The Butter Stick’s fiberglass blank features a stiffer butt section than most other rods we tested in this class, giving more power to the stick when having to fight and turn big, powerful fish. That stiffer lower section also gives the Butterstick the backbone strength needed to power heavier flies and double-fly rigs into action, making this one of the more versatile dry fly specialists we tested.

Casting Distance and Accuracy
At 7’6” with a very soft tip and mid-section, the Butter Stick can’t match the slightly stiffer Orvis Superfine Glass in total distance potential, but it does surpass the even softer graphite rods in this class. Moderately skilled casters should be able to toss a fly 40–45 feet with a good degree of accuracy, and pinpoint accuracy out to about 35 feet.

Versatility
The stout butt section does give you the stability and support needed to cast heavier flies, like big foam stones and hoppers, without too much effort. We also discovered the flexible tip was great for feeling soft takes on drifting nymphs, making this a wonderful rod for fishing those subsurface flies in crystal clear waters where the fish are extra spooky. All in all, this is a well rounded small-stream rod.

Note
We tested the 7’6”, 4-weight version. It is also available in 2-weight through 5–weight versions of various lengths.