I do quite a bit of low water steelheading, usually casting trout pattern flies and such with light gear. Last year I landed a 16.5 lber on a size 8 olive whooley, but I was using a thin diameter 8lb leader (Gamakatsu co-ploy; thinner than 6 lb maxima). I've never really found it necessary to go lighter than this, although I have used 8 lb fluorocarbon (don't like to do this unless desperate because fluorocarbons suck).

My question to you is: do you feel it necessary to use line as light as 3 lb test. Have you found a greater number of hookups than using say, 6lb. I guess I'm with Hawk; I would find it awful difficult to land a summer fish with line this light, no matter how long the rod. Going with a 7 or 8 lb fluorocarbon would provide more muscle than 3lb.

[This message has been edited by obsessed (edited 07-26-2000).]