# Fiberglass Fly Rods?



## The Fin (Sep 28, 2021)

I know that fiberglass fly rods aren’t particularly designed for 100’ laser casts and maybe more useful for freshwater fishing. Are any of you using them for shorter distance saltwater situations? Maybe tight mangrove casting? There definitely seems to be a “rebirth” of these fly fishing classics. I was just curious if anyone out there is playing around with fiberglass?


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## mro (Jan 24, 2018)

I've had various glass rods over the years and still have two.
My prospective is graphite is just a hands down superior material for fly rods.


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## The Fin (Sep 28, 2021)

mro said:


> I've had various glass rods over the years and still have two.
> My prospective is graphite is just a hands down superior material for fly rods.


That may be true. I think that a beginner caster can feel the rod load easier, you’ll definitely break off fewer fish because the blank is more forgiving, I would also say that you’ll have far fewer rod breakages with glass. Just my 2 cents!


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## mro (Jan 24, 2018)

Glass rods can withstand a little more abuse.
There used to be some "slow action" graphite rods, but they were still faster than my glass rods but not much. I'd still prefer a cheep less expensive graphite rod over glass.
Lighter and easier to cast.


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## Sawyer Martin (Jan 30, 2019)

I have a glass 10 that I love throwing from time to time, simply because of the different feel that it gives. Casting is definitely nowhere near as precise as a graphite stick, but it's a lot of fun to load up a glass rod on a big fish. Those slower actions glass rods bend almost all the way down to the foregrip sometimes, makes fighting a bull redfish even more fun.


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## pbcatchemup (Dec 28, 2020)

Around docks the glass rods are great and can take a lot of punishment. I use an old Fenwick FF807 that I rebuilt with new guides and wraps and added a short fight butt. Also fish an ECHO BAG Quickshot 8-weight that cost under $300. Both rods are a lot of fun for snook around the dock lights and bridges.


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## Geologist (Nov 20, 2020)

I use a 12wt for tarpon, performs great. 

Epic Boca Grande.


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## karstopo (Nov 28, 2019)

I have several and use them a lot on the redfish and other fish here. Out of the glass rods I own, I am mostly using the 7’6” 7/8 weight Cabelas CGR and the 8’ 6 weight echo BAG QuickShot on the typical redfish stalk. 

A lot of reasons to like them. They are tough. They’ll bend to the handle and that’s very nice when a better fish suddenly goes under the kayak or boat. Seems like the odd angle, close in, time critical, moving fish shot is easier to pull off with the slower glass. I can sort of hold and make last moment adjustments to the cast with the deeper flexing, slower action glass that are different in nature than it would be with a tip flexing fast carbon rod. There’s a lot of feedback feel inherent to these rods. The 7/8 weight CGRs are 7’6” so they don’t necessarily swing heavy, but each inch of that rod is heavier per inch than your typical graphite rod in that weight class. The mass feels different, substantial, feels almost like I’m throwing a spear at the fish rather than casting a flyrod.

But, I don’t much like the glass rods in the wind if I have to try and reach out for any distance. I do have a 9 weight 8’ BAG Quickshot and I can cast it well enough in the wind for most situations I come across, but that rod gets annoyingly heavy after a number of longer casts in the breeze. Seems like a light weight fast carbon rod is a lot easier to manage in the wind and doesn’t wear me out like the glass ones do. Last trip out, I didn’t have a carbon rod with me and the wind came up and situation was that I could see fish out there moving around, but was fighting a lot with the glass rods trying to make the necessary shot when it would have been so much easier to have had the fast carbon rod do the work. Most of the time, I try to bring at least one of each along, glass and carbon. My experience with that makes for a better trip.


