Origin II | 8′ 1 weight

Origin II – 1 Weight

The Origin II 1 weight is the lightest rod we have ever crafted, and perhaps the most personal. Born from countless hours on the intimate streams of Rhodes and the Eastern Cape, it is a rod that speaks to the quiet magic of small water—where every pool holds promise, and a single cast can feel like a conversation with the river.

Two years in the making, the Origin II has been shaped with patience and care. Its DNA Helical Blank provides the foundation, but the soul of the rod lies in the subtle refinements that bring it to life—the suppleness of its action, the grace of its presentation, and the immediacy of its feel in hand.

At 8 feet, it carries just enough length to extend a drift into a shadowed seam or guide a fine nymph through a narrow run, while remaining feather-light and unassuming. This is a rod not built for power, but for presence—for those moments when delicacy and touch matter more than reach or force.

The Origin II 1 weight is, above all, a companion for the angler who finds joy in the smallest of waters, and who knows that lightness can be its own form of strength.

Specifications – Origin II 1 Weight

• • Line Weight: 1 wt – our lightest rod to date

  • Length: 8′ – added reach for delicate drifts and subtle nymph work.

  • Physical Weight: Feather-light, crafted for balance in hand over long days on small water. 56 grams in hand weight. 

  • Action: Refined medium-light with supple recovery for precise presentations. Purpose-built to bring back the more traditional 1wt feel and fuller flex action.

  • Blank Design: DNA Helical construction, tuned for small-stream sensitivity. Taper designed by Reel Fly Fishing through rigorous testing, feedback, and finessing.

  • Guides: Lightweight, low-profile single-foot Pacific Bay guides chosen to complement fine tippet and delicate leaders

  • Reel Seat: Precision-machined with a premium burled insert, designed to balance light reels effortlessly

  • Rod Tube: Protective, travel-ready tube with a bespoke finish to safeguard the rod in the field

  • Build Philosophy: Two years of refinement for balance, grace, and feel.

  • Ideal Waters: Small streams, spring creeks, and intimate headwaters

  • Character: Responsive, nuanced, and attuned to the finest details of the drift

  • Line pairing: stick with true to weight WF1F fly lines

Two grip variations are available:

• thin finesse grip – excellent for finer work and gents/ladies with smaller hands.
• thicker power grip – great for gents with larger hands, where the thin grips can be frustrating to hold.

• Warranty – Origin II  1 weight 8′ Series Fly Rods

  We design and build our rods to last, and we stand behind the craftsmanship that goes into each one. Every Origin Series rod is covered against factory defects in materials and workmanship — if something isn’t right in the way it was made, we will make it right.

  What we do not cover are the breakages that come with life on the water. A fly rod is, by nature, a finely tuned instrument — and while strong, it is not immune to the knocks, strains, and accidents that every angler eventually encounters. Rather than hiding the cost of these mishaps in an inflated retail price, we keep our rods honestly priced from the start.

  When misfortune strikes, we believe replacement should be simple and fair. That is why spare sections are always available at a nominal cost, ensuring that your rod — and the memories attached to it — can continue its journey with you.