What next for the fly rod?

[Chris Shelton]

I speak under correction, but they have tried it with a bait-casting rod. Line travelled through the blank itself. They canned it though...too much area where the line touches the blank of course, causing a lot of friction. Once the line makes a groove on the inside of the blank, you throw the rod away. At least with eyes, you can replace eyes if they are worn. Plus, a LOT less line-to-surface contact, so 99% less friction on the line.

I would imagine that the added friction and grooving would be a problem, but maybe this new buckypaper stuff will open up more possibilities. Perhaps a grooved inner core like a rifle, which would reduce the overall contact area significantly? The mind boggles

[FastAction]

At the end of the day, its what you can afford. Even fly rods can be status symbols. Will some people be caught dead fishing an Elbe instead of a Sage or G. Loomis or whatever? No way hosey...they would just die of embarrasment. Both tools can catch you fish of course...but its WHAT you catch it with that will "set you apart" from the field. Expertise has no influence of course!
Its the same with cars...you can get to a place off road with a Kia 4x4 just as easily as a Hummer (in the right hands)...but would some be caught dead in a Kia?
Fly rod companies will "catch" people with the latest phrases, and seemingly the "best and latest" materials and technology...a "MUST have" item!

What does phrases like "G5 Technology", or "Helios System", or "Zero-Gravity" really mean??? No-one knows...because its all bull. Sounds impressive though...wouldnt you agree?

I think fly rod companies can improve things like weight, look, feel, quality of components used, action, flex, speed, angle, strength...but thats about it. Most of which is relative in the hands of the user...and what HE prefers. He may prefer a medium action rod...so the latest fast-action technology wont impress him anyway.

If something like the "Buckypaper" however starts being used...thats another story. Id love to see one being made, and how that would improve the technology and feel. (And price!)

[FastAction]

I would imagine that the added friction and grooving would be a problem, but maybe this new buckypaper stuff will open up more possibilities. Perhaps a grooved inner core like a rifle, which would reduce the overall contact area significantly? The mind boggles

I think rod companies will continue to push the boundaries of improvement, so you may not be far off! Who knows what the future holds?

How would you thread the fly line through the blank though? One LONNNNG bobbin threader?

[smallstreams.co.za]

I wonder when they are going to produce an 'eyeless' rod, where the line travels through the blank and becomes an extension of the rod tip! Now that would be quite an innovation!

Chris, I remember seeing a video fromNZ where a Japanese angler used a rod like this. This was about 6 years ago, and it was a fly rod.

[smallstreams.co.za]

What does phrases like "G5 Technology", or "Helios System", or "Zero-Gravity" really mean??? No-one knows...because its all bull. Sounds impressive though...wouldnt you agree?

Uhm, so you would say the graphite construction today is no different than 10 years ago?

[Chris Shelton]

If something like the "Buckypaper" however starts being used...thats another story. Id love to see one being made, and how that would improve the technology and feel. (And price!)

I wonder what possibilities it will open up for the line manufacturers? Imagine a line as thin as a hair, with the strength and weight of a conventional flyline

[Chris Shelton]

How would you thread the fly line through the blank though? One LONNNNG bobbin threader?

thats a very good comparison! It would be exactly that, a flyfishing bobbin!

[FastAction]

Uhm, so you would say the graphite construction today is no different than 10 years ago?

No...of course its different. But can you explain just exactly HOW different it is, and what actually changed? Can you explain what G5 Technology means? Or Helios, or Nano Technology, or any of those things? Id love to hear it from an expert.

[smallstreams.co.za]

No...of course its different. But can you explain just exactly HOW different it is, and what actually changed? Can you explain what G5 Technology means? Or Helios, or Nano Technology, or any of those things? Id love to hear it from an expert.

I'll mail Sage directly and will ask them what exactly their G5 comprises of, and will post their repsonse.

Don't know anyone at Orvis I'm afraid, but will try.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanotechnology

[Andre]

At the end of the day, its what you can afford. Even fly rods can be status symbols. Will some people be caught dead fishing an Elbe instead of a Sage or G. Loomis or whatever? No way hosey...they would just die of embarrasment. Both tools can catch you fish of course...but its WHAT you catch it with that will "set you apart" from the field. Expertise has no influence of course!
Its the same with cars...you can get to a place off road with a Kia 4x4 just as easily as a Hummer (in the right hands)...but would some be caught dead in a Kia?
Fly rod companies will "catch" people with the latest phrases, and seemingly the "best and latest" materials and technology...a "MUST have" item!

What does phrases like "G5 Technology", or "Helios System", or "Zero-Gravity" really mean??? No-one knows...because its all bull. Sounds impressive though...wouldnt you agree?

I think fly rod companies can improve things like weight, look, feel, quality of components used, action, flex, speed, angle, strength...but thats about it. Most of which is relative in the hands of the user...and what HE prefers. He may prefer a medium action rod...so the latest fast-action technology wont impress him anyway.

If something like the "Buckypaper" however starts being used...thats another story. Id love to see one being made, and how that would improve the technology and feel. (And price!)

jeez what a load of rubbish.. of course we know what zero gravity means. It means that you can let your rod go while you light a smoke, and it will float in the air in front of you, until you grab it again to make another cast....
Everyone knows that...