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## citadelmarineservices (Jan 22, 2021)

I use 8'8" 8wt glass by a local builder in Charleston, Deep Bend Rodworks. I haven't found a single rod I like more for inshore redfishing. It casts really well in close, which not many rods do well, like will turn over a 12' leader with barely any fly line out. It also will easily cast 60-70 feet in wind with a good caster and still have a very light presentation. I find it's a great client rod because newbies can feel it load and learn how to cast further quicker. 
I also use glass rods in 1wt-5wt for trout fishing and find they protect light tippets better and throw tiny flies better than most graphite rods I have tried.
There is a major difference between a nice glass rod and a cheap one...
Now if you're trying to punch long casts into a 15mph wind on a wide open flat to huge fish, glass is not ideal. I prefer graphite in anything heavier than 8wt. Everyone has an opinion, but there's a lot of rods out there, and I promise you there's great fiberglass ones, ever for saltwater. 

Rob


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## K3anderson (Jan 23, 2013)

My kid has a Echo BAG 6w. Its a lot of fun to cast on small poon, reds, etc when the wind is down. I use it when he lets me.


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## mfdevin (Jun 18, 2020)

I picked up a cheap eagle claw featherlight 3wt a while back , threw the reel/line from my 5wt setup on it, and proceeded to wack pond bass on small poppers for a few weeks, and really enjoyed casting it. Next opportunity I had, I picked up the BAG quickshot in a 6, and a wulff triangle bass taper line, and have been fishing it since, and I love it, so I picked up an 8wt orvis SFG, which I’ll be trying out soon. For the kind of fishing I do in my area - both salt & warmwater - I find the soft/slower action of the rod to be an advantage rather than a hindrance. Casting into cover - you have more time to manipulate/adjust your shot. Flood tide fishing , unless the wind is howling in your face, you can make any reasonable shot you would need to, and I think the slower/softer action presents better, and fish are less likely to spook. I was laying out 30-60ft casts with small shrimp and baitfish patterns with ease on a low tide the other day, and could have landed the fly on a penny. I have graphite rods on the faster side, I’ve fished really fast rods, and I honestly don’t think there’s much I can do with those rods that I can’t with a glass rod, for my fishery.


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## mfdevin (Jun 18, 2020)

citadelmarineservices said:


> I use 8'8" 8wt glass by a local builder in Charleston, Deep Bend Rodworks. I haven't found a single rod I like more for inshore redfishing. It casts really well in close, which not many rods do well, like will turn over a 12' leader with barely any fly line out. It also will easily cast 60-70 feet in wind with a good caster and still have a very light presentation. I find it's a great client rod because newbies can feel it load and learn how to cast further quicker.
> I also use glass rods in 1wt-5wt for trout fishing and find they protect light tippets better and throw tiny flies better than most graphite rods I have tried.
> There is a major difference between a nice glass rod and a cheap one...
> Now if you're trying to punch long casts into a 15mph wind on a wide open flat to huge fish, glass is not ideal. I prefer graphite in anything heavier than 8wt. Everyone has an opinion, but there's a lot of rods out there, and I promise you there's great fiberglass ones, ever for saltwater.
> ...


Whenever I have the cash, I really wanna have that dude build me a rod. Also been considering buying the stuff to build myself a few. I am a man of constant tinkering, and I think I would enjoy it


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## Flyboy (Aug 26, 2019)

mfdevin said:


> Whenever I have the cash, I really wanna have that dude build me a rod. Also been considering buying the stuff to build myself a few. I am a man of constant tinkering, and I think I would enjoy it


It’s the perfect past time- keeps my hands busy and it’s an excuse to fish more, gotta “test” the rods


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## Featherbrain (Nov 5, 2021)

mfdevin said:


