The first rod up is the original Greys Streamflex 10' 4pc 3wt rod (now replaced by the new XF2 Streamflex line). The Greys brand is owned by Hardy, and represents their foray into the middle range of the market. You won't find any $10,000 reels under the Greys name, but you will find a range of products geared towards fishermen of more modest means (and I place myself firmly in this camp). In addition to this rod I own two of the now discontinued GRXii reels and a great heavy weight wading jacket. Most of the Greys products are manufactured in Asia, and the Streamflex is no different.
The components are fairly standard for rods in this price range with chrome snake, tip and stripping guides, a stabilized tiger wood reel insert and an anodized aluminum up-locking two screw reel seat. The colour of the blank is a subdued olive bronze with gold wraps, and the reel seat matches with a bronze matte finish. The fit and finish on the rod is top notch without any of the epoxy sagging you sometimes see from other offshore manufacturers--not surprising considering the Hardy connection. The two ring seat is a nice touch on the rod and the small rubber washer between the two helps keep the reel locked in place nicely. The only criticism I can level with respect to the components is that the size of the top guide is a bit smaller than I would like for passing knots, and the first stripping guide is a little far from the reel. It's a bit annoying to have to stretch to reach the line when it accidentally slips from your fingers.
The rod comes in at a modest 3.31 oz or about 94 grams. At that weight it is comparable with most rods in this price range, but some of the features such as the reel seat probably add a bit to the weight. I haven't noticed any significant issues with respect to the weight and casting and nymphing over an eight to ten hour fishing day isn't an issue. Lighter rods are available, but I think that the rod strikes the right balance between features and weight.
The rod was originally designed with Euro-nymphing techniques in mind and so not surprisingly it has a nice soft tip section. While a stiffer mid and butt section is typical on many of the rod offerings for euro-style nymphing, the Greys has a much less aggressive taper and allows for more feel and flex in these sections than other rods in this class. For my style of nymphing, where tactile sensitivity plays a significant role, I find this to be a real plus in the rod. The downside of course is that this flex can make controlling and lifting larger fish a bit more difficult.
Outside of nymphing the Streamflex performs well as a dry fly rod and excellently for wet fly presentations. It delivers accurate casts over good distances and roll and spey casts are very easy to perform. This jury is still out with respect to streamer fishing, but I've found it no better or worse than most of my rods in this weight rating. This is probably as it should be because in my opinion rods in this weight range are probably not the best for a lot of streamer presentations.
Typical Rod Configuration(s) Used:
- Lines: 3wt DT Cortland Sylk; 3wt Sage DT Quiet Taper; 3wt SA III Sink tip; 3wt Cortland Como-clear
- Reel: Hardy Fly Weight
- Leaders: Tapered 12-18' (Dry and Wet); 12-22' (Nymphing); 5-12' (Streamer)
- Echo Shadow PE 3wt 10.5' 4pc
- Snowbee Diamond 3/4wt 10' 3pc
