Snippet From an Online Article

[Fly Rod D]

This is not my writing, but it pretty much sums it up:

It’s hard to define the “rightness” of a fly rod, though once — over a couple beers — a few local fly fishermen delved into the subject at what amounted to the genetic level.

Naturally, we didn’t stumble on any real answers (none that we remember anyway), outside of the fact that technology is not necessarily the one true path to fly rod enlightenment.

That’s why — when fly fishers ask me if one rod is “better” than another — I suggest they simply fish whatever fly rod feels best, and the hell with what the magazines want you to think.

In this rare instance, I’ve taken my own advice; I fish fiberglass and bamboo fly rods almost exclusively, and not because I want to fire up fly fishing’s natural/synthetic class wars.

The simple truth is this: fiberglass and bamboo fly rods feel — to me anyway — exactly how a fly rod is supposed to feel.

Steffen Brothers makes great fishing rods
The unsanded, retro-look Steffen rods don’t appeal to everyone, but I like ‘em.

They bend smoothly, and do so without the stiffness that sometimes leads me to drive my graphite fly rods.

During the casting stroke, I’ve got a pretty good idea exactly what’s going on at the far end of my fiberglass fly rods, and glass inspires serious confidence when I’ve got a good fish going on a small fly or light tippet.

In simplest terms, they’re unpretentious, durable, affordable, un-demanding, — and just plain fun. All of those fit pretty neatly within the job description of your average fly rod, and as somebody once observed, “love is simply a compendium of needs.”

[shooter]

you hit a subject close to my heart i do love the old rods and reels,like my guns i buy them to shoot,and i buy those old rods to fish.
i don't fish bamboo much although i have a few rods,but glass i must agree is my favorite , i fish hollow and solid glass rods.
i know i can get more line speed from glass than composite,or at least the composite rods i own and have tried.
glass is more forgiving and tuffer,also much easier to repair than composite,but composite rods have more feel than glass. having said that i am a line watcher when i am fishing nymphs,so feel is not an issue for me.

gators bite
something else i like about glass rods ,they can be had cheep, i find a lot of rods on ebay,and hock shops,garage sales exc. also old reels. but i must admit i like the new large arbor reels they are making these days. great post Fly Rod
gators are mean

[JBplusThuy]

Here, here.

I have a 5 foot one-piece ultralight spin rod that I bought in middle school (mid-seventies) after saving quite a while for it, and I still use it regularly. Also still use the reel I bought to go with it at the time. For those who remember them, this rod is a Nightcrawler Secrets rod from Fishing Facts Magazine/Northwoods Tackle. No, it ain't for sale :-) But if any of you have one of the 8 foot Nightcrawler Secrets rods (built on Fenglass fly rod blanks) and want to sell it, gimme a holler :-)

[Vince Fusco]

I never could afford a true nightcrawler secrets rod, but that book was a favorite of mine. I read it over and over, and caught a lot of fish on the light line, small hook theory. Back then it was all new to the people I fished with, and it converted a lot of fishermen to a simpler, more fun way to catch fish.

[DAVID L EITUTIS]

SHOOTER YOU HIT THIS ONE RIGHT ON THE HEAD !!!!!!!!! ALL OTHER CONSIDERATIONS ASIDE i.e. EGO'S ETC. the old glass rods are a wonder to me . I built myself and many other people over the years some high end graphite rods. Graphite in my opinion is utterly lacking in personality. Glass on the other hand seems to have a personality and each rod is different. My view on what makes a good fly rod is if when you pick it up and cast it once and it puts a smile on your face , IT IS RIGHT! DON'T NEED TO LOOK FOR ANOTHER ONE OR CHASE TECHNO DREAMS!!!!!!!!!!!!

  TECHNOLOGY IS JUST THAT! The modern newer , faster, lighter , higher modulus blanks are a wonder of technology and nothing more. Do we need all that to enjoy the sport of fly fishing ,NO, but sometimes we get away from simple to follow everyone else's dreams and get caught up in the techno wars. I got out of these wars years ago when I decided enough was enough.

