The CF Burkheimer 7127-4 splits the difference between Burkheimer’s shorter 11’7″ and longer 13’4″ seven weights, and for a lot of anglers that makes it the sweet spot in the lineup. At 12’7″, it’s long enough to mend and control a swing on big water, and short enough to stay easy in the hands through a full day of casting on tighter runs or from a crowded bank. Burkheimer lists a 400550 grain window, with a 480-grain Skagit head or a 420-grain Scandi as the starting points, so it throws sink tips and weighted intruders for winter fish just as well as it throws light Scandi heads and small wets for summer steelhead. It’s also plenty of rod for swinging streamers to big trout on large rivers. The Classic Build is the finish Burkheimer made its name on: a deep cedar green blank, anodized aluminum reel seat, chrome Nanolite stripper and hard chrome snake guides, a nickel silver winding check, and hand-sorted Flor grade cork with a three-layer inlay. Each rod is handmade in Washington, and each one has the smooth, forgiving action and feel that keeps Burkheimer at the top of the Spey world.