Prediction- Future SM Yellow fishing

[Stones]

According the photo the fish had a fork of 27" caught on a 0 weight.

hahaha.....spot on

[Korrie]

20 years ago, the standard for the Cape Streams were #5.
Then it went down to 2 and 1 then 0 weight, then some even went to 000.

Fishing for SMs, might nog go down to 000, but #3 definitely.

[chrisvd]

Korrie

Your prediction might be spot on if you look at the history of fishing in SA, but you will probably not find me on the Orange with a #3 rod targeting SM. I started out with a #5 on the streams and now never fish above #3, I even own a #000 I still remember fishing Swartwater dam with a #7 as anything lighter was frowned upon.

On the Vaal/Orange I started out with a #5 then stepped down to a #4 a couple of years ago even used my #3 a couple of times. The #4 performed great and I was happy with it, but I did lose more fish due to one thing and one thing alone, I sometimes was unable to turn a big fish from going into structure/fast water during a run. With the #4 you have to give it some freedom to run and try to get it to you with less stick and more brains. The problem is that if the fish ends up in one of the fast channels during a quick run, its good bye on the #4 whilst the #5 gets the fish turned a bit better and you have a better chance to turn it before it goes into these channels.

Sure there are ways to turn a fish with lighter rods by using angles etc., but it's just easier with a heavier rod. The downside is that the heavier rod tends not to protect the lighter tippet that I tend to use all that well.

I now only use my #5 10ft for yellows in the big rivers and don't see me changing soon. SA might just follow the Americans and stay with the bigger stuff on the bigger rivers. But who knows, we might just start to fish with #5 on the streams again in 20 years due to the rods not weighing anything because they will be built from the newest space age high tech materials!

[ArcherFish]

Do you agree or disagree

Sounds like you want to stress the fish

[Michael]

Two years ago on the Vaal I saw a guy fighting a sizeable yellow and was battling to get the thing's head up so he could land it. After about 5 minutes I told him "Jeez man land the thing already!"
His reply: "I can't turn him...I'm fishing a 2wt!!"....

I rest my case.

[Korrie]

There is some skill involved with fishing lighter rods as well.

[Michael]

There is some skill involved with fishing lighter rods as well.

There's no argument that no matter who's fishing the rod, a 5wt will land the fish easier than a 3wt or less.
If you're fishing in currents, rapids, or there's structure...the 5wt just has more power and control. That's the bottom line.

I could land a frikkin 5kg smallmouth with a 0wt if I really wanted to...but the fight is definitely going to be longer and it's just silly.

Maybe it's an ego thing...you know..."Hey I landed that big boy on a 0wt! I'm the man..."

[Korrie]

There's no argument that no matter who's fishing the rod, a 5wt will land the fish easier than a 3wt or less.
If you're fishing in currents, rapids, or there's structure...the 5wt just has more power and control. That's the bottom line.

My original prediction was that more guys will be fishing #3, not if a 5 have more control etc. and in certain instances I am sure a #3 might land a fish easier than a #5.

For general fishing I maintain, big fish, big water, big rods.

[smallstreams.co.za]

Maybe it's an ego thing...you know..."Hey I landed that big boy on a 0wt! I'm the man..."

Why would it be an ego thing?

My original prediction was that more guys will be fishing #3, not if a 5 have more control etc. and in certain instances I am sure a #3 might land a fish easier than a #5.

For general fishing I maintain, big fish, big water, big rods.

Quite right Korrie. I'm very pro ultra-light, but in recent times have also fallen back to using "heavier" rods on the streams and rivers I fish. Chris mentioned it ... the newer stuff is getting thinner and lighter, while still delivering a lot of power. 5-weights (since it is being mentioned a lot) of 20 years ago certainly cannot be compared with the current stuff, similar to 3-weights etc. Point is, I can now do more on a stream with the new, heavier but higher tech, rods than I could a few years ago.

[Korrie]

Why would it be an ego thing?

I also wondered about it.
For me it is about enjoyment and skill.
Never thought about the ego thing.