Top 5 Small Stream Fly Rods – Fins and Feathers Bozeman
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Top 5 Small Stream Fly Rods

It's the time of the year where water temps get hot and fishing excursions should be done on cooler smaller water. Here are the 5 favorite rods for fly fishing small streams in SW Montana from our Bozeman fly shop.

While fishing the main Bozeman area rivers such as the Madison, Gallatin, and Yellowstone, is always fun, branching out and fishing some colder faster small streams can be a great way to spend a toasty summer day. A cool stream combined with a short, lower weight fly rod can turn a great day to something unforgettable. Learn more about our favorite small stream rods from low price to high right here!

Echo Carbon XL - $169

The 7'6" 3 weight Carbon XL is a great fit for anglers looking for a fun little creek rod without breaking the bank. This baby has some great action without being too fast or too slow.
Features

  • Four piece travel design
  • Action: Med Fast
  • Tube: Fabric-covered rod case & sock
  • Guides: Lightweight ceramic stripping guides
  • Grips: Features two grip styles

Redington Butterstick - $249.99

Okay now this stick in the 7'0" 3 weight is beyond fun. Made of fiber glass, the Butterstick is slow. Like very slow. But nearly indestructable. It is not great when the wind picks up, but making short casts on small water is exactly what this rod is made for. It also can make small fish feel huge. Fun. Very Fun.

Features

  • T-Glass construction built on our Heritage Taper, a traditional fiberglass taper providing a classic glass feel
  • 1wt – 5wt feature unique all cork handle with slide rings
  • Alignment dots for easy rod setup
  • Durable cordura rod tube with dividers
  • Lifetime warranty

Sage Sonic - $550

Now we are stepping up into the serious small stream fly rods. This is going to be an incredibly versatile and powerful rod for tight casting conditions. Definitely on the faster side of the spectrum, this rod is capable of covering distance while still fun to fight smaller fish and protect light tippet. Plus the Juniper color scheme is jaw dropping.

FEATURES​

  • Konnetic Technology
  • Juniper blank color
  • Charcoal primary thread wraps with Gunmetal trim wraps
  • Fuji ceramic stripper guides
  • Hard chromed snake guides and tip-top
  • Black rod bag with Titanium logo and Green model tag
  • Matte Black powder coated aluminum rod tube with Sage Medallion

Sage Dart - $700

7'6" across the board, the Dart is available in 1-4 weights. It is ultralight, powerful and designed specifically for small stream applications. This rod requires little effort to generate impressive line-speed even in the wind. Possibly the best rod for an early morning trico hatch on the East Gallatin the dart is THE shop favorite small stream stick.

Features

  • KonneticHD Technology
  • Sapling Green blank color
  • Bronze thread wraps with Gold trim wraps
  • Fuji ceramic stripper guides
  • Ultra-Light hard chromed snake guides and tip-top • Vera wood insert with Bronze anodized aluminum up-locking reel seat.
  • Super Plus snub-nose, half-wells cork handle
  • Tan rod bag with brown logo and model tag
  • Portobello colored powder coated aluminum rod tube with Sage medallion

Sage Trout LL - $800

A nice blend between the old school, slower action and new graphite technology, the Trout LL can be used all over Montana. For small streams we like the 8'9" 3 weight but the 9' 5 weight is a blast on any river. This Medium action rod provides great tippet protection and excellent feel throughout the casting stroke. Perfect for the wade and float fly angler alike.

FEATURES

  • KonneticHD Technology
  • Mahogany blank color
  • Bronze primary thread wraps with Gold trim wraps
  • Fuji ceramic stripper guides; Hard chromed snake guides and tip-top
  • Walnut wood insert with Bronze up-locking reel seat
  • Super Plus snub-nose, half-wells cork handle
  • Tan rod bag with Brown logo and model tag
  • Brown powder coated aluminum rod tube with Sage Medallion

In all of the worlds madness, we want to fish, you want to fish, and we have all of the fly fishing gear to keep everyone on the water in our Bozeman fly shop!

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