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New Steffen taper: 7'0
Post 27 Sep 2010, 06:19 • #1 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 11/24/06
Posts: 1507
Location: Beautiful View, WA
Mark Steffen was kind enough to give me the opportunity to test two prototypes for him (OK, the truth is I have been pestering him off and on for two years about building this taper): 7'0" 5wt and 5/6wt. I've been looking for a short 7'0" streamer rod for a few years. Rods in any material in that configuration always suffer from lacking power to control a streamer or being so powerful that they loose feel and become club-like. I've been looking for a rod to cast small and medium sized streamers overhead and roll, 10’-30’ (distance from my feet to the fly). If it can throw a dry halfway delicately, that’s a bonus. Any range beyond 30’ is also a bonus for this rod. As far as rod design, in a streamer rod one thing I look for is a slightly stronger tip both for casting and controlling line and fly once in the water. By the way, this is what I sent Mark as feedback, and I have his permission to post this here for the collective.

I cast both rods for over an hour with a variety of lines and flies and at various distances with DT5 and WF6 floating lines with new 7.5’ leaders, WF5 and WF6 intermediate tip lines with 6’ heavier leaders. Cast #14 dry, #10 small unweighted streamer, #8 medium weighted streamer. This was done on the water, not the lawn.

5/6wt: I didn't like this prototype. Mark didn't like it either, but he wanted to make sure, and sent it to me anyway. It'll never see the light of day again is my guess, so I won't belabor the details. Maybe he'll come up with another 5/6 (says he has some ideas for how to redesign) but that's a topic for another day.

5wt: I liked this one a lot. First off, this feels like a Steffen. It's exactly what you'd expect Mark to design in this configuration, given the feel and performance of his longer and lighter line rods. It also feels like a perfect "book end" to the great 7'9" 5/6 I have from him (Spencer DT has it too). Great with DT5 and WF5 lines, casting everything from the #8 weighted streamer to the #14 dry. With 5wt lines it was smooth as silk 10’-40’. I was surprised at how accurate it was out to 30’ with the medium sized streamer (an unwieldy fly for sure). I expected the heavier fly to be a crap-shoot as far as accuracy, but it wasn't at all. This was the best thing about this rod: accuracy with a weighted streamer at all ranges out to 30'. But the rod handled all flies very smoothly. On the back-cast starting around 20’ casts with the heavy streamer I could feel the line load very clearly. At 40’, that feel became a harder thump indicating the edge of overload, but that’s beyond the range I’d cast it anyway. In the end, I think a 7’0” rod is for short distances, and this one hits the bulls-eye at 10’-30’ (I'll use the 7'9" 5/6 if I need to cast medium distances). The tip is just strong enough to cast and control a streamer, but soft enough to be halfway delicate with a dry – a good balance for me. If I had any mis-givings about it, I’d say it might slightly lack backbone to turn a big fish heading for heavy cover, but I can live with that because it’s not very pronounced. I also tried it with WF6 lines, and while it was fine out to 25’, it was a bit more “thumpy” on the back and forward casts, which tells me it was a bit overloaded. I tried to finesse/soften the rod stop on both the forward and back casts with a 6wt line, and that worked, but since the 5wt lines work great, there’s no need to use a 6wt on this rod IMO.

In summary, I think Mark has a winner here. This is a short rod with a lot of versatility, and smoothness throughout its realistic range of lines, flies and distances. As long as you don’t try to be Lee Wulff and fish this for salmon at 60’, it’s a great rod. The best rod in the roughly 7’ 5wt configuration I have ever cast (and I have cast quite a few). So it fits right in on the “feel” quotient while allowing you to offer a unique and specialized option for people who need a short streamer rod.

After I sent this feedback, Mark replied with an interesting observation about his heavier line short rods: He says they seem to have a narrower line weight sweet spot. This one described above is really only a 5wt. Mark says that Aurelio (member here) tested a 7'0" 4wt that was also just a 4wt. Perhaps this indicates how hard it is to design a short rod for heavier lines. In any case, I think my search is over, and I've ordered this rod in a 3-piece.

