{Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders} Re: Fiberglass Rod Recommendations

I have been doing research over the past three months for a 3wt fiberglass rod.

In the end, if your Dad gets what he wants when he sees it, I'd do the research and order him something he can't see.  

You'd be surprised at the shear volume of options out there.

I was leaning towards a Scott F2 7033 (7'0" 3wt 3 piece), but with the price tag approaching higher end graphite, I got scared away.  I believe you would get what you paid for, but this is a few hundred above my budget.

Next I found the custom builders - of which there are many.  Too many.  And the rods they build are all awesome.  Google "Fiberglass Manifesto" and hit his Rod Shop link.  That will list out the builders' webpages.  My favorite was a Japanese builder by the name of Kabuto - one year waiting list for a custom rod!!!  I ordered a 7033 in brown with a burnt stacked bamboo handle.  Now I need to invent a time machine to fast forward to next November.

Since I will have a waiting period I kept looking and I found Barclay rods.  I ended up buying his last rod in his initial production run.  It cost much less than a Scott.  The action is described as "progressive fiberglass".  I have been casting tenkara rods for the past two years in this weight range (sub 5wt).  I have cast stiff, medium and soft rated rods and I have gotten to the point where I can relate the tenkara rod to an equivalent conventional rod.  The softer tenkara rods are closer to the feel of the Barclay 7233.  Progressively stiffer from a "not too soft" tip to the stout yet supple butt.  This is night and day when compared to a 'noodlely' Eagle Claw Featherlight (which I got my hands on at Green Top in Richmond).  But since you may not have cast tenkara rods, I would say the Barclay is just slightly softer in the tip section than my 5wt Orvis Superfine Touch.  I really like the action and you can feel everything on the end.

The Orvis Superfine Glass and the Echo Glass won't be in stores until after the first of the year.  Both rods have received excellent reviews from the media.  The Echo and the Reddington will be in the price range you quoted.

You may also want to Google Fiberglass Flyrodders and Ultralight Fly Fishing forums - tons of information.

Good luck.

On Monday, December 9, 2013 8:26:30 AM UTC-5, James Ovelmen wrote:

I was hoping to get some recommendations on the new fiberglass rods that have been coming out. I am planning on getting one for my dad as a Christmas present. He is the guy that has everything and if he sees something he wants he just buys it, so shopping can be tough. But he doesn't have any fiberglass rods, at least no new ones. I think he might like one, because after 20 years of being too nervous to try use them for fear of breaking, we have started to fish his bamboo rods. I was thinking a fiberglass rod with a warranty would give some of that bamboo feel with none of the risk.

Unfortunately, I have had trouble tracking down fiberglass rods in person to try and cast them myself, so I figured I would throw it to the group and see if I could get some recommendations. Specifically, I am interested in the Echo Glass, Reddington Butterstick, and possibly the Orvis superfine glass. I was hoping to spend about $250 or less. The rod would basically be for just messing around with while trout fishing, but it would be great if it could throw small poppers for bluegills also. If you have casted or fished with any of these rods or other new glass rods you believe a I should be considering please let me know. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

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