Earlier this summer, I innocently wrote Mario Wojnicki an email asking if he might someday develop a 5wt parabolic glass rod. He answered that he'd likely do that someday, but not this year. So I put it out of my mind ... for a month. Then I received a surprise email from Mario titled "Something New" , and two weeks later, I received the first of his new model 235P5, a 7'8" 5wt 3-piece parabolic. Mario is just a productivity machine.



I spent about 40 minutes tonight lawn casting. First of all, this rod is very parabolic, and you know it when you just administer the wiggle test before putting a line on it. There is a definite hinge above the handle. I'd rate its quickness/responsiveness as squarely medium, which is unlike the two semi-parabolic rods I have of his that are medium-fast quick (77P4 and 227P4). It is more like a bigger brother of his 217P4. Those of you who like medium action glass that flexes into the cork on a big cast would like this rod. I tried two very different lines: Rio Trout LT DT5 (has a very long and gradual taper for the first 20' or so) and Rio Gold WF5 (tapers fast to the heaviest point of the belly). It was good with the LT line, but excellent with the Gold line. Both felt similar at 30'-60' (and I think this rod could eaaaasily cast 70' or more). The Gold needed a little extra attention toward controlling tip trajectory at 40'+ to prevent tailing, while the rod was nearly tail-proof with the LT. That's no surprise though, with all that fat belly on the Gold so close to the yarn ball. On the other hand, the Gold was better in close, though the LT was good too. In fact, one striking thing about this rod versus a few very parabolic cane rods (modelled on PHY Para numbered series) I've tried is that the 235P5 is great from very close in to 60' and everywhere in between. There is no loss of close-in feel or accuracy, and no point where the casting gets wonky as the rod's tip hands duty off to the hinge in the butt section as you make longer and longer casts. It was just smooth throughout.

Anyway, that was my take on the lawn. I might fish it next week to get a real feel for it.