Tell me about your favorite glass rods

clarkman

average member
Forum Supporter
I’ve hucked an ff806-2 farther than any other rod, using a DT6, just for fun in the park. My only Fenwick today is the ff857-2, strung 24/7, handy and ready. They built some fine rods, very fishable today.
I used to have an ff857. Damn, that a fun rod to fish.
 

et64

Smolt
I have a Steffen 8' 3/4 4/5 that I got from Shane at Greywolf last summer. I used it on a trip to Northern Idaho this past fall and loved fishing the rod. It casts so nicely that it makes my casts look like I know what I'm doing. :ROFLMAO:

(Uh oh - I typed in the wrong rod size, it's a 4/5 not a 3/4)


Steffen.jpg
 
Last edited:

@Dryflyphotography

Life of the Party
I have a Steffen 8' 3/4 that I got from Shane at Greywolf last summer. I used it on a trip to Northern Idaho this past fall and loved fishing the rod. It casts so nicely that it makes my casts look like I know what I'm doing. :ROFLMAO:


View attachment 53877
Looks like it's next to a Heddon Premier #115. I have the Heddon #115 in the 8' 1-1/2f extra light trout taper. I'm sure the Steffen is a much faster rod, but in general how does it compare to bamboo? If you were choosing, would you pick the Steffen 8' 3/4, 4/5 or 5/6?
 

et64

Smolt
Looks like it's next to a Heddon Premier #115. I have the Heddon #115 in the 8' 1-1/2f extra light trout taper. I'm sure the Steffen is a much faster rod, but in general how does it compare to bamboo? If you were choosing, would you pick the Steffen 8' 3/4, 4/5 or 5/6?
Good eye, it's a 8' 1-1/2f like yours.

I would say that the Steffen casts closer to a bamboo rod than a graphite one. I tend to like rods on the slower side, and this one seems to hit a sweet spot for me. It's faster than the Heddon, and feels like it has a bit more power to it as I'm casting. I've only casted the 4/5, but have heard great things about the 5/6. I wanted a five-ish weight rod, and the 4/5 seemed to fit where I was planning on using it vs the 5/6. (rivers where I've used 4wt & 5wt rods in the past) If I was going to purchase another one, I personally would go with the 5/6. (I have a 2/3wt Hardy Sirrus rod that I like a lot.) If I was going to get a 3/4, I would go for the 7'3" vs 8'. I tend to like my lighter weight rods a bit shorter.
 

Rob Allen

Life of the Party
Well, the only glass rod I own is an old Powell or Fisher, whichever one that had popular glass rods in the early 1980s.
It is a 9'6" 9 wt. The rod was built by Bill McMillan for my father after they spent a summer building them kitchen cabinets.
I am not aware that my father ever used the rod, but I did and hooked my first winter steelhead on it, dead drifting a paintbrush. Might have been the only steelhead it ever hooked..
 

@Dryflyphotography

Life of the Party
Good eye, it's a 8' 1-1/2f like yours.

I would say that the Steffen casts closer to a bamboo rod than a graphite one. I tend to like rods on the slower side, and this one seems to hit a sweet spot for me. It's faster than the Heddon, and feels like it has a bit more power to it as I'm casting. I've only casted the 4/5, but have heard great things about the 5/6. I wanted a five-ish weight rod, and the 4/5 seemed to fit where I was planning on using it vs the 5/6. (rivers where I've used 4wt & 5wt rods in the past) If I was going to purchase another one, I personally would go with the 5/6. (I have a 2/3wt Hardy Sirrus rod that I like a lot.) If I was going to get a 3/4, I would go for the 7'3" vs 8'. I tend to like my lighter weight rods a bit shorter.
If you could only choose one, would your Steffen be the 4/5 or 5/6?
 

clarkman

average member
Forum Supporter
The 4/5 Steffen, it's a better weight for where I'm finishing. If I was going to pick up a 2nd one, I would get the 5/6.
you won't regret it....there is no if....lol. my 5/6 is one I'll take to my grave.

tomorrow, my Fisher 6/7 will get some work on the Deschutes...
 
Last edited:

@Dryflyphotography

Life of the Party
So it sounds like the Steffen 4/5 and Steffen 5/6 are both great rods. I read somewhere else that the 4/5 is more full flexing and more similar to the 3/4 than it is to the 5/6 which not only casts the heavier line but is also a faster rod. Is that a fair comparison or was that writer just blowing smoke?
 

clarkman

average member
Forum Supporter
That's fair. I've not played with the 4/5 at all, but I've owned the 8' 5/6 for over 15 years (18 to be exact), and as stated, it's one I'll never part with. Personally, I like it with a standard 6wt, but if you're coming from faster graphite, you may like those with the lower number. It's all about personal preference. I also own the 8'6" 7/8wt and it's pretty much the same. I think that's why Mark put two numbers on every one of his rods. Bottom line though, you've gotta use what feels the best for you on any rod.
 
