brownbass
Well-known member
Has anyone tries out the Bad Ass Glass rods from Echo. Just wondering what fast glass is all about.
Echo Bad Ass Glass
- Thread starter brownbass
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jgentile
Well-known member
I spent considerable time casting the BAG 9wt a few weeks ago at the fly shop. It was paired with an Airflo tropical 9. The short I believe. It's an interesting rod for sure. As far as accuracy it was really nice from 25 to 75'. We set up casting targets for competitions so I am confident about the distance. Like many glass rods, if you let it do the work it will reward you. It tracked well, handled the constant 10-20 mph gusts we had all day and recovered quite reasonably well.
The bad... It's a club. No two ways about this or around it. It is really tip heavy at 9' We had an 8 oz. reel on it and if you wanted to balance it on you finger you were about 8" from the cork/winding check. The rod will benefit from a down locking reel seat and a reel weighing about 10 oz.
At $275.00 it is certainly interesting. I don't think I'm manly enough to fish this rod all day. I'm saving up for the Scott Meri
The bad... It's a club. No two ways about this or around it. It is really tip heavy at 9' We had an 8 oz. reel on it and if you wanted to balance it on you finger you were about 8" from the cork/winding check. The rod will benefit from a down locking reel seat and a reel weighing about 10 oz.
At $275.00 it is certainly interesting. I don't think I'm manly enough to fish this rod all day. I'm saving up for the Scott Meri
brownbass
Well-known member
I took a couple of seconds to shake it at the demo day but 4 weights were on my mind and though I started to try it out others were casting it and I didn't feel like getting in line at the time. I had some shopping to do. I didn't really notice the weight as much but the listed rod weights on the Echo site verifies that they are heavier than a comparable composite.
Thanks for the reply.
Bill
Thanks for the reply.
Bill
jgentile
Well-known member
@brownbass.... I didn't see on your original post that your are in Marthasville. I'm guessing you were at our open house on 4/1. It was a great day with all the reps in town. Did any of those 4wt. call out to you?
It's been a while since these rods were introduced. Anyone have reviews to share? What you like or don't? What weight rod you have and size of fish you've caught? What about differences between the BAG and the BAG Quickshot?
claybanks
Well-known member
I like my 890 BAG a lot. I have caught some great steelhead with it. It has tolerated things that a graphite rod would not take. Once I tried to reel in a fish to the bank. I was holding the rod kind of low to avoid a bush, lost my footing, stepped on the rod in a few places with big heavy wading boots, slipped down on top of the rod, which made the fish run. Stood back up, fish still on, fought it for a few more moments, and landed it.
Along with really good tippet protection, it is one of the most durable rods I've fished. I don't step on my rods often, but I'm pretty sure if I did this with a graphite rod it would have been a break. I stood up expecting to have broke my rod. I was really surprised to see no breakage and not really any scraps or bruises.
It works well with an OPST head, even better with an Airflo Skagit Scout. I would face any Michigan steelhead or coho with this rod with confidence.
I liked the 890 so much that I bought a 1090. The 890 is heavy, but I found the 1090 to be really heavy. I let the 1090 go. I did land a just short of 40' chinook with it and a 14in brown, which was my only trip and only two fish with the rod. The salmon was a hen and was in between fresh and spawned out. She pulled hard but not like a chromer. I think it would be a superb fishing fighting tool for big game that needs a 10wt.
The 10wt rod's weight was a bit much for me, the 8wt is manageable. The QS versions are probably better for weight and overhead casting. I have no experience with them however.
Along with really good tippet protection, it is one of the most durable rods I've fished. I don't step on my rods often, but I'm pretty sure if I did this with a graphite rod it would have been a break. I stood up expecting to have broke my rod. I was really surprised to see no breakage and not really any scraps or bruises.
It works well with an OPST head, even better with an Airflo Skagit Scout. I would face any Michigan steelhead or coho with this rod with confidence.
I liked the 890 so much that I bought a 1090. The 890 is heavy, but I found the 1090 to be really heavy. I let the 1090 go. I did land a just short of 40' chinook with it and a 14in brown, which was my only trip and only two fish with the rod. The salmon was a hen and was in between fresh and spawned out. She pulled hard but not like a chromer. I think it would be a superb fishing fighting tool for big game that needs a 10wt.
The 10wt rod's weight was a bit much for me, the 8wt is manageable. The QS versions are probably better for weight and overhead casting. I have no experience with them however.
that’s is a helluva a pic. Awesome.
karstopo
Well-known member
I‘ve got the 9 wt Quickshot. I don’t know how the 9’ version would be since the 8’ model is plenty heavy to swing. I got mine for windy boat and kayak work against larger redfish and jacks. Strong casting rod. probably near impossible to break, glass. The rod guides are kind of soft and not very impressive to be truthful. The guides on a $69 CGR are more impressive and of a higher quality. Is the Echo BAG Quickshot a value? I’d say no. Cheap Chinese rod, bottom line.
R
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claybanks
Well-known member
I disagree about this. I'm not saying components on the BAG are high end, but they are better than Cabela's CGR.
I'll add, considering the point made of the value equation, I paid $100 for mine.
karstopo
Well-known member
Here’s the first stripping guide for a 7/8 weight CGR circa 2015 and a six weight Echo BAG Quickshot circa 2017. Right away, the ceramic insert on the Echo rod popped out. No big deal, I can put it back in the slot, but, that metal frame on the guide on mine is a soft as warm butter, not a quality that’s is something you want in a fly rod quide. I don’t give a flying hoopla if the guide on the Echo rod is marginally larger, but some rigidity would be appropriate.
Maybe I got the bad run, poor contractor, odd run day, but I’ve not experienced this guide falling apart thing with my CGRs.
R
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is the CGR stripper on backwards?
claybanks
Well-known member
You should send that rod back to Echo. The picture attached is what mine looks like. The other rod is a Sage Foundation 890. I don't notice any difference in hardness between them. The Echo guide is definitely larger. The second stripper on the rods is about the same size.
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karstopo
Well-known member
Send a rod back? How about get it right from the get go. Time contacting them, packaging the rod, the time waiting for the return. How hard is it to get a guide right?
claybanks
Well-known member
Yeah, I hear you. You are 100% right about that. Sending rods back that the rod company didn't get right the first time sucks. It cost one's time, fees, postage, etc. I'm just saying, that stripper looks like it is non-functional; maybe they will send you a rod with a better guide on it.
karstopo
Well-known member
If it is on backwards, at least they are consistent.
karstopo
Well-known member
I just pop it right back in, it is so malleable I can pop it back in at will. Even done this with a fish on.
R
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a touch of superglue on the stipper inset, then press it back into the wire guide
dennyk
Well-known member
I paid $100 for mine I got used for a boat rod. Swing weight is noticable but it's a decent casting rod. The cork leaves a lot to be desired.
Denny
Denny
claybanks
Well-known member
Mine isn't malleable like that.