So the Echo glass series rods have been on the market for a little while and with all the talk about them all over the Internet before their release, I figured there would be a review on them but I have yet to find any. So has anyone else found a review?
FIberglass Manifesto -Just a mention. No in-depth review.
The rods look nice although reel seat would take (me) some getting used to (aesthetics, not function). Looking forward to trying one out.
Jack
I can lend a hand. I have cast the 3wt and the 4wt and to say the rod is soft by today's standard is an understatement. For light flies, delicate presentations I think the rod will be wonderful. It does require a slow casting stroke though. With a Double Taper line the rod comes to life. Casts over 30-40ft are not what the rod is designed for, though it is possible. The downlocking reel seat is a nice touch and is needed. The rod is heavier then a graphite rod and having the reel that far back balances the rod very nicely. For 199 bucks I think its a great deal for fishing rivers like the NF Snoqualmie, high alpine lakes (if you dont need a long cast) and for rivers with smaller resident fish and tight quarters. The finish is nice and I love the color of the blank. I don't know if I would pick this rod for windy conditions, big fish, or big rivers. Call us at the shop if you are interested in one. (208) 255-5757.
I'm HOPING they meant by graphite. But it seems like what I'd assume a 3 or 4 wt glass rod would. I was able to play with one a little at the Albany fly show. I had NO idea they even existed at the time. I liked it. Was even tempted to buy one. But I have other toys to buy right now. But to date, since I'm an old school glass guy like you, I've only dealt with 6wts and up. But know that Fenwick had a 5 wt glass stick, but have NEVER seen one. But it's in one of my Dad's old Fenwick catalogs from the late 60's or early 70's.
So is this a comparison to graphite? (in which case every single glass rod out there will be "softer")
oops...sorry, didn't see that the question was already asked.
As a general statement not directed towards you specifically, I always get a kick out of watching people (mostly my friends who only fish graphite) pick up any of my glass rods. They have a much tougher time adjusting to slowing their stroke down than I do speeding mine up when I pick up one of their rods, this results in them not being able to cast them very far and handing them back to me.
Thanks that's what I wanted to hear Big R, I want to pick up a 2 wt before this summer. I actually think a comparison between this rod and the redington butter stick would be cool.
I think one of these rods in a two weight would be fun, but I'm not sure I would want it as my only rod on a long day creek fishing. I think it's a logical progression in rounding out a quiver, but a short 3-4wt would be a bit more versatile if you only had one light glass rod.
I saw one of the Echo glass rods at the Gore fly Shop earlier this week. Incredible fit and finish for a reasonably priced rod. I didn't get a chance to cast the rod but was impressed by the construction.
Jerry, I actually have a lot of modern glass rods that are 2wt-5wt. Nearly all of mine are "fast for glass", though still slower than the slowest graphite. I have a few insanely cool and great-performing sticks like a 8'3" 4wt from Mike McFarland that is just the crispest dry fly rod for medium-sized streams. That kind of rod didn't exist in the old-school pre-graphite heyday of glass in the 1960's-70's. I really think this is the golden era of glass. My two newest rods over the winter are a pair of Epic glass rods (8'0" 5wt and 8'6" 6wt) that are the fastest glass I have ever tried, but are still just a half step slower than the slowest graphite. They are super sweet and glass-like but definitely high performance. Anyway, there are lots of great new glass rods out there now. I'm having a hard time keeping track of them all.
Ah, gotcha. Still like a lot of my old fenwicks. Ended up giving away the one I got from you to one of my soldiers. But still have all of mine. Funny though, you can get some serious distance, just knowing how to let the rod load itself. Some of the greats in the day used old school lines with those slow rods for some good distance. Guess that's why I like slower graphite. But I cast them a lot different. When I grab some of the faster graphites, I REALLY change up my cast. Again, for the cost, I have a hard time biting on one. Unless I get on one of their pro staffs. LOL. My volunteer work eats into most of my play money. But that's ok. Rather take unpaid days off to work with my soldiers then get a few extra toys.
I think Lugan brings up a good point about fast glass rods. The Fenwicks and other classic fiberglass rods were made with E glass and what ever resin matrix used at the time. Some time around the introduction (slightly before I think) S glass was developed. S glass has a much higher modulus than E glass but still lower than graphite. When the graphite wave hit the fly rod industry, no one wanted a fiberglass fly rod. As a side note many good glass rods were made in black during this transition in order to sell rods.
S glass is a wonderful material for fly rod design. It is very strong and capable of making great rods. Guys like Mark Steffen and Mike McFarland are using it regularly and developing fantastic fly rods. These guys are cottage artisans working with a material that was mostly overlooked by the fly rod industry. I don't own a McFarland but I do own a 8' 3/4 Steffen and it is an incredible fly rod. If I was forced to choose between my TMF and the Steffen, the fiberglass rod would be the winner (and I'm a huge fan of Tom Morgans fly rods).
I apologize if I've taken this tread off course.
Best regards,
TC
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