Kris Kent adds some glass to his fishing
They often say that what goes around comes around. I was recently reading the 2004 edition of John Gierach’s Flyfishing the High Country. In the introduction Gierach reflects on those things that had changed since the first edition was published in 1984 and how this had influenced his rewrites for the new edition.
Flyfishing the High Country
On rods, he writes the following: “I removed a longish section discussing the merits of graphite rods because it no longer applies. Twenty years ago there were still those of us who thought graphite rods might just be a passing fad, but apparently they’ve caught on. I also deleted most mentions of fibreglass rods except to say that I miss them, which I do. The old glass rods are now marginal collectors items and the few attempts to resurrect glass at high prices haven’t gotten too far. For the most part, fibreglass rods are now a thing of the past.” Gierach may now be regretting writing that, but of course hindsight is always 20/20.
Now, I’m no expert on the history of fibreglass and fibreglass rods. Fibreglass was developed during the second world war for use in aircraft manufacture. At the end of the war its use spread into other industries. The early rods were developed in the late 1940s, as I understand it the combination of new technologies and embargos on Chinese Tonkin cane used to make split cane rods led to the development of the early fibreglass rods by makers such as Shakespeare.
1948 Shakespeare Howald Wonderod Models 1290 and 1390
Whilst fibreglass rods were more durable than cane, the early 1950s rods did not compare well in terms of action or performance and those who could afford to still bought cane. As the technology improved more and more makers moved into fibreglass. In the 1960s companies such as Winston, Orvis and Hardy started making fibreglass fly rods that could compete with cane. As a result fibreglass rods soon started to take market share away from bamboo. Fibreglass rods could be mass produced using less skilled workers. Fibreglass was also lower cost and required less maintenance.
First generation Orvis fibreglass rod
It was in the aerospace industry that fibreglass was born and it was aerospace innovation that led to its demise. Graphite was developed for military purposes by the aerospace industry during the 1960s, top secret, and it started to be used in rod manufacturing in the 1970s by Fenwick and Shakespeare. The later manufactured blanks for Orvis before they were able to switch manufacturing from fibreglass to graphite.
Whilst graphite wasn’t as durable as fibreglass it was lighter, produced faster actioned rods and could be used to make longer rods. By the time Gierach was writing Flyfishing the High Country in the early 1980s fibreglass was on its way out and graphite was in the ascendency. Whilst many old timers fondly remember the days of cane I have found it unusual to find anyone who, unlike Gierach, commiserates the demise of fibreglass. Many people who I talk to remember them as heavy and floppy with very slow rod tip recovery, affordable but poor performing.
So, it is strange that fibreglass is now making a comeback. I bought my first fibreglass rod in 2010. I was up in Derbyshire to fish on the Lathkill. I had won a day on the Lathkill in the Wild Trout Trust Auction. I was excited having read that the water in the Lathkill was unusually clear. Apparently, Charles Cotton wrote in The Compleat Angler that it is “by many degrees, the purest and most transparent stream that I ever saw, either at home or abroad, and breeds, it is said, the reddest and best trouts in England.” I fished with one of the club members during the day and later on was looked after by the legendary Peter Arfield. We had a fabulous time catching wild trout into the gloaming on dry fly.
The legendary Peter Arfield with a Lathkill trout
Peter is a fishing guide and the proprietor of the diminutive Bakewell Fly Fishing Shop. I always visit the shop when in Bakewell and this visit was no exception. Peter packs a lot into a small space. Rods and reels, old and new; books and bags; tippet and snips; vests and jackets; lines and leaders; plus a myriad of flies designed to catch local trout and grayling. Some tied with the thread from the hem of a nun’s nightie. Peter is always full of news, gossip and sage advice.
Peter in his element in the Bakewell Fly Fishing Shop
As we stood and chatted my attention was grabbed by a canvas bag. Inside the canvas bag I discovered an aluminium tube with a large cork stopper. Inside the aluminium tube I found a rod sock and in the rod sock was the shortest rod I’d ever seen. At five foot long it was a foot and a half shorter than me. Slipping the two short sections together I gave it an enthusiastic wiggle. It felt so different to the fast-actioned graphite rods I was used to, I had to have it. It was Hardy's first foray into 2nd generation fibreglass, The Hardy Glass ‘The Aln’, a baby 5 foot 2 weight.
