Need Some Advice

[troutnut4]

I have a Sage 3 weight 7'-6" ZXL for stream and river small trout fishing and have ordered a Hardy "Featherweight". I am having second thoughts and thinking that the "Flyweight" would have been a better choice. The intended line to be installed is a Rio WF3F Gold. Should I cancel the order or take the Featherweight?

[wannafish]

My opinion; stick with the Featherweight. That Flyweight is a pretty tiny reel and I think it's better to have a little more weight toward the butt than toward the tip. Plus you got more space for backing; not that you will need a lot on a 3wt but it gives you a larger arbor for faster retrieve and less line coil. Those are sweet reels btw!

[sweetandsalt]

Deffinitly the biggr one. Even the LRH might be considered.

[leithel]

The flyweight is not only small in diameter, it is very light. In my opinion the Featherweight will balance the outfit better. I also agree with sweetandsalt you could easily go with an LRH.
Fred

[jaybo41]

These guys have given you good advice. I don't think you'd want the Flyweight, it's very small at 2.5 diameter and very light at 2.7 so says the Hardy webstite:

Hardy Fly - Products - Reels - Classic Reels - Lightweight Reels

I just put my LRH on the scale and loaded up with roughly 200 +/- yards of backing and WF3 Rio Gold it weighs in at an even 5.0 oz on the nose. I intend to use this on a recently acquired 389 Sage SLT. Its a great balance on that particular rod.

The Featherweight is not that much different in weight, so unless you want to throw more backing on a reel or prefer a larger size, you'll be in good shape with the one you chose. That's going to be a sweet setup, congratulations.

[sweetandsalt]

Remeber that more backing on these standard arbor reels translates into a larger arbor with less line memory. So it is not that you need more than 50 - 75 yds. it is that it protects the line.

[moucheur2003]

Honestly, I can't think of a situation where the Flyweight would be better than the Featherweight. I think it is an obsolete size that was developed when lines were silk DT and the usual practice was to attach the line to the reel with little or no backing.

[troutnut4]

Thanks for the advice Guys, I just dropped into my local fly shop and asked them how long I would have to wait. (8-10 weeks) for his next order to come in.: I think I am going to enjoy the F.W. on this rod, but I am not sure how much backing to load on a Featherweight for a WF3F, the reel specs. are for a 4 or 5 weight line, maybe 50 - 60 yards.Well ordering the Hardy gives me a quick FIX for my addiction untill the season opens or the next big one comes along. There's still that Abel that I need (want).

[chased]

The flyweight is a quite small reel with no drag adjustment, not like you're likely to need it, but still. I would stick with the featherweight myself. If you think you need a small reel like a flyweight and still want an Abel, I have an Abel Tr Light I would consider selling .

-Chase

[rayzor]

the Featherweight is the better choice as all have said , just make sure as said before ..put plenty of backing on it , makes the fly line into bigger coils when on reel .
I use a Ir2 for my 1wt balances my 1wt orvis trout bum rod perfect, thats a 4wt Reel , I got a spare spool from Islander ...cut some grey pipe lagging to size ... clipped it onto spool to save too much backing....then 50 yards of backing.. then the 1wt line (WF1).
the other spool has a wulff tt wf4 plus 100 yards of backing . I carry as I said before 1wt and a 4wt Rods both 7'6" in a custom leather & canvas Tube I made . fits perfect in my DXL backpack , covers all my stream fishing

your choice of the featherweight will be fine... if you don't like the reel I will have it