My favorite glass is my first fly rod, well actually my second because I shut the car door on the first one, a Fenwick FF856-2. I still fish that one. I have several graphite rods that all have a moderate action.
 

Blue Lines

Steelhead
5652C115-2ED2-4AA4-9AC8-3102660B781B.jpeg

My current love is the new Orvis 7’6” 3wt superfine glass (I have the 4wt as well, but that’s another story). It’s a dream to cast, and self-loads to make casting essentially just a leader possible. 5” cutts are a blast to catch, and thanks to the supple nature of glass I’ve landed 20” redsides with it. Truly, a magnificent rod.

I also have a number of older, heavier, glass rods that feel like a whip and a plank procreated… tech has come a long way.
 

Wetswinger

Go Deep
Forum Supporter
View attachment 55347

My current love is the new Orvis 7’6” 3wt superfine glass (I have the 4wt as well, but that’s another story). It’s a dream to cast, and self-loads to make casting essentially just a leader possible. 5” cutts are a blast to catch, and thanks to the supple nature of glass I’ve landed 20” redsides with it. Truly, a magnificent rod.

I also have a number of older, heavier, glass rods that feel like a whip and a plank procreated… tech has come a long way.
The new Superfine has changed to using S2/ Zentron glass cloth in its manufacturing. Everybody that uses rods made from this material, speak of it highly.
It's main claim is that it has greater dampening, the ability to stop bouncing up and down, thus delivering a smoother more accurate cast. I've lawn cast #4,
#5 and #8 rods made of this material and was impressed. Was like the first time I used power steering in an automobile, smooth....
 

Wade Rivers

Steelhead
Forum Supporter
I have a mixed quiver of seldom used Fenwicks and some favorite Lami s-glass rods. My go to is my 8 foot 4 wt Lami and I have a 6 wt 5 piece rod that doesn't have a label but sure looks like s-glass. I love how the light shine thru...

The 4wt is perfect for my small dry fishing.
IMG_20200326_135650.jpg
 

@Dryflyphotography

Life of the Party
I have a mixed quiver of seldom used Fenwicks and some favorite Lami s-glass rods. My go to is my 8 foot 4 wt Lami and I have a 6 wt 5 piece rod that doesn't have a label but sure looks like s-glass. I love how the light shine thru...

The 4wt is perfect for my small dry fishing.
View attachment 55405
I had a Lamiglass S Glass 8' 5 weight back in the mid 1980's. Unfortunately it was my only fly rod and I was under-gunned on larger waters so I sold it and bought a faster rod, one of those newfangled graphite rods, LOL. Wish I had kept it, it was a smooth caster and good for close in fishing.
 

Brian Miller

Be vewy vewy quiet, I'm hunting Cutthwoat Twout
Forum Supporter
For small water my answer is similar to my response in the "Small Glass?" thread...

Overhead casts accurate to within a 4" jar lid or a reasonably accurate B&A cast; both ending in a fly first tight line presentation with the line off the water to about 15' and the fly is fishing as soon as it touches the water. There is no fish frightening splash from a fly line, while the length along with the flex provide precision drifts and subtle naturalistic fly manipulation that triggers strikes that I can't duplicate with a fly rod & reel. Finally, a chunky (so far) 13" fish in current bends it nearly to the cork but the the flex also protects 6X tippet while using the 9.5' length as leverage to bring a fish in pretty quickly.
 
Last edited:

Bagman

Steelhead
I just picked up a Fenwick 90 two piece 12 weight. Have not even tried to see if I can cast it, but with the for grip I’m sure I can two hand over head cast I just fine. It looks like it has never even had a reel on it. It came with the original case and a red bag not sure the bag is original
 

Attachments

  • 3F12F95F-F50B-4F41-A862-DA00A24AEDBB.jpeg
    3F12F95F-F50B-4F41-A862-DA00A24AEDBB.jpeg
    497.3 KB · Views: 5
  • 2C90BFA3-2805-40CB-8554-D3B374D02DBA.jpeg
    2C90BFA3-2805-40CB-8554-D3B374D02DBA.jpeg
    472.3 KB · Views: 5

Dloy

Steelhead
Forum Supporter
I had a Lamiglass S Glass 8' 5 weight back in the mid 1980's. Unfortunately it was my only fly rod and I was under-gunned on larger waters so I sold it and bought a faster rod, one of those newfangled graphite rods, LOL. Wish I had kept it, it was a smooth caster and good for close in fishing.
I’m not familiar with that particular rod, but if you miss it enough there’s an Epic 580 in the classifieds at a decent price. Epics are S glass too, fairly fast for fiberglass (but still soulful) and generally very nice casting rods.
 
Top