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Post 31 Oct 2017, 19:40 • #1 
Guide
Joined: 10/01/17
Posts: 230
Location: Vermont
Why did you start fishing fiberglass and when did you start?

As for me, my first fly rod way back in 1981 was a solid glass South Bend. A horribly stiff rod that was all but worthless. But at that time, bamboo was gone and graphite was just barely hitting the market, so that was pretty much all there was. When graphite fly rods became more affordable I jumped on graphite and never looked back. When I was building my bamboo collection earlier this year I started building a parallel collection of vintage glass.

I don't use a glass rod every time I fish, for me every fly rod is a special tool for a special job......But my glass rods do go out a lot on the rivers close to home. Especially my 7'6" Mohawk Rainbow, which is quickly becoming one of my favorite brookie rods.


Last edited by sgoodroe on 01 Nov 2017, 11:14, edited 1 time in total.

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Post 31 Oct 2017, 21:59 • #2 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 01/26/07
Posts: 1385
Location: Ada, Oklahoma
As many on here, I started in about 1988 or 1989 with a graphite rod. In the early 90's I picked up my first glass rod, which I did not consider a keeper. It was an Eagle Claw Featherlight 6' 6" 5 weight. I will admit to enjoying it on small streams, but overall I didn't really think much of it. If you will look at the date I joined this board almost 11 years ago, you will see when I started really getting into glass. I had been lurking on this forum for a little while and finally decided to get my feet wet. I started with a mint condition 7' 6" 4 piece 6 weight Fenwick Classic Glass, made by Tiemco for the Japanese market. While I was waiting for it to arrive, I received an e-mail from Feather-Craft about a sale they were having in which they put up all their remaining Diamondglass rods at 50% off retail. I agonized over buying the 8' 4 weight for at least two minutes before whipping out the plastic. Up to that time, I thought my Winston WT 8' 4 weight was the smoothest rod I had ever used. The Diamondglass, for me at least, set a new standard. Since then I have obtained more rods than I can ever use, from 2 weights to 8 weights. I used to primarily use 5 and 6 weights, but I have decided that my favorite rods fall into the 6' to 8' rods from 2 to 4 weight. Whenever I cast a graphite rod now, with few exceptions, I am startled at how much effort on my part it takes to feel the rod load. This tired old man really appreciates the ease of casting with glass. When graphite lovers ask me what I like about glass, I just reply that it suits my lazy nature.

Larry


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Post 31 Oct 2017, 22:58 • #3 
Guide
Joined: 04/04/13
Posts: 197
Location: Central Maryland
Canoeman1947 wrote:
Whenever I cast a graphite rod now, with few exceptions, I am startled at how much effort on my part it takes to feel the rod load. This tired old man really appreciates the ease of casting with glass. When graphite lovers ask me what I like about glass, I just reply that it suits my lazy nature.


I feel pretty much the same way, except that I started out on glass in 1963. By the 80's, I'd bought into the "faster is better mentality" like everyone else and was fishing mostly graphite. Out of curiosity, I acquired a cane rod in 2000, and really liked it. I realized at once, though, that I was in some sense paying big bucks to get the same feel that I had in entry level rods in the 60's and 70's, and eventually started fishing glass again. I still fish cane more than glass, but I alsofish glass much more than graphite, for the reasons that canoeman stated.


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Post 01 Nov 2017, 03:38 • #4 
Sport
Joined: 09/27/17
Posts: 30
Location: Moscow, Russia
Yes, my first rods was Lamiglass 5 wt rods.


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Post 01 Nov 2017, 10:13 • #5 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 04/06/15
Posts: 1249
Location: Central Oregon
I tried glass in the late 70's with a horrible rod. I kept me away from fly fishing for years. I still have it, an 8'6" Wright and McGill, and it is still horrible.

I returned to glass when I toured the Orvis factory and they were working hard to make enough glass rods to meet demand. I asked them why they make such a thing, and they sent me out to the casting pond to try one.

