Fiberglass

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!