Now let me preface my review with a few disclaimers. I have a wife in nursing school (tuition, books, scrubs, etc) and am working on paying for a couple sets of braces, so dropping $600 on a nice glass rod isn't in the cards right now. As much as I'd like to buy an expensive glass rod, I love my wife and want her to stick around. Second, I have fly-fished for about 11 years now; however, I am self taught and consider myself to be a novice in the sport. I've learn about fly-fishing through blogs, Youtube videos, used books from Ebay, magazine articles, and talking to people who are willing to share their knowledge. So, now you know I'm no expert, but I have thrown bugs on expensive Orvis and Sage rods so I do know what they feel like and how they perform. End disclaimer.
I dropped $25 on Amazon and this rod arrived at my door two days later. It is a nice 6'6", 3/4 weight, Eagle Claw Featherlight in bright yellow. I added a Cabelas CGR reel with Cabelas Prestige Double Taper 3 weight line and a 7.5 foot tapered leader for fishing clear high mountain streams and lakes. The wrapping on the guides looks to be well done, the reel seat looks great with wood inlays and gold colored butt. The cork handle finishes off the handle section of the rod. For $25 is certainly looks like a more expensive rod. Another bonus feature that I like is the ruler on the bottom blank. It lets you prove the length of your catch so your buddies can't dispute it later.
Landing fish on a lighter weigh rod concerned me at first. I taught myself to fish on the Provo River by watching older fly-fisherman work pockets and seams. I talked to one old timer who told me that anything less than a 5 weight wouldn't handle the bigger fish I'd end up catching, so I always defaulted to that advice. Turns out landing nice fish on a 3 weight is a riot, and playing Bluegill on this rod is a lot of fun as well. Below, my son plays a fiesty brookie who succumbed to a mosquito pattern. The Featherlight let you feel light takes and surface sips on fast or murkie water while leaving no doubt that you have a fish on!