Interested in glass

[clsmith131]

Hello all,
I'm interested in putting together a 2, 3 or possibly 4wt 6'-7' outfit for small creeks in the north GA/NC hills, where there is a lot of laurel and overhanging canopy. I like the idea of fiberglass, for a number of reasons: its softness is easy on light tippet, it's durable, which is good if you are a prone to falling while trouncing around the woods and creek banks, and it seems like it would be more fun on some of the little brookies I might encounter. I was just looking to get a little feedback from those of you who have experience with fiberglass and these types of places.

Some questions I have are:
1) Like graphite, does tech differ greatly from lower priced offerings to high priced? My understanding of glass is very limited. I know that there are two types: s-structural, and e-electrical, and am somewhat familiar with their properties but I have no experience with glass rods outside of trolling and spinning rods.
2) Are the glass rod weights directly comparable to graphite? I.e. does a 3 wt glass rod seem like a 3wt graphite rod? or more like a 2wt?
3) Is a double taper best for dry droppers on light glass rods? or something else?
4) What are some of the glass rods you've enjoyed and why?

At the end of the day, I want to take a nice setup with me that is fun to fish and proportionate to small creeks off the beaten path. Any insight or experiences shared would be greatly appreciated. I understand some people like graphite rods only, I'm not interested in how a graphite rod might be better. I have graphite rods, I'm specifically looking to get the fiberglass experience. It's still early in my research, but I'm looking to pull the trigger soon.

Thanks,
Chad

 

[jayr]

As one who grew up on glass rods, I can tell you there are lots and lots of glass rods available. You can spend anything from $20 to hundreds of dollars.

As for lines, a DT will work, but I really can't tell the difference between it and a WF line. But getting the right line for a glass rod is imperative in order to get the most out of it. Not all lines will work well for glass.

I have two glass rods. A real cheap Eagle Claw I paid around $20 for to my other, an Orvis Superfine glass. The Orvis is an absolute dream to cast on small streams. Mine is the 7'6" 4 weight. I have yet to cast the Eagle Claw.

I can tell you this, the newer glass rods are not at all like the heavier glass rods of yesteryear.

There dozens of glass rod companies out there. A simple Google search will show that.

 

[flyminded]

I use a Steffen Brothers 6’6” 2/3 wt on those very same wild streams.

There is a glass gathering scheduled for the end of April on the Davidson ...you’ll likely find what you are looking for there, along with all the answers to your questions and more questions you didn’t even realize you had yet.

The dates are April 27/29, it will be based at Sycamore Flats Picnic Shelter.

 

[mka]

Chad, I don't think you'll regret getting a fiberglass rod for those small creeks you like to fish. The modern rods will throw the designated line for a given rod just like the graphite rods and I find that I don't need to over/under line them at all. I have two glass rods that I fish on a regular basis:

My Orvis Superfine Glass 7' 3wt is an amazing rod. It's an S-glass rod and will cast long or in close for whatever the situation presents to me on my small streams. I use a Rio Gold WF3F on this rod and is a good fit in my view. This rod has more power than one would expect for a 3wt glass rod. I've been fishing this rod for the last three years and love it.

My second glass rod is a Winston Retro Glass 6'6" 3wt. I just found this rod last year and it's a pleasure to fish on those small streams and creeks with lots of brush and overhanging tree limbs. Not sure, but I believe this is an E-glass rod since it was produced back in the 90's. Winston no longer makes glass rods, but if you could find one of these, you would have a keeper. I use a Rio LightLine WF3F on this rod and it works perfect.

 

[huronfly]

Bushwacking tiny creeks is the perfect situation for little glass rods. I use an echo glass 6'9" 3 weight with a DT. It is great for bow and arrow casts, and the DT is great for roll casting when there is no room to aerialize the line, and bends to the cork on a 12" fish! It is a blast to use.

