I've have the 1954 version. Great book.

I'll play the never sell list game, understanding I am a hoarder and have a long time in the game.
1) all my REAL fenwicks, fly spin and bait casting rods. Not sure how many models I have. Not because they are all great but as a boy reading the Lunker Gazette I lusted over these rods and their plaid flannel socks and dreamed of landing fish on them and still do.
2) staying with fiberglass a couple of SanFransisco build Scott's
3) a San Fransisco built Winston 6 ft 4wt just because I have landed some really nice brook trout with it on small runs in Central Pa.
4) a new Larry Kenney rod he built a 3 piece 5 weight he is a true sportsman and friend
5) a first edition diamond glass 7 ft 4wt nice fish pole
6) g703/3 g774/3 g855 can't prioritize these three
7) TMF a great 2 piece 4 weight
my bamboo rods
There are others I am sure they don't seem to come to mind. But once I put them together and waggle them I will remember why I have to keep them all.

Glen

It seems like the older I get, the stronger my fly rod addiction. It's hard to understand the power they have over me. It's even more curious because I really don't fish all that much anymore. It seems that since retirement, much of my life revolves around fly rods - fishing trips, fishing forums, shows, and gatherings. (Lots of lawn casting with my buddy Gearboy too.) There always seems to be a fly rod out there that begs to come home, if sometimes only for a while, and waiting for a rod coming in the mail is much on the same level as a child waiting for Christmas. I'm happy I still feel that way.

I recently attended the Catskills Fly Fishing Center and Museum show and auction in Danbury, CT, and as usual, I consigned some rods and bought some rods. I consigned four rods and added two rods so felt that I was making some progress in paring down. (Added one bamboo and one graphite.) I had a great time trying out all of the new Bill Harmes fiberglass, and as I mentioned in the rod pictures Harmes thread, I much favored the 8'6" WF5. It just felt right to me. I didn't cast it until just before leaving for home on Sunday so had blown my rod money. That one will have to wait. .. but probably not too long.

Buying and selling rods always brings me around to thinking about my fly rod fickleness so an update is in order. The evolution of my ten favorite fiberglass fly rods to date: (Obviously, none of these dropped or sold rods were bad, just a product of changing taste and a desire to try other rods. Yes, mostly light line rods but that's where I think glass excels.)

March 2009
1. Fenwick FF60 sold
2. Kettle Creek 6'3" #3/4 sold
3. Axisco Stream 7' #3 sold and bought back - thanks, Corey
4. Scott F70/5 sold
5. Winston Retro 7'6" #4
6. Fenwick FF756 sold
7. Scott F79 sold
8. Claudio 805B gifted
9. Browning Silaflex 32980 sold
10. Fenwick FF855

November 2010
1. Winston Stalker 6'6" #3 sold
2. Kabuto 7033 sold
3. Scott F70 *
4. McFarland 7'3" #5
5. Cummings Superlite III 7'6" sold
6. Wojnicki 237P4 sold
7. Leiderman/Steffen 8' #5/6
8. Steffen 8' #3/4 sold
9. Orvis Golden Eagle 8' #7 sold
10.Claudio 910B

May 2012
1. Dave Lewis 6'6" #3/4 sold
2. Dwight Lyons 6'8" #4 *
3. Scott F70 *
4. Studio Thin Line 7' #3/4 *
5. Wojnicki 217P4 *
6. McFarland 7'2" #5
7. T&T Heirloom 7'6" #4 *
8. Winston Retro 7'6" #4
9. Steffen 8' #3/4 sold
10.Leiderman/Steffen 8' #5/6

November 2013
1. Dwight Lyons 6'8" #4 *
2. Ijuin 7' #3
3. Scott F70 7' #3/4 (brown S.F.) *
4. Studio Thin Line 7' #3/4 *
5. Wojnicki 217P4 7' #4 *
6. McFarland 7'2" #5
7. T&T Heirloom 7'6" #4 *
8. Leiderman/Steffen 8' #5/6
9. Larry Kenney 8'1" #3 *
10.McFarland 8'8" #4 *

Note: Since I am still attempting to pare down, the Kenney 8'1" #3 prompted me to sell the Steffen 8' 3/4. The Kenney rod is pure magic with a DT3 line and when compared, at least for me, edged out the Steffen, obviously a superb rod in its own right.

