Wow, very modern looking glass. Quite a departure from the prior iteration. I think the new Orvis CFO III, being a darker shade of grey, will match these rods nicely. I'm looking forward to someone posting a pic of that combination.

G-man - I just got my first look at the new sfg on the Orvis page. I agree, they could certainly be worse with a big ugly helios style label. I dont know that I like it as much as the classic look of the originals, but its not terrible. if they really come through with a bunch of 4 piece rods Ill be pretty excited.

Based on looks alone, I actually find the 8wt the most compelling. The whole concept kind of comes together for me with the 8wt. 4 piece, modern look and modern components with a classic material. I have a Superfine Glass 764-3, which is great, including the classic look. I had, but sold, the 866-3. Found it too heavy in swing weight for my taste. The new 8 weight in black looks like it has a lot of poise in the photos. Hope to cast it some time to see if it will be as light as it looks.

I agree - the 8wt is most interesting to me in the new lineup. I briefly owned the last SFG 8wt, and my only complaint was it felt a bit heavier in hand than I expected. I believe the new SFG 8wt could be a great rod if it’s lighter and crisper than the old version.

I’m glad to see Orvis moved away from cork reel seats, but I like the old green blanks better based on the two photos I saw on the Orvis site.

I like the darker blank but would’ve preferred if they kept it the same color through the butt section “label”, maybe with white script. I like the cork reel seat of the first gen, and I’m with Redietz on the “lighter, crisper”…

Kind of a miss for me just based on aesthetics and description. I wish them luck with getting ‘em out the door, hope they’re as successful as the first.

For $500 I think it's about the best rod one can buy.
If the action is anything like the old series, it's a pleasant medium-fast action that will suit most newcomers to the fiberglass scene. The new look? Hmm... could have been worse but not the most classic looking rod.

Anyone looking for a more refined action (soft to medium) and looks, the step to the higher end custom builders is getting a bit steep these days with prices in the $800+. Heck even the new Sage rod is now $1000+!

Glad I saw this. I called Bear’s Den to confirm they had the 763 in. Order a couple days ago and it showed up today. Looking forward to using my 406 DT 3 line on it

Best thing they did was change the reel seats on the 6 & 8wts. It looks to be the same ones as they use on the H3, which are phenomenal. I liked all in the previous series except the 6wt, it just felt too clunky. Color-wise, I don't really like it, but that's never a deciding factor when I buy a rod. It's all about the performance...often, if it's a color I may not totally be into, it'll grow on me.

Considering the epic price increases on the Epics, $500 for these is pretty damn reasonable....very nearly a bargain.

Video on Trident fly fishing.
https://youtu.be/8AT5D7UulFg

For the record, in caps for emphasis...I DO NOT NEED ANOTHER FLY ROD.

Now with that confession out of the way lets do what we do best and enable each other. I have the 7'6" 3#, and 4# SFG's and like them both, with the 3# being the more used of both due to the small creeks I like to fish.

I impulse purchased a scewback CFO II last year, not realizing how small it was. It seems like it might work well on the SFG 2#. The "Outfit" purchase on Orvis.com has a Battenkill I listed which is the same size as the CFO II at 2 3/4 inches. Does anyone feel that this may be too small?

I'm looking at the new 4wt. Wasn't a fan of the last 4wt iteration and sold it despite it being probably the most popular rod in the line up. I have both the 7' and 7'6" 3wts and like them, but I feel all the SFG's need a heavier line for my casting style. I'm hoping the new one's perform well true to weight.

FYI, I also bought one of the new Orvis CFO III's. They are black...not necessarily matte, but not glossy either. Nice little reel. The reel foot is thicker than a Hardy made CFO so I won't be using it with a sliding band reel seat, but it seems every bit as nice as the Hardy made one I have. On the other hand, I have a mint Abel made CFO 1 that I think to be a much nicer reel with regard to fit and finish. It really is a little jewel.

I had an Orvis dealer tell me August.

Nice rig Tiptop! I didn’t realize Orvis was selling blanks of the SFG. I’ve got the 7’ 6” 3wt and have been contemplating swapping out the reel seat for a down-locker, and a wells (not reversed) grip. Otherwise, as you say, it’s a sweet rod.

Oh, and I use an Abel CFO II on the 763 and think it’s a perfect fit, but I like the reel on the lighter side.