 

[itchmesir]

Go with a DT... fishing small creeks you likely won't be casting much further than 30'... another poster said "you can't tell the difference between dt and wf"... which is true for the first 30' or so of a dt or wf when it's the same style line... but here's the kicker... A wf is ~30' head then 60' of running line... A dt is a 30' head at both ends... so what? Well when the one side starts cracking and wearing down... flip it around and use the other end. DT is basically two lines for the price of one.

 

[itchmesir]

I use a Steffen Brothers 6’6” 2/3 wt on those very same wild streams.

There is a glass gathering scheduled for the end of April on the Davidson ...you’ll likely find what you are looking for there, along with all the answers to your questions and more questions you didn’t even realize you had yet.

The dates are April 27/29, it will be based at Sycamore Flats Picnic Shelter.

I might make this drive... We'll see. Chris is an amazing rodsmith! He held his previous gatherings in the Driftless. I have his 7' 6wt and its a gem. There'll also be no shortage of rods and reels at this gathering. If you can't find a rod or three you fall in love with then you probably don't have a soul lol.

 

[fredaevans]

I use a Steffen Brothers 6’6” 2/3 wt on those very same wild streams.

There is a glass gathering scheduled for the end of April on the Davidson ...you’ll likely find what you are looking for there, along with all the answers to your questions and more questions you didn’t even realize you had yet.

The dates are April 27/29, it will be based at Sycamore Flats Picnic Shelter.

Sounds like Sandy River Spey Clave at Ox Bow Park east of Portland, Oregon; sponsored by 'flyfishusa.' Stacks of two handers, lines, etc. Best part is the Sandy River is just at the bottom of the hill (hope they got the walking path fixed!) and actually cast different combo's. If you're thinking about getting a two hander rod/reel.line this is a must attend,

Very easy to drop well over$1,200 on this type of gear. Better yet breakfast and lunch are provided at no cost!!! I think the park entry fee is like $12-15 bucks (a bit more for RV's) so not much to get to play with all the toys. Over the years (12 or 15 now?) I know of only two rods were broken and one stolen. Nothing is actually sold there (not the point) you have to call the shop an plunk down your credit card number.

Watching the one man bob sled racing on TV ... THESE GUYS ARE N U T S!

 

[flyminded]

I might make this drive... We'll see. Chris is an amazing rodsmith! He held his previous gatherings in the Driftless. I have his 7' 6wt and its a gem. There'll also be no shortage of rods and reels at this gathering. If you can't find a rod or three you fall in love with then you probably don't have a soul lol.

This will be my first glass gathering....my bank account is already worried. Having never cast one of Chris’s rods I’m very intrigued based on all the positive comments I have seen and the images I’ve seen him post.

 

[gpwhitejr]

I was in the same situation (wanting to try a glass rod for a small stream) so I bought a 6' 3-wt one-piece Cabelas Prime when it was on sale for $49 (I don't see that on their website today, but right now the CGR is $39.99). I bought a Rio Trout LT double taper line. Being winter here in VT, I haven't been fishing but I tried it in the back yard. It seems to be ok for short casts (one of the advantages of the DT line is supposed to be roll casting, but the snow doesn't produce enough load to make a fair test).

BTW, my first fly rod (a gift when I graduated 8th grade, back in the dark ages) was a fiberglass Shakespeare Wonderod 9-wt. I still use that occasionally in saltwater (with the almost equally ancient Medalist reel). It has been banged around (without any kind of case until a year or two ago) for decades and is still going strong.

 

[clsmith131]

Thanks to everyone for their posts, I'm getting some pretty good stuff here. I'm not worried about casting more than 30' with it his rod. I really think it will just be fun to get that deep flex. I've been looking at the lotic by t&t online, I really like t&t rods, the same goes for Scott and their f2. But I haven't handled either one of them yet, and having studied glass rods so little, I'm not sure that handling those rods would be all that conclusive anyway. I'm just going to look around and see if I fall in love. I do like the sound of a 3wt though.