* = on my ever-shaky "never sell list"

Anybody else willing to reveal their latest additions/subtractions to their top ten glass list? Brother Lugan, I'll bet you have some.

I don't even have 10 to make a "top" list anymore.
(I still own more than 10 glass rods, but not all are "Top 10" calibre)

Been transitioning from factory rods in my collection, to (mostly) custom builds.
Lots of really great blanks (2-Steffens, 4-Lami S-glass, 1-Kabuto, 2-Sceptre, 1-Paddock) in the queue to join this collection, eventually.

Norielike 'Early Spring' custom 5'1" #3 3/1
McFarland 'Yellow Glass' custom 6'3" #3 3/1
Paddock 'Brown Series' 7'0' #3/4 3/1
Kenney 7'3 #3 3/1
Thomas & Thomas 'Heirloom' custom 7'6" #4 3/1
Fenwick FL84-5 custom 7'0" #5 3/1
McFarland 'Spruce Creek' custom 8'0" #5 3/1
Fenwick FL96-6 custom 8'0" #6 2/1

I fished the Kenney probably 85-90% of my time on the water this season,
and the McF 6'3" and Paddock the remainder.
(also fished bamboo quite a bit this past year ... )

The T&T and NOS Fenwick blanks are almost finished builds,
and will debut next season. Lawn casts are positive!

My fiberglass
6' 2/3 Steffen
6'6" F2 653 Scott
6'6" 4wt. Leonard
7' 5pc. 4wt. Scott
7'6" 3/4 Steffen
8' 4wt. Fisher glass
8' 5/6 Steffen
The F2 and my 3/4 Steffen are my go to rods

On Nov. 28th last year, I posted the following:

1. Steffen 8'6" 5/6 glass 3 piece
2. Dave Lewis 6'6" glass 3 piece
3. Hardy JET 7'6" glass
4. Fenwick FF806 glass
5. Phillipson S76 glass
6. Paddock 7' 3 wt. glass
7. Powell West Branch 8'6" 5/6 wt. graphite
8. Powell Signature Series 8' 3/4 wt. graphite

Today, I would add to the list a Fenwick FF837 that eastprong (Rich Margiotta) re-did for me.

As of today, my list hasn't changed much. I still loving buying fly rods and don't mind selling ones that fall out of favor. This past season I did buy a few bamboo rods, but have since sold them. As I've aged, fishing a rod nearly 5 ounces or more, especially in the longer lengths, has bothered my hand, wrist, and forearm more than in the past.

That's a darn nice foursome. Among the finest in each of their class.

BobHa's recent "Letting rods go" thread started me thinking about this thread and the glass rods I've bought and sold over the years. Out of curiosity, I made a list of the glass rods I remember buying - probably left out a few. I made the list for myself but thought it might be interesting to share it in this thread since it demonstrates such a high degree of fickleness on my part and perhaps puts my current collection into perspective. I actually thought I had owned more glass rods but I guess 60 isn't too shabby. I know many of the folks here have gone through many more than that. I've already been called nuts for selling some of the "classics" so you don't have to bother reminding me. I'm sure that given the same 60 rods, each of us would have wound up keeping a very different set of rods.

I came here innocently in 2007 looking for some information on my San Francisco Scotts and began, like many here, to go on a glass rod buying binge. (I won't even mention the graphite and bamboo that I've bought and sold - still like both a lot.) In a recent thread, Scud Dog hinted at this craziness as being an addiction. There is no question in my mind that it is as there is no logical reason to own so many fly rods, especially when many are in the same length and line weight. I'm fine for long periods and then some interesting rod will pop up for sale and I am almost compelled to try it. Still, I'm actually getting better at handling the fly rod addiction. It seems to be waning a bit, but then my fly reel addiction has been flaring up lately to compensate.

