[emerger]

I have fished the River don for the past 15 years or so, preferred method being Dry Fly fishing for brown Trout. I have read threads within this forum of how anglers can't weight to get out there 3 weight and four weight rods. The lowest weight Rod I have is a 5 weight which has its uses in Low water, but my workhorse rods are of seven weight, I use them for Dry Fly, nymph and seatrout. Last year I caught  several brown trout above 3lb biggest 4lb 3/4 all taken on Dry fly using a 7 weight 9ft 6 rod with tapered leader with power gum intergrated. 3 of these trout including the largest were caught on the opposite bank where I wouldn't of had a hope in hell reaching with a 4 weight and the wading was to deep. So my point is the light 3-4 weight rods are all very well and pleasant to fish with, but do they catch more Trout on the Don??? in my mind no. Also if an angler with a light weight rod can't reach a rising trout they will then wade, would this not spook the fish more than a well presented 7 weight from the bank?? In my opinion a well presented 7 weight is more adaptable to conditions in the North East. I'd leave the 3 & 4 weights for the chalkstreams. Any opinions???

[Hamish Young]

Each to their own IMHO.
I have increasingly found that modern light line rods matched with the right fly line out-perform their heavier contemporaries in most dry fly situations - although it would be fair to say that 'heavy weight' rods aren't as cumbersome as they once were.
I like fishing with a lighter rod, in the main I can reach the fish I want to and make the distance with a 5wt or less with the presentation I want without a heavier line.
So, each to their own one mans meat anothers poisson

[wildfisher]

It's down to personal preference – I use an 8 foot #4 with one of Mike's DT Mallards on the Don when on the dry fly, a 10 foot #5 or 6 if fishing heavier  nymphs. Can't say I catch anymore with the lighter gear  but I enjoy using it far more, it is a delight. There is no part of the Don I could not cover adequately with the short light rod and I am just an average caster.

[Gary]

Hmmm, seems this is a topic that everyone has a personal opinion on.  I am not much a tackle freak - I currently own two rods, a cheap 2 pce 9'6 and a more expensive 4 pce 9'6, both #7.

I have been wondering for a while if it is worth getting a smaller/lighter rod for my river fishing.  I had been looking at the Barrio Otter rod - at 9' and #5 I thought it might be a good place to start.  What do other people think?  I suppose, as you all say, it is personal choice ultimately.  

As a tackle dummy I can't figure out if fly reels come with a weight rating as well.  Would the reel I have on my other rods work with a lighter line?

I think I will go to Haddo at some stage as I understand I can try the rod "for size"

[wildfisher]

You purists might swear by these lighter rods

:

Well, I have been called a lot of things over the past 55  years.  @sshole, moaning auld b@stard, grumpy auld fool, catcher of very small troot etc etc but that's the fist time I have been described as a purist!   :

Thanks emerger, they'll be nae haudin' me back noo –  :

[Sandy Nelson]

AFTMA rating for brown trout

interesting statement.

What size engine does your car need for going to the shops?

So my point is the light 3-4 weight rods are all very well and pleasant to fish with, but do they catch more Trout on the Don???

Catching fish is down to the individual not the tackle, the means is personal preference, the product is down to skill and/or luck.
You sound like a skillfull angler to me,

Last year I caught several brown trout above 3lb biggest 4lb 3/4 all taken on Dry fly

.

As for reaching the fish and/or disturbing them. If you wade upstream towards a fish it wont know you are there unless you line it.In the Don this is less likely (than on a chalkstream) as you have lots of ripples on the surface usually and that helps.

Drag is probably the biggest issue on the river and longer rods can help with this, but only at short ranges.Long range fishing is tricky no matter what tackle you use because of drag and micro currents.

NE of Scotland where wind can be a factor a lot of the times

Have to agree about the wind being a factor( depends how hot it is), we all deal with this differently, i like roll and switch casting.

I use lightweight gear because if i use heavier rods and lines my wrists suffer something terrible. So its all about comfort.
That said my standard rod is a 9ft 5wt with a DT4 it does everything i want it too, and i dont get tired, on a nice day i take my 3wt out but tend to use it less these days as i can cast more accurately with the 5wt

You purists might swear by these lighter rods but at the end of the day I'm out to catch fish

Love this too, not sure if its an insult or a compliment  but at the end of the day I'm out to have fun :

Sandy

[Tam Greenock]

l think a lot of folk are mostly worried that lighter tackle wont be up to the job if you hook a bigger fish.
l get a lot of problems with my wrists after a few hours too, so l was looking at one of these new 9ft Sage Fli rods 5/6 today and l may well go for it

[Hamish Young]

I'm not saying fishing lighter rods aren't a delight cause I've fished with  a 5wt and tryed a 3wt and it's very enjoyable.

