The old Pflueger Medalist series (made in Akron) is still good and they have a hole in the arbor cap for you to drop leadshot for weight. Some folks just use old leadcore line.

I used a 9' 3wt cane rod for years and Hawes made plenty of light long rods. I will be restoring a 9'6" 4wt this winter. A modern Danish rodmaker creates cane rods in 8'6" for line weights from #2 - #6. See http://www.fries-rods.dk/lang/uk/rods_antigravity.htm

Any reel will do. I used to be fascinated by the Johnson Magnetic reels and had quite a collection of them. However, they were sometimes too heavy. I avoid the raised pillar, wide spool reels -- they look great but take up line verrrrry slowly and can backlash. OTOH, I use old brass skeleton reels on my lighter rods.