Glass question

The_Sasquatch

The_Sasquatch

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Malden, WV
SO I was thinking about an 8wt rod, and as many of you know, I enjoy fishing with glass. I got to thinking, can I get an 8wt Fenwick for steelheading, etc.? A little digging around on Ebay turned up some 8wt glass rods. One thing I noticed though, is that they don't have fighting butts on them. Any thoughts on this?

The other thing is matching it w/ a reel. I THINK the Medalist 1492 is for heavier lines like 8wts. Any clarification on this?

Thanks for the help! If I ever go steelheading, I gotta do it in glass style!
 
Can't really help on your queries but I would like to get your thoughts on fishing glass rods. I recently purchased an affordable glass model, a 5'6" 3 weight from Cabelas for fishing small streams (SBecker I am sure will rib me on that).

Having never fished glass rods I didn't really know what to expect. I found the rod to be of decent quality given the rather inexpensive price, however after a few casts it had a feel of Slow Action rod. Are all glass rods Slow Action or can you get a Fast Action?


Coming from casting Fast Action rods it was a bit of an adjustment for me.
 
Yes they're slow, but that's a big reason why I like them. Also, they tend to be shorter rods but with heavier line weights. So on small streams, I can be using a 7' rod, but its a 5/6 weight. I love it. Flickin' the wrist, line shooting out.

The action definitely is an adjustment for a lot of FFermen today, because a lot of new rods are fast. Too fast for my taste, in most cases.
 
The_Sasquatch wrote:
SO I was thinking about an 8wt rod, and as many of you know, I enjoy fishing with glass. I got to thinking, can I get an 8wt Fenwick for steelheading, etc.? A little digging around on Ebay turned up some 8wt glass rods. One thing I noticed though, is that they don't have fighting butts on them. Any thoughts on this?

The other thing is matching it w/ a reel. I THINK the Medalist 1492 is for heavier lines like 8wts. Any clarification on this?

Thanks for the help! If I ever go steelheading, I gotta do it in glass style!
Click to expand...
I have a Heddon "Old Pal" #8357 Mark II 8 1/2' 8 weight from either the 1960's or 70's. I matched it with a Medalist 1495 reel. I bought mine for steelheading but have not had a chance to use it yet. I'm sure it will work fine. This rod does not have a fighting butt either. One thing for sure it is HEAVY! Good luck in your search.
 
I was reading about guys using their 6wt Fenwicks on Steelies...that seems CRAZY to me, but knowing my rod, I have little doubt it could handle it!

Thanks for the heads up on the reel. Man, this is gonna kick some serious tail if I set this up right! I'm in no rush 'cause I'm not gonna make it to Erie this year anyway, so I have time to "shop around".

I love glass.
 
Sasquatch, I love fiberglass too. I have several that I fish from time to time.
 

The 1492 is the smallest of the line. As the number goes up, the reel gets bigger. The 1/2 series are 1" wide spools, instead of 1/2" wide spool. Yes, that counter intuitive.

So a 1492 is 1/2" wide, a 1492 1/2 is 1" wide.

A 1500 series is a rim control model. Instead of squeezing the line or cutting a hole in the frame, you can palm the rim.

A 1496 1/2 and a 1498 the same size. Supposedly the 1498 has an "uprated" drag, but the truth is that doesn't mean anything. The pad is bigger, but the contact surface is the exact same.

An 8wt fiberglass rod is slower and will, all things considered, "feel" like a much lower weight graphite rod because graphite, especially now, is stiffer. Your 8wt rod will feel like a modern 6wt rod.

It will also take more abuse, but since it will bend deeper and easier, will be harder to turn an actual pissed off fish. I don't fish for steelhead, YMMV in practical usage.

Needless to say, if you're hunting a rod to compare to an 8wt graphite, look for an 9 or 10wt fiberglass rod.
 
PoconoPaul wrote:
Can't really help on your queries but I would like to get your thoughts on fishing glass rods. I recently purchased an affordable glass model, a 5'6" 3 weight from Cabelas for fishing small streams (SBecker I am sure will rib me on that).