In the following list, I still own the rods in green but the rest have been sold or gifted. Obviously, none of the rods I've sold were bad rods (OK, maybe a few were) but for various reasons they fell out of favor. Even though some of them will in time probably go on the block, I really like most of the rods I've kept. Of the remaining fifteen, there are five which stand out for me as being especially remarkable fly rods: the Barclay 7'2" #3, the T&T Heirloom 7'6" #4, the Leiderman/Steffen 8' #5/6, the Kenney 813 and the McFarland 8'8" #4. (My "Top 10" list remains nearly the same with the exception that the Barclay 7'2" #3 has now replaced the Lyons 6'8" #4. I am now sheepishly removing the Lyons 6'8" from my "never sell" list - I mean, who knew Chris would have come up with such a great little rod.)

Ed Shenk 5'6" #4
Browning Silaflex 322960
Fenwick FF605
Leonard LEF66 6'6" #4
Kettle Creek Riffle 6'3" #4
Russ Peak 6'6" #3/4
Dave Lewis 6'6" #4
Winston Stalker 6'6" #3
Phillipson Royal 6'6" #6
Dwight Lyons 6'8" #4
Vince Cummings Ultimate Ltd. 6'8" #3/4
Axisco Airrite Stream 7' #3
Berkley Stream Specialist 7' #5
Scott F70
Scott F70/5
Scott F704
Kabuto 7033
Studio Thin Line 7' #3/4
Ijuin Imogi 7' #3
Scientific Anglers System 4 7'2" #4
McFarland 7'2" #5
C. Barclay 7'2" #4
Wojnicki 217P4 7'2" #4
Bill Carey Custom Lamiglass 7'4" #5
Kabuto 7643
Winston Retro 7'6" #4
Hardy Perfection 7'6" #4
Vince Cummings Superlite III 7'6" #4
Heddon Pro Pal 7'6" #5
Fenwick FF75
Fenwick FF756/4
Phillipson Registered Epoxite 7'6" #5
T&T Heirloom 7'6" #4
Leiderman/T&T Kaneglass tribute 7'6" #4
W&M Trailmaster 7'6"
Shakespeare Presedential 7'9"
Scott F79
Wojnicki 237P4 7'9" #4
Claudio 805
Fenwick FF806
Fenwick FF807
Larry Kenney 813
Steffen 8' #3/4
Leiderman/Steffen 8' #5/6
Ted Williams 8' #6
Orvis Golden Eagle 8' #7
Abercrombie & Fitch Featherweight 8' #6
McFarland 805
Scott F80
Scott F81
Browning Silaflex 322980
Wojnicki 8.2 5L
Wojnicki 8.2 WF5 SC
Fenwick FF85
Fenwick FF855
W&M Sweetheart 8' #6
McFarland S-glass 8'8" #4
Shakespeare 1390
Fenwick FF909
Claudio 910B

No, it was the Steffen 8' 3/4 that I sold because the Kenney 813 suited me better. I still have the Steffen 8' 5/6 that Matt built for me.

Duff,

Nice post. I can say that with the exception of the Epic 5wt and a brown glass Scott 703, I have "let go" my "favorite" glass rods. Through their generosity, I have cast and fished forum members rods that I favor more than some of the ones I own. Your endorsement of Chris' 3wt says a lot, if I didn't have three 3wts already that is a rod I suspect I would enjoy.

While I am not crying over spilled milk, glass rods that I let go that I still place in my all time great list would include the Scott F2 6'6" 3wt, McFarland S glass 4wt, the original Diamondglass 804 with the REC cigar grip, a Steffen 5 piece 5/6 and a Steffen 2 piece 8'6" 5/6.

