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Post 21 Mar 2015, 17:44 • #226 
Sport
Joined: 02/10/09
Posts: 43
Location: US-MI
Well put Crusty!


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Post 24 Mar 2015, 13:54 • #227 
Sport
Joined: 08/05/14
Posts: 40
Location: US-CA
Winston IM6 3 wt. comes close
Scott 904-2 is a lovely rod with its own character--not glass
Steffen 5 wt. 7.5' graphite casts like a Steffen, but with a graphite 'tude.


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Post 02 May 2015, 07:57 • #228 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 05/09/06
Posts: 2517
Location: US
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 :P

Image

Image

Image

Image

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.


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Post 02 May 2015, 12:22 • #229 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/11/12
Posts: 716
Location: New Hampshire
Jeff, sharp looking combo. I love that grip :P


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Post 02 May 2015, 13:17 • #230 
Guide
Joined: 03/24/14
Posts: 217
Location: US-CA
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.


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Post 02 May 2015, 15:41 • #231 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 09/18/09
Posts: 5561
Location: Relocated to the Drought Stricken West.
Jeff, That unsanded blank looks great.

I love that style of grip, cap and ring with no distinction between the grip and the reel seat.
In addition to allowing for a shorter grip, if you have an exposed rim reel on there, like you do, you can just add a touch of pressure on the rim with your pinky to add some drag. It is such a natural thing to do after fishing a setup like that for a while. In fact, I now often hold my hand so it straddles the reel seat on most rods that have a cigar or fenwick grip.


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Post 02 May 2015, 16:38 • #232 
Guide
Joined: 09/10/14
Posts: 132
Location: Sweden
Shimano Freestone. :) Mediumaction, thin and just amazing rods over all!


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Post 02 May 2015, 20:46 • #233 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 10/20/11
Posts: 1880
Location: US-MD
Have to agree with sagebass' earlier post about the pre IM6 8'6" #6 being very Steffen-like...very nice!


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Post 08 May 2015, 08:08 • #234 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/24/11
Posts: 1144
Location: Belgium
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.


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Post 10 May 2015, 20:29 • #235 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 08/25/08
Posts: 1526
Location: Delton, MI
Though still graphite, the Scott G 774 3pc is even better yet than the Scott G2 764 4pc, but in this length and weight, a similarly well designed fiberglass rod can go even one better. I gave up my much beloved Scott G 774 3pc graphite for a Morgan fiberglass 7'6" 4wt 2pc. It just goes to show you what a top notch rod design and designer can give you. The rod design and designer are more important than material. Its only when we have top notch designers like Morgan, Kenney, or Steffen that we can benefit from the differences between fiberglass and graphite. Those guys understand the qualities it takes to make good fishing rods vs just good casting rods. They also understand what different materials can offer. We are lucky those three, and precious few others, understand what it takes to put the best designs together with the best materials for the particular job at hand.


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Post 06 Oct 2015, 15:29 • #236 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/10/07
Posts: 1632
Location: The Netherlands
Really curious about the Upstream series from Douglas Outdoors.
Very nice pea color like green and neat little cup and ring with cork seat.


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Post 06 Oct 2015, 20:39 • #237 
Master Guide
Joined: 09/26/10
Posts: 547
Location: Montana
ibookje wrote:
Really curious about the Upstream series from Douglas Outdoors.
Very nice pea color like green and neat little cup and ring with cork seat.


ibrookje

I bought the 8'8" 4 weight to travel with. I like it better than almost all the current 9 foot 4 weight production rods out there with the exception of the Seele Emerger 901 4 weight. It's a solid rod, although it is not as soft as advertised in my opinion. I wish it did bend a bit more in the butt. I would say it is more of a medium fast actioned rod. I also like it better than my old sage 490 LL. It has a nice grip, seat, and the cosmetics are quite nice for a $350 rod. It is also quite light in the hand. The rod bag and tube are nice too. My only gripe with the tube is that the knurling is quite heavy on the cap and will scratch other tubes if they rub together.

It might be worth a cast or two if you get the chance. Good luck!