Lately I've been fishing bigger water with heavier stuff and brought out some of the graphite. It casts a mile, but the bigger rods are hard on the body, and even the 5 wt (actually a 6 wt) plays a fish like a telephone pole. I'd rather play a fish on a 7wt glass rod than a 5 wt graphite.


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Post 01 Nov 2017, 10:26 • #6 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/24/12
Posts: 493
Location: Portland, Oregon
Newfydog wrote:
I'd rather play a fish on a 7wt glass rod than a 5 wt graphite.


Agreed! :)


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Post 01 Nov 2017, 10:56 • #7 
Master Guide
Joined: 11/11/13
Posts: 774
Location: US-CA
Hello, started fly fishing in the late 70s and my first good fly rod was a Fenwick glass 8’ 6 wt. I fished that rod for several years and then went to graphite until the early 90s. I really got into glass and was buying and fishing all the vintage glass I could find. But still fishing graphite rods I then sold off most of my collection and fished graphite until about 3 years ago. Now I exclusively fish glass and could not be happier. Glass is just much more fun to cast and fish. I cast glass rod much better than graphite rods and believe Dusty’s rods are the finest rods in any material I have ever fished. Several weeks ago on my fall trip I fish a graphite rod for several hours and it was not fun. No feel or pleasure when casting and playing a fish so cold and sterile. I can honestly say I will never touch another graphite rod again.


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Post 01 Nov 2017, 13:23 • #8 
Sport
Joined: 05/23/16
Posts: 47
Location: US-IA
My girlfriend was gifted a Wonderod, and she didn't like it, so i tried it and fell in love with it. I had been fly fishing for about twelve years at that point. The rod just felt good to cast. That and I found myself continually frustrated with a fast action seven weight that I just couldn't get to cast right. I was constantly dumping casts. Piling them up in front of me in a heap. I was always a bit to early, or a bit to late on my forward cast, and I'm one of those people who just can't get the hang of looking behind them to watch the back cast. I need to feel it. Some casting lessons were probably in order, but then I got the chance to cast that Wonderod and thats when it all changed. Over all I guess I agree with what a lot of guys are saying. I can feel the rod load, I don't have to tear a rotator cuff to get the rod to perform, it suits my slower more relaxed casting style and, it's fun. It's fun to cast old glass.


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Post 01 Nov 2017, 14:09 • #9 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 09/18/14
Posts: 1367
Location: Pleasant Garden, North Carolina
Being younger than many here, I started fly fishing with graphite when I was about 14 years old. That was in the late 90s. I got away from fly fishing for about 10 years. When I came back I bought a few graphite rods, but nothing laser fast. Most medium action TFOs. Then on a whim I bought a $21 Eagle Claw Featherlight 7' 5/6 off Amazon just because it was $21 shipped. I was pleasantly surprised by the action and my eyes were opened to the world of glass. I now own glass rods from 2-7wt. But I still prefer graphite in 8wt and up.

For me, the fish on feel and the ability to still have fun while throwing a more appropriate line weight makes glass just so much better than graphite that I'll never look back as far as the lower weights are concerned.


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Post 01 Nov 2017, 14:17 • #10 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 10/18/12
Posts: 1712
Location: Bozeman, MT
I started fishing fiberglass rods at the tender age of 6 or 8. Spinning rods of course. Then moved to fiberglass fly rods at about 10. Then Girls at about 14. Then graphite caught my interest at about 18 or so. That was a steep decline in my world. Madness I tell ya, madness. Then bamboo at about 22 and was entrenched in that world for years. Then at about 50 I began the slide back to fiberglass fly rods and haven't looked back. In fact I have cut my bamboo collection way down to acquire more fiberglass rods than I will ever fish. :) Crazy crazy stuff.


