This company took many of us by surprise when
Twigmaster posted a link about them to our board. I've since spoken with David Gibson, the owner of the company. While Dave was familiar with our Wiki website, he didn't know about the discussion forum. I'll be setting up a Wiki page for them this weekend with some information Dave sent me via e-mail.
Great Bay is making a series of 6'6" and 7'0", four piece, fiberglass rods. They range from 2 weight to 5 weights. This is a market segment not really covered by factory rods, except with imports from Japan or rolling your own from a Lami blanks. The rods have just hit the market. Dave said they were working with their beta rods this past summer and now they have the production rods ready to go. The blanks are made in the US to Great Bay's specification, but Dave was not able to divulge the supplier. The completed rods are built in New Hampshire. The rods are built with spigot ferrules, dark green blanks, and REC hardware. Great Bay started about 4 years ago with a series of short, four piece, light line graphite rods. Dave indicated the fiberglass (and the short graphite) rods were designed with small stream fishing in mind. He also indicated he's not one to go with the market trends, but instead wishes to built a rod he would like to fish. The complete rods will retail for $279 each. In addition, the rod blanks are available for $125 and $135 each.
We may have lost Diamondglass and T&T from the ranks of glass makers this year. But we've added some new makers, like Great Bay. It's still a good time to be a Glass Fanatic!
I've been anticipating Great Bay rod Co. fiberglass rods ever since Dave Gibson mentioned the prototype fiberglass fly rod in this FFR
thread in July 2008. Nice to see more glass fly rods especially from a fellow New Englander. I couldn't help but notice that spinzo (MA) and twigmaster (NH) were also from New England. Welcome, hope you two stick around and enjoy the pleasures of glass.
Twigmaster must be a fairly common name in New Hampshire ... Dave G. has it inscribed on the prototype glass fly rod he photographed in the thread.
Mark
Posted: 24 Oct 2008, 05:35 • 
, I would characterize it as a medium fast glass. It sure had good strength ... I had hooked several schoolies was able to hold on without breaking the rod!