I have managed to resist the temptation of cane for a long
time. Frankly it is all a bit too JR Hartley for me and I guess, in my heart of
hearts, that I would never be entirely happy with a pre-fab rod. Building up a
cane blank does not really appeal to me, I have had enough dramas coating only wraps,
the thought of varnishing an entire blank fills me with dread.
However I do appreciate that for the bashing about on small
streams that I enjoy cane is a first rate material; the blank will load under
its own weight with the result that it is possible to fish with very little, if
any, flyline outside of the tip ring and in use should be more relaxed and
forgiving to fish than carbon.
That’s that for cane then. But then I started to hear
whispers about fiberglass and checked out http://fiberglassflyrodders.com/and was intrigued. Many of the benefits of bamboo without having to assume the
mantel of a tweed wearing duffer. Then one of the guys over at http://www.flyfishing.co.uk/ decided to
arrange a bulk purchase of Steffen blanks from the USA. Before too long I was
the owner of a 7’6” 3 / 4 weight blank. She has now been fitted out and fished…
And here was the brown trout that I was able to christen the
rod with, my first fish of 2017...
Which came from here...
Was the rod slower
than I was used to – yes. I fished the rod with a 3 weight line and really had
to relax myself into the rhythm of casting. No bad thing really. Was it more
forgiving – certainly with a fish on, it really was possible to feel the rod
absorbing the lunges and runs of the fish. On the strike I am not so sure, I
got the impression that I am going to have to be really positive in setting the
hook. Did I enjoy it – absolutely!