 

[pnc]

Have growing collection of glass rods. More for given situations than anything. The ONLY ones purchased new. Six of them past year or two. Have two broke one (rod eating car), gave 3 to friends. Eagle Claw , featherlight.... Amazon. 3/4 , 6 1/2'. It will throw twice the line you want.
Mine goes with for any freshwater no matter what rods are taken.
And in all honesty..... I have more fun with this than any of the other rods I own. Rod was reworked from original and now has some graphite mixed in. You'd never know it. Strenght of rod surprised me. Took several bowfin in glades with it. One about 30". Very strong fish. And turned 7' gator with it night before. I use a 5w dbl taper cut in half.
I have a blast with it every time it's used. You could try one and send it back if you don't like it. If you do ........ you'll probably keep it and get more.

........ pc

 

[Rip Tide]

I have a couple of dozen vintage glass rods and normally I'd chime right in to sing their praises but I've come to realize that nowadaze when everybody and their brother is selling modern glass, the vintage rods have yet again gone out of style hwell:
(and that's fine... all the more for me)

Last weekend I was talking to a vintage rod retailer and he's not even trying to sell any of his.
I had a pile of rods with me and he told me that normally he'd make me an offer, but he just didn't see the point.

 

[clsmith131]

I have a couple of dozen vintage glass rods and normally I'd chime right in to sing their praises but I've come to realize that nowadaze when everybody and their brother is selling modern glass, the vintage rods have yet again gone out of style hwell:
(and that's fine... all the more for me)

Last weekend I was talking to a vintage rod retailer and he's not even trying to sell any of his.
I had a pile of rods with me and he told me that normally he'd make me an offer, but he just didn't see the point.

Sometimes our personal collections have more personal/sentimental value than market value... Nothing wrong with that!

 

[s fontinalis]

I like the blue halo 7'6 3 wt.
I've had various other glass rods, mostly in the sub $150 range, and of the lot, this has been my favorite - its the second generation, i bought it from a builder on Fiberglass Fly Rodders forum.
Its a sweet little rod.

For a 4wt, i repeatedly hear the Orris superfine touted as the best.

As previously mentioned, there's a ton of modern glass on the market these days - Larry Kenny, Chris Barclay, Graywolf, Kabuto, McFarland, Epic and others...these rods will run you about $500-600.

For value, i like the Blue Halo. Check FFR forum, there are always deals to be had there.

Eunan

 

[flytie09]

I have a couple of dozen vintage glass rods and normally I'd chime right in to sing their praises but I've come to realize that nowadaze when everybody and their brother is selling modern glass, the vintage rods have yet again gone out of style hwell:
(and that's fine... all the more for me)

Last weekend I was talking to a vintage rod retailer and he's not even trying to sell any of his.
I had a pile of rods with me and he told me that normally he'd make me an offer, but he just didn't see the point.

Sounds like the time to buy a vintage glass rod. Hmmm.....

 

[karstopo]

The Fiberglass Manifesto has a lot on fiberglass fly rods and there is at least one internet interest board devoted to glass fly rods. Some of the old rods from the 1950s and 1960s are highly thought of. And there’s a growing number of offerings of new glass from small shops to the big names at a variety of prices.

Seems like there’s a lot of folks that see the sweet spot for glass as the 3-5 weights, 8 feet and under. I’ve got glass from 2-8 weights and up to 8’ and like them all.

 

[canoeman1947]

I have around 30 glass rods, both vintage and new. The vintage rods are mostly 5 to 7 weight as ultralight rods are a fairly recent idea. Most of my newer rods are in the 2 to 4 weight range, as most of my current fishing is done in small streams. Some of the vintage rods are excellent, such as the Fenwicks, Phillipsons, Hardys, Winstons, Fishers, Berkley Parametrics, etc. There are so many excellent rod choices available today, it would be extremely difficult for me to make a recommendation. If you could make it to a conclave such as the one mentioned previously on the Davidson, you would have the opportunity to try out a lot of different rods. It is frequently difficult to try out glass rods in a fly shop, although more are showing up these days. However, even the shops that carry some glass usually only carry, at most, 2 or 3 brands.

Larry