Old Rod Materials

[Wildfisher]

Does anyone here  ever  use them now?  Split cane (note: NOT fecking "bamboo" ), glass etc. Last time I was out float tubing for stockies at Haddo I used my old Milbro tru-fly  glass "dry fly special  fast action"  (by today's standard it's about as fast as a stalk of limp celery) of 60's vintage – for old times sake. After the novelty wore off (in about ?  hour) I was longing for a crisp, light carbon rod again.

Do old materials like split cane have anything to offer modern anglers or are they just a nostalgia trip for old farts?  Just a reminder of days when summers were  warmer, the skies were bluer, trout were more free rising and kids could play on the streets in  safety, free from traffic threats – save the odd passing Hovis or Rob Brothers lemonade delivery van?

Whatya think?

[Wildfisher]

Tell you what, get yer arse over the hill to Dinnet and I'll take you up there. We can meet up with Fred there as well..... do I smell a small stravaig coming on :idea: :?:

Hamish

Allan has been talking along the lines of a casting instruction day. We have  a lot of talent on this forum in the way of casting instructors. Peter, Allan, Paul and I see Magnus has now joined us and can also perhaps be persuaded to come along. There is of course also your good self – no mean caster. Haddo seems the obvious choice although it is,  perhaps a wee bit far for the central-belters and other "pampered southerners"  to come, although I could likely put up one or perhaps more. However, This is not really the right place to discuss it, perhaps a new thread is in order. Thought  I might just mention it though

[haresear]

I bought a wee 7 foot cane rod off ebay last year (or was it the year before?) takes a #3 or 4. Only used it once on the Braan, but it was great fun on that wee overgrown river.
If I fished wee tree-lined burns more, It would see more service, but for all round fishing, carbon is king for me.

Alex

[harelug]

I got interested in building cane rods about 10 years ago, read up a good bit about it, some of the modern tapers seem to be really good, in shorter lenghts than were used pre fibreglass and carbon. Some 6ft 3in tapers capable of casting a full 30 yard line.There are lots of mainly American amature cane builders out there today building quality rods. I started gathering together the hardwear required but prices this side of the pond turrned out to be considerably more than in the states, that and the onset of back problems have put the project on hold. Maybe one of these days I'll get round to it again.

John

[haresear]

Maybe one of these days I'll get round to it again.

Aye right. And maybe we'll both be on soda water & lime tonight :lol:

[Malcolm]

I haven't used them much for some years but using a friends glass rod recently reminded me how good they were in the smaller sizes and for smaller rivers.

[greenwell]

 I have used cane and glass rods all my fishing life and cannot envisage a time when I will prefer carbon. From my own experience, most people who rubbish cane and glass have never used them, or have tried it for ten minutes comparing it only to the carbon rods they may have exclusively used since they began fishing. I would be the first to acknowledge that there were a lot of cane/glass rods which were pretty useless, mainly however these were imports from the far east. They are of course slower/inherently less stiff than carbon but that does not mean they are not efficient casting/fishing tools provided they are quality rods. A split cane rod by Sharpes, Hardy, Aspindale and many others are perfectly capable tools but you must take the time to get used to the action of these rods. Glass is the same, a good quality hollow glass fly rod in the hands of someone who knows how to get the best from it will not be found wanting. My own glass rods are by Milbro ( Trufly ) and Edgar Sealey. The secret to using soft actioned rods is to slow down the casting stroke thereby allowing the rod time to load and unload fully. Do that and you can feel the power travelling through the blank, try to move the rod back and forward like it was a fast or even middle to tip carbon rod and you'll get nowhere. The weight is only an issue for a very short time, it soon becomes unnoticeable.
                               The Milbro Trufly 8'6" is an excellent rod for general trout fishing. With a DT5/6 line it is the kind of rod you could take anywhere and it would not be found wanting and the Sharpes 88 in cane with an action similar to the Trufly would fit the same bill. I admit to being biased though since I prefer them to carbon but it's surprising just how many people, having given cane a proper go over a reasonable period ( not half an hour ) end up becoming enthusiasts.

                            Greenwell.

[haresear]

Horses for courses. Also, not all horses suit alll riders.

We all fish and cast differently.

Casting and fishing is totally subjective. One man's meat....

Alex

[Wildfisher]

Greenwell I too have a few old Tru-fly rods. They were OK in their  day but after using one a few weeks ago I was astonished how awful it was compared to a modern rod. Even  a modestly priced rod like  my Vision is in a different class.  However, one good thing about the old glass rods was they did not break and as far as that goes they were better.

[Pearly Invicta]

I started fly fishing with a glass fibre rod but I can't remember what it fished like. I do know that my very soft action hardy carbon 5 weight fishes like no other rod I own. It's heart and soul are in the chalkstreams I think but it is a total delight to use. So slow you could fall asleep. It cannae batter out 30 yards of line into a strong wind but it was never meant to.

I find it harder to poke a fly into just the right far-off spot with it in any sort of breeze so, to that end, it gets used less than my faster action rods but when it bends into a fish of any size the enjoyment factor is multiplied. Sometimes the song from the wee hardy JLH ultralite reel even drowns out the cry of the whaup.  :lol: