smooth as glass

[Canoeman1947]

Like Bamboozle, I have purchased four rods in the last year, and they have all been fiberglass. Only two of them were currently manufactured rods. My first purchase was a like new Fenwick 4-piece 7 ft. 6 weight. Liked it quite a bit. Then a 8 ft. 4 weight Diamondglass which I loved. My latest is a 55 year old SilaFlex Medallion, which I found to be in excellent condtion. Eight feet long, 2 piece with metal ferrules, handles a 5 weight Cortland Sylk DT line beautifully. Caught my first fish on it Sunday afternoon, an 18-19 inch rainbow. The more I used it, the more I liked it. Wish I could find one in 7 ft. length. My fishing buddy just got a Phillipson Epoxite, 7 ft. 5 weight. Rod is obviously used, but casts like a dream. The slower, more relaxed casting pace of fiberglass seems to suit my aging body better than most of my graphite rods.

Larry Compton

[flybinder]

Now, THIS is a GREAT post!!
Seriously, after all the hullabalou and going back and forth, next door in the "Is the new Helios rod, worth the $800.00 or not? And some swearing that "of course it is".................. it's really nice to see so many admit to how much fun GLASS can be, but also, what fine fly rods they truly are. And, for HOW MUCH?

Personally, although admittedly owning way too many fly rods PERIOD, and a lot of them graphite of course, I also have two absolute favorites.......... both glass. One is a Fenwick "Iron Feather"-5 foot X 6wt. I don't even remember where I got it and yes, "5 foot for a 6" IS a rather strange and odd fly rod size, I admit. But man, can that little rod throw line and perform a few things that my 9foot X 6wt. graphite cannot.

The second, is an very old rod, I scored from an estate sale a few years ago. The lady having the sale, told me she'd purchased it for her husband, then he became too ill to fish so the rod was never used. It's a 8 and 1/2 foot "South Bend Hollow Glass" as the tube label states. It's also old enough, that on the blank itself, the decal says; "For use with HD or HDW line"!! A bit before the time of "WF/F" and "DT/F", etc. came to be, obviously. It's in its original cotton rod sock and the old-timey red-cardboard tube, with the metal screw cap.

A really fun rod to cast and to fish with! I'm glad to see so many others, still interested in glass, or beginning to discover glass, for the fist time!

[Bamboozle]

It's really nice to see so many admit to how much fun GLASS can be, but also, what fine fly rods they truly are. And, for HOW MUCH?

Well you CAN spend close to Helios-like amounts of $$$ on glass rods; especially some of the newer stuff. But old glass is starting to pick up in price as people discover what they have been missing. A Russ Peak Golden Zenith recently sold on eBay for $2700!!

[dekezucker]

Absolutely love glass. I own many rods--too many I'm sure--but my all time favorite is an old Fenwick Ferrulite glass. The key to casting it, as mentioned, is patience. The rod has taught me to slow down. It is a dream for small river fish, an absolute dream. If I had to be buried with one rod, it would be this one.

Tight Lines,

Deke

[flybinder]

Yes, so true, on the "price of glass, zooming up to into the Helios range"!
"Funny", how that "works", isn't it? Ten years ago, probably more like FIVE even, you could get old glass fly rods for tomato stake prices. But, "let 'em find out, that fly fishermen are interested in them again" and "BAMO" goes the pricing ceiling!

I've still, thankfully so far, had fairly decent luck at the "Thrift/junk/second hand store level", scoring a decent rod now and then. Since I have my "two favorites" I mentioned earlier, when I find one now I pass it on to someone looking for a glass rod. So, for me, it's now down to the "thrill of the hunt", more or less. (Unless, of course, I find one of those "Rudd Peaks" for $1.79!?!).

[PAangler]

I've got a Shakespeare Wonderod I bought back in the mid-70's. It's been at least 20 years since I fished with it. Sounds like I should saddled it up and take it for a ride. BTW - if any of you newbies want to take it off my hands for $1000, drop me a PM.

[flybinder]

Gee, now I'd GLADLY go for it, PAangler, for $989.57, but that's all I've got and I DOUBT you'd budge on your price!?!

[fishin' chewy]

I have 3 glass rods myself and I wish I could find an s-glass spey rod or blank at a reasonable price or just find one for that matter. If you have not handled a diamondglass you are missing out on what is in my opinion the finest fly rod for the money. I have a 4wt and it is incredible.

[Jim Sentell]

HopperDropper: what you discovered is, A FISHING ROD!!!!!! Not a casting rod.

The industry has told you through advertising, fly shops, product development, guides, casting "experts", and boundless "trout" magazines that you must have a super-duper lightening fast 9' (but, better a 22') 6wt. to cast a #16 Parachute Adams 80 feet to a rising trout.

But, there is a pinpoint light at the end of the tunnel.....mid-weight rods, 5,6,7 in 8' or less; because, the "industry" is realizing that the majority of new fly anglers and more and more older converts are fishing w-a-r-m-w-a-t-e-r. And, as this article lays out, the shorter the rod the greater the casting accuracy:
http://www.midcurrent.com/articles/t...curacy_p2.aspx

If you really want a lot of information on glass rods, this is the site:

www.fiberglassflyrodders.com


Regards, Jim

[ducksterman]

OK, you guys got my curiosity up so I went to see what I have hanging around [literally, I store my rods hanging on the ceiling]...found a ..

Wright and McGill ...Trialmaster...7 1/2 ft ..No.4TMU...line 7...and there's a D under the logo...

Guess I got this years ago to pack in as both a fly and spinning rod....

Now to try and figure out if it's any good.....anyone with an opinion?