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Post 01 Nov 2022, 15:49 • #1 
Guide
Joined: 10/06/14
Posts: 308
Location: US-MN
As I have written about before, my buddies Peter and Greg (Driftless here on the Forum) like to come over to cast some glass in the yard outside my office. In the 5 years we have been getting together, we have never had nice weather, but today the forecast was for mid-60s (unheard of here in MN in November) and light winds, so we decided to do one last casting session before the horrible Minnesota winter arrives. It was epic!

Greg(foreground) and Peter


We had a total of 15-20 rods between the three of us, and they were all sweet!


If I can recall correctly, we had these rods:
7'9" 4wt Paddock Lemon Drop
7'6" 6wt Orvis FullFlex A
7' 4wt Barclay Progressive Series
7' 6wt Fenwick FF70
7'6" 6wt Lamiglas
7'6" 4/5wt Lamiglas Brush Creek Companion that Greg fixed for me after it was crushed in transit
7' 5wt Wright & McGill Water Seal
7' 4wt Vince Cummings Superlite
7'5" 4wt Barclay 75P
7'7" 4wt Tiemco Glass Master
8' 4wt Unstructured Glass
7'10" 5wt Barclay Progressive Series
8' 5wt GlasTech
8'3" 5wt L. Kenney
7'9' 4wt McFarland Dirty Martini which I didn't actually take out of the tube...
Two bamboo rods, I think they were a 7'6" 4wt and an 8' 5wt, but you would have to ask Peter and Greg to make sure...

Here are some rod pics:

W&M Water Seal


Vince Cummings Superlite


Lami Brush Creek Companion


Lemon Drop


GlasTech


Larry Kenney


Tiemco Glass Master


Barclay 75P


Barclay 7'10" 5wt


Can't wait to do it again in the Spring! All we have to do now is survive the Minnesota winter...


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Post 01 Nov 2022, 15:52 • #2 
Guide
Joined: 03/21/22
Posts: 172
Location: US-PA
Looks like a great time. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon. Nice variety of rods as well. Any stand outs this time around?


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Post 01 Nov 2022, 17:17 • #3 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/26/14
Posts: 3578
Location: US-MN
I was surprised by the Tiemco. Not at all this "sticky" Japanese glass that I have read about.

I had never cast a rod with a ventilated grip and only a couple para rods, so the 75P was really different. I really liked it.

You would never know the Brush Creek was 6 pieces, it cast very nice.

A lot of the others I had cast before. The Lemon Drop and Orvis are always faves.

You were right on the bamboo Scott. Thanks again for hosting and for providing the majority of the rods!!!


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Post 01 Nov 2022, 18:00 • #4 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 09/18/09
Posts: 5561
Location: Relocated to the Drought Stricken West.
Driftless, I haven't cast any plain vanilla glassmaster rods. Its interesting to hear that it wasn't "sticky", but the 7'10" barclay makes up for it. It is a very "sticky" rod.

Chaoticscott,
What rod is the 7' 4wt Barclay Progressive. Is that the original, amber rod? I don't remember a 7' even version. Is this a special version?

And what line did the Lemon Drop like? With a 4wt, I find that it will cast a mile, but to cast at fishing distances, it likes something heavier.


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Post 01 Nov 2022, 20:12 • #5 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/16/05
Posts: 2537
Location: Georgia
Chris’s “retired rods” page says he made eight original progressive 704s. It might have actually been ten; I think I have the last one he built, on a blank with some cosmetic issues, and I seem to recall him saying at the time that he pulled the last two blanks from storage at the time. Pretty sure that was well after he’d retired the progressive line. And its color matches my 723 from the St. Louis days.


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Post 01 Nov 2022, 23:07 • #6 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 09/18/09
Posts: 5561
Location: Relocated to the Drought Stricken West.
Upstream, that is a neat sounding rod. I have had the 3 other amber glass rods, and still have the 4wt, The others have passed through my hands (unless the 3wt is hiding someplace). I think a 7' 4wt would be a great small stream rod.

I'm glad you found a good day. Some of the casting get togethers have attended have been in 20 degree weather and most have been blustery and chilly, but the friendships have been priceless.


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Post 01 Nov 2022, 23:13 • #7 
Guide
Joined: 10/06/14
Posts: 308
Location: US-MN
carlz wrote:
And what line did the Lemon Drop like? With a 4wt, I find that it will cast a mile, but to cast at fishing distances, it likes something heavier.


The Lemon Drop is Peter's, and here is what he says about the line: "The line I use on the Lemon Drop is 4wt Sage Performance taper which Fred had recommended and that I was already using on my medium graphite rods when I got that rod. It’s a 4.5 so it really suits the Lemon Drop well!"


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Post 02 Nov 2022, 06:47 • #8 
Sport
Joined: 02/20/20
Posts: 53
Location: CA-ON
Great lineup of rods!