Hardy Glass 'The Aln' 5' 2 weight
It got its first outing on the equally wee River Meon in Hampshire fishing with my friend Charles. Whilst the rod was bendy like a rubber band, or a wet noodle as one reviewer commented, it delivered short range casts crisply and accurately from in under the overhanging boughs. It wasn’t to everyone’s taste and is a niche rod, but it's great fun.
Charles putting a bend in the rod on the Meon
Back then Hardy were one of the few mainstream manufacturers producing fibreglass rods. I guess driven by the emerging trend for slower actioned rods and the availability of new technologies that addressed some of fibreglass’ historical shortcomings.
Over the next few years I noticed more and more ‘glass’ rods appearing on the rod racks. Orvis brought out the Superfine Glass series, a natural extension to the well-established, slower actioned Superfine series. But I didn’t buy another glass rod until 2015. John Aplin had tempted me into joining his Little Syndicate down in Dorset. This new syndicate had fishing on the Frome carriers close by John’s house outside West Stafford and on the Wraxall Brook, a tiny Frome tributary the other side of Dorchester. The first time I saw the brook during a pre-season work party I knew I needed a new rod.
The Wraxall Brook low and clear
The Wraxall Brook was tiny with lots of overhead trees and snags around every corner. The fish weren’t large and backcasts were going a be a luxury. I needed something short that would roll cast easily and deliver accurately at short to medium range. Following extensive research online I settled on a Redington Butter Stick 6’6” 4 weight. At that time they weren’t available in the UK but I pulled a few strings and managed to get one ordered. When it arrived I eagerly unpacked it and was a little surprised by the vivid orange blank and whippings. Not for the shy or the wallflowers.
The Butter Stick
It did exactly what I needed it to do and I had a fabulous time on my first fishing visit to the Wraxall Brook. The brook was very low and clear after a dry winter so I worked upstream carefully. Getting the fly into the right spots meant roll casts and bow and arrow casts plus a variety of different flicks and lobs. The Butter Stick was a joy to use and like the Hardy, great fun. I managed a half dozen bright little wild trout, that probably hadn’t seen an angler in a decade, and spooked or missed twice as many again.
Wraxall Brook brownie
Now there are lots of glass rods on the market with most of the mainstream manufacturers offering rods, typically in 6’ to 8’ lengths and 2 to 5 weights. As well as the Redington Butter Stick and Orvis Superfine Glass, Hardy have the Sirrus Glass, Scott have the F2 and Thomas & Thomas have the pricey Heirloom. A number of traditional cane rod builders are also playing around with fibreglass including John French, Luke Bannister and Rawson & Perrin. As well as producing fantastic rods Epic and Kabuto also produce some fabulous looking blanks if you fancy building your own.
Epic blanks
This year I’ve put together a new small stream outfit ready to fish the new Little Syndicate beat on the Piddle, virgin water that hasn’t been fished in living memory. I went for an Echo 6’3” 2 weight paired with the featherweight Redington Zero reel and a RIO LightLine, specially designed for slower-actioned ‘traditional’ rods. Can’t wait to try it out.
Echo Glass rod
Echo is the brainchild of Tim Rajeff and interestingly they are producing double handed and switch rods up to 13’ 8 weight.
Is graphite dead? I doubt it. I don’t think that fibreglass is going to conquer graphite. The current ranges of fibreglass rods are great for small rivers and streams where short range accurate casts are the key to success. I also think that new technologies will mean that longer and faster fibreglass rods will appear on the market. Exciting times. So, next time you’re looking for a new rod, give fibreglass a go.
If you are interested in fibreglass check out Cameron Mortenson, official ‘Glass Geek’. He writes a great blog promoting glass rods, fishing with glass rods and glass builders and retailers in the US. The Fiberglass Manifesto covers it all:
http://thefiberglassmanifesto.blogspot.co.uk
Biography:
Kris Kent has been fly fishing and trotting for brown trout and grayling for over 20 years in the UK, Europe and Scandinavia. He is PR Officer for the Grayling Society and helps out The Wild Trout Trust with their online communications and events.