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Iconoglass 8wt
Post 20 Jan 2023, 11:02 • #1 
Master Guide
Joined: 07/26/21
Posts: 383
Location: North West Georgia
Hi! Ive found scattered comments about this blank around the forum, but no real concensus on what its good for, what lines and weights it likes, and how it compares to other common rods. If you have this rod, what are your impressions, how do you use it? What lines?

From what I can tell it is a quick, powerful rod with a bit of swing weight to it. Faster and heavier than something like a Steffen 7/8, perhaps similar to an epic 888?

Im hovering over the "buy it now button" for $85 dollars. It seems hard to go wrong.


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Re: Iconoglass 8wt
Post 20 Jan 2023, 13:32 • #2 
Guide
Joined: 07/22/20
Posts: 175
Location: Ancient City, Florida
So……
I have two. For lines, right now, I like the high viz Flipp the best. The 8wt head is +1 heavy with a thin running line. The rod will chuck some line. I tried a 9+ on it, but I think the running line weight was too much and it fell apart past 50 For me. Most of my casting is site fishing marsh reds, so no long casts are needed. I wanted it to load quick for those 20 footers.

Now for the heresy part. One blank was for a friend who didn’t like casting the first one I completed. He is a graphite guy and couldn’t get past “noodle”. The 8-6” has a pretty high swing weight and it was bothering my shoulder (typical old broken dude parts, need a shoulder replacement), so in wth fashion and a 75 dollar blank, I cut a foot off the butt section giving it a short Banty butt. I like the shorter version much more. I’m not sure how much lifting power I lost, but the blank has a ton. For fishing, the swing weight isn’t noticeable, but practicing with it, absolutely.

I liked the shorter one so much, I bought one of Shane’s 7-6” Trout Brute blanks in a 7wt. I haven’t wrapped it yet, so no comparison.


Last edited by G8trwood on 20 Jan 2023, 16:26, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Iconoglass 8wt
Post 20 Jan 2023, 15:53 • #3 
Guide
Joined: 06/30/20
Posts: 251
I have one of these on my desk now to build out. the 8' 8wt. I like it as a possible boat rod, for float nymphing. Nice and short with plenty of backbone for big fish, to quickly catch and release safely. I'll let you know what I think when its built out!


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Re: Iconoglass 8wt
Post 22 Jan 2023, 13:34 • #4 
New Member
Joined: 11/09/14
Posts: 12
Location: US-PA
I have one in the bright green that I plan to build this winter for bass in my home lake. Looks and feels like a nice blank.
Mike B


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Re: Iconoglass 8wt
Post 27 Jan 2023, 16:26 • #5 
Master Guide
Joined: 07/26/21
Posts: 383
Location: North West Georgia
Thanks for all of the responses! I decided to go out on a limb and buy the blank. Ill build it out with salt safe hardware. If it ends up being too much for streamer trout and bass fishing, I guess Ill have a good salt water rod. Ill keep you all updated!


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Re: Iconoglass 8wt
Post 27 Jan 2023, 17:24 • #6 
Guide
Joined: 07/22/20
Posts: 175
Location: Ancient City, Florida
Think it will be great for bass


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Re: Iconoglass 8wt
Post 27 Jan 2023, 20:29 • #7 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/21/06
Posts: 3081
Location: Orygun
If it's anywhere close to the 10wt in feel and power (relative to wt), you'll probably love it. The 10 has power in spades so I'd imagine the 8 does as well (I actually am almost finished with one)


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Re: Iconoglass 8wt
Post 27 Jan 2023, 20:54 • #8 
Master Guide
Joined: 07/26/21
Posts: 383
Location: North West Georgia
Man! Sounds like just about everyone here has one to build. Hopefully they all turn out great.


