Cabela's Custom Glass Rod

FAOL Community Fly Anglers Online
1

I’ve been intrigued over the years by posts bragging up glass rods for small streams. Cabella’s just came out with a glass rod combo (CGR) at a very friendly price and I decided to give it a try.

My 5’9" 3-weight combo arrived today. While I have not yet had a chance to cast it, I have to say I am impressed by the quality versus the price and encourage those of you interested in owning a glass rod to check out this rod or rod combo.

First impressions:

The rod case is impressive. Brown nylon-covered hard case. Very heavily embroidered --about 3X the amount of embroidery that would have been required to impress me. Unzip the top and, instead of a rod sock, the case has three separate sleeves to hold the rod pieces.

The finish of the rod is really impressive for the price. Spigot ferrules. Really attractive wrappings. Good quality hardware and cork.

I got the combo with a Pflueger Medalist 1492 AK. It balances out OK, but I suspect I could get an even better balance with a lighter reel.

My scientific “take it out in the back yard and wave it around” test leads me to believe I will really need to adjust my casting style to use this rod properly. I’ve never fished with a slow action rod. But I bought it specifically for dry flies on small streams and I’m guessing it will do just fine for that chore once I learn how to use it right. And I think the lower weight and shorter rod will make some small trout hook ups a whole lot more fun.

The combo also includes backing and Cortland Sylk line. Can’t comment on those yet.

As now planned, this is meant to be a 50th anniversary commemorative product. I’m sure it will be extended beyond that if it is successful for them, but there is no guarantee of that. So check it out soon if it is of interest.

2

Thanks OF.

I’m interested as well. Took the day off on Wednesday and stopped in at a Cabela’s to take a look. It’s not like I need another small stream rod, but I’ve never fished glass so I’m very interested at that price point. I was told they don’t actually carry the glass rods in the store. Just mail order or internet.

In pictures, the color looks almost like a neon green. Is that accurate?

3

No, its not. Its actually really quite striking. A nice deep green, with nicely matched wrapping and silver trim.

Truth is, I’m strongly against owning things that have the word Cabela’s on it, because I’m that superficial. However, I loved my 7’6" 7/8CGR so much, I recently added the 5’9" 3wt to the list.

I haven’t had much of a chance to try the 5’9" due to hurricanes and medical issues, but I’ve been a huge fan of the 7/8 rod. I toss it with a 7wt line, as I’m not as enthused by it with an 8wt line. You can read me wax poetic on that one here and here, if you’re interested. You are warned, there’s foul words a’plenty. The rod itself is a real line launcher, believe it or not, but flexes nice and deep. I’m not a proficient caster, but I was able to get the full 70ish feet (est, but its definatly cut short) line out the rod. When a fish takes it, you feel it, but you’ve got plenty of power to fight them. The little 12" ladyfish were a real blast on the rod, as were the 20" largemouths. This summer I had a few 14" snapper blues on it, as well, which will turn the rod into a complete U, but I wasn’t worried about breaking the rod, its got power in it. The cork, however, sucks. Its literally fallign apart under my thumb. I’m not impressed with that.

The 3wt’s been lawn cast a few times, and one session on the water. Its willowy, and its way shorter than anything else I’ve used. Its kinda tough to, but I think I’ll get the timing down, considering how little I’ve fished at all this summer, I’m not surprised I can’t adapt to a rod of this distinct feel. I’ve been using a Sylk 3DT, and I’m not sure how well that line translates to teh rod, I would like to get my hands on a shorter front tapered line, but so it is. It does, however, have a great feel in the hand. It flexes down deep, and its got a dainy little cigar grip, which I like instead of the more usual half-wells or reverse-half-wells. Or whatever the hell its called. You know, the “normal” style. Visually speaking, I like the burled cork butt on the seat though, its a nice little visual touch.

Sliding band seats generally irk me, but I’ve come to terms with them on little rods. THese are TIGHT. Using an old 1492 with its reel foot is unpossible. I’ve tried both a Cabela’s LSR (a 4 year old model from them) and an Ocean City 35, which is what I’m currently using. Both work on it pretty well, but big reel feet might be an issue.

The only outright complaint I have is the loose tip over butt spigot ferrules. On the big rod, the butt-to-mid link is the weak spot, and I’ve become used to occasionally reaching up to make sure its tight. On the little one, its the tip to mid, and its a little harder to reach up and cinch down. That is annoying. Very much so.

Thus far, I’m not really so happy with the littlest member of the CGR family as I am the biggest, but I also bought it because it was a great price for a weird little niche rod, and I imagine that this isn’t a line Cabela’s is going ot keep around forever. I’m not much interested in the middle weights, rods that I think I could be better served by opting for some of the more premium boutique makers, but for stuff I won’t use often (5’9") or stuff that’ll see abuse (7/8wt’s been for schoolie stripers and snook thus far), I’m very happy with them.

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It’s much more subdued- kind of a grass green.