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Post 01 Nov 2017, 14:24 • #11 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 07/05/10
Posts: 5229
Location: Mid Hudson Valley of New York
started in the late 60s/early 70s, fishing local trout with a 6' garcia spinning rod and a mitchell 308!

i soon took up the fly rod and bought from Eric Leiser's shop in Croton on Hudson, NY, a 7.5' Cummings River Rat.

in the 80s got caught up in the graphite hype and i owned cortland and orvis graphite fly rods. fished them but never really felt comfortable, or "connected" and didnt know why... until i picked up a glass fly rod again. that was about 12 years ago, and ive never looked back!

now i fish glass exclusively in freshwater. i fish graphite in the salt when wind is an issue. i find graphite is much better at generating the line speed to fight wind, making longer casts with less effort, and the lighter swing weight of graphite is easier on my shoulder.


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Post 01 Nov 2017, 15:33 • #12 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 04/02/13
Posts: 1173
Location: Milwaukee, WI
I started fly fishing 20 years ago with a very well-regarded 5wt graphite rod. It did the job well, but it didn't take me long to realize most Midwest spring creeks are better fished with lighter lines and more sensitive rods. I moved into 4wt and 3wt graphite, but found most of those rods to be fickle and less accurate. At least for the rods I was trying. I never had a fishing mentor of any sort, so all my knowledge came through trial and, mostly, error.

Somehow I found some information about glass rods (about 15 years back) and was intrigued. There were few current glass rod makers at the time, and I wasn't ready to drop $400 on a new Steffen or McFarland if I couldn't hold it first. But I managed to find a black Diamondglass 7' 3wt on closeout that was a sweet small stream rod. Quite a change from the 8.5ft 5wt that was my standard.

I also found a Lamiglas Brush Creek travel rod that nearly put me off glass. It was actually a nice rod, but so slow that I would get bored waiting for the backcast to straighten out. Didn't keep that rod very long. But I started to see how smooth and playful glass is compared to the technical tools that graphite rods have become.

I was still pretty embedded in graphite for quite a while. Probably because I have an odd requirement that a rod be new when I buy it. I'll gladly borrow a used rod to fish for a day, but anything I buy will be NIT or mint enough to pass for new. Unfortunately, that rules out a lot of great vintage glass and kept my learning curve down for years. But fortunately, there are so many excellent rodmakers out there now that I'm drowning in choices.

I lean toward light faster rods, and find many glass rod designers to have outstanding rods. The fact that I can commission rods to suit my preferences makes them all the more special. And in some cases, I consider those rodmakers to be actual friends. I doubt anyone can look at their modern Sage/Winston/Scott graphite rod and think about the day it was hand delivered by the company guy who built it and then fished with him for the day. Many of us here can say that about our glass rods.

Glass rods aren't just made of glass. They're also made of passion and friendship. I'm reminded of that every time I take a glass rod out fishing. That's why I choose them.


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Post 01 Nov 2017, 15:39 • #13 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 04/06/15
Posts: 1249
Location: Central Oregon
Joe, you need to change your photo. Such eloquent writing coming from Bluto is just weirding me out.


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Post 01 Nov 2017, 16:03 • #14 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 04/02/13
Posts: 1173
Location: Milwaukee, WI
On that note, who's up for a toga Conclave?!


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Post 01 Nov 2017, 16:34 • #15 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/26/14
Posts: 3578
Location: US-MN
I have a similar story to Joe. About 20 years ago, a brother in law used "teaching" me as an excuse to go fly fishing. He would hand me a rod and go about his business without instruction. Yet, I was "hooked" after a few times.

I went to the local fly shop and tried out their various models, focusing on the 5 wt as an all around trout rod. I knew from my limited research, I should like the Sage models, but the kept coming back to the other rods they carried from Diamondback. Slower and more feel. I settled on a 8.5' 5 wt Diamondfly from Diamondback.

After a couple of years, looking for more "feel" and a slower rod, I found the Classic Trout series, by Diamondback. Looking for still slower rods and feel, I got a 7' 3wt 3 piece Diamondglass and haven't looked back.....