How'd the 8' 4wt Unstructured Glass compare to the rest of the rods?


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Post 02 Nov 2022, 07:06 • #9 
Master Guide
Joined: 01/04/18
Posts: 397
Location: Belair Maryland/Swanton Maryland
Super nice lineup..
I can see why a few of your old sticks went out the door to make room for some serious glassness you’ve got there .
As an east coast guy I was kinda saddened to hear the McFarland was relegated to the rod tube :(
I think your not loving that Durty Martini rod enough!!! :lol
CarlZ offered that rod to me but I passed as i didn’t have the scratch at the time .
I have regretted it ever since …,
If that rod keeps staying in the tube you know who to call !!
I’ll give it a loving home in the “Rod Dungeon “
Stay Glassy
Scotto


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Post 02 Nov 2022, 08:51 • #10 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/26/14
Posts: 3578
Location: US-MN
Carlz - Upstream is right, the Barclay 704 is one of 8 progressives - very sweet stick.

Smaily - the Unstructured is very nice. Progressive, but a bit more tip action compared to the others. I can cast a lot of line!


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Post 02 Nov 2022, 08:58 • #11 
Guide
Joined: 10/06/14
Posts: 308
Location: US-MN
ottobahn wrote:
Super nice lineup..
I can see why a few of your old sticks went out the door to make room for some serious glassness you’ve got there .
As an east coast guy I was kinda saddened to hear the McFarland was relegated to the rod tube :(
I think your not loving that Durty Martini rod enough!!! :lol
CarlZ offered that rod to me but I passed as i didn’t have the scratch at the time .


My Dirty Martini is not CarlZ's. I got it as a blank off of Marketplace and Greg built it out for me. It is sweet, but we had other, newer acquisitions to try out this time.


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Post 02 Nov 2022, 09:11 • #12 
Sport
Joined: 02/20/20
Posts: 53
Location: CA-ON
Driftless wrote:
Carlz - Upstream is right, the Barclay 704 is one of 8 progressives - very sweet stick.

Smaily - the Unstructured is very nice. Progressive, but a bit more tip action compared to the others. I can cast a lot of line!

Thanks Driftless.

Which fly line were you using on the Unstructured?


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Post 02 Nov 2022, 09:29 • #13 
Guide
Joined: 10/06/14
Posts: 308
Location: US-MN
I had my newly acquired Ross Rhythm 1.5 mounted on the Unstructured, and it came with an unknown dark green 4wt WF line. I am not sure of the brand, but it cast beautifully! :lol


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Post 02 Nov 2022, 09:53 • #14 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/26/14
Posts: 3578
Location: US-MN
Smaily, looking at my response again, I meant to say "it" can cast a lot of line - despite my lack of casting skill.


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Post 02 Nov 2022, 09:55 • #15 
Master Guide
Joined: 09/26/10
Posts: 547
Location: Montana
Cool post and thanks for sharing. Looked like a fun time.


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Post 02 Nov 2022, 10:44 • #16 
Master Guide
Joined: 01/04/18
Posts: 397
Location: Belair Maryland/Swanton Maryland
My bad :lol
I thought that was CarlZ Dirty Martini rod .
Well I’d still love Greg’s built one just as much as Carlz .
So my adoption offer still stands !! Lol ;)
Enjoy that quiver ! It looks fantastic
Cheers Scotto


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Post 02 Nov 2022, 13:33 • #17 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/26/14
Posts: 3578
Location: US-MN
At this point I need to speak up and say that it was my daughter that actually built that rod, which is why the wraps and inscription look so good. Mine, not so much.


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Post 02 Nov 2022, 20:10 • #18 
Master Guide
Joined: 01/04/18
Posts: 397
Location: Belair Maryland/Swanton Maryland
Oh that’s so great !!! :lol
SO..
It’s not a Carlz Custom …
It’s not a Driftless Registerd …
But it’s a DD-Special (Driftless’ Daughter)

Greg ,knowing that it was made by your daughter if I was to ever adopt it ..
I would 100% give it to my wife to go with her Christmas CGRs .. :P
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=75073&view=unread#unread
That dirty martinis colorway would look reel nice sandwiched between the CGRs on the rack.. just saying ;)
Loved the casting get together
Carlz and Myself had a 2 man conclave gathering over at his place before he moved out west .
We both brought out some killer rods .
His were way better than mine ..
He suckered me back to classy classic graphite in his front yard ..
That mystery tapered Spigot McFarland dream rod he has is something extraordinary..


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Post 03 Nov 2022, 11:53 • #19 
Guide
Joined: 10/06/14
Posts: 308
Location: US-MN
Greg and Peter and I are already talking about which rods we want to bring to our next casting session, but the next two days here in MN look to be in the low 40s and rainy. And once we get into November up here, it could snow at any moment... So I guess we will have to wait until next Spring. And the change in weather means I will probably have to dig my long pants out of storage. That makes things even sadder... :lol


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