  Back to glass and here to stay . All this in not to say that I wouldn't again like to build a show off rod , but it would probably be a Mc Farland glass blank or one of the other high end glass blank builders. Only a few of them around though so I guess I should get one and get at it, BEFORE I HAVE TO WEAR A HIGHER RATED PAIR OF OPTIVISORS THAN I NOW HAVE. GGGGGGGGGGGOT to use em when wrapping blanks now as the eyes are getting on in years and uncle Arthritis has come to visit my shoulders , hands , and elbows!!!!

[jim cosgrove]

david you are right again,i have 2 graphite rods i like .tfo 3 weight around7' i think but it is 1 of the cheaper 2 piece with a slow action .it feels like glass as it flexes almost the length of the rod.i never loose contact with the line is the best way i can put it and it is almost weightless. a large gill or crappie stands a chance on this tiny rod.the other is one of those accidents that turned out well,got a cabelas outfit as a gift 6 weight,tried it in the yard and it cast great although a little heavy.first time out snapped 6 inches off the tip.put a new tip on and it was next to useless.sat in the closet for a long while.my first new flyrod was an off brand graphite 9 foot 8 wt.heavy cumbersome and a lot of work to throw a bass bug.this spring i put the reel with the 8 wt. line on that broken cabelas rod.figured why not 8 wt line on a 6 wt.shooter on here used to talk about overlining to roll cast in the bayou.it works like a charm.some times i still roll the wrong way and up with a tangled mess .never know whats gonna work for you.

[DAVID L EITUTIS]

Yep Jim sounds like the broken rod will work for you. AMERICAN ingenuity  strikes again !! I've seen commercials for the TFO 'S but never held one or shook it to see what they are like. I seem to get along alright with what I have and will stick with em till the bad shoulders don't allow me to cast anymore!!!!!!!!

[DAVID L EITUTIS]

This pretty much sums it up for me and agree with all said here. Over the years I have used everything from solid glass , hollow glass, high end graphite. I settled on hollow glass because of the ready availability of them, Shakespeare WOnderods, Garcia Conlons, Heddons etc. I like the Wonderods the best and secondly the Heddons.

  BOTH of these great companys made HHHHHHHHHuge contributions to the fishing industrys and as a young man my first rod ever purchased was a Shakespeare Wonderod fly rod. Took me weeks to save up for it as a paper route kid! Many weeks I might ad.
   That was in 1964 and now a few years later have come full circle back to the beginning and never regretted it a minute. Now I have many old Wonderods in my collection and have introduced many young people to them, guys under 55 years of age anyway. They have no regrets on using the vintage stuff either.
   I also use old Ultra lights by Shakespeare and Heddon for spinning duties. MMMMMuch harder to find than the old fly rods however. There is something to be said for longevity in the fishing industry and just something I can't put my finger on .

  It's like seeing an old friend you haven't seen in a long time, a favorite sweater, an old pair of gloves you reach for when you have a heavy task at hand.
   I don't quite know what it is except that when you find that rod you will know it.
      TOOTY
  SEMPER FI

[Leo Nguyen]

I have no other comment than, "Damn straight!"

[DAVID L EITUTIS]

See Leo I can't be wrong all the time when the NAM THE TECHNO agrees with me!!!! Memory is gone now and most of my skills as a rod builder too, and I write way too much personal opinion on this site and it's just a matter of time till someone out there who has forgotten more than me, sets me straight!!

 OF course most of my opinions come from the last 62+ years of experience and so I guess I'm entitled to a few opinions, right or wrong , it's the way I see things. I know in advance there may be some complaints from the Graphite crew, but that's ok cause I'm not trying to change anyones mind, just letting know there is another way than the modern way!

  Thanks Leo