Here are a couple photos I took of mine earlier this week. Photo was taken early in the morning when it was cloudy so the color is not as vibrant as it would be in the sun.

Dylan that is the C.R.I. 2400 reel. Like it a lot!

Sweet! Thanks Jeff.

A couple more shots of the blank in the sun-





It was a really nice late winter day today so I took the rod out for some casting ...

I say, "Whatever works for you."

Yeah, it can get more line out than needed. But, it is nice to know it has that reserve and with a little practice, presentation can be enhanced. Good boo suffers from lateral twist, but with focus can be largely overcome. Different material, different issues, though solutions are there to virtually each one.

The Butterstick is a really really good looking rod, especially the shots of it in the sun. Humm, how would I explain a new rod so soon after the last?

The more time I spend with it, the more I appreciate just how fabulous it is.

With due respect to the salt, perhaps in addition to carrying the rod cases each time you come through the door, on the way in - adding flowers, or a box of candy might be a nice touch.

I was able to check out the 7'6" 4wt and the 7' 3wt a few weeks back at the Pleasanton fly fishing show. The 4wt I set down after giving a good wiggle. It may very well be a fine rod but for my taste the butt felt too stiff. The three on the other hand felt nicely glassy and flexed down to the grip.

I spent twenty enjoyable minutes casting with it and came away impressed. I found it accurate, easy to cast, and had no problem with loop control out to around 45' or so. On the negative side, It didn't have as much of a loading feel as I would like at distances under 15'. Casting with a 4wt Rio Gold helped some but I still found it more enjoyable beyond the 15' mark.

For those who like 3-4wt rods capable of some distance, I think this rods worth a look. I liked it a lot, but ultimately I like my light line rods to load well in close and with only a moderate casting stroke.

52' is great for that weight rod! Did you feel that you had good control with that cast? Did it land where you expected it to land in your mind's eye? Thanks for taping it and reporting on it.

I casted the 4wt last week.I didn't think is was all that great.To me it's a tad on the heavy side and too fast.I did cast it along side the 4wt echo.If I was forced to choose between the two it would be the butter stick.

Truth be told I don't think either of the rod's are all that good.