Having never fished glass rods I didn't really know what to expect. I found the rod to be of decent quality given the rather inexpensive price, however after a few casts it had a feel of Slow Action rod. Are all glass rods Slow Action or can you get a Fast Action?


Coming from casting Fast Action rods it was a bit of an adjustment for me.
Click to expand...

I owned that rod. Sold it.
 
I still have a glass FF rod from the 70's, I tried it once several years ago, with the original reel. It cahnged my mind forever about FFing with a glass rod. Not worth it, give me a good fast action graphite rod anytime.
 
Chaz wrote:
I still have a glass FF rod from the 70's, I tried it once several years ago, with the original reel. It cahnged my mind forever about FFing with a glass rod. Not worth it, give me a good fast action graphite rod anytime.
Click to expand...

+1....Same here. My old glass rods are great to look at and wiggle for giggles once in a while, but actually fishing with them is another story.
 
+2 ~chaz that's twice i agreed with you.lol
First time I picked up a graphite,glass was relegated to the steel rod bin.
 
I dont fish glass rods, so I cant comment; however, I can comment on the need for a fighting butt--they can be nice additions. I have caught several 8-10lbers on my 5wt and they will abuse your forearm, i mean really beat on your right forearm. I am 24 and a pretty fit guy too. Anyways, the fighting butt allows you to tuck the rod in closer to your body and transfer the strain from your forearm to your bicep.
 
I still have a glass FF rod from the 70's, I tried it once several years ago, with the original reel. It cahnged my mind forever about FFing with a glass rod. Not worth it, give me a good fast action graphite rod anytime.
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Interesting how people have varied preferences. For small streams, I prefer my 7' Kettle Creek eglass rod, and if I need to go a bit longer, a 7'6" Steffen sglass.

Once I need to go longer than that, I'll use a medium action Orvis graphite. The new eglass and sglass rods are very different from the "70's and earlier fiberglass.
 
Another positive with glass rods is that they will protect lighter tippet. They provide some cushion when your fish starts head shakin'. Sometimes lighter tippet in Erie is advantageous.
 
Man Springer, you have a Kettle Creek rod!? I really want that to be my first build this winter. Never built a rod before, but I want to try.

Good point about protecting tippet, turkey.

I'm a glass man. I prefer slower rods. That's just me. At the QG Summit this past spring, I started the day on the Pine using a 9' graphite rod. It was the rod I had learned to FF with, but I hated it. It was just way too fast for me. I thought being on the bigger water, the extra length would be helpful. Two hours in, I ditched it and I used my Fenwick 7'6" rod the rest of the trip.
 
Yep, Phil's RG704B 7' 3-4 weight 2 piece blank is awesome. Just awesome. He's a small operation & can be tough to get in touch with sometimes, but boy do I love this rod. Doing pin-point casts in tight situations without a second thought that I never dreamed I would.

I assume you know to first wrap the female ferrule (even if it's a temporary wrap) before you join the pieces together ... just to be safe.

 
I know NOTHING about rod building, so I'm taking all the tips I can get!

I get up to the Kettle Creek watershed several times a year, so when I buy, I'll just buy right from the shop. My sister in law has one of his graphite rods and its one of the best casting graphites I've ever used.
 
I stopped at phils on friday, I was passing through on the bike. I pulled in, no cars, lights were out, but the door was open, so I went in and yelled and phil came out of the back and turned on the lights, WOW, very cool candy store of a shop. this place is awesome, and the exact opposite of boutique style fly shops, more like a good old blue collar fly shop, I felt right at home. I loved the neon colored handmade signs everywhere! phil has racks and racks of rods, bamboo, glass, and graphite. Phil was very excited over some new tapers he's been working on, he had me try about a dozen rods and wiggle maybe a dozen more. I bought some reel seats that he has made, and I will buy a couple blanks from him once rod building season starts(winter)
so to anyone looking at trying some glass, casting some glass, buying blanks, or just looking for a really cool shop to visit, ya gotta check it out.
FWIW, Kettle looked to have about 3 inches of water in it, so I didn't bother fishing.
 
Man that's why I love that store! Hard to imagine I would have ever picked up fly fishing if it wasn't for that place.
 
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