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Glass resurgence?

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Dave Alexander
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Glass resurgence?

#1

Post by Dave Alexander »

Just curious what the deal is with the resurgence of fiberglass fly rods?

Having been fly fishing since I was kid in the late 70's I have definitely owned my share of Fiberglass rods. I actually still have a few Shakespeare white wonderrods kicking around. Doesn't seem like larger sizes/lengths would ever would ever be appealing due to the weight differential between that and carbon, but perhaps in the smaller sizes there could be an appeal?

Has there been any advancements in the materials or processes that has made the better now? Anybody fishing any of the new ones out there? Any advantages over carbon? or is it just marketing taking advantage of nostalgia? Just curious as I have seen a few popping up lately.

Cheers,

Dave
John Finn
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Glass resurgence?

#2

Post by John Finn »

All you need to know about glass can be found here...................John


http://thefiberglassmanifesto.blogspot.ie/
Dave Alexander
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Glass resurgence?

#3

Post by Dave Alexander »

Yeah, I happen to find that just before you posted. I was amazed at how many manufactures now have an offering.
The loan program is quite and interesting option, great idea actually.
Nick
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Glass resurgence?

#4

Post by Nick »

I have cast a few in the lower line weights, and they are fun to play with. I haven't cast any of my ancient glass rods in quite a while, but I certainly feel like the new ones have better tapers and actions than the stuff we used in the '80s

Haven't tried higher line weight glass rods, but I can't imagine that an 8 weight glass would be light enough to cast all day.

What I don't know is if the new glass rods are tougher than carbon. Of so, they might be good for sight fishing situations where you are doing serious fish fighting, like snakehead for instance...
Dave Alexander
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Glass resurgence?

#5

Post by Dave Alexander »

It seems like epic rods have certainly taken re development approach with their fast glass. They certainly are marketed in an appealing way.

If you had two rods that were the same length and static properties say through common cents characteristics, what the weight difference would be? I assume in a dynamic setting the recovery rate would be slower on the glass rod.
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Paul Arden
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Glass resurgence?

#6

Post by Paul Arden »

As Morsie says "Glass is good because it reminds us how good Carbon is" :laugh:
It's an exploration; bring a flyrod.

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Graeme H
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Glass resurgence?

#7

Post by Graeme H »

I've got five Epic rods in 4, 5, 6, 8 and a 10wt. They are a lot of fun to fish with and have really honed my casting techniques. Hooking any fish at all will put a big bend in the rod, and a fish like this one will have the cork bending and a smile from ear to ear.

Image

Dave, they are certainly tougher than CF (i.e. not as susceptible to impact damage or snapping due to inadvertent high-sticking). Pull as hard as you dare, knowing the rod can take anything you throw at it. They are also surprisingly light and most people who pick mine up comment on that.

I'm not giving up my CF rods, but I always take the glass rods out and fish them first unless there is a LOT of wind to contend with.

Cheers,
Graeme
FFi CCI
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Paul Arden
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Glass resurgence?

#8

Post by Paul Arden »

That's just design Graeme, not material. You can bend softer Carbon rods butt to tip - I've seen this done and so that will give you the same bend effect. The material itself is stronger and less brittle. I doubt very much you can bend fibreglass butt to tip.

Super fish!!

Cheers, Paul
It's an exploration; bring a flyrod.

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Graeme H
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Glass resurgence?

#9

Post by Graeme H »

Okay, well most CF rods aren't designed to handle a high-sticking event. I know it won't hurt any of my glass rods, whether they are designed for it or not. As far as I knew, it IS the material that's the difference, in that thin walled high modulus tubes ovalise when bent excessively, deforming in a direction that introduces compression and then fails. Glass rods typically have thicker walls and the glass fibres have lower modulus.

Peter Hayes likes to relate a story of one of the test Epics he had, where he would lay it on the ground and stand on the blank (in this review, it's the "tried very hard to break that little rod" episode). I wouldn't treat any of my rods that way intentionally, but I feel my glass rods are more robust than my CF rods, and if I was going to treat any rods badly, it's those ones. (Treating my rods badly is par for the course on the kayak. My HT rods don't get out on the yak.)

Dave, yes it is marketing to some extent, but the modern glass rods are an advance on the older ones. The designs are better now and we can have tip-over-butt ferules. They aren't as suited to casting long distance as CF, but as a fishing tool (i.e. casting to 80' easily, fighting fish, scrambling through bush, etc.) they are fun to use. Slow, but fun.

Definitely spend some time with one before buying, if you can. They are not for everyone and they will challenge the way you use a rod if you've become accustomed to CF.

Cheers,
Graeme
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Paul Arden
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Glass resurgence?

#10

Post by Paul Arden »

Image

I don't know about intentionally high sticking but here is Tim bending one of his graphite echo rods butt to tip!
It's an exploration; bring a flyrod.

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