Hmmmm favorite rod is tough to define. I mostly fish with an Orvis Silverlabel 8.5' 4weight. I love my Orvis Superfine 6' 2weight on small streams. But fitting with your criteria for 'older' rods my fiberglass Fenwick 6' 5 weight gets fished every year (particularly early season nymphing on brushy streams) and my father gave it to me some 40+ years ago.