Favorite Fiberglass Rod

My Hardy "Brook", 6 foot 3 weight. Very, very sweet. Reel is the Hardy Featherweight which I purchased in 1965.
Jack

That there is Sexy! I have the LRH on the Scott.

I picked up an 8' two piece 5 wt made by Dave Redington's company, the South Fork Rod Company. A guy had it built and then decided he didn't want it as it was too slow for his taste. Great rod. Also fish a couple Fenwicks (807 and a 69 and a pair of Brownings for smallmouth. If I had to pick only one to keep it would be the South Fork.

I like my two Steffens...8' 5/6wt & 8'6" 7/8wt...I think my favorite of those two is the 5/6 though...it'll handle anything up to summer steelhead...

Randall,
Your Steffens rods look real nice. I have never seen one "in person", only looked at their website. Only hear good things about them.
I like the color and un-sanded blanks. Will have to try one out someday.
Jack

I have one of the Steffen 8' 5/6 wts too. Bought it from someone on the Fiberglass forum. Built on an older blank dark charcoal color 3 piece with two tips. Cork reel seat with downslide ring. The Steffen and my DiamondGlass 8 ft 4wt are my go to rods for searun fishing on the Stilly. For small streams and creeks I like my Fenwick 706. Bass fishing in lakes I'll take the Silaflex 8.5 6/7 wt or the Fenwick 807.

My first reel fly rod was fiberglass, an 8’6”- 7 wt Eagle Claw that was my favorite for many years (because I didn’t know better). I couldn’t afford the (much better) Fenwick and it was many years before I tried fiberglass again. A good friend pointed me toward a 7’6” Lamiglass Spring Creek. This was and still is a great rod, smooth with a limber tip but light in hand with a nice predictable action.
As time went by my next favorite became a Mark Steffen 2 piece 8’ 3 wt. Something about this rod is just right. Smooth progressive action, light sensitive tip with enough diameter in the butt to handle a strong fish. This is one of the best trout rods that I’ve ever handled, made by a guy who understands fly rod tapers. These rods are typically no nonsense great rods that IMHO are the best value in fly rods.
That said, it is very possible that my newest 8’ 5 wt made by Kabuto Yasuyuki will take over the top spot. The rod has a smooth medium progressive action with elegant fit and finish.

That honey colored Kabuto is absolutely beautiful. Thanks for showing us. What reel do you use on it?
Jack

I agree, that Honey is beautiful. I dug out the Steffen


Thought I would share this one as well. Fenwick 5'3" 4/5


And the gold:

You guys are making me crazy!
Jack

I have a 9'6" 8/9wt 2pc Lamiglas rod built by John Propp of Spokane in 1978 for my late father in law. I have only lawn cast it, I can't be sure if it has ever been on the water as it shows no signs of use. Mr Propp must have been a prolific rod builder as this is # 118. It is dark grey, almost black. I am assuming it is fiberglass. Anyone know of Mr Propp and his fly rods?

I have not seen a 9'6" glass rod, but I guess anything is possible. It would have to be very noodlie.

You don't miss having a longer rod on such big water?

Not on the lower Stilly in late summer, early fall. For the most part I'm only casting 50 feet and a lot less. 40 to 50 foot casts are pretty much the max. That lower river is easy wading for the most part. In fact during back to back dry years which we haven't had for quite some time you could start at Silvana and wade down to Tom Robbs farm when down on the Norman Road. I knew one guy who claimed he could wade from Silvana down to the the bridge to warm beach. But he was a lot taller than me.

Jack,
It seems to balance with an Abel Creek 2 standard arbor, loaded with Cortland Peach DT 5. I haven't fished the rod yet so time will tell if that's the right combination.

Aesthetically, I think you made an excellent choice. It fits in nicely with the hardware and wraps. I just looked at that Kabuto again. Exquisite!
Jack

Pictured are two of my favorite glass sticks. Both are 6'6" from Phillipson. The one on the left is a Johnson Profile which I bought in 1964. The slide band insert was originally cork but it got pretty beat up so I replaced it with a piece of walnut from a branch that fell into our yard. The rod on the right is a more recent purchase from maybe '91 or '92 I can't remember.

I like a couple of my old 6.5ft Wright & McGill Featherlights best.

Dave you surely love those Featherlights. You are the unofficial spokesperson for those rods.