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Post 19 May 2023, 17:34 • #1 
New Member
Joined: 12/05/22
Posts: 13
What size flies can a Orvis Superfine Fiberglass rod handle? The local shop has a 4 weight that has caught my attention. Sometimes I need to throw a size 12 hopper with a small dropper, Size 8/10 Woolly Bugger, and sometimes a Yarn indicator with 2 nymphs (Size 16-20). I feel like the 4 weight might be under powered any thoughts or suggestions?


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Post 19 May 2023, 19:03 • #2 
Master Guide
Joined: 07/26/21
Posts: 383
Location: North West Georgia
You will be fine. You can catch a lot of leeway on fly size by adjusting your leader. My 3wts will cast size 10 hoppers with bead head droppers with a short stout leader, and my 9 wts will cast a size 20 and catch fish fine on a 10 ft 7x leader.

Now, if you want big hopper dropper rigs on long skinny leaders.. you might want a 7 wt! But dont stress. I havent cast the SFG 4wt, but Im sure itll do 95% of what you want. By the way, where do you fish, and what for?


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Post 19 May 2023, 23:20 • #3 
New Member
Joined: 12/05/22
Posts: 13
Brown/Brook Trout in the Driftless Region.


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Post 20 May 2023, 06:21 • #4 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 04/20/07
Posts: 8920
Location: US-ME
With flies that big/bulky/weighty, and a leader adjusted to suit, you kind of throw the fly line and rig as one. Works fine at moderate distance. Optimum fly size for what is really fly-line casting--in which the weight of the line drives a much lighter leader-fly rig, the optimum fly size would be smaller. Perhaps you could judge by what ffly sizes you have been using comfortably in a graphite so-called 4-weight.--if you have. Odds are, that in fiberglass, you'd be similarly comfortable in that same range with a 'glass rod one or two weights up, a foot shorter. Realize that any strong stick will throw flies that kind of tow the line along with them. For casting the fly--letting the rod and line's weight do the work of carrying it, a slightly smaller range of sizes would be better. Last, realize that even when a gang of bulky/heavy flies can be thrown, they may be harder to fish/control in or on the water, and their larger hooks may be more difficult to set with a relatively light/flexible rod.


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Post 20 May 2023, 12:26 • #5 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/10/09
Posts: 1651
Location: US-OH
The Orvis Superfine Glass 7'6" 4wt is very strong for a 4wt and will easily cast a size 12 dry with a small dropper fly. In fact, I've used this very rod with a dry and dropper in the Driftless several times and it's perfect there. It's really a 4/5 wt and be sure to fish a heavy 4wt line on it for best results. However, if you get a day with higher wind, you'd be better off with a true 5 or 6 weight rod.l


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Post 20 May 2023, 13:31 • #6 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/23/05
Posts: 4966
Location: US-MT
" I feel like the 4 weight might be under powered any thoughts or suggestions?"

Your feeling is correct, you will be a bit underpowered. You will be able to cast and catch fish and have fun, but for what you are describing a 5 or 6wt would be a better choice IF you are trying to match the line to the flies.

But if you want the 4wt go for it!! Like I said, it will cast, it will catch fish.


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Post 20 May 2023, 20:19 • #7 
Guide
Joined: 08/11/20
Posts: 229
Location: Ontario, Canada
The Superfine Glass 764 is a beast of a 4 weight, it’ll handle whatever you ask of it. Spool up a Rio Gold on your reel and have a ball! Enjoy!


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Post 24 May 2023, 05:43 • #8 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/24/11
Posts: 1144
Location: Belgium
As stated above, a fast, powerful 4 wt will handle your rigs. Generally always keep the physics in mind: E=1/2mv² : mass of the line is important but line speed is even more important. 7'6" is maybe a little limiting as far as effective nymphing at longer distances but otherwise this rig will do what you need it to do perfectly well.


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Post 24 May 2023, 13:14 • #9 
Guide
Joined: 07/19/19
Posts: 176
Probably be fine with that 4wt and those flies. As I understand, driftless region fishing is fairly close quarters? You may not have the whole head of line out when casting. You could put 5 wt line on it so it loads easy close in, and the heavier line will help cast those flies. The streamers will turn themselves over; it's when you get into bulkier flies or are casting against the wind.