> I picked up a cheap eagle claw featherlight 3wt a while back , threw the reel/line from my 5wt setup on it, and proceeded to wack pond bass on small poppers for a few weeks, and really enjoyed casting it. Next opportunity I had, I picked up the BAG quickshot in a 6, and a wulff triangle bass taper line, and have been fishing it since, and I love it, so I picked up an 8wt orvis SFG, which I’ll be trying out soon. For the kind of fishing I do in my area - both salt & warmwater - I find the soft/slower action of the rod to be an advantage rather than a hindrance. Casting into cover - you have more time to manipulate/adjust your shot. Flood tide fishing , unless the wind is howling in your face, you can make any reasonable shot you would need to, and I think the slower/softer action presents better, and fish are less likely to spook. I was laying out 30-60ft casts with small shrimp and baitfish patterns with ease on a low tide the other day, and could have landed the fly on a penny. I have graphite rods on the faster side, I’ve fished really fast rods, and I honestly don’t think there’s much I can do with those rods that I can’t with a glass rod, for my fishery.


I bought one of those eagle claws awhile back in a 5wt and have had an absolute ball throwing it at bass!


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## jay.bush1434 (Dec 27, 2014)

I have a good buddy that fishes a cheapo Eagle Claw glass rod for reds and sheepies pretty often. Mostly he's playing around but when it comes to going out to seriously fish, he's fishing a high quality graphite rod. I've fished it a few times and to me its more of a novelty and fun to change things up a bit. I still have my first fly rod, a Cortland GRF1000, which is a glass/graphite blend. I get it out to cast every so often just for fun. It can really help you see/feel/understand the basic casting stroke since you really have to slow down and be aware of when you can apply power to your casting stroke. I can't say that it would be an easy rod for a beginner to learn on. As a more advanced caster, I find it a good tool to demonstrate how the basic cast is the basic cast whether you are casting a fast action rod or a slow action rod.


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## Featherbrain (Nov 5, 2021)

^^^^^agree with this completely.


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## mfdevin (Jun 18, 2020)

Flyboy said:


> It’s the perfect past time- keeps my hands busy and it’s an excuse to fish more, gotta “test” the rods


Oh, the ball & chain already hears that one enough about flies, she’s gonna love rod building


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## The Fin (Sep 28, 2021)

jay.bush1434 said:


> I have a good buddy that fishes a cheapo Eagle Claw glass rod for reds and sheepies pretty often. Mostly he's playing around but when it comes to going out to seriously fish, he's fishing a high quality graphite rod. I've fished it a few times and to me its more of a novelty and fun to change things up a bit. I still have my first fly rod, a Cortland GRF1000, which is a glass/graphite blend. I get it out to cast every so often just for fun. It can really help you see/feel/understand the basic casting stroke since you really have to slow down and be aware of when you can apply power to your casting stroke. I can't say that it would be an easy rod for a beginner to learn on. As a more advanced caster, I find it a good tool to demonstrate how the basic cast is the basic cast whether you are casting a fast action rod or a slow action rod.


I think that beginner casters have a much easier time feeling the rod “load” which in turn can aid in developing the timing necessary to accomplish a good cast.


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## mfdevin (Jun 18, 2020)

The Fin said:


> I think that beginner casters have a much easier time feeling the rod “load” which in turn can aid in developing the timing necessary to accomplish a good cast.


While that’s true, I just prefer the feeling side of a softer action. I can cast effectively with a fast action rod, I just don’t enjoy the mechanical robotic feeling i get. I have been interested by the things people say about the higher end Scott rods though, I guess you get the benefits of fast action, without losing the feedback of the rod. Still like graphite plenty, I just also know there’s a million and one ways to skin a cat. It’s always good to have the right tool for the job.


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## karstopo (Nov 28, 2019)

It doesn’t have to be one way or the other. A person can like glass and carbon, I like them both, but for different reasons. Short, medium, touchy-feely casts around, under obstacles from a standing on the boat deck or standing in the Commander kayak in lower wind conditions give me a fiberglass rod all day. Have me wade in thigh deep water trying to cast accurately and efficiently to 60-70’ or more or cast when the wind is ripping, please let me have some fast graphite in my hands.