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Post 01 Nov 2017, 18:53 • #16 
Master Guide
Joined: 08/03/14
Posts: 945
Location: central AR
Like newfydog, my first rod was a 8 1/2 foot Wright McGill, still have it, still terrible. Bought it used at age 14. Caught a few thousand bluegill on it without knowing anything about how to cast, just roll casting crickets. Got interested in fly fishing about 1983, bought a "real" fly rod, aBrowning graphite, worked up to Sage, then about ten years ago found a Diamondglass 804 on closeout for less than half price. Picked up a couple of yard sale glass rods then found this site and my downfall was complete ;)
I haven't fished graphite in three years because glass just fits me.


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Post 01 Nov 2017, 23:19 • #17 
Guide
Joined: 04/20/12
Posts: 230
Location: US-CA
Maybe about a decade ago(?) I think my first step on the slippery slope came about through our annual trips to Ohio to see the in-laws. At some point early on, I realized that my one and only Sierra rod (Winston DL ) wasn't going to cover all the bases in this new-to-me warm water fishery. Through online digging, I found Joe Cornwall's excellent site flyfishohio, and his passion for glass led me here. My first purchase was a CGR on sale, a great low cost travel rod; after that came a bunch of Fenwicks, and so on. I love them all.


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Post 02 Nov 2017, 11:33 • #18 
Guide
Joined: 10/01/17
Posts: 230
Location: Vermont
Interesting stories everyone, PLEASE keep them coming!

As a follow up to my own story, my first taste of a glass rod was so bad in fact it completely drove me away from glass entirely for almost 30 years. It's only within the last 4 or 5 months that I've started collecting glass rods. At this point, I consider my glass collection done as I've filled every conceivable niche I'm likely to use a glass rod for. I take them out when I'm in the mood for something different, feeling nostalgic, or I'm hitting the rivers and beaver ponds close to home. It's definitely added a whole new angle to my fly fishing adventures. Now if I could just convince my brother to pick up a glass rod I'll be happy.

But it is worth adding though I'm not a graphite hater by any means. My TFO rods are now and will always be my absolute favorites. They just have a "feel" like they were specifically engineered for my own personal casting style and needs......But that being said, glass is fun and different :)


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Post 02 Nov 2017, 22:03 • #19 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 01/26/07
Posts: 1385
Location: Ada, Oklahoma
I suppose I would be remiss if I didn't mention that TFO does produce glass rods. So see, you can stick with your favorite brand and glass at the same time.

Larry


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Post 03 Nov 2017, 08:19 • #20 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 04/20/07
Posts: 8920
Location: US-ME
Always a fun topic. Just to add, a lot of us took up fly fishing in the '50s or '60s, and some before that, so may have started with bamboo and/or early 'glass models, and fly fished for many years before graphite came on the market. A lot of us stayed with fiberglass the whole time and/or tried graphite but didn't stay with it, or used both new graphite favorites and "old" fiberglass favorites. Members who, with 25 posts or more, have access to the "Underground," can use the search function to find a great discussion in response to a similar query there.


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Post 03 Nov 2017, 12:27 • #21 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 10/12/06
Posts: 1184
Location: US-CA
I was fortunate to start at age 9 tagging along with my grandfather. We fished the California coastal streams and the Tahoe basin and area streams. Spinning gear and Pautzke's salmon eggs, Mepps spinners, Kastmaster spoons where the weapons of choice. Discovered fly fishing around 1962 when I saw some fly fishermen on the Truckee R. Got a Fenwick setup at the local 5 &10, rod reel line for $14.99. I never looked back, but I mixed fly fishing and spin fishing much to the consternation of gramps.
I became a serious fly fisher in 1968/69 when I purchased a Winston 10wt for striper fishing the SF Bay and Pacific coastal areas. I was surfing along the Marin Coast and stopped to watch a couple of fly fishermen casting in the surf. After seeing them catch a couple of large stripers, I had to get in the game. I lived in San Francisco at the the time and headed to the Winston Rod Shop on 3rd street. Talked with Doug Merrick about what I saw and what i wanted to do. He sold me a 9' 10wt($65) and included some casting lessons if I would meet him at the casting ponds in Golden Gate park. Bought the rod and started the journey. After some intense casting practice and time I engaged in the fishing for bay and coastal stripers that Summer. The first stripers were eye opening experiences, power and extreme fishing. That first Winter and Steelhead were the target. This led to a love affair with Steelhead and Salmon fly fishing that was all consuming for the next 4/5 years. Only in the mid/late 70's did I become serious about trout and pursuing them with a fly rod.
Respectfully rvreclus
The why? - fun, feel and functionality of glass can't be beat.


