John,

Boron (boron carbide) is another super fiber used to make fly rods. It was seen much more in the 80s and early 90s. Graphite is more popular with rod blank makers because it is lighter and considerably cheaper than boron.

I'm not at all familiar with the Pflueger Supreme Boron rods. Perhaps the Ultra Glass designation on the handle refers only to the handle?

Tom

Most of the new graphite rods being sold by the RL Winston Rod Company these days are a boron/graphite composite. They include the BIIx, BIIt, and BIImx rod lines.

Here is a link to a video where the Winston rod designer talks about designing the BIIt rod:

http://www.winstonrods.com/winston_channel.html

P.S. Sorry! I guess the link doesn't go right to the boron rod. It is under company films and is the second film in the top row.

There is a section on boron rods in Campbell's Fly Fishing Tackle and a chapter in Schwiebert's Trout.

Campbell says that, "Boron rods were at least 75 percent graphite". "The boron-graphite composite rods were a tad heavier than straight graphite models, but they loaded in a slower rhythm that was pleasing throughout the cast." He talks about boron rods from Don Phillips, Ted Simroe (Rodon Rods) , Shakespeare, and Orvis. The Phillips rods were solid boron.

Schwiebert also talks about Don Phillips. "Phillips built his first boron prototypes late in 1971, and took his first trout with one that following spring on the Battenkill". Schwiebert tested some of Phillips protypes. In one of his reports to Phillips he said, "The first graphites were casting cannons, perfect for shooting heads and distance casting-but your boron rod has a lovely stroke, soft and a little like bamboo". He also talks about boron rods from Rodon, Orvis, Browning, Lake King, Shakespeare, Ron Kusse, and Fenwick.

In a quick google search I found Wright and McGill currently marketing boron rods in addition to Winston.