Fiberglass

[Lotech]

Is anyone falling for fiberglass as bad as me? I find myself totally enamored with the slow stroke, comfortable cast and the beauty of some of today's glass fish sticks. Not to mention that many of them are affordable. I guess its the "Retro" in me. You can build one of these rods for well under $100, get yourself some Red Ball hip waders, a tweed vest and fedora, and then hearken back to the days before computers, cell phones and graphite. Back to 1953 when Eisenhower was president and only one parent had to work to survive. I realize that after a day's fishing like this, you'll still have to come back to the reality of today, but at least for a little while you can pretend that your worries aren't as big as today's.

[NJTroutbum]

I agree, I have a love for glass as well. Won't see me in tweed anytime soon. But Aside from that I'm with you.

Ralph

[BigA]

I just bought a 3 weight Echo Fiberglass rod. I wanted to get a short rod that would be be good for small, tight streams and would be fun for bluegill fishing in non-windy conditions. Glass seems to make sense for short rods in my opinion.

I could care less about the "retro" appeal of fiberglass rods. I have test cast heavier weight (5 to 7 weight) glass rods, and they seemed awfully heavy to me and the glass rods that I cast did not come close to performing as well as my graphite rods in similar weights, especially in the wind. I am sure that I will like fishing with my new glass rod, but I will not stop fishing with my graphite rods any time soon.

[whatfly]

Nope, rarely use them, except as a novelty. Far too limited in their utility. Much prefer the all around performance of graphite. And "yes", I do realize this might not be a popular opinion in certain quarters. Do not have much use for bamboo either, but that is another thread...

[Byron haugh]

Is anyone falling for fiberglass as bad as me? I find myself totally enamored with the slow stroke, comfortable cast and the beauty of some of today's glass fish sticks. Not to mention that many of them are affordable. I guess its the "Retro" in me. You can build one of these rods for well under $100, get yourself some Red Ball hip waders, a tweed vest and fedora, and then hearken back to the days before computers, cell phones and graphite. Back to 1953 when Eisenhower was president and only one parent had to work to survive. I realize that after a day's fishing like this, you'll still have to come back to the reality of today, but at least for a little while you can pretend that your worries aren't as big as today's.

If you want to really go back in time, you could get bamboo. But, bamboo is heavy.
Do you really want to go back before air conditioning and all the other modern conviencences we have these days?

[Bluegill Budd]

I started with a fiberglass rod and once I got a graphite rod the only thing I have done with it is to jig for crappie.
I never developed the rhythm to use a fiberglass rod well. I have a Fenwick FF605 here that belongs to a ff friend and after stringing it up and playing with it at my pond for a bit I discovered I still don't have it. He asked me to check the rod because, like me, he never felt comfortable with it. I told him the rod was fine, it was just us.
He said he was going to list it on EBay and I suggested here also.

[redietz]

I bought an Orvis Super Fine fiberglass 7'6" 4-weight about a month ago, and love it. It's perfectly suited to the stream I've been using it on.

I started out on fiberglass in 1963 and continued to fish it exclusively into the 1980's (less exclusively since). The new rod just seems right in way that graphite never has, at least not on small to medium size streams.

Although my main preference is cane, I'm really glad to see glass making a come back.

[jcampbell]

I bought the same Orvis rod this summer and it is sweet. Primarily used it for the Trico hatch on the AuSable. Caught some nice brookies and really liked the action.

[dpenrod]

I started with a fiberglass rod and once I got a graphite rod the only thing I have done with it is to jig for crappie.
I never developed the rhythm to use a fiberglass rod well. I have a Fenwick FF605 here that belongs to a ff friend and after stringing it up and playing with it at my pond for a bit I discovered I still don't have it. He asked me to check the rod because, like me, he never felt comfortable with it. I told him the rod was fine, it was just us.
He said he was going to list it on EBay and I suggested here also.

What line were you using? i like my FF605 with a 4DT. quickens it up a little bit. fished mine at a state trout park about 3 weeks ago and had a blast. was throwing a size 6 rubber-legged stimulator with a zebra midge dropper. handled that big dry well. try that 605 with a few different lines before you ditch it. you may be surprised.

[Bluegill Budd]

What line were you using?

I tried a WF5F which I took off my Orvis and while I did not do badly with it, I just have to put too much thinking into each cast to be effective with it.
I also tried a WF3F and the rod would not load well at all. Again I think it is my difficulty in getting the timing of the rod correct to use it without a lot of concentration.
The rod belongs to a friend who drug it out of his FF closet and had the same difficulty I did. I suggested he spend some time with it and he declined saying he had a good short stream rod and seeing we have ONE trout stream nearby (if you call an hour drive nearby) he will put what time we get on the stream with the graphite rod he has (as I do - I have a 6' 4wt Cortland which was purchased at the Cortland facility in the late 70s I believe).