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Post 31 Jan 2006, 13:21 • #1 
Master Guide
Joined: 01/14/06
Posts: 720
Location: US-CA
I was hoping to get some feedback on which rod offered by Mark Steffen is the sweetheart of the group. I was planning on buying one of his rods and was thinking about the 8' 5wt.

Russell
aka searun


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Post 31 Jan 2006, 17:15 • #2 
Emeritus
Joined: 06/10/05
Posts: 612
Location: US-MI
8' 5/6 is my favorite. Mostly because my home river is medium sized and I mostly fish for smallies. I grab my 7 1/2' 3/4 for trout.
ribs


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Post 31 Jan 2006, 18:41 • #3 
Guide
Joined: 11/08/05
Posts: 113
Location: BZN
I have several of Mark's rods. It all depends on the application. The 8ft 5/6 is very sweet, is probably the most versatile. That said, I have 2/3's in several lengths that I love also. The 'universal' small stream 7ft 6in 3/4 is also very very nice. The 5wt will go to 6x and associated fly sizes with no problem. The 2/3 and 3/4 rods struggle with bigger flies, the 5/6 does not.

What will us be throwing? Need line control, or is it tight quarters?

Tight Lines,

Alistair


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Post 01 Feb 2006, 06:14 • #4 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/16/05
Posts: 2537
Location: Georgia
On Steffen's website, I don't see either the 8' 5/6 or the 7'9" 3/4 that someone refers to on the Steffen line rating thread. How did y'all find out about them, how many pieces, and are there other rods they make that aren't on the site?

FYI, I went to the site through the link here.

Bob


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Post 01 Feb 2006, 08:58 • #5 
Sport
Joined: 06/08/05
Posts: 55
US,
Mark Steffen has not updated his site in a while. The two rods that you mentioned are available in 2, 3, 4, or 5 pieces. It's possible one-piecers may be available since the blanks are made that way; however, Mark has told me that finishing out the one piece rods are a pain. I believe that the 8' 5/6 is the largest glass rod he currently makes. Best to call him.

John


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Post 01 Feb 2006, 15:38 • #6 
Master Guide
Joined: 12/06/05
Posts: 394
Location: US-TN
Alistair--

When you say the Steffan Bros.' 2/3 and 3/4 struggle with big flies, could you give me an example of their upper limit?

The reason I ask is that I'm feeling a real "gravitational pull" toward light-line, multi-piece glass rods right now, but it would break my heart if they wouldn't handle the big, bushy Stimulators (#12s) I like to fish here in the Southern Appalachians. Not that I throw them far, but they do need to end up where I'm aiming!

Jon


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Post 01 Feb 2006, 16:33 • #7 
New Member
Joined: 06/19/05
Posts: 14
It seems to me that I read somewhere(probably on this forum) that Mark was considering stretching the taper of the 8' 5/6 to 8'6". Anyone else heard that? Also ,I've thrown a size 12 stimulator with my 7'8" 3/4 without any loss of accuracy. I've never used a 2/3 so I can't comment on that.


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Post 01 Feb 2006, 16:42 • #8 
Master Guide
Joined: 12/06/05
Posts: 394
Location: US-TN
JJ--

I'd love to hear more about your 7'8"--I'm really drawn to that length (my favorite graphite rod is a 7'9" Winston LT 2wt.) What line does it seem to like, and how does it handle in close?

Jon


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Post 01 Feb 2006, 17:05 • #9 
Guide
Joined: 06/10/05
Posts: 157
Juke;

I talked to Mark about stretching the 8' to an 8'3" or even 8'6". He seemed to think the 8'3" would be a piece of cake, and that the longer rod would probably work too.

His Web site is horribly out of date, so it's best to call and talk to him directly.

Tight lines,
Tom Chandler


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Post 01 Feb 2006, 17:06 • #10 
New Member
Joined: 06/19/05
Posts: 14
I bought the 7'8" from Mark a few years ago. I'd never used glass at the time and wanted to try it. I called Mark and we discussed the advantages of glass and I decided to buy a rod. Problem was, Mark was out of glass at the time -this was right before he started using the brown glass he has now. He offered to sell me a rod he had used and provided me with a list. I chose the 7 '8".2 pc. It's really slow,dampens pretty quickly and is ultra sensitive. Great small to mid size stream rod. It roll casts well and it's just a great rod. Even has the premium finish that Mark no longer offers on his glass rods.


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Post 01 Feb 2006, 17:59 • #11 
Guide
Joined: 11/08/05
Posts: 113
Location: BZN
Great question! I am a big fan of Mark's glass rods, and have several. My comments were not about his rods any more than any other brands of glass. I'm guessing my honey Lami's would have similar challenges if pushed beyond the intended parameters of use.

It all depends on a few factors. Line taper, tippet, stroke, distance, etc. I was really pushing the envelope of intended fly size a few times last year.

Cut back the tip of the fly line by just enough, and make a steep taper leader, and we're back in business, mostly.

I used the 2/3's for all wisconsin caddis sizes with no problem, but when I put a brown drake on, the bulk challenges the rod unless the setup and my stroke are really dialed in. I also tried it with bigger muddlers, and I'm fine with a dialed setup. With an out-of-the-packet leader, use a 7.5ft 5x and all is ok. When I used longer leaders and tippets, I had some challenges.

Ditto the 3/4 - I made it work with brown drakes, but it took some dialing in of the line and leader and tippet.

Just for yuks I also tried the 3/4 with some big foam hopppers, and some huge foam hex patterns. Um, no go! Air resistance overcame me, generally, but these patterns are outside what one should be doing with these light rods. We're into 5 weight and up (in glass) territory. Different story in carbon fiber.

Tight Lines,

Alistair


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Post 02 Feb 2006, 03:14 • #12 
Master Guide
Joined: 12/06/05
Posts: 394
Location: US-TN
Alistair, JJ--

Thanks for the feedback! I'd suspected that softer glass rods depend on line mass more than line speed to turn over a big fly, but it really takes hands-on experience to get a sense of your "margin of error."

Jon


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