Submitted by chris_hunt on Mon, 2013-09-09 14:44 West of The Rockies Greater Yellowstone Area Backcountry Trout Magazine Idaho Trout Unlimited Beginners' Corner Vote Up Down +7 + P9070029.JPG P9070036.JPG I'm a creek freak... a smaller-is-better backcountry trout angler who doesn't so much get turned on by the size of the trout, but instead by the backdrop. Fly fishing, to me at least, is best done in a place where wild trout will answer the dinner bell, not some hatchery reared behemoth that tugs once and then rolls over quickly, as if knowing that posing for the hero shot is the only thing between it and resuming its place in the feeding lane. Because of my preferences, I've gravitated to light-weight fly rods--I actually own a 5-foot, two-piece 2-weight rod that might be best suited to only a handful of streams I can think of. And, over the years, I've become enamoured with fiberglass rods to help me feed my small-stream addiction. Glass is more supple and more flexible. It's slower, which I believe lends itself to more delicate presentations. While the latest graphite rods, particularly those designed for big water or saltwater, have helped the sport of fly fishing evolve to meet demanding circumstances, I believe glass still has its place, and I believe that's particularly true when it comes to approaching small water. Enter Redington's new Butter Stick. First, a tongue-in-cheek complaint. I've said for years of rods I'm particularly partial to that, "It casts like a stick of butter." Redington beat me to the punch, copyrighting the name of its new rod, and now I have to find a new affinity phrase for sticks I dig. I'll get over it, but I'm none too pleased. As I said, I've fished a number of glass rods--my favorites have always been diminutive little creek rods, like Scott's line of glass hardware, and I've come to appreciate the slow casts and the subtle power a fully loaded fiberglass rod can deliver. The Butterstick easily rates among the best glass rods I've had the pleasure of fishing. Not only will it lay out line within the expected 20- to 30-foot range that's the norm on small water, but it'll go even further, when long, light leaders are vital for finicky spring-creek trout. I've fished the 6-foot 2-inch 2-weight version (all 1.9 ounces of it) of the Butter Stick now for about two weeks, traversing much of Idaho with it in tow. I've plucked spunky brook trout P9060002.JPG from tiny backcountry trickles, and I clocked a rainbow from a stretch of private-water spring creek that taped well over 20 inches. The rod's supple nature allows for ideal presentations, and the slow, deliberate motion required to best cast it allows for spot-on delivery of both large and small dry flies. And, in a moment of curiosity, I even tried a small streamer witih the little rod, and pulled some very respectable brook trout from under cut banks on tributary of the Henry's Fork. Simply put, for my kind of fishing, the Butter Stick is the ideal implement. And, in keeping with Redington's traditional price-point mantra, the rod, compared to its competitors, is priced just right at $249. It's also a handsome rod, with a deep yellow finish and a no-nonsense friction-based reel seat that reduces weight and moving parts. If you're in the market for great little small-stream stick, consider Redington's new fiberglass offering. I think you'll be more than pleased with the performance, and I'm betting, after doing a bit of research, you'll find the price to be perhaps the best selling point. But wait until you cast it. You'll think it's steal.