I do enjoy my 3wt quite a bit and suckered Al into trying it a couple of months ago, so now he's got that bug too. I don't target bass with it, though, instead, it's my bream stick. One of those bream like George raises that have foreheads are a ball on a 3wt. If you happen to catch a small to medium bream on the 3wt and a bigger bass sees an easy meal, that can be exciting to say the least!
As for flies on the lighter tackle, I use pretty much the same ones I use on the big stick, just downsized. For instance, where I might use a Clouser with a hooks size of 1/0 or 1 on my big Mini Mag, I might throw a size 8 Clouser with my 3wt. The same thing would be true for poppers, or any other fly.
It should also be noted that with a 3wt, you're going to fling flies down in the range of size that most people consider true fly fishing and not the huge furry monstrosities that we chuck and duck at bass. You'll also be surprised to learn first hand that decent size bass sometimes slurp up a dragonfly nymph tied on a size 10 hook.
Remember to not go crazy with tippet size on lighter tackle. Your tippet should be the weak link in the chain between your stripping hand and the fish's mouth. If you're fishing for bream near heavier cover, you'll be better off with a tippet you can break off instead of taking the chance of hanging up, and possibly killing, a good bass that you've worked so hard to grow.
With regard to tying your own flies, I look at that like I do reloading ammunition. The average person isn't going to reload enough or tie enough flies to do it more inexpensively than a company that can take advantage of the economies of scale associated with mass production. What fly tying or reloading does offer is the ability to custom tailor your hobby's "consumables" to your specific wants or needs. I love to tinker, so both of these activities fit me well.
Fly tying can also help to keep you sane in the months when the fishing is slow due to heat or cold. There is some great fellowship associated with sitting around with others of a similar bent and lashing materials to a hook while you talk about life, liberty, and the pursuit of fishin'.
Just remember that your fly fishing career can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be. There are a lot of great local and online places to buy pre-tied flies and there's no shame in using those. Find what you enjoy and go to it!
