How big of fish can a 3wt Euro rod handle?
- Thread starter Yhandi
- Start date
You don't target Steelhead with a 3wt unless you're a masochist. I'm assuming these would be hatchery Steelhead . . .if native fish are present it's a whole other story.
Bycatch is unavoidable - I've played and landed both Silvers and Chum on a 3wt while Euronymphing. This was not intentional, both under 8lbs, and I used every trick in the book (and 8lb fluoro tippet) to get them to shore so I could recover my flies. It was not fun.
You can also hunt Grizzlies with a machete. Not advisable but YMMV -
Bycatch is unavoidable - I've played and landed both Silvers and Chum on a 3wt while Euronymphing. This was not intentional, both under 8lbs, and I used every trick in the book (and 8lb fluoro tippet) to get them to shore so I could recover my flies. It was not fun.
You can also hunt Grizzlies with a machete. Not advisable but YMMV -
Yhandi
Smolt
Native fish.
If this is a serious thread, then I think it's an important teaching moment.
Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. But most Euro 4wt rods are really more of a 5/6wt in the lower sections, so can put some power on the fish if need be. Still, it's not a great setup for safely fighting to fish so they can be revived and released. If you go too light, those fish will exhaust themselves while you play them out and they likely won't survive.
Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. But most Euro 4wt rods are really more of a 5/6wt in the lower sections, so can put some power on the fish if need be. Still, it's not a great setup for safely fighting to fish so they can be revived and released. If you go too light, those fish will exhaust themselves while you play them out and they likely won't survive.
This is accurate, IMO. You could probably go higher, but I wouldn't.
Folks use 4-5wts for those fake east coast steelhead. For a proper PNW steelhead, there's some specialized 6wt euro rods around. Soldarini and T&T make some, I believe.
Yhandi
Smolt
yeah, I think you're right. Last thing I want to do is hurt the fish. The Thread was kinda a joke but I was a little curious about how people would respond. I did catch a 24'' steelhead last summer that was wild on a 3 wt, the thing is the fish was not very heavy. Was just a joke though. I was not targeting them however.
Whether it is or isn't, it's good we have the discussion for someone who doesn't know these things and is learning.
Yhandi
Smolt
It is true, new anglers don’t consider that they can tier the fish to a point where they can hurt it.
All caught on a 3wt euro and 6lb tippet… I’ve always been of the opinion that the weight of the rod had more to do with the size of the fly you cast with it, not the size of the fish you catch with it… btw the chinook and the sockeye were unintentional bycatches….
TylerSadowski
Just Hatched
NO! They are not heavy enough and the tippet you will be using to get a proper drift is much too small for fish that size.
Yhandi
Smolt
No lie... landing a chinook on a 3wt is surprising. I think that this can be detrimental to a large fishes health by exausting them.
Yhandi
Smolt
Thread was a joke.
TylerSadowski
Just Hatched
Cool bro! keep killing fish
EvenTallerDude
Smolt
I've caught 18+ inch cutties on a 3wt up on the Elk river. Not by design mind you, twas targeting something smaller but sh*t happens 
Stew
Stew
that pink reel is niiiiiiiice
EvenTallerDude
Smolt
Agreed, I like the contrast with the line ...