Let me know if you have any other questions.


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Post 27 Sep 2010, 06:57 • #2 
Administrator
Joined: 07/17/06
Posts: 5599
Location: South Carolina
Lugan123 ... I too have been waiting for this blank and will get an order in pronto for it. Matt Leiderman ... you care to wrap this one up? HA ...


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Post 27 Sep 2010, 07:00 • #3 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/26/08
Posts: 981
Location: SW, Michigan
Thanks for the update, sounds like he hit the nail on the head. I recently picked up a 7' 4/5 Lamiglas S-Glass rod and was blown away by it with a WF5 line on it. I got the feeling immediately that I have never found a better match for my stroke, this was throwing dry flies and I can't comment on it with a streamer at this point. I could see the Lami as being my go to rod for dries from now on and on basically any trout water I fish on foot. I might want something with more reach if I was on really big water but this rod was a match made in heaven for me. I am glad to hear that the new short Steffen is a solid streamer rod. I still like my Steffen 5/6 7'9" for that type of work. I planned on snagging a short version of Marks new taper and during the wait I had the Lami built out to fill the void. The Steffen has gone from my short list to the long list of future rod purchases for the time being. With the type of specialized fishing you seem to do it looks like you found your perfect rod. My current line up that I bring when fishing trout covers all my bases

McFarland 8'3" 7 weight, night fly fishing (mousing), Hex fishing, bigger water streamer fishing.
Steffen 7'9" 5/6, versatile enough to do everything on normal to small sized water (dries, nymphs, streamers), I give it a 5/5 for streamer fishing up to 35 feet.
Lamiglas 7' 4/5, unsure how specialized or versatile it is going to end up being but it cast dries last weekend better than any rod I have ever cast.


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Post 27 Sep 2010, 07:11 • #4 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 11/24/06
Posts: 1507
Location: Beautiful View, WA
Spencer, is the Lami 4/5 you have similar to the 5wt S-Glass 2-piece that was for sale here, then sold on Ebay? I looked hard at that, but was already down the road with Mark on this new rod.

Like you, I'll have three glass streamer rods (or rods that can handle streamers ... and more): Wojnicki 5'10" 4wt, 7'0" 5wt Steffen, 7'9" 5/6wt Steffen. Going longer from there it's graphite.


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Post 27 Sep 2010, 07:35 • #5 
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Joined: 03/16/08
Posts: 3540
Location: Upstate-NY
Lugan123 wrote:
Spencer, is the Lami 4/5 you have similar to the 5wt S-Glass 2-piece that was for sale here, then sold on Ebay?
L,

That was my rod.
And yes, it's the very same blank as Spencer's Leiderman build: SFL844-M

The rod is an absolute darling. So is the 7'6" #5 blank in the same series: SFL905-S for that matter.

(Note on model #'s: The last letter is always S, M, or F for Slow, Medium, or Fast action. I've never seen an "S" 7' model,
and question whether any were made. I've not ever seen "M" 7'6" and 8'6" models but have seen both "S" and "F".
The "F" models I've handled are indeed quite fast, with very steep tapers and quite large and powerful butt sections.)

The only reason I sold my rod, was that it was a "placeholder" acquired this early-Spring, until I could locate a blank and build one out myself.
I finally found that blank, and then as you saw, sold the rod. (was sort of disappointed that no one in the Forum would buy it ...
I think that the limited general knowledge of how great these tapers really are hurts sale values a bit.)
I will be building 7', 7'6", and an 8'6" #7 S-Glass blanks this Winter,
and have them ready for next Spring. Cant wait!

I fished the 7' #4/5 a lot this Spring and early summer.
It is great with dry flies as Spencer has said, but also really excelled with a trio of #8-#14 wet flies.
Probably the most versatile 7' rod Ive ever fished, but yet doesn't seem to suffer much in any one category of trout fishing, either.
Never tried it with streamers, but my gut-feeling is that it could handle un-weighted streamers just fine.
Would have to try a weighted one myself first, to comment or predict how the rod would react to that scenario.

