I ordered the 8 foot 4-weight version of this rod a while back and since have taken it out several times to my favorite local spots. I have it paired with Redington's Zero reel (also recommended), which makes it quite a lightweight setup. The rod works precisely as advertised--the moderate-fast action isn't anything special, but it's as easy to cast as any other rod out there.When I got the 480-4 model I was anticipating to use it mostly for dry flies. It being a 4-weight, this rod makes it easier to delicately present dries. But I've also found that this rod is suitable for pretty much any conventional trout fishing method. I've run some deep, heavy nymph rigs on this rod and had no trouble casting some lighter streamers. As an added benefit, 4wt line to me seems easier to mend. I might mention that due to the shorter 8' length (as opposed to the default 9') it felt substantially tougher to cast this rod beyond ~30-40ft. That's fine with me, but if you like to cast farther out I'd bump it up to a 9' rod. I'll also add that you're not losing a whole lot of fighting power on this rod. I've hooked a few fatties and it gets the job done. It's just light enough to make smaller fish a bit more fun.Overall this is a great rod for the hobbyist angler--especially if you get it on sale. The value is tremendous. The 480-4 model is a good pick if you want a general trout rod to use on medium-sized rivers and streams. So far Redington is 2/2 for me on excellent products at a price point.