# Fenglass vs Butterstick for smallies, any opinions?



## allday (Apr 8, 2010)

Looking to get my first glass rod. Dedicated Chagrin River smallmouth rod, 10-14 inchers. I throw mostly small weighted crayfish patterns, buggers and small poppers. I do mostly anchored casts with the RIO Creek 5wt on my 8ft 4wt graphite that I would be replacing with this rod. Looking at 7ft6 5wt Fenglass or 7ft6 4wt Butterstick. Does anyone have any experience with either of these two rods? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks


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## Patricio (Feb 2, 2007)

The fenglass are nice rods. Can't go wrong there at all. I've never casted a butterstick. The Cabela's cgr rods are decent too. If you're tossing weighted stuff and poppers, avoid the 4wt.


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## Sdtactac (Sep 7, 2018)

I recommend Blue Halo I have two of their rods the 3 and 7wt. Great quality and often go on sale.


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## Yakphisher (Jul 9, 2013)

Blue Halo.....nothing comes close!

I like the Fenglass but their warranty service leaves a lot to desire. 2 broken rods and still waiting almost 6 mos for replacements.
Wouldn't touch a butterstick if someone gave it to me.


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## allday (Apr 8, 2010)

Update. I went with the fenglass 5wt. Definitely a moderate action. Not as whippy as other fiberglass. This thing feels good to cast once you get in the groove. Casted weighted craws, poppers and short poly leaders no problem. Got it on the bay for $140, can't beat it. It makes a great LM or Erie run SM rod, but is a little overkill for the resident dinks in the Chagrin. Waiting to find a deal on a fiberglass 3wt and 1wt. Keep the fiberglass posts comin!


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## Patricio (Feb 2, 2007)

1wt rods are a novelty. Like I said, the Cabela's cgr rods are probably some of the best fiberglass rods out there without getting too technical. And a steal at $70, too. By "whippy" I think you mean slow. I prefer slow rods for trout. 
I've got a bit of a collection of glass rods I picked up over the years. My favorite is a Cabela's prime, 7'1" 4 wt. It's my go to rod for trout. Perfect for gently dropping a size 16 bwo in front of a slurping trout. Slowest non boo rod Ive ever found.


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## Yakphisher (Jul 9, 2013)

I vouch for the CGR's from Cabelas. Best bang for the money.


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## noahdoak (Nov 26, 2019)

I’ve used my 7’6 4wt butterstick, which i normally reserve for targeting wild trout on small streams or panfish, for smallmouth in little creeks in SE Ohio, and it’s worked flawlessly. To be fair, i’ve also never had a bad experience with a fenwick rod. But regarding my own experience specifically, I can definitely recommend a butterstick for smallmouth, especially in smaller creeks. However, the chagrin has some breadth to it in many sections. Personally, i would recommend a longer rod in a similar weight class. I have an Echo Carbon XL that’s a 10’ 3wt, which i mainly use for euro nymphing, but i find that it also works near flawlessly for throwing small to medium-size streamers and poppers on larger rivers that i fish for bass.


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## sbreech (Jun 6, 2010)

Patricio said:


> 1wt rods are a novelty. Like I said, the Cabela's cgr rods are probably some of the best fiberglass rods out there without getting too technical. And a steal at $70, too. By "whippy" I think you mean slow. I prefer slow rods for trout.
> I've got a bit of a collection of glass rods I picked up over the years. My favorite is a Cabela's prime, 7'1" 4 wt. It's my go to rod for trout. Perfect for gently dropping a size 16 bwo in front of a slurping trout. Slowest non boo rod Ive ever found.


I have the same Cabelas prime rod, and it is great. I picked up each of the CGR rods a few years back when they were 1/2 off, and I enjoy all of them, too. For those that like a slower action rod, but not QUITE glass, look into either the Orvis Superfine Touch rods or Redington Classic Trout rods. For a seriously technical, highly accurate moderate slow rod, look into the Sage Circa.


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## kingofamberley (Jul 11, 2012)

I have the 7’6” 4 wt Butterstick and even for fiberglass it is slooow haha. It’s very light for glass and is a blast for brook trout in mountain streams but I’ve caught a few smallies on it and it works. It doesn’t throw bigger bass stuff real well but for #10 or 12 buggers and leaches it does ok with a WF4F (you won’t get a ton of distance but that’s not really what glass is for anyways). I don’t have a Fenglass but I have an old 70’s glass 6 wt Fenwick that I got specifically for creek smallmouth and that is a fun rod, a tad heavy by modern standards but balances well with a Pflueger Medalist 1494 1/2 or 1495 and throws smallmouth sized stuff well. They can be found on eBay for not too much dough.


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