It sure would be neat to get Steffen's 7' #5 and this Lami -S together for some direct comparison, some time.


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Post 27 Sep 2010, 07:38 • #6 
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Joined: 11/24/06
Posts: 1507
Location: Beautiful View, WA
Yeah, Corlay, I was haunted by your for sale post and ensuing auction. :-)


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Post 27 Sep 2010, 08:05 • #7 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/26/08
Posts: 981
Location: SW, Michigan
Haha, if I knew how good it was I might have been tempting myself, simply to have a back up! I always end up selling back up stuff eventually but initially I have the urge to buy 2 of everything when I find something this good. I would like to get my hands on a 7'6" and 8'0" version of the old Lami S-Glass rods. 8'6" for that matter. My blank had no information on it from the manufacturer, I bought it off Fred. So you are saying it probably an M model? I have no idea.


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Post 27 Sep 2010, 13:48 • #8 
Guide
Joined: 01/12/08
Posts: 342
Location: Penn's Woods
Lugan,
Have you evaluated the Fenwick FF705 in your evaluation of 7' 5wts? If so, could you compare the Fenwick to the new Steffen 7' 5wt?


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Post 27 Sep 2010, 15:42 • #9 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 11/24/06
Posts: 1507
Location: Beautiful View, WA
Kinzua, I briefly owned then sold a 706. Not a streamer rod. Too floppy for me. In fact, I didn't care for it with dries either.


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Post 27 Sep 2010, 16:12 • #10 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 12/26/09
Posts: 1106
Location: Richmond, TX
I have a Grizzly-Fenwick FL842, which it can be argued is a precursor to the Fenwick FF705. It is a fairly delicate rod, which I fish with a 4 wt. line -- it is definitely not a streamer rod.


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Post 27 Sep 2010, 19:13 • #11 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 08/14/06
Posts: 1227
Location: Panther City, Texas

Lugan, as always an excellent, in depth review. Have you fished a rod made from the Hardy Sceptre 7' blank? I've seen recommended line weights from 4 to 7 but I liked it best with a 5 DT. I haven't fished mine much and never with a streamer but I'm looking forward to trying it as a streamer rod this winter. Just wondering if you could compare it to the Steffen.

Corlay-Did you ever build your Sceptre?



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Post 27 Sep 2010, 21:09 • #12 
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Joined: 02/06/07
Posts: 1437
Location: US-VT
I am curious about what types of water and fish do you streamer fish on and for. The only time I use streamers is for landlock Salmon. I find my 8ft rod too short for such fishing, as casts need to go to the opposite bank often through varying slick lines and eddies. In short, areas where mending and keeping the line off the water is the name of the game. The most efficient rod that I have fished streamers with is 9'6" and not glass.


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Post 28 Sep 2010, 00:34 • #13 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/26/08
Posts: 981
Location: SW, Michigan
Tabor, I think that I am Lugan fish streamers for trout in a simliar fashion and it involves rather large streamers and as soon as they hit the water you are pulling them in so no mending is really needed. Often times it is done with a a sinking line or sink tip line. It is kind of a Galloup style streamer fishing if you can call it that.


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Post 28 Sep 2010, 01:04 • #14 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 11/24/06
Posts: 1507
Location: Beautiful View, WA
Tabor - Spencer is right, and I'll add more: I have one stream in mind for this rod. It's the outlet of a lake in WA State, and every spring salmon smolt migrate out of the lake, down the stream, and out to the ocean. Cutts and smallmouth bass set up in the first mile of the stream to ambush the smolts, and I target them with 3" streamers. It's deep and fast water in most of the section I fish. But the tricky part is that the stream is very small and narrow, ranging from 30' wide to 0' wide. That's rigt, zero feet wide. It's got a lot of slots that are completely or nearly completely over-grown, and getting a streamer into these slots is extremely difficult. In all honesty, it's best fished with a light baitcasting rod and a soft plastic jig (using a flipping technique). But I'm a glutton for punishment, so I use a fly rod.