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## mro (Jan 24, 2018)

Featherbrain said:


> and have had an absolute ball throwing it


That's what it's all about.
I started with a 9' bamboo rod.
Used it every chance I got.


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## The Fin (Sep 28, 2021)

mro said:


> That's what it's all about.
> I started with a 9' bamboo rod.
> Used it every chance I got.


You’re spot on! I think that a lot of anglers forget why we fish in the first place!👍


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## Wyfly (Feb 1, 2019)

I’ve owned a number of glass rods and found most of them to be very fun, although generally less effective than an equivalent graphite rod in any kind of non-ideal fishing conditions (wind, fish at a distance etc.). With that being said the Epic glass fly rods are absolutely incredible. Unlike any glass rod I’ve ever casted. They definitely start to bridge the performance gap between fiberglass and graphite.


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## jay.bush1434 (Dec 27, 2014)

The Fin said:


> I think that beginner casters have a much easier time feeling the rod “load” which in turn can aid in developing the timing necessary to accomplish a good cast.


Oh I agree that they are easy to load and feel the subtle tug of the loop laying out. This can also be accomplished by tying on a heavy fly like a medium or large lead eye fly like a Clouser. My issue with trying to teach a new caster with a glass rod is that the action demands a long, slow, very patient casting stroke, which isn't something that beginners are good at doing. Heck, I'd say that most folks rush their cast. Anyway, not trying to derail the thread, to each his own. YMMV


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## Surffshr (Dec 28, 2017)

I have some new to me Tibor lights that are begging for glass rod homes. These would a 3-4 wt and a 5-6 wt and I’m considering the Epic rod kits.


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## fatman (Nov 23, 2012)

I own glass rods from 2wt to 10/11wt, and I truly love fishing them - when conditions warrant.
Sitting in a canoe lobbing big streamers on backhanded casts is not a favorite. Neither is trying to punch through wind.

I've casted some of the "fastglass" rods, and to be honest, I'm not a fan. If I want a faster rod, give me some carbon.

I can picture a Deep Bend Rodworks 7wt in my future. Marty builds a fine stick.
YMMV


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## ikankecil (Jan 14, 2022)

I've had quite a number of glass rods, the most appropriate for saltwater use were the Echo B.A.G. Quickshot rods (8' long). Other's have already mentioned them in this thread. Of the various rods in that series, I found the 7wt to be the star of that lineup (-for my arm), it had no issue easily hitting targets at distance on windy days. Having said that, glass rods are heavier & slower than their graphite cousins and I eventually reverted back to graphite rods for everything.


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## Earle Waters (5 mo ago)

I started out with a glass rod 50 years ago and caught fish just as they will today but only in places where the cast does not play a very big part🤪😎🇺🇸


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## The Fin (Sep 28, 2021)

Earle Waters said:


> I started out with a glass rod 50 years ago and caught fish just as they will today but only in places where the cast does not play a very big part🤪😎🇺🇸


Maybe where distance doesn’t “play a very big part”, but the rods are quite accurate in close.


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## ZackB (Aug 19, 2020)

I fished a 7' 3 weight fiberglass rod on some very tight streams in western NC this weekend. Holy cow was that rod fun to fish and incredibly accurate when compared to my 8'6" 4 weight I typically fish in similar situations. The fish were numerous but small and the streams were shallow and overgrown with rhododendron which I got caught in a surprisingly small number of times. Fun times and stoked on the new fiberglass rod!


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## pbcatchemup (Dec 28, 2020)

Fin. Joan wulff set a woman’s distance record somewhere around 175 feet with a glass rod. Glass rods can go the distance but most of us don’t have Joan’s technique nor do we use special distance casting lines. I like my glass for close in work so distance doesn’t really matter.


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## WC53 (Dec 2, 2015)

The NFC 4wt has become my favorite small stream rod. Just a blast and easy to cast in tight. The 8wt is a powerful rod, but that swing weight


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