New 5wt 9ft..

[Bryan]

I must be honest, I struggle with fast rods. I think they are ok in the heavier rod class, where long casts are necessary with large flies, but up to a 5 or 6 wt, I fail to see the point. Softer middle action rods are far better in my opinion. softer rods have far more feel and sensitivity which allows for more subtle fishing, and for shorter technical casts. They are also able to make full line casts anyway. On the whole, I think that fast rods are generally overrated, and take very little else into account, other than casting. Don't get me wrong, casting is a very important part of fishing, but when a rod is said to be "great", just because it bombs out a line at lightening speed, then I have to seriously question how much fishing, as opposed to casting, was considered in the original purchase of the rod.

Just read this after my post above and you absolutely hit the nail on the head!

[Navi]

That might be exactly the reason why fibreglass rods are making a comeback, to put the soul back into flyfishing. Not the corporate go harder go faster mentality, but the artist's touch. Throw those stones.

[Andre]

They aren't really making a comeback, its just that some people like them and there will always be a limited market, just like cane rods, they have always been here, and wont go away completely, but they aren't making any inroads in the graphite rod market, their appeal is just too limited to a few nostalgic die hards. Just like cane rods, glass will always be here, and some guys love them...

That might be exactly the reason why fibreglass rods are making a comeback, to put the soul back into flyfishing. Not the corporate go harder go faster mentality, but the artist's touch. Throw those stones.

[Navi]

Would you consider buying a glass rod?{if you do not already own one), and why, or why not?

[Andre]

No I wouldn't consider a glass rod as far as I could throw one. In my opinion, they can do nothing that you cant get out of graphite, and if they were better, everyone would be using glass still. Just like cane, we have moved on. There is a market most certainly, but its more for nostalgic value that anything else. The argument for and against, will go on forever, and respect to the guys who use them, but I don't really see the point, when graphite is better in every way.

Would you consider buying a glass rod?{if you do not already own one), and why, or why not?

[Zoran]

No I wouldn't consider a glass rod as far as I could throw one. In my opinion, they can do nothing that you cant get out of graphite, and if they were better, everyone would be using glass still. Just like cane, we have moved on. There is a market most certainly, but its more for nostalgic value that anything else. The argument for and against, will go on forever, and respect to the guys who use them, but I don't really see the point, when graphite is better in every way.

With all due respect Andre , you may not be very well informed about the new glass on the market(actually not new, it is old 2-3 years)
Yes, you are well informed if you are talking about old glass rods ,but here we have the case of ongoing revolution on the fly rods market .
The revolution has a name : the NEW glass - Epic Fast Glass .
I have about dozen of Sage rods , and another dozen of another graphite (plastic) rods .
I used to have 3 dozens of them , most very stiff, fast etc...all because of need for very brutal and long distance casting on my waters...

In the last year and a half, as soon as I touch my first Epic glass , I am using plastic sticks only to collect the dust .

I have 3 of Epics , and another 2 are on its way .

Say , #5 weight , Epic Salsa :
I can place the fly on 5 meters with incredible delicacy of softest and slowest bamboo rod ,sometimes you will need that with very tiny May Fly on size #18 .
In the next moment , I can hi-rocket bloody fly to 28-30 meters with brutality , but pleasant catapulting and still nice fly landing on the water.
No plastic rod can do that , believe me , I had them all , all the most expensive and most stiff and fast .

Fast Glass Epic loading/unloading , leader turnover/straightening , fly presentation - cannot be misunderstand for anything else , it is unique and must be seen and tried to believe.
It is completely new sensation , at least for me, after more than 40 years of trying to cast that fly on the every water I can reach....

Say, Epic #6 weight So Blue is just a best ("best " for me ) #6 weight ,doesn't matter plastic, glass , bamboo or concrete one can find out there .
Imagine rod which can present the fly on short distance like a #2 weight , and then long distance like a Sage #6 TCR .
I can handle 18 foot leader with pretty heavy Streamer on the end , on fairly-plastic rod distance , and then to change a leader and cast #22 size CDC flies on spoked fish next to my knees in the water .
No plastic rod can do that .

Anyway , I am probably getting old and bored with the latest and most expensive plastic rods on the market, that's why I become "elitist" and went for the fast Epic glass, it is just me , and I am probably wrong , in the eyes of Today's standard plastic rod users, as I used to be for a decades.

But I have one secret test .
It looks like this "
I made the longest leader I can handle with my limited casting skills .
Say 18-20 foots ( 5,5- 6 meters) .
I made 2 of them . Usually 5 X as a tippet .
I put them on two rods, one fast glass one plastic ,in the same weight .
And then I cast them .
And then I watch leader turnover and fly placement and leader straightening .
Usually , I cut the leader , because is too long .
But, for plastic rod I cut it much more than for shorter , fast glass rod.
OK long story short - I can cast longer leaders with shorter fast glass rod than with stiffest and longest plastic one .
Presentation is simply superb , guess in which rod favour .

Ok, it was enough

So, anyone want to buy 12-15 industrial plastic rods ?
Mostly Sage XP, TCR, SLT , XI II (salt) ? #3, #4, #5 #6 , #12 weight ?
Then two exclusive hand made David Norwich -Ev2 and very rare EV 5 Helium ? #5 and #6 weight
Thanks in advance , let me know .
Cheers,
Zoran
ps
the post will be too long if I start story about Epic 476 Nude -#4 weight , 7'6'' length ...the most pleasant rod on the Earth...what a little snake ...but I'll leave it for the next post ...:tongue:

[smallstreams.co.za]

but I don't really see the point, when graphite is better in every way.

Why are you not using Boron rods then, because they are even better than graphite

[smallstreams.co.za]

The revolution has a name : the NEW glass - Epic Fast Glass .

S2 glass is not only being used by Swift Zoran - there are a couple of guys also rolling S2 blanks, though I reckon Swift's marketing skills might be much better. CTS is also certainly doing a great job manufacturing the blanks, that must be said!!!! Great rods yes.

[Andre]

Look... to be honest, I don't know enough to completely throw it out, other than years of fishing fibre glass rods, and thinking they were great ...and then... bang carbon fibre, or graphite as we call it.. Correct me if I am wrong, but "Epic" is the rod manufacturer, and the term "Fast glass" is only used on their marketing blurb... something like Sages "G3 technology", which means very little other than , "Third generation", which sounds cool. I don't know what "S2" is, but I suspect its a new name for some new advancement in fibre glass, or manufacturing techniques. I haven't seen anything written about it that makes me want to go out and try it, but if one of the top brand manufacturers gets behind it, then I would take notice. Guys like Sage are at the forefront of rod design and materials for rods, and my thinking, is that if its worth anything, then Sage would be looking at it, other top marques as well, but none of them are giving it any notice... like... been there done that with glass, and if theres anything in new technology developments that would make a superior rod, then these guys would have climbed all over it, and they haven't. Its only being shouted about by a few maverick rod builders who are trying to carve a niche for themselves in a hopelessly overtraded tackle market.... so move on already.

S2 glass is not only being used by Swift Zoran - there are a couple of guys also rolling S2 blanks, though I reckon Swift's marketing skills might be much better. CTS is also certainly doing a great job manufacturing the blanks, that must be said!!!! Great rods yes.

[Andre]

Again... when the serious guys get some weight behind it, I will look at it. I don't know anything about Boron, so cant comment, but if it is better than graphite, you can be sure that Sage and Scott, and a few other top manufacturers will begin using it, and when that happens, then good, until then... no thanks.

Why are you not using Boron rods then, because they are even better than graphite