Of course, I also have 9'0" 6wt and 8wt graphite rods for big water and big streamers. You could even argue that my spey rod is a streamer rod. Ditto an 8'4" Scott G2 5wt - a great rod all around, but a very good streamer rod on midsize streams. Yes, I fish streamers a lot; about 2/3 of the time.

Frog - Nope, I've never fished a Sceptre. I can compare this new Steffen 7'0" 5wt it to a Diamondglass 704 though: The Dglass 704 is, IMO, a true 4wt while this Steffen is squarely a 5wt. The Dglass has too soft of a tip for anything but the smallest streamers. I also think it has a bit less feel compared to the Steffen, though this last point isn't super pronounced.


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Post 28 Sep 2010, 01:26 • #15 
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Joined: 03/16/08
Posts: 3540
Location: Upstate-NY
frogmorton wrote:
Corlay-Did you ever build your Sceptre?
nope.
I have this blank and the 8'6" Sceptre waiting to be built,
but I likely won't get to them for another year, or so.
I've got other blanks that have taken priority (Lami-S, Kabuto, Paddock, Steffen).


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Post 28 Sep 2010, 01:36 • #16 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 11/24/06
Posts: 1507
Location: Beautiful View, WA
Oh, one more comparison: Remember the McFarland "McDriggs"? That was mine. It was a custom taper I requested Mike build me 3-4 years ago. It was pretty slow, though had enough power to probably fill the bill for me in this situation. But being a neophyte glass fisherman, I sold it. I regret that now ... and it's long gone in Northern Ireland of all places. I still think this new Steffen fills this niche better than the McDriggs, but that McDriggs was a cool rod in its own right.


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Post 28 Sep 2010, 02:33 • #17 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 09/03/07
Posts: 2055
Location: Marble Falls, Texas
Frogmorton,

Probably 70 percent of my fishing in the last few years has been with a 7 ft. Sceptre and streamers--one of Andy's builds. Typically using a T-130 or a six wt sink tip with one of Ron's "Catswhiskers" on the end.

I sent this PM to Andy about a year ago:

"Just thought I'd pass on another thank you for the Sceptre 7 of your series that I'm fortunate to own. We've gone from drought to El Nino here and I was fishing the Pedernales in full flow yesterday, trolling the chutes with the Sceptre, a 6 wt sink tip and a streamer. In these circumstances the line is pulling and the streamer is bouncing around a very irregular rocky bottom and you feel it. I had a 10-inch Guadalupe bass hit the streamer on two passes before I caught him on my third cast.

The point I'm making here is that with all the stuff going on with the fly in the water, I could easily tell the difference between the bottom and the bass. In those conditions with that small a fish, that's saying a lot about the rod, especially a 6 wt 7 ft. The misses were entirely mine (or maybe a little too long a tail on the Cat's Whisker).

So thanks, again, for a rod that just fishes. "

I've been fortunate enough to aquire an 8 ft Sceptre blank and have just finished it out. I've not had opportunity to fish it, but it has gotten my attention based on lawn casting. It launches a T-130.

Hayden


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Post 28 Sep 2010, 03:09 • #18 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 08/14/06
Posts: 1227
Location: Panther City, Texas
Thanks Hayden- I took my Sceptre out on the lawn this morning. I'd forgotten what a responsive rod it is. I just haven't fished this rod like I should but that's going to change this winter.


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Post 28 Sep 2010, 11:14 • #19 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/16/05
Posts: 2537
Location: Georgia
Glad Mark worked so well with you. Your application isn't one I do much, but since some other rods have been mentioned, have you tried a 6'3" Parametric in that spot?


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Post 28 Sep 2010, 14:45 • #20 
Guide
Joined: 01/12/08
Posts: 342
Location: Penn's Woods
rewynd wrote:
I have a Grizzly-Fenwick FL842, which it can be argued is a precursor to the Fenwick FF705. It is a fairly delicate rod, which I fish with a 4 wt. line -- it is definitely not a streamer rod.
I love the FF705, but would not like it as a dedicated streamer rod. It, too, is a fairly delicate rod that will protect 7x tippet on the hookset yet easily throw 60' (or more). An unusual, but fun rod.


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