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Re: Iconoglass 8wt
Post 14 Feb 2023, 11:34 • #9 
New Member
Joined: 02/06/23
Posts: 3
Location: Cape Cod
G8trwood wrote:
So……
I cut a foot off the butt section giving it a short Banty butt. I like the shorter version much more. I’m not sure how much lifting power I lost, but the blank has a ton.

I have built two of the North Fork 8 wts and with the second one I did the same thing--I cut 6" off the butt and made it 8' and I like the shorter one also. I fish saltwater with mine and throw the Rio 8wt Coastal QuickshooterXP Intermediate line or the Sci Angler 300 grn Sink Tip line most of the time. The rods cast well and are super fun to fight fish with--30" stripers and/or 10# blues will bend them right down thru the cork


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Re: Iconoglass 8wt
Post 14 Feb 2023, 22:31 • #10 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/11/05
Posts: 1008
Location: US-NY
You’ve probably seen my posts on this blank, but my conclusion is I like it for saltwater, but not so much for bass bugging.


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Re: Iconoglass 8wt
Post 15 Feb 2023, 16:21 • #11 
Master Guide
Joined: 07/26/21
Posts: 383
Location: North West Georgia
Thanks Gaddis! I did see your thread. If the rod ends up being too much for bass bugs and trout streamers it'll probably end up reserved for saltwater.

So far all components are ordered and the grip is glued up. Soon Ill finish up the grip and glue up the reel seat and fighting butt. The blank feels pretty stiff, but they often do without components. We will see!


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Re: Iconoglass 8wt
Post 21 Feb 2023, 14:59 • #12 
Sport
Joined: 11/13/18
Posts: 36
Location: US-IL
I finished one over the winter. Built it with salt safe components with the intention of using it primarily for Northern Pike, and hopefully saltwater use.
I've fished it once and generally liked it. Right now I have a SA Frequency Magnum 7wt line on it, which is a 200gr line. It seemed to turn over the wire leader and pike fly pretty well.


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Re: Iconoglass 8wt
Post 21 Feb 2023, 16:24 • #13 
Master Guide
Joined: 07/26/21
Posts: 383
Location: North West Georgia
Isurus,
Thats great news. Ive been harboring secret fears that the thing will handle like a broom stick, Im glad to hear you like it with a line in that weight range. Im looking forward to finishing mine up. Grip is glued up, need to fit the fighting butt and wrap the guides.


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Re: Iconoglass 8wt
Post 28 Mar 2023, 17:58 • #14 
Master Guide
Joined: 07/26/21
Posts: 383
Location: North West Georgia
Hi Guys! I finally got all of the guides wrapped today and got to do some test casting. I only cast it with a 250gr type 6 sink tip today. With that line, it casts well. It is a quick and powerful rod, not exactly light but not as heavy as my FF85-5. It shoots awesome, I didnt have a tape or anything, but it was picking up the 20ft head and easily shooting to 50ft +. I think it will be a pretty ideal rod for fishing big streamers in fast water. Once the thread epoxy dries Ill try it out with a DT7, DT8 an "8wt" type 6 full sink, and a mastery bass bug 8. I think the right line would turn it into a great rod for big bass bugs, mousing, or even hopper fishing possibly.

Edit:
I went out today and did some more casting with floating lines. A DT7 peach is a little too light weight. A DT8 peach is a good fit and would be a top choice for situations where mending and maintaining a good drift in moving water matters. The rod is quick with a DT8, a DT9 might be equally appropriate but I dont have one to try. The mastery bass bug WF8 really made the rod sing, and shoots extremely well. With minimal effort (and casting skill) a 65' cast with a leader as straight as yard stick was easy. This rod really shoots with the right line, and seems to like heavy headed WF lines. Excellent for kayak fishing where false casting with lots of line out is a pain.

The rod balances well with a 1495.5, but its worth noting that I made an aluminum stent to fit the fighting butt. The aluminum stent weighs 0.6 oz, so a slightly heavier reel might be better otherwise.




