Fishing Fiberglass

[Danoinark]

I have been waxing nostalgia of late and have been fishing my few fiberglass fly rods. I am discovering that they are easier to cast, I am able to control line better and I don't feel physically beat at the end of a long day of fishing. I christened my eagle claw feather light 6'6" 5 wt glass rod on New Years Day. Its the same rod I had when I was way young. That along with a old Martin model 61 reel (which I have now also)

sure caught me a ton of panfish back in its day and caught me some nice trout NYD at the gathering. One was an excellent fish that I only saw its lips as it took me downstream for about 25 yards before throwing the hook. I think my confidence level was such that I did not suspect the little rod would handle a fish of that size, so a combination of distrust and lack of expertise with a noodle of a rod like this one kept me from putting enough pressure on the fish. My good friend and fishing mentor says not to worry about fiberglass handling a brute. This is what he tells me in an exchange we had:

Friend said: I find the loading qualities of fiberglas far more relaxing and conducive to easy, accurate casting. It also has the little noted ability to do more of the actual work leaving the caster fresher at the end of the day. It produces, as a result, less physical trauma, causing fewer shoulder, elbow and carpal tunnel troubles. Graphite, and particularly because it is most often underlined due to manufacturer 'fudge factors', by contrast requires that the caster do more of the actual work of the cast. and because of the modulus of the material and the reduced timing factor that demands that the motions of the caster be more abrupt, once more producing increased loads on joints and muscles. Yes---graphite will cast further, but you'll get more hook-ups inside 40' than outside of it and fiberglass is wonderful at fishing ranges. "Graphite is for casting, fiberglas is for fishing".

Dano said:<I caught several dinks a few larger stockers, including a few browns, and a large fish that took the blue poison tung midge and reeled line off of that pflueger supreme. It took me downstream at least 25 yards still taking line. I tried to turn it toward shore without success applying some pressure not to break the 6x. That little rod just may have not had the oomph to deal with a fish of what I suspect was its size. I am going to say 22+. I just briefly saw its head as it mades it way downstream.

Friend said: Never fear that fiberglass can't handle the job on a big fish! Not only will it protect delicate tippets better than graphite but it will still be applying ever greater pressure on the fish long after the graphite would have suffered catastrophic failure. FG is far 'tougher' than carbon fiber with a much higher degree of structural integrity. The higher modulus of graphite doesn't come without penalties. The main one of which is higher failure rates from catastrophic disintegration. The very fact that manufacturers of graphite rods almost universally offer a 'lifetime warranty' is tacit admission that failures are expected and planned for. Never be afraid to 'give him the butt' with fiberglas---it can take it! It is often the choice of those who chase things like big Tarpon, King Salmon, Sailfish and Marlin for that very reason.

Dano

[Don]

Dano,

I'm intrigued. I saw your Eagle Claw on New Years and I meant to discuss it with you but there was alot of busy conversation. Is it fiberglass? I remember those yellow rods from the seventies and I've used some of the ultralites.

Where did you find yours and what are the specs?

Thanks.....Don

[Flysmallie]

I did a search and found these from $14.95 to $16.95. Can that be right??

For that price I will have to get one to play with.

[Danoinark]

Don and Flysmallie here is a great source for them along with general info.

http://www.troutlet.com/Scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=423

They are also all over ebay. I was so impressed with the way those little rods cast and handled.

I probably will go ahead and get the 7 ft 5/6 wt too.

I also had the ultralight spinning twin to this rod. It was 5 ft I think, but seemed to be the same blank.

Don, the one I have, just like the ones in the above picture are fiberglass.

Dan

[Flysmallie]

At that price how can you go wrong. I'm ordering one. Of course now I will need another reel, and some line. My new $20 rod is gonna end up costing me well over $100.

Dang it Dano, my wife is gonna kill me.

[RiverRunner]

Its kind of ironic, there has also been a movement in bass fishing back to fiberglass rods for crankbait fishing. The action of glass is a lot slower than graphite, thus you are less likely to rip the hooks out of the fishes mouth with a hard hookset. I have used fiberglass crankbait rods for several years and have boated more fish with them. I would have a harder time going to a glass fly rod because of the weight, but I can see how it would be easier to cast due to the flex and slower action.

[Danoinark]

Flysmallie..heck don't put no expensive reel on that rod. Get you your favorite line, and that rod merits a Pflueger Medalist. Talk about nostalgic!!!!!! You can find them for less than 30 bucks.

Dano

[WebFreeman]

At that size it would be great for Crane Creek, too. They used to carry the spinning rods at BP, but I haven't looked in years. I always liked the look. Kind of flashy it a classic sort of way.

[Terry Beeson]

I had a spinning rod of the same blank and still have an ultra-light casting rod with a Zebco 33 on it that served as my Crappie jigging rig for several years. Talk about TOUGH! That thing will bend double and still pull a fish!

I'm going out on a limb and getting a fly rod... Just gotta decide what I want.

Hey Dano... Didn't you tell me that was rated as a 5 wt but cast a 4 wt line better or something to that tune?

[Steve Smith]

Dano; I think we talked about my latest fiberglass model last time we fished at Roaring River. My wife picked out a W.W. Grigg 2 piece 8ft 6inch 5wt Premier model vintage glass outfit with a matching Grigg reel for my birthday last year. I used it all summer as my go to rod for creek smallmouth fishing and in Canada. It handled 3 to 5 pound smallmouth’s as well as any graphic rod I own. She found it at Sportsman’s Warehouse in Springdale Arkansas as a combination rod and reel set for $59.00. I was amazed when I heard the price for the performance of that rod. I have no problem with distance as it will easily double haul when needed. I can easily wade and fish without any fatigue. The reel is the matching 5 – 7 wt. aluminum die cast, with a smooth disc drag and powder paint coated black finish. The rod has a bamboo finish, red wrapped guides, and definitely a light action tip. When I first opened it, I almost had a heart attach thinking it was truly a boo rod. Many of the rod building sites are hailing that vintage glass is coming back, and I was amazed at the number of collectors. On further research, I found many steelhead fly fishers are switching to glass rods because they handle the abuse much better than composites. You can check out the Grigg line at http://www.wwgrigg.com/. Good post Dan