Chuck

5

As stated on an earlier BB question on the rods, I have been pretty pleased with my 7’6" 5/6 weight rod. Workmanship on the rod is very good considering the price. It throws out a lot of line with little effort. My only concern is that I would have liked a little more butt strength on it for big smallies in faster water but I’m getting used to that also. Took out a fairly inexperienced fly fisherman Tuesday night and while he did pretty well with his graphite rod he had a tough time trying to figure out the slower action of this rod. I told him to take his time and let the rod do the work. He struggled with my glass rod but was really impressed with the distance I was casting it.

It’s a sweet rod and the case it comes in just an added bonus.

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gfen, really enjoyed your blog - you might consider writing something for FAOL as well. You think?

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I don’t see where on the Cabela’s website, that there’s a combo.

Anybody tried putting a Battenkill on one of these? (Why does this strike me as just flat out wrong?)

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I just looked and they have a combo with their prestige plus reel. My rod was back ordered for awhile because they were out of Pflueger Medalists. so they may have dropped that combo option.

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Yeah, I see that. Did your combo come with a line and backing?

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It came with backing and a Cortland Sylk DT3F.

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I loaded up the Plueger 1492 reel that came in my combo today. I’m kind of disappointed in it, but maybe because I am not fond of being real traditional. (For example, I have a definite preference for indoor plumbing with running H/C water.)

No way to change it over to the left hand retrieve I use. Two settings for drag, but neither works for a left hand retrieve. Then again, I likely won’t need drag for the fish this 3 weight targets --and there was a way of shutting off all drag. But you also can’t add drag via palming. Thus I consider this reel somewhat below just winding line around a can.

Why did Cabela’s send me backing? After nail knotting on the loop from an old leader so I could use loop to loop connections for future leaders, I did the usual backwards winding on of the fly line so I could figure out how much backing I needed to fill the reel. The answer was that 30 yards of 3-weight Sylk totally filled the spool. So that was a waste of time. I’m kind of surprised and disappointed that nobody at Cabela’s figured that out.

Despite this complaining, I remain pleased with the value of the combo and will be looking for a chance to try it out on a small stream. It is very much of a specialty rod and I appreciate Cabela’s giving me a chance to have it at such a low price. But, next time around I’d just buy the rod for $99 and hit e-Bay for the rest.

12

Oldfrat,

I have that the pleasure several time of utilitizing the drag on my 3 wt. reel, the latest was last year when I flipped a small wooly bugger under a limb prosepcted for a blugill and encountered a nice channel cat. This led to a 15 minute discussion before his decided to come over to my floatube. I have land a couple of largemouth bass in the 6 lb. class with the same reel and rod. I was primarily fishing for bream each time. What you expect and what you get can be quite different. I have never needed the backing on the reel but there’s a little bit there just in case.

13

I seem to have only three options, Jesse, and it is making me crazy.

I can set up this briefly re-issued Pleuger 1492 for a right hand retrieve and set it up for low drag. (The high drag setting is ridiculously high for a small stream rod. More like lake trout/big bass drag.)

I can use it with no drag and hope that I can apply sufficient drag with my finger against the rod as the reel’s rim can’t be palmed.

I can find a small & cheap reel with left-hand retrieve or at least a rim that can be palmed. I was just surprised to find that an hour on e-Bay did not turn up such a reel.

If anybody has a suggestion on this, please jump in. Currently, I think I’ll try the options in 2-1-3 order.

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Brad-

I like the looks of the Ross Flystart as an inexpensive option. It sells new for around $50, and there’s a slightly used one on eBay that can apparently be had for less.

15

Thanks! I just solved my dilemma by ordering a Medalist 1494. It is a little heavier than the 1492, but allows for left handed retrieval. I managed to get a new one for $27, including shipping.

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I don’t expect having to operate the reel in a fish fighting manner with the 5’9" willow branch, and just left the 1492 on it as God and Mr. Pflueger intended. However, if your 1492 is sitting there unused, feel free to drop it into the mail for me. I’ll give it a good home, as the older model I have won’t fit the silly reel seat.

Also, FWIW, an Ocean City 35 fits it quite nicely, which has an even more vulgar click check than the 1492 and is only left hand wind if you want to use the line guard, but it sure is a handsome little bugger.

And Ms. Fisher, thanks for teh kind words. You never know what I’m incapable of, and I’ll eyeball up the requirements when I get some things taken care of shortly.

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For those of you using this rod, what are you using as a leader? I’m wondering if a standard 7’ leader might be too long for a 5’9" rod and if I should take a standard 7’ leader and cut it way back or what?

gfen, you pay the postage and the 1492 reel is yours.

Thanks

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You don’t allow PMs, but if you hit me up at flibbertygibbets@yahoo.com and let me know to check it (I let the spambots harvest that one), I’ll gladly respond to you.

I’d definatly take that boy off your hands for ya.

19

Although this rod may be the exception, every rod of Cabelas that I have owned that was in the $100 class had really soft tiptops, that grooved rapidly with use. I recommend keeing an eye on it. Looks like an interesting rod, tho.

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The rod comes with a very obvious hang tag proudly stating its made with Pac Bay guides.

I’ve used my 7/8 hard, and all on the beach…if its gonna groove, then that rod’ll show it.