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Post 03 Nov 2017, 13:11 • #22 
Inactive
Joined: 05/15/17
Posts: 306
Location: US-PA
Ultra new guy perspective:

I was first exposed to glass through the reboot of the Orvis Superfine Glass line. A friend had the 805 and I was impressed. Then on a whim I got the 476. Took a little bit to understand where it excelled and what its limitations were, but once I got into rhythm with it it instantly made graphite less compelling. Now I fish glass almost exclusively on my home water and am beginning to use it on bigger rivers when I travel farther.

I got an 8'6" 6wt glass blank to build that may be the missing link for me and bigger water with glass. I probably won't get to it until Spring, though.


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Post 03 Nov 2017, 16:17 • #23 
Master Guide
Joined: 06/27/06
Posts: 774
Location: SW Missouri Ozark Plateau
I've fished fiberglass since the early 1950's as a small child, and took up the fly rod when I was about 12 or 13, fiberglass of course. These days it's good bamboo, older Orvis graphite, a couple of Fenwicks, and modern glass. I have a couple of Cabelas CGR rods that for the money, are as good casting rods as some costing many times as much. I have the 7 footer 4/5 weight and the 7.5 footer for 5/6 weight. I like the heavier lines on each and they are delightful fishing rods. I just got the 7.5 footer and have only lawn cast it, but I can tell it will be a fine all around trout rod. I love it with a 6 wt. Triangle Taper line on a Speyco reel. I also have a couple of T.L. Johnson Synergy glass rods I built up from blanks that are fine fishing rods. My first love, tho, is good bamboo, but down to only four bamboo rods at present. As to where do I fish them all, the answer is: anywhere and everywhere, depending on my whim for the day.


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Post 03 Dec 2017, 20:05 • #24 
Guide
Joined: 10/01/17
Posts: 230
Location: Vermont
It occurred to me while I was out on the river today, that there was a serious inaccuracy in my original post here. Kind of embarrassing actually! Way back in 1988 I bought 2 Eagle Claw 8wt glass rods as teaching tools for my casting clinics, I still have 1 or them today. I also bought another horrible South Bend 6'6" 5wt glass rod in 1989 (after my original walked away) that was my brookie rod up until 2014, when I handed it down to my son Caleb and I replaced it with a TFO. Funny the things you forget even when they're right in front of you. :)

I do find something curious though. Reading through everyone's posts I'm noticing that my own experience with glass is actually quite different then most. At least with those rods I have fished (and there have been MANY!) I've always found that glass, at least in my hands requires MORE effort to fish then either cane or graphite. I actually find it some what exhausting if fish glass all day. Could be the added weight, could be my busted up right hand, could be the constant double hauling to get out past 50 feet. Don't know but I still enjoy it, its fun and different......and makes me appreciate modern technology that much more. :)


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Post 03 Dec 2017, 23:26 • #25 
Guide
Joined: 02/05/17
Posts: 131
Location: NorCal
I fish glass because I love the bend it has when properly matched with a fish. I started a few months after I picked up fly fishing. Once I started with glass my casting improved 100 fold. When I switch to graphite it carrys over, but I allways use glass except when tying someone else's rig. Glass taught me the pace of a cast


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