Want to build a glass 8 or 9 wt….. thoughts and comparisons?

FindingFly · May 20, 2023

Hey guys, want to build a midweight salt/freshwater glass rod just to give it a shot.

Mostly looking at the iconoglass, blue halo Zen glass, or possibly epic. I know I’m leaving out a handful of builders but those faster S-glass blanks have my interest for now.

Any thoughts on the 8 and 9 weight blanks any of these makers are putting out? I don’t seem to hear as much about blue halo?

clarkman · May 20, 2023

I'd give call Shane Gray and have him build you up an 8' 8/9 Steffen. If you go Epic, get the Bandit, it's shorter, easier to cast all day and honestly is more of a 9wt than a 10wt (that it's listed as). Shane also has his own 7'6" 7 and 8wts.

While I love my NFC IG 10wt, it's not a rod that's fun to cast all day whereas both my Steffen 10/11 (I had Shane build it out at 7'9") and my OG Bandit (3pc, 7'9") are a piece of cake to cast all day long with big flies. Dunno about the newer Blue Halo.....but their marketing department hits it hard.

FindingFly · May 20, 2023

Thanks @clarkman . I do like the idea of the shorter rod, might have to looks at Shane’s or Steffens. He doesn’t have the 8’ 8/9 wt listed but do you know if he has those patterns?

clarkman · May 20, 2023

send him a message. He has all of Mark's mandrels from when Mark taught him how to roll the Steffen blanks....and those were part of it. That's all I did when I was contemplating my 10/11 (which I had been discussing with Mark for probably the last ten years or so....lol)

mcswny · May 20, 2023

clarkman said:
I'd give call Shane Gray and have him build you up an 8' 8/9 Steffen. If you go Epic, get the Bandit, it's shorter, easier to cast all day and honestly is more of a 9wt than a 10wt (that it's listed as). Shane also has his own 7'6" 7 and 8wts.

While I love my NFC IG 10wt, it's not a rod that's fun to cast all day whereas both my Steffen 10/11 (I had Shane build it out at 7'9") and my OG Bandit (3pc, 7'9") are a piece of cake to cast all day long with big flies. Dunno about the newer Blue Halo.....but their marketing department hits it hard.

Shane’s brute 7 and 8 are on sale. I have a 8’ 9” livingston glass rod (I got it sight unseen for a screaming deal <$200) but I’m curious about shorter.

clarkman · May 20, 2023

mcswny said:
Shane’s brute 7 and 8 are on sale. I have a 8’ 9” livingston glass rod (I got it sight unseen for a screaming deal <$200) but I’m curious about shorter.

Way better IMO

Wetswinger · May 20, 2023

I've built a couple Iconoglass 8#. They are a nice powerful rod. I don't like to spend money needlessly and for $75 including shipping they are a nice quality blank.
A blank plus tax 90. Reel seat 25. Grip 15. Guides 20. Thread, epoxy, bits and pieces 25. $175 and you're stylin'.

PS.. Iconoglass, halo, orvis and epic are all made from S2/Zentron glass which is a newer, unidirectional, generation S-glass. They have better dampening resulting in much less tip bounce and a smooth delivery...