Well put Crusty!

I just received this Campanella four weight 7'8" Classic Light Graphite rod in from Japan. I think anyone who likes a full flex glass rod with a crisp fast recovery would love this rod. The grip is small just about the size of your hand (which maybe I should get a photo of that for scale). For now here are a couple of quick photos I snapped on my way out to fish it last night. Still a virgin_unfortunately though









I should add a couple of things. First Blue Duns service was top notch and they were a pleasure to work with. The arrival time once shipped was only several days. Very impressive. The rod had to be built once ordered as it wasn't in stock. The turn around was quick and time was right on what was promised which was two weeks. They offered to put a hookkeeper on the rod but in reading Campanellas blog (translated) I found they intentionally stopped adding them as they found it to get in the way with the grip being so short. I am very happy with my decision to not have one as recommended by the builder.

I am still not sure what line I will settle on with it. The Sci Angler system five reel on the rod in the photos I purchased used from a local fly shop and I really don't know what the line or weight is that it has on it. I will say the reel balances the rod nicely and the foot fits well in the typical thin Japanese seat.

This rod was intended to be like an early graphite rod in both its action and its blank make up. I think the difference is being newer technology the blank diameter is smaller and the rod overall lighter. The outfit is very light in hand.

I really need to put a different line on it but have not as yet decided what to buy.

Winston 8' TMF 4wt, IM6 8' 3wt, IM6 8'6" 5wt
Scott G 8'8" 4wt, 8'3" 4wt
Fisher Original 9' 4-5wt (Sterling combo)

Of these, the 8'3" Scott and TMF really stand out.

Shimano Freestone. Mediumaction, thin and just amazing rods over all!

The Scott G 754 is a pretty cool rod - it's probably the best graphite rod of that length that I can think of. It would be interesting to do a side by side with the F754 on the stream. They are both excellent rods inspired by similar design philosophy. The differences are bound to show up the subtle and not so subtle differences, the strengths and weaknesses of the respective materials. It comes down to the surgical loop control of the higher modulus graphite compared to the greater resilience and heft/feel of the glass. They can both be so close to perfection and yet be somewhat different and that's pretty interesting.

Really curious about the Upstream series from Douglas Outdoors.
Very nice pea color like green and neat little cup and ring with cork seat.

Well that's interesting.
My 490-4 LL is my favorite long 4 weight rod since 1992, the year I bought it.
I've tried many fast(er) rods and they just don't feel as smooth as the LL.

The price of the Upstream surely makes it a very interesting rod. Maybe I should try it.

Thanks for the update!

I have cast the upstream as well and found it not as soft as advertised, however it was still a pleasant casting rod for the price.

I'm surprised how little is known about this rod series. I have the 8'8" 4 wt which is a to me is a medium action rod, very glass like but incredibly light. I couldn't be more impressed with a rod. Duff just got the 8'3" 3 weight and it's real soft and slow, not just for graphite but for ANY material. Perfect for short casts on small streams.

(?)

I am not sure why this thread was revived, but here is the point where graphite rods likely to be liked by 'glass anglers met briefly as the first great graphite rods showed themselves. All of the discussion is relevant but post #10 hits the center of it. viewtopic.php?f=2&t=447&p=26619&hilit=Scott+booming+out+over+the+river#p24795

Since then, I have a Cortland Leon Chandler 9' 5/6 glass on a phenolic resin Fisher blank, about the best it ever can or will get with long fiberglass rods, and I gave another one, just a hair stiffer , built on a 9' Fisher 'glass blank for 6, to one of the most knowledgable fly rod anglers--any material--I know. He loves it.

I'm sure he would love--probably saw and tried the best early Scott graphite just about the same time I did--the Scott 9' graphite for 6 that I mentioned in the link above a few pasts L Kenney's post #10. There were several others from Fisher that fit the same bill very closely. In fact, another of my lifelong angling partners would definitely prefer the Scott, Fisher, or his early Orvis graphites to either of those glass rods I just mentioned.

I would keep the 'glass, but that was the crossing point back then, and it still is.

Ontogeny repeats phlyogeny. It is claimed that recapitulation theory cannot be proven in the original realm where the theory was stated with big words. You know all about that, John, I'm sure way more than I do.

Well it is too obvious to need proof as a concept, life beginning in water and all.

It happens in reverse as well. People who came up with 'glass met that point and then noticed the graphite trends forward in stiffness, length, lightness and so on.

Nowadays, newer anglers who know everything about flyfishing but weren't born until graphite ruled are working back exploring the ancestry. Eventually they find this turning point, which is perceived as"softer" "slower" "moderate action" and so on graphite fly rods. That must have come from somewhere, and so searching goes to the next layer back closer to the primal pool.

The 'glass feel, like bamboo before it, was there all the time. Things are real even when someone who just got an I-phone has never heard of them. They aren't new when he first posts them on social media, either. I guess it is nice to feel like you created something even when you have been part of it all along without knowing it.

It is an immense journey from either direction, that's for sure, and well worth it however you get there. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

Lots of times people reach a point where what they have already is all that they need to keep them happy. They don't then care to chase after the newest and shiniest thing (whether it be spouses or flyrods). So the reliable and well-loved things that have always worked well are preferred; I think of cane, fiberglass and old graphite rods that way.