kelleystand wrote:
The two glass rods beyond 8’6” that I own are possibly my favorites: ********* 8’9” 5 weight and McFarland 8’8” 4 weight. I imagine both of these are more full flexing than the LL’s, however having never cast one, this is only conjecture. Not sure about 70’ casts with either but they are both precision tools. I also have a ********* 864 blank that is waiting patiently.
By the way, I ran into this same weird change as well. Why is Dusty's company name changed into '**********'?
I still own the 490-4 LL (back then the original series was a four piece) I bought in 1992.
Although it's a great rod to cast & fish, I prefer my G. Loomis 490-4 IMX (built by George Minculete from a NOS blank) because it has a softer tip which allows me to feel the rod even with just 4-6 ft of line. The LL would 'come alive' after around 15ft of line. The LL's action is a graduate progressive action while the IMX has a 'compound progressive' action.
Although most of my glass rods are in the 7-8ft range I think the rod that I've cast that comes closest to the gradual progressive action of the LL would be the Steffen 8ft #3-4. Yes it's a foot shorter and the action is much lighter, I felt a similarity I haven't felt with any other glass rods.