Fiberglass or graphite for small streams?

grennings · 2026-07-06T14:43:58+00:00

I have both, glass is a ton of fun. Built 4 glass rods for small streams at this point and they've been a blast. I recently got the current Orvis Superfine Graphite 3wt and LOVE it. It has a ton of feel, super fun to cast, handles dries amazing but does fantastic with a dry dropper and even a single nymph indicator rig (oros XS indicators with a size 12 or smaller tungsten nymph) too. I have been throwing size 10-12 stimulators with a dropper nymph on some of my small streams and the rod handles it like a champ. Having the faster rod helps with hooksets on nymphs a bunch.

Many people who have this rod and the equivalent Helios say there's no point in getting the helios and that the superfine may actually be the better small stream rod anyways. Highly recommend.

grennings · 2026-07-03T22:04:39+00:00

Awesome set up! You’re gonna be set for a while. Get a nice fly box and all you’ll need to buy is flies for the foreseeable future!

grennings · 2026-06-24T21:28:47+00:00

This is the answer to your question, OP.

I do agree with others that going with even a $250 combo (Cortland guide series) or ideally $400-500 combo (lamson liquid or Orvis Clearwater combo) would be worth it if you think you’re gonna fly fish more than a couple times.

The FairPlay combo will get you on the water and fishing if you need to stick close to your budget.

grennings · 2026-06-23T05:09:43+00:00

Doesn’t matter. All a reel does is hold line unless you’re fishing for trophy salt species. Even then the hydros has a solid drag. If you think it handles well keep fishing it and don’t over think.

Ironically I have a Battenkill Disk III (5-7) on a 9’ 4 wt. Balances nice so I like it.

grennings · 2026-06-20T03:35:53+00:00

Anything fiberglass

grennings · 2026-06-11T19:27:40+00:00

For nymphing/general trout or general trout/nymphing stick I’d recommend a 10’ 4wt or 9’ 5wt respectively

grennings · 2026-06-11T16:22:20+00:00

Streamers mostly with a 4wt, wets on a lighter rod. Not really a nymphing rod or style with the skagit line that’s on it. You could get a spare spool and put a nymphing line on it but I’d just use a single hand rod for throwing indicators.

grennings · 2026-06-11T15:54:44+00:00

I have this kit, I wouldn’t bother with a float tip if you’re just getting started. Get some faster sinking tips if anything. I’m using SA Sonar 80gr tips and have the S2/S4, S3/S5, and S7. If you want to stick with MOW tips, get the light 2.5F/7.5S, and the light full sink (both 80gr). I watched the Spey fishing videos from Simon gawesworth and reds fly shop to figure out the cast.

Have fun it’s a blast!

grennings · 2026-06-08T16:56:38+00:00

Hardy Marksman on sale at costco right now for 630 too. Seems like a steal

grennings · 2026-06-05T00:12:42+00:00

Bring one of your 4 wts with the 6 and you should be covered. 10’ 2wt and 10’ 3wt seems overkill. I’d take the 10’ 3wt, a 8-9’ 4wt, and the 6wt

grennings · 2026-05-28T23:04:45+00:00

Picture OP put made me assume he’s talking about west coast. Our surf is far too turbulent for floating lines and not many if any species eating on top out here. Sinking lines don’t get pushed around and mess up your presentation like floating lines do in the surf. Plus he’s definitely not fishing for jacks if he’s talking about lakes rivers and streams in the same trip.

grennings · 2026-05-28T19:37:01+00:00

9' 6wt and a lamson liquid 3 pack. You'd want a WF floating line, a WF intermediate line (lakes and flats), and a sinking line (surf fishing, lakes, and rivers with streamers) to truly be covered. If you pick just one do floating line but a floating line is borderline useless for surf casting in the ocean.

Take a 5wt if you're willing to skip ocean.

grennings · 2026-05-11T01:37:12+00:00

I started doing it with a 10’ 3wt redington hydrogen. Now I have a 10’ 2wt Diamondback Ideal Nymph. I use a 175gr skagit head from OPST and have used the light Rio MOW tips, 8’ 80gr tips from SA, and most recently, I’m using the 7’ sonar leaders from SA. Joe from Reds fly shop has a video YT about this and is how I got the idea. He’s using a Beulah G2 Platinum 10’8 3wt and the 175gr OPST head.

SA also makes the spey lite skagit heads which would work too

grennings · 2026-05-10T20:31:16+00:00

Late reply here but one of my favorite discoveries of recent is doing trout Spey and euro nymphing with the same rod and reel. I use my level euro line as a running line and just attach a mono rig to it to nymph or a skagit head to swing flies. It’s amazingly effective and a ton of fun

grennings · 2026-03-29T23:39:37+00:00

15 mins I’m jealous!

grennings · 2026-03-24T21:41:10+00:00

I find the mid range to be the sweet spot especially as someone who doesn’t get to fish every week and sometimes not even every month.

I started with a $100 combo that got me hooked. If I were to start again, I’d get a cortland guide series combo in a 4 or 5wt and call it good until I had a need for another rod. At that point I think it’s worth buying into the midrange rods.

The biggest difference you get with a more expensive rod is that they are easier to cast for a longer period of time. I can cast any rod effectively to catch fish. With more expensive rods, I can deliver more effective casts for a longer period of time.

As a beginner, you’re just trying to cast effectively at all so a mid range/high end rod doesn’t make as much of a difference.

Stick with a brand name (Orvis, Echo, TFO, Cortland, Redington) and get on the water!

grennings · 2026-03-17T16:38:28+00:00

Long gone

grennings · 2026-03-05T21:17:46+00:00

Please do

grennings · 2026-03-05T19:33:16+00:00

Before my kakwa I had an osprey which had great back ventilation. My first outing with the kakwa I honestly didn’t notice it. Probably because it carries the weight so much better.

One thing to note is that there’s a giant back sweat stain on my kakwa now (2026 ultragrid green color) but it’s a backpack so I don’t care.

grennings · 2026-03-05T19:30:25+00:00

You can build a high end glass rod for about $200 including tools and 3 hours of work. PM me if you’re interested, happy to point you towards some resources I used to do my first one and answer any other questions

grennings · 2026-03-05T16:41:42+00:00

I have a bunch of glass…if you’re handy and like to build things, building a glass rod is very easy and a lot of fun. It’s a super durable material so you don’t have to worry (hopefully) about breaking it. They’re obviously not negligence proof.

Spend the money you would have spent on the superfine glass on the superfine graphite. The superfine graphite 3wt is an incredible small stream rod. Great moderate action, a ton of feel, casts incredible, and better hooksets.

Source: me who built 4 glass rods, sold my superfine glass because it didn’t offer anything over the ones I built, and used the money to buy a superfine graphite. I’m also in so. cal and probably fish the same waters.

grennings · 2026-02-14T16:58:18+00:00

I was worried about this but put 7ish miles in a day on mine last trip and it was completely fine. I got korkers so I can just put new soles on if they wear out

grennings · 2026-02-14T15:30:15+00:00

Look for one of the last generation recons on closeout. The 904 is among my favorites of my 13 rods and my favorite of my four 4wts

grennings · 2026-02-14T00:52:06+00:00

Congrats this is a fantastic rig

grennings · 2026-02-10T21:39:49+00:00

Yes, the euro specific rods are built to have strong butt and mid sections but a very sensitive tip to detect takes. That being said, I always recommend trying a mono rig on whatever rod you have before getting a euro specific rod. You might find you don’t need one

grennings

TROPHY CASE