Why Glass

Jifigs wrote,

I don't think that you can say that glass doesn't perform as well as graphite. I own about 11 fly rods and two are glass. One is a 7/8 CGR and the other is the 4/5 Eagle Claw Feather light. I love both rods. The CGR is so fun to fish for smallies and walleye. I just think fiberglass is more fun to fish and more fun to catch fish on. I love it. Graphite is nice too, though. Fiberglass is a fad.




I also have a Cgr 7/8 which I really like. I don't think glass is a fad though. It has its place. I have caught a handful of larger fish that I would have easily lost on my other graphite 7 weight. My bass game just started feeling right once I went to glass. It just absorbs more shock from big fish.
 
redietz wrote:
Fredrick wrote:
It is an inferior tool ...
Click to expand...

Yes, graphite is an inferior tool for most trout fishing in PA.
Click to expand...

Conditioner is better it leaves the hair silky and smooth.

..................Just Saying>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
 
"Boo" is getting up there with Gemmie as my favorite PAFFism.

Graphite rods are for spin jockeys. Probably why I like them.
 
Conditioner is better it leaves the hair silky and smooth.

..................Just Saying>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Stop looking at me, SWAN!
 
bdfish wrote:
Conditioner is better it leaves the hair silky and smooth.

..................Just Saying>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Stop looking at me, SWAN!
Click to expand...

Ha! This.

I skimmed most (some) of this thread. I don't discriminate in regards to rod materials but I do when it comes to action, flex, recovery, whatever you want to call it. I love variety. Para's, semi-para's, progressive, IPAs, stouts, bourbon, rye, freestone, spring fed, semi auto, revolver, solid state, tubes, etc. The casting action of certain rods literally puts a smile on my face. Conversely if I have to "work at it" too hard I generally don't bond with the rod. To quote the venerable Donald Duck Dunn, "if the $h!t fits wear it."
 
They are making great tapers with fiberglass now as did a few makers in years past. For a 6'6" to 8' length, glass has characteristics that Is difficult to achieve by graphite due to high modulus. The trade off is graphite can do better with longer lengths although a few 8'8" glass 4wt models have been sussessful including from PA's own Mike McFarland. Regardless of material the rod taper is what makes the rod.

As mentioned by others, tippet protection is fantastic with glass although the same can be obtained from ultralight graphite rods. I find glass rods to be true weight labeled versus graphite rods stating 5 or 6 wt when in reality are really 7 or even 8 wt rods. A true 7 or even 8 wt rod really helps carry a streamer far better than a dry fly weight but I guess it is hip to say one has a 4 or 5 wt rod.

Finally, glass rods are just simply fun. The stiffness of most current graphite rods made fishing a disconnected experience. I guess that is why some graphite rod makers went back to softer tapers. They may not throw the line a mile with a quick casting stroke but they are good enough for the 30' one is most likely to cast out.

Oh, and I do miss when some of the vintage glass rods were easily obtainable at a good price. :)
 
They are making great tapers with fiberglass now as did a few makers in years past. For a 6'6" to 8' length, glass has characteristics that Is difficult to achieve by graphite
Click to expand...
Agreed. The heavy 8'6" glass rods of 40 years ago seem to be the yardsticks that people measure glass by and so I understand why certain opinions are gained.

But I have several 7' & 7'6" vintage Wonderods (the 7'6" are very rare) that are surprisingly light in hand and very versatile & pleasant to use. Many of the modern glass blanks by manufacturers mentioned earlier in this thread are really super, especially in the shorter lengths.

But I can understand why the majority of people prefer faster actions and ultra light weight, after all graphite is what most people have learned on, developed habits on and read advertisements & comparisons about.
 
If a Fenwick fiberglass rod was good enough for Captain Quint, it's good enough for me.
 
deleted
 
I think the resurgence of glass can be attributed to when you started fly fishing. Many of us senior citizens started fly fishing with our fathers 9’ bamboo production rods (cheap) made in the 40s and 50s. I purchased my first glass rod (Fenwick FF705) in 1973 because it had the slower action that I was accoustomed to in a lighter, more nimble package.

I made the jump to graphite in the 80s, but all but one of those rods were sold off when I made the switch back to bamboo in 2012.






 
I have a Lamiglass Spring Creek glass rod that I built. I use it periodically. My wife, who is recent to fly fishing, loves it. What I find amazing is this.

Scott makes rods of tremendous quality, but $700 is a bit much.
 
I can see Fred is back on his yearly glass bash, 4time casting champion using fenwick glass for accuracy must have rekindled the flame

I'm not impressed with Scott rods. Anything more than 2pc on 8' and shorter and I lose interest.
 
I fish an old eagle claw trailmaster from my kayak. Not because it's glass but because it has a long butt on it and I can put it in the rod holder!
 
My observation is that 1) Madison Ave controls the fly fishing business 2) that many people read about the latest rod they are supposed to use and just buy it 3) that pricing is as much to retain brand image and support warranty as it is actual production costs and 4) people spending huge amounts of money on luxury cars or expensive anything will always defend their choice no matter what.

Expensive latest everything rods are excellent no doubt.
 
I kind of agree and disagree.

Newest and latest rods are very good.
You really don't hit excellent in most cases until you get a custom from a very good builder. Custom rod builders almost always make something better than factory builds.

I get what your saying though.
 
My son is in his second year of fly fishing. Up until this week he's been using some moderate fast graphite rods. On Monday I rigged up a classic Fenwick FF805 (8' 5 weight) for him to use. We fished Monday and yesterday, and he absolutely loves it. Told me he can feel everything from the casting stroke to the bend of the rod when he catches a fish. He wants to fish it the rest of the year. Another glass convert.
 
Started fly fishing with fiberglass in the 60s. Have been using them ever since. Have currently 16 fiberglass rods from 7ft. 5wt. to 8.5ft.6wt., from vintage Fenwicks and Heddons to modern Epics, Orvis, Diamondglass, Steffen and Seeles. Great casting and fishing tools routinely land browns and rainbows in the 3-5 pound range. I do have two graphite rods: a 8.5ft.6wt. Cabelas and a 9.5ft.8wt. Lamiglass, they sit in the back of the closet. A couple of years ago I fell for the Scott Radian advertisements and bought a 9ft.5wt. Used it for a season, no feel, too stiff, traded it for an 8ft.5wt. Seele among the fish I landed with that rod included a 29 inch brown last season. Fiberglass can't do the job? Maybe you should give one a try, the Orvis Superfine Glass are very good.
 
"Glass is a fad"

Ya'll must be stoked because ignorance is bliss, right?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Montana Angler Fly Fishing
Montana Angler Fly Fishing
Harman's North Fork Cottages


Real Time Data From
the USGS Site

Share this page

Back
Top