Another addict,

rich

I have narrowed down my rod collection to primarily bamboo with some glass in the mix. Ive been collecting for years now but MOSTLY fishing. That being said, rods come into my quiver and go out like yesterdays news very often.Rods that people say are amazig and I have purchased have mostly dissapointed. I find that many people tend to lean towards faster action rods than I enjoy. Other rods feel like heaven when lawn casting and then fail the test of Rocky Moutain trout fishing. This is the list of rods I have found to be irreplaceable in my arsenal. It leans more towards bamboo with a good sprinkling of glass and graphite.

June 2014: Top ten favorites first with descriptions

1.Green River (Bob Gorman) 6'8" 3wt Metowee ---- delicate, medium action, casts for you gracefully
2.Constable of Bromley 6'9" 4wt ----deliberate, a tad bouncy in tip yet tracks perfectly. pure delight, medium
3.T&T Heirloom 7'6" 3wt--- the DEFINITION of glass rods to me. Simply the perfect rod. unmatched perfection
4.Leonard Golden Shadow 904 Graphite--- the best plastic rod ever made. casts like a dream( medium) i broke it
5.Orvis Battenkill 8' 7wt 3/2---powerful, medium action, strong but full flexing, dead accurate caster, versatile
6.Orvis Battenkill 7'6" 6wt---the rod above but more delicate. My most versatile 7'6" rod
7.Fenwick FF70-4-- strog medium action rod. very light, laser accurate, flexes deep with fish on.
8.Heddon #20 8' 1 1/2F-Delicate, graceful, soft medium fairy wand with a 4 wt. delicate tips but can roll cast
9.Fisher 8' 6wt glass-- STRONG casting glass. streamers and big foam bugs, big fish, rod does it all. love it
10.Phillipson Peerless 8' 5wt 3/2-- Best 8' 5wt dry fly rod Ive fished. Will do it all and still has a nice flex

Close runner ups:
11.Orvis Golden Eagle 8' 7wt.
12.Fewick 837
13.Orvis Golden Eagle 6'6" 4wt
14.Orvis Battenkill 7' 6wt 2/2
15.Cortland Black Diamond (graphite) 8'6" 5wt
16.Pezon 8'9" 5/6 wt 2/2
17.Orvis "flea" 6'6" 4wt 2/2
18.Phillipson power pakt 8'5wt 3/2
19.Phillipson Epoxite 7'6" 6wt.
20.Thomas and Thomas "dry fly special" 8' 4wt (graphite)

Really nice choices, Nativetrout. Some of your top rods are some of my favorites too, especially the T&T Heirloom and Special Dry Fly. The fact that some of the highly touted rods here have disappointed you isn't surprising. I have had a similar experience with a few rods, especially some older classic glass favorites. It's all so subjective and personal with fly rods.

Scud Dog, I agree with you on the 7'6" Perfection - just really fun to cast and unlike any other rod. I think you will love the Kenney 813.

I'll use this bump for an update on my top 10 glass rods. In order to stay with just ten rods I had to drop the Dwight Lyons 6'8" #4" in favor of Chris Barclay's splendid 7'2" #3 as well as the McFarland 7'2" #5 for the sublime Kabuto 7643. Having recently cast JASTrout's Barclay 7'10" #5, I think the Steffen 8' 5/6 might be in danger. Cameron's update on the Scott F2 723/4 JS has me thinking that maybe someday the Ijuin or Studio Thin Line might have to be sent down to Triple A. And then I keep thinking of the sweet T&T Heirloom 8' #4 that I cast at the Feathered Hook ... and Vlad's Unstructured Glass 8'#4 is really appealing. Too many great glass rods out there!

June 2014

1. Ijuin 7'#3
2. Barclay 7'2" #3
3. Scott F70 7' #3/4 (brown S.F.)
4. Studio Thin Line 7' #3/4
5. Wojnicki 217P4 7'2" #4
6. Kabuto 7'6" #4
7. T&T Heirloom 7'6" #4
8. Leiderman/Steffen 8' #5/6
9. Larry Kenney 8'1" #3
10. McFarland 8'8" #4