post 22 Oct 2021, 04:02 • #7 
Guide
Joined: 09/05/17
Posts: 305
Location: On a Stream
Art Weiler's "Willow Glass" rods. l cast the 3 weight a couple of years back and it was a cooked noodle, way to soft for me, might be what your looking for.

https://www.artweiler.com/products/

Scroll down, they are below the cane rods on his website.


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Post 22 Oct 2021, 07:47 • #8 
Guide
Joined: 07/17/05
Posts: 114
Location: Chester County, PA
Cappy beat me to the reference - I got one of Art Weiler's lovely Willow glass sticks at a fly show. Yes, it is soft, maybe even noodley, but at least it's al dente ;). The 7 footer is delicate and delightful and is one of the several most full flexing sticks I have cast and ffished, out of the thousands (yes - I'm a rod geek) that have passed my way.

tl
les


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Post 22 Oct 2021, 09:34 • #9 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 08/25/08
Posts: 1526
Location: Delton, MI
Sounds like you’d like an older Lamiglas Honey Glass 7ft 3wt 2pc if you can find one.


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Post 22 Oct 2021, 10:54 • #10 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 05/22/16
Posts: 1760
Location: SJC
I've no experience with Shane's Trout Smith fly rods, just one of his Trout Smith ultralight spinning rods. Based on that experience; great workmanship, beautiful rod, simply delightful. I may need another 3wt ... ;)


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Post 22 Oct 2021, 12:19 • #11 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/16/05
Posts: 2537
Location: Georgia
The Scott you mention is pretty high dollar, and there are a few other makers who I’d trust to deliver a 3wt as a real 3wt, but they can get in that range too. The more mass sellers (Cabela’s, Bean, etc.) might be having supply troubles, but in general, I’d say a strategy of buying a cheaper “2wt rod” and 3wt line is probably a decent bet. The suggestion of a Lamiglas 7’ is a good one, and keeping an eye on the sale board here might turn one up, or another good rod.

Of the rods you specifically mention, I have a CGR 593, and at the price point they’ve often it at, it’s certainly worth a try.


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Post 22 Oct 2021, 14:54 • #12 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 12/05/06
Posts: 2086
Location: US-PA
ibexfly:

No discouragement intended but a 3wt rod "that will cast short distances with not much line out (2-8 ft)..."

...doesn't have to be a noodle or super slow...

I own more than a few rods and with the exception of a very few, most would be considered medium action and all of them do a great job in-close because I do a lot of fishing in-close and couldn't deal with a rod that doesn't fish well short.

That being said, two thing are critical to this happening: SHORT leaders and SHORT front taper fly lines.

The idea is to have as much of the belly of your fly line out past the tip top when casting short so the rod loads. When you are casting just leader or some leader and some fly line, or the long light front taper of a "tactical" fly line...

...your rod won't load in close.

FWIW - My standard leader for close work is MAYBE 5 - 6 feet long and I swear by Sci Angler Mastery DT lines which have the shortest or one of the shortest front tapers out there. If I need delicacy or more length, I can get that with a longer leader or by modifying my presentation.

So IF you are using a standard 9 foot leader or some "light delicate" presentation fly line, try "shortening up" first before you spring for a new rod or a wet noodle.

Good luck!


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Post 22 Oct 2021, 15:12 • #13 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/16/05
Posts: 2537
Location: Georgia
Those are good points, and often on tightest waters I’m working off a 3-4ft furled leader.


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Post 22 Oct 2021, 20:10 • #14 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 12/05/06
Posts: 2086
Location: US-PA
Absolutely, I use 3 foot furled leaders with maybe 24" of tippet.


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Post 23 Oct 2021, 20:17 • #15 
Sport
Joined: 12/18/15
Posts: 95
Location: Annapolis, MD
My Lamiglas 7/3 is about as full flex as you can get, it's the honey blank, but I don't think it's available anymore. My blank came from Mudhole ten years ago.


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Post 25 Oct 2021, 08:01 • #16 
Master Guide
Joined: 07/26/21
Posts: 383
Location: North West Georgia
I have a SFG 2wt and prefer it with a wf3 line. this combo loads fine with just a foot or two of line out and straightens leaders up close better than the 2wt line. I wouldnt consider this to be a great "do it all" set up though, I prefer to keep dries under size 14 and wouldnt want to cast a dry/dropper on it, even if the dropper was small. to be clear, It will definitely do all of that I just wouldnt pick the SFG2 if thats what I was planning to do.

Perhaps consider non-fiberglass options as well? my Douglas upstream 7'3" 3wt is an incredibly versatile rod that will throw size 10 foam hoppers with bead head droppers, small hair wing streamers, giant royal Wulffs, big parachutes, and also all of the small stuff a 3wt is best for like dries in the 18+ range. This rod has never refused to do anything even somewhat reasonable that Ive asked of it but does really excel with 14ish dries with small droppers which is most of what I do anyhow. For graphite this rod is slow, and even by comparison to some of my vintage glass it is decidedly "moderate" in action.

as another thought - lots of folks around here are in to vintage glass. in the 60s and 70s 5wt was considered a light line and 6 wt was standard for trout. you might be very surprised by how much you like a short, full flexing 6wt for small streams. wont bog the thread down with this though.

Looks Like Ill have to experiment with furled leaders this summer.. I do 95% of my "up close" fishing with hand tied 7' 5x leaders but do have a 6' leader formula worked out just in case.


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Post 30 Oct 2021, 12:17 • #17 
Guide
Joined: 06/28/18
Posts: 338
Location: Bozeman, MT
I don't know if they offer it anymore but I have had a Moonlit "Shadowcast" 7 1/2' 3 wt for 5 seasons...3 piece rod with a full flex action (into the cork) and was my brookie rod up in Virginia Meadows on the Gibbon until the stream got nuked...when things get back to anticipated normal (full of West Slope Cutts) it will be with me there again.

It was a great rod for the price direct from the guys in Idaho Falls.


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Post 30 Oct 2021, 15:16 • #18 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 05/22/16
Posts: 1760
Location: SJC
Re: furled leaders -- I like them for the shorter-length rods, mostly for small streams. I picked up a couple of Moonlit's "brookie" leaders (used to be called the "rhododendron"), which seem to be nice and short. You have to use some kind of treatment with them, like "otter butter". One downside is that they don't slide through the guides quite as easily if you get the knot up through the tiptop. They can be a little fiddly in that respect, but for creek fishing with dries I like them.


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