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Post 07 Oct 2015, 06:00 • #238 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/10/07
Posts: 1632
Location: The Netherlands
ffftroutbum wrote:
I bought the 8'8" 4 weight to travel with. I like it better than almost all the current 9 foot 4 weight production rods out there with the exception of the Seele Emerger 901 4 weight. It's a solid rod, although it is not as soft as advertised in my opinion. I wish it did bend a bit more in the butt. I would say it is more of a medium fast actioned rod. I also like it better than my old sage 490 LL.


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!


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Post 07 Oct 2015, 09:36 • #239 
Master Guide
Joined: 06/03/15
Posts: 424
Location: Weatherford TX.
Use to have a Fenwick 9' 5wt marketed as "Traditional"(Bamboo feel) Loved that rod, it was stolen.
Would love to get one back.


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Post 07 Oct 2015, 13:33 • #240 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 11/25/09
Posts: 2319
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.


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Post 08 Oct 2015, 10:05 • #241 
Sport
Joined: 06/02/15
Posts: 29
Location: SE Pennsylvania
My first "good" fly rod is the one I would throw into this conversation. It is still the rod I use for most of my early season and medium stream fishing. I bought it from LL Bean in 1986/87, ordering a package that they called the "Guide" . What I received is a brown-blanked rod with "Double L" the only marking as to rod ID, other than the 8 foot for a 5/6 line info. This rod flexes at least 3/4 of the way to the cork, and really wiggles with the shake test. While I went through a period of wanting something faster, I have come to really appreciate the action, the slower FEEL of the cast/rhythm, and everything that I think exemplifies the "Glass Soul" moniker.

Not sure who sourced this blank for Beans, but for me, it's a real keeper.


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Post 09 Oct 2015, 05:14 • #242 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 12/03/07
Posts: 1152
Location: Shenandoah Valley of Virginia
ibookje wrote:
Really curious about the Upstream series from Douglas Outdoors.
Very nice pea color like green and neat little cup and ring with cork seat.


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.


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Post 13 Feb 2016, 22:29 • #243 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 10/20/11
Posts: 1880
Location: US-MD
Just picked up the Douglas 884 and agree it's a very nice caster and super light.


Last edited by backing1 on 14 Feb 2016, 13:12, edited 1 time in total.

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Post 14 Feb 2016, 11:03 • #244 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 10/18/12
Posts: 1712
Location: Bozeman, MT
(?)


Last edited by Hellmtflies on 21 Feb 2016, 10:33, edited 1 time in total.

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Post 14 Feb 2016, 14:38 • #245 
Sport
Joined: 02/02/16
Posts: 46
Location: US-ID
1980 Orvis "Trout" Unsanded 6wt Full Flex, luv it!


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Post 14 Feb 2016, 15:32 • #246 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 04/20/07
Posts: 8920
Location: US-ME
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.


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Post 15 Feb 2016, 05:59 • #247 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 04/12/07
Posts: 1292
Location: western Massachusetts
Interesting observation Whrlpool!

I have been trying to understand the reason for this thread since page 1, now I understand, this thread recapitulates the ontogeny of graphite rods to the point where graphite took over and radiated out to its many modern forms (to use a biological model).

Fiberglass fishers were (and are) predisposed to like these early glass-like versions, as well as modern graphite that may retain fiberglass traits. Yes, I have had too much coffee already this morning - more power too you guys!


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Post 15 Feb 2016, 12:29 • #248 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 04/20/07
Posts: 8920
Location: US-ME
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.


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Post 15 Feb 2016, 13:14 • #249 
Guide
Joined: 07/22/11
Posts: 153
Location: Lower slower delaware
This is a hard question. Because everyone has not only a reason for liking a rod but what they think a glass rod should feel like. Me personally , I like the Winston 8 ft and the 8 1/2 foot for a 4wt. I also like the orvis t3 9ft. For a 4wt. But when you get right down to it, the orvis superfine built in graphite as well as glass is very hard to beat. Now I did get to cast some of the new Douglas rods and their going to be a real popular rod, when more people cast and fish them.


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Post 15 Feb 2016, 17:02 • #250 
Master Guide
Joined: 04/27/09
Posts: 573
Location: US-SD
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.


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