Good stuff    nice to know you've started with an open mind.

You purists

 :  Errrrrr, aye. So fishing a light rod makes some of us purists : Hmmm, a sweeping generalisation there, if you use the #7wt exclusively wouldn't that make you more of a purist than someone who fishes rods/lines of different weights in different conditions : Or is that just my interpretation of purist :  

.... but at the end of the day I'm out to catch fish

Whilst there's often more to it than catching it is the general reason I go fishing; but not at all costs.

... and if that means fishing heavier lines so be it, after all we do fish in the NE of Scotland where wind can be a factor a lot of the times and if there is no part of the Don you can't cover using an 8ft 4wt you must be more than an average caster.

I'm not going to try and convert anyone to light line fishing, I still have and use a fairly meaningful Greys GPRL - admittedly more for Sea Trout & Salmon. However, if you're happy with your 7wt outfit then good for you. I like my 5,4 and 3 wts for different reasons and they all get used on the river.
As a matter of interest where do you fish most : If you need a heavier outfit then I'm thinking it must be Inverurie or below as most water above that can be covered efficiently with a '4wt even in windy conditions and with the handicap of Freds casting - only kidding Fred  

[Mike Barrio]

Enjoyed reading this one tonight  

It is great to see that not everybody chooses to fish with the same tackle and tactics, this is one of the beauties of our sport    

How does the power gum work "emerger"? That sounds interesting as I don't think I've heard of anybody using it for Don Brownies before?

Best wishes
Mike Barrio
 

[wildfisher]

Bottom line is if you want to nick a  clothes pole from your grannies drying green and use that then it's no one else's business   but yours; provided  of course that  clothes poles are not specifically excluded  on the permit terms and conditions.   Fish with what you like and enjoy yourself. Clothes poles are certainly not mentioned on the council beat permits  anyway, I just checked to make sure.  :

[Jim Eddie]

Now Fred I hope that's a Sage Claes Pole you were thinking of using and nae ane O those cheep eens      

 

Jim

[Barry Robertson]

Is power gum the stuff that acts as a shock obsorber so you have less chance of being broken on say a 2lb leader?

[wildfisher]

Emerger,  Just fish with what you like mate. It's no one else's business.

[Mike Barrio]

So 3 and 4wts are obviously specialist rods for dry fly fishing

Errrr ....... no, certainly not  

Each to their own ........  
Mike

[wildfisher]

Yes, exchange of views is what a forum is  about.

My view is the tackle we prefer to use is our own business.

[wildfisher]

Emerger, I am not saying no one is interested  in you choice of gear, but you do seem to be going to great lengths to justify your choice. All I am saying is you don't have to do that – your choice is your business what anyone else thinks about it does not matter.  I think you will also find that most anglers on this forum have, over the years,  fished with every rod weight from 1 to 10 so they know the score. They have just made their choices as you have yours.  It does not matter. Often these things are driven by fashion. In the 1960's glass #6 weights were the preferred  "all round" rod in the circles in which I fished. The 80 and 90's saw the emergence of the barge pole and until recently you could not get a 10 foot 4 or 5 for love nor money (well, maybe not money!).

Fish with what you like best. Vive la difference!

[Jim Doyle]

Sorry wild fisher dont want to be contrversial but 10ft 4 and 5 wt rods have been around for years. Hardy did a 10ft 5 wt a good 20years ago. There were other rods about but you had to look. For those stick men amongst you there were wooden rods made by clan and your own sharpes, not that it matters, I,m the same everyone to their own , but if anyone wants to go down the tackle tart route the loomis glx range is hard to beat, if somewhat expensive. For anyone wishing to try one I will happily bring mine to haddo and you can try mine.    jim

[wildfisher]

Sorry wild fisher dont want to be contrversial but 10ft 4 and 5 wt rods have been around for years.

You are not being. You are correct, but they are now more common and more affordable than ever  Even the cheaper  manufactures like Snowbee  are making them, bringing them into the price range of the more "skint"  angler.  Only a  few years ago Mike was told by a manufacturer  that no one wanted #4  #5 10 foot rods   and so  for that reason they did would  make them. Now they do.   It's funny how things change.

[Barry Robertson]

As far as rods go i dont think i could fish anything heavier than a 5 wt now. After using  my new little tool the 0 wt even a 5 wt feels heavy these days. Its not realy going any where debating which  wt is best to use as iam sure 2 good anglers could catch on anything?. I agree with everyone who says its whatever makes the person comfortable and confident.

Remember a good indian never blames his arrows!