small water n light gear fly fishing???

[MtnGiant]

Everyone luvs big waters for big fish....

But what is the smallest waters (width, depth) and lightest gear (rod, line, fly size) you'll go to?

What size fish are you getting?

[Taco]

7' 5wt fiberglass

[waynep]

I like to fish some small headwater streams with a 2wt flyrod most fish are under 12" but there is the odd big fish.
Wayne

[Don Andersen]

I use a 6'0" 2 wt. c/w a Hardy reel. Works fine.

[MtnGiant]

Great pics for actual referance.

[billie]

6' 3wt, largest on it is 16" RB. A treat to use up to about 40'.

[alacringa]

The lightest I go is my 8.5' 4 wt...often use it on small streams for everything from small cutts (5") to large brookies (16").

[Flieguy]

Same hole, same day. 7.5' 4wt.
The creek (which shall remain nameless) is a spawning tributary that you can wade across without getting your knees wet most of the time.

[fishpro]

Haven't fished anything quite as small as the streams in this thread, but I've got a 000 weight combo, fun little rod. Had no problem quickly landing tons of cutts up to 17 inches one day.

[npauls]

Smallest I have tried so far is my Amundson 3wt midge set up. Seems to do the job for myself.

I wouldn't mind getting a 6' or 7' 2-3 wt sometime but would rarely use it so I doubt I will ever get one.

[BobLoblaw]

I like to use my 6ft 2wt TFO rod & Orvis reel on smaller water, if the wind's not too bad. Sometimes, small water can hold big surprises, such as this 25" brown trout...


Only a couple of the browns in this next collage were not caught on my 2wt; the ones that were include an 18", 19", 22" & 25" trout. The 18" & 19" came on consecutive casts in a sweet run; one took a Chernobyl Ant, the other took a tiny parachute Adams that I fished as a trailer behind the foam ant...

[Taco]

Originally Posted by BobLoblaw

I like to use my 6ft 2wt TFO rod & Orvis reel on smaller water, if the wind's not too bad. Sometimes, small water can hold big surprises, such as this 25" brown trout...


Only a couple of the browns in this next collage were not caught on my 2wt; the ones that were include an 18", 19", 22" & 25" trout. The 18" & 19" came on consecutive casts in a sweet run; one took a Chernobyl Ant, the other took a tiny parachute Adams that I fished as a trailer behind the foam ant...

You're gonna flaunt that damn hwy22 fish 'till day you die ain'tcha?

[Taco]

I know damn well he goes "Kneener Kneener Kneener!" every time he posts it too.

[grinr]

Originally Posted by npauls

Smallest I have tried so far is my Amundson 3wt midge set up. Seems to do the job for myself.

I wouldn't mind getting a 6' or 7' 2-3 wt sometime but would rarely use it so I doubt I will ever get one.

I actually prefer an 8-8.5' rod over a 6-7 footer,even on the tiniest,brush choked creeks.I like the extra reach for dapping/high sticking/reaching in to small holes and eddies,then on a wee bit bigger streams the longer rod is better for mending and roll casts.I just find a longer rod has far more advantages than downsides,the only advantage to <7' rod is it's a wee bit easier to navigate thru thick brush.
I think the short rod mentality when I bought my 7' 4wt was a carry over from my early years fishing pan size brookies in brush-choked streams with 5-6' ultralights?IMO,the short rod advantage with spin gear doesn't carry over so well to flyfishing?Not likely that I'll ever buy another sub-8' fly rod again,I just don't see any advantage at all to the short rods and the bad outweighs the good.

[grinr]

To add another thought,something else that I hate abot short rods on tiny streams is leader length.I prefer leaders of 9' or more generally speaking,but will go a bit shorter(6-7'?)if I really have to on tight streams.When i'm fishing up close and personal,as in a rod's length away highsticking or wutever(?),there is very little flyline outside of the guides.With a short rod,this can at times mean NO flyline beyond the rod tip,only leader,which makes difficult to control your fly,and/or the weight of the flyline sagging between the guides pulls your entire leader and fly back in to the rod tip....grrrrr!!
With an 8'+ rod,and a 6-7' leader,I'll at least have "some" flyline out beyond the tip,which makes life much easier.

[MtnGiant]

Originally Posted by Taco

I know damn well he goes "Kneener Kneener Kneener!" every time he posts it too.

Its still a great show of pics IMO

AND.....great points on leader lenghts vs rod lenght....I agree

[BobLoblaw]

Originally Posted by grinr

I actually prefer an 8-8.5' rod over a 6-7 footer,even on the tiniest,brush choked creeks.I like the extra reach for dapping/high sticking/reaching in to small holes and eddies,then on a wee bit bigger streams the longer rod is better for mending and roll casts.I just find a longer rod has far more advantages than downsides,the only advantage to <7' rod is it's a wee bit easier to navigate thru thick brush.
I think the short rod mentality when I bought my 7' 4wt was a carry over from my early years fishing pan size brookies in brush-choked streams with 5-6' ultralights?IMO,the short rod advantage with spin gear doesn't carry over so well to flyfishing?Not likely that I'll ever buy another sub-8' fly rod again,I just don't see any advantage at all to the short rods and the bad outweighs the good.

Couldn't agree more, sir. I have a 6 ft 2wt & a 7ft 3wt. Wish they both were 8-8.5 ft, for sure. Some day I'll upgrade 'em...

[BobLoblaw]

Originally Posted by Taco

I know damn well he goes "Kneener Kneener Kneener!" every time he posts it too.

Bwa-ha-ha-ha!!!
I don't know 'bout that, but I sure as heck replay that day over in my mind each time. I can see that big swirl as he ate my dropper nymph in the riffle just before the pool; I actually thought he had taken the Chernobyl Ant that the nymph was under. I don't think I've ever been more stoked about a fish; you can tell by the poop-eating grin on my mug...

[Taco]

We going fissin' this summer or not Rev?

[BobLoblaw]

Originally Posted by Taco

We going fissin' this summer or not Rev?

Well, it depends...
If you want to go chase cutties, I'm in!!!

If you want to go slaughter poor, defenseless little brookies...I'm also in!

In other words, YES.

[npauls]

Originally Posted by BobLoblaw

Well, it depends...
If you want to go chase cutties, I'm in!!!

If you want to go slaughter poor, defenseless little brookies...I'm also in!

In other words, YES.

Good call. Nothing better then laying a beat down to those brookies.

[Taco]

I'm turnin' into a friggin' social butterfly what with you, BBT, uber and Bowbiker but she'a done deal Rev.

[ÜberFly]

Yeah the wife's gonna be jealous (or happy that you're outta her hair!!)!! LoL

Originally Posted by Taco

I'm turnin' into a friggin' social butterfly what with you, BBT, uber and Bowbiker but she'a done deal Rev.

[EP2]

I will fish anything just large enough to hold fish, especially side channels. Love me my side channels.

Rods, nothing below a 4wt just because I do not want to get another spool and line. My smallest 4s are two 6'6" glass rods. My other 4wt is a 10 footer.

[rycoma]

I just picked up an echo carbon 3 w 7 1/2 footer I can't wait till the smaller stuff opens up. Have used mostly 4 w 7 1/2 foots for ten years or so. I find it a little big for some smaller creeks but I was glad when I hooked into a couple of monsters on these little creeks

[greylynx]

When sneaking around for Athabows and Peaceabows in feeder criks.

Two 4pc. Rods: 7.5 ft # 4wt. and a 9 # 4 wt. in a backpack.