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Re: Iconoglass 8wt
Post 30 Mar 2023, 14:17 • #15 
Guide
Joined: 06/08/18
Posts: 293
Location: Boston , MA
For the price of these blanks , how can you really go wrong , I’ve only spun up one 8wt myself , started off not being overly impressed by the blank , seemed tin like , but the finished product looked much better , and very powerful casting a Rio bonefish 8wt sink tip , definitely worth the risk…


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Re: Iconoglass 8wt
Post 31 Mar 2023, 07:29 • #16 
Master Guide
Joined: 07/26/21
Posts: 383
Location: North West Georgia
I agree completely. This is my second Iconoglass, and I doubt it will be the last. I think they are an excellent value for a quick and light glass rod.

I christened the 8wt yesterday by catching a whole school of schoolies in the river. Im not super sharp on identifying wipers from stripers, but they were all bunched up together on the sandbar where a little creek comes into the river.






The rod did great on the water, and the 250gr sink tip was just right. The bangtail ta was the fly of choice. Id say this set up us good for about 60ft with some practice. Its going to get a lot of use. From the shore a little more range wouldnt hurt, but from a boat it will be dandy.


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Re: Iconoglass 8wt
Post 01 Apr 2023, 15:55 • #17 
Guide
Joined: 03/13/15
Posts: 267
Location: Germany
Hi there,

my fishing buddy from the States and I are back from our annual baltic sea trout trip. Weather conditions had been changing from sunny to snow, flat sea to waves of heavy northwestern winds. We took several rods with us but none performed as good as the iconoglass when casting into the wind was the way to go. That blank is a real wind beater with an OPST commando shooting head (8wt) or a wulff triangle tapered ambush 8wt. To call it a broom stick does no do it justice though the green blank has the thickest diameter of all of my glass rods. I would strongly recommend it for tossing big flies into stormy waves. Is the sale of them still going on? And does anybody tried the Red Truck Diesel Glass 889 so far - as an alternative?

I beg your pardon for that bit of side tracking ( therefore thanks for any information in advance)

Best regards
Dirk



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Re: Iconoglass 8wt
Post 22 Aug 2023, 14:23 • #18 
New Member
Joined: 10/20/21
Posts: 20
Location: Oregon

I’m late in responding to this thread but I just had a chance to give my 8’6” 8wt Iconoglass a good workout yesterday fishing for steelhead on the Deschutes River here in Oregon. I built the rod using a fiberglass stent and Alps triangle reel seat with a 7-1/2” full wells grip with fighting butt and wrapped it using Coats&Clark polyester machine embroidery thread in Jungle Gold treated with color preserver and finished with spar varnish.
I mounted a Pflueger Medalist 1498 (7.8oz less line) loaded with 200 yards of 30lb Dacron backing and SA Amplitude Infinity Smooth WF8wt fly line which balanced the rod nicely.
I attached a 9-foot 16lb. tapered leader with about 4 feet of 12lb. fluorocarbon tippet and started the morning with a classic #6 Macks Canyon wet fly. The first thing I noticed was the overall power of the rod and the stiffness of the butt section. After feeding out more line and getting a better sense of the tip action I was able cast 40-50+ feet of line after learning to apply a little more power to my forward stroke. The longer Infinity head allowed easy mending and roll casts when needed. I usually use a spey rod for steelhead but also wanted a single-hand glass rod capable of handling both steelhead and salmon. The rod was soon put to the test when a large steelhead decided to grab the Mack’s Canyon on the downward swing and before I knew it the Medalist was into its backing as the fish headed downstream ripping line off the reel across the strong current. The rods power allowed me to maneuver the fish out of the main current and away from rock structures and close to shallower water before it threw the hook and was gone. So goes steelheading. Later that morning when the wind picked up I switched to dead drifting a bead-headed nymph which the rod also handled with relative ease but I got no other takes. In short I found this rod and reel combination is more then capable of handling big anadromous fish on a large river and looking forward to putting it to the test again this season.


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