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Post 25 May 2023, 11:38 • #10 
Sport
Joined: 04/27/23
Posts: 31
This is why we need different rods for different conditions…


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Post 27 May 2023, 09:32 • #11 
Guide
Joined: 04/26/19
Posts: 179
Location: L'Étoile du Nord
I fish 3, 4, 5 and 5/6 on the driftless in different sizes from 6' to 8'6".

My favorite until the grass gets high is the shorter rods, later this year it will be the 8' and 8'6".

On my first outing this year in the spring on the driftless thread fishing the FF75, Longer casts are needed and there are really large browns in the areas I fished. Fishing size 17 caddis a lighter rod could have been used, Ive fished that stretch with a 4wt and 3wt many times but with a bit of wind and fishing structure down river on both sides, short and light can be a bit exhausting, always working too hard for the cast.

One of the delights for me with fishing glass is the relaxed ease and mood of fishing.

If you do hook one of the largest class wild browns in that river, really all those rod sizes are too small, the FF 858 is the appropriate size for increasing the odds of landing such a beast.

It comes down to skill, can you land a large wild brown in current, log jams, undercuts and rock piles? It can be done, but lots more heart break on a 3wt than a 5/6.

Good luck!


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Post 16 Jun 2023, 23:02 • #12 
Master Guide
Joined: 06/07/12
Posts: 865
Location: US-CA
The terminal tackle you call out (size 12 hopper & small dropper, Size 8/10 Woolly Bugger, Yarn indicator with 2 16-20 nymphs) isn’t that big - you should be fine with a progressive 4wt as long as you’re not trying for huge distance. All the advice above on leaders and lines is solid too. Have fun!


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Post 17 Jun 2023, 22:10 • #13 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/12/16
Posts: 4094
Location: USA-CO
Just saw this. Good question, and good answers above. Earlier this spring I found myself fishing some high and turbid water with a big, maybe #12 Pat's Rubberlegs and a midge larva imitation, both underneath a huge fuzzy dry that functioned mainly as an indicator. I operated all this with my Orvis SFG 764-3. Can't say it was easy, but the rod handled it well enough out to about 25 feet once I figured out how to keep the rig in the air. So, the SFG4 will do it but you might want to use a 5 or 5/6 if you're slinging heavy fly combinations.


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Post 18 Jun 2023, 11:37 • #14 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/10/07
Posts: 1632
Location: The Netherlands
You'll be perfectly fine
The Orvis glass has plenty of power


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Post 10 Jul 2023, 20:12 • #15 
Sport
Joined: 03/10/18
Posts: 86
I may have your problem, too. First, I believe 4 wts are dry fly tools . . . the 4 wt line lands delicately on the water and won't scare fish in the upper part of the water column, looking up. Nymphs/dry-droppers need the mass of a 5 or 5+ wt, and since the trout are lower in the water column the "splash-down" doesn't scare them (I hope!!) The problem comes, doesn't it, when you go out thinking dry fly, but conditions or water changes, and you need the extra punch for the nymphs or dry-droppers. For me, I'm looking for a medium flexing 5 wt. that will cast a 4 wt with feel. For me, looking for an 8 1/2' rod to do these things, I'm looking for a Fenwick HMG "5 wt." or will just use the Powell Signature Series 4/5 (really feels best as a 5, incidentally.) I own this one.

For you that Orvis SFG in 4 wt should do fine!

Fish on!
Peter


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Post 06 Oct 2023, 08:08 • #16 
Sport
Joined: 10/01/23
Posts: 31
I just found this. I fished the Driftless area as well as western Wisconsin for quite some time in my previous life. A good 4 weight will handle any fish there or any fly you use.


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Post 06 Oct 2023, 22:23 • #17 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 09/18/09
Posts: 5561
Location: Relocated to the Drought Stricken West.
1streamcaster,

If you find a first or second gen gff855, I would love a review. I have an early gff905 that is a gorgeous dry fly rod.

Have you tried the orvis Henry's Fork?
It's a magical all around rod.


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Post 23 Oct 2023, 23:54 • #18 
Guide
Joined: 07/21/17
Posts: 102
Location: TX
SFG 3wt and size 10 bugger this past weekend. 4wt will do just fine.



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