Budget Minded Fly Fishing Tackle - Fiberglass Rods

Anyone who has hung around the fly fishing scene, rather it be the local fly shop, online fly tackle retailers, or online fly fishing forums have been made aware of the re-energized interest in the market of Fiberglass Fly Rods.  Cameron Mortenson over at The Fiberglass Manifesto 
deserves a lot of credit for the growing interest in Fiberglass Rods, too!

Yesterday, when I was young, I started out fishing Fenwick Fiberglass Rods.  I remember paying $35.00 for a new Fenwick back then and thought I was on top of the fly fishing world at the time.  Well, as we probably all know, Graphite production came along and most all of the normal fly fishing crowd went to Graphite rods for easier casting and more power for distance etc. etc.  Though some remained with the Fiberglass or Bamboo scene, Graphite rods became the in thing.  So, I went Graphite Fly Rods.  Fast forward a significant number of years, through Sage, G. Loomis, Orvis, etc. days.   Now cometh, the resurgence of the Fiberglass Fly Rods.  Like a lot of things in life, it seems things can come 360 degrees ever so often.

Currently, I own Graphite Fly Rods and Fiberglass Fly Rods.  However, due to my fixed income and senior citizen lifestyle, I have to focus on budget minded fly fishing tackle!  With that in mine, my current Fiberglass Fly Rod selection consists of an Eagle Claw Featherlight $35.00, and, a yard sale purchase of an old Berkley that cost me $5.00.

While I enjoy fishing these two rods, I have began to look at some of the new Fiberglass Fly Rods  that are hitting the market at what I consider to be a budget minded price level.  Let me skim over some of them in this post.

 Green Caddis Outfitters

Ruby River Fiberglass Fly Rods

$120.00

The early reviews on these rods have been positive and I look forward to further investigating these rods.

Echo Fiberglass Fly Rods

$200.00

Again, very good early reviews on these rods.  Already available in some local fly shops.  These are superb rods for the budget minded fly angler!

 

Now comes the soon to be released new Cabela's CGR Series Fiberglass Rods.  

$129.00

These rods are being updated and released in the Fall of this year.  The original CGR Series rods were received very favorably by many of my blogging friends.  Cabela's stopped production on the original series, but, listened to the demands of the fly fishing crowd and will be putting these on the market soon.

 

So, budget minded fly fishing tackle folks, rather you fish with an inexpensive Eagle Claw Featherlight model, a yard sale find, or one of the new wave of budget minded fly rods, you certainly deserve to see if Fiberglass is for you.  Yup, "Glass Is Not Dead".

 

 

Rocks In My Pockets

Let me take the time here to tell you about my take on "Rocks In My Pockets".  Some folks who are dealing with Depression often talk about it as a way of unloading their worries by discarding the rocks in their pocket so to speak.  Others use it for various ways of symbolizing something weighting on their mind.  Others will...............................................
Let me tell you about my Grandpa.  He used to tell me, "Son, slow down a bit and enjoy each day, you got plenty of time! Go now and put some rocks in your pockets.  That will help you stay grounded.  Especially, on a windy day!"

This past week has Tornado's ripped through the South, my Grandpa's voice could be heard.  "Son, make sure you got some rocks in your pockets if your going out on a windy day."  This last few days have been full of thoughts and prayers for my friends from the South.   Hope that all of you managed as well as you possibly could and know that Prayers are coming your way.

This last week also had several days of very high winds here on the Front Range in Colorado.  Just being outdoors was a struggle at times, let alone, any ideas of going fishing.  I would have needed a bunch of rocks in my pockets on those days! I was content to spend my time indoors and knocking out a few more flies for my fly box, doing some blog work, and surfing the net.  Now, before I get away from rocks in my pockets, let me say that I often use rocks in my pocket to symbolize a hodgepodge of things I have going on in my mind or things I have decided to give some thought, too.  So here, I will toss out a few Rocks In My Pockets:

**Came across a new site too me Mountain Brook Fly Rods.  Now they offer an interesting line of fly rods, reels, rod cases, etc.  This custom rod case really caught my eye.  Now, is this not beautiful.

Now, I have seen one from these folks with a Bluegill sketching on the Faux Bamboo Rod Case.....

**I have been eyeballing glass rods of late that are affordable to someone on a (Senior Citizens Budget).  Everything from Eagle Claw Featherlight, to Cabela's CGR Series, to Echo's new glass rods that just hit the market.  However, this new series from Green Caddis Outfitters has my attention.  This is the Green Caddis Outfitters "Ruby River Glass Rod".

While I am aware that this is not an american made custom glass rod, it appears to be a beautiful rod.  It comes in two different lightweight sizes great for my style of fishing and comes with a rod case.  (4) piece rod sells for $119.00.  So it fits in the right price range for me.  I will wait to see what the early reports are before I invest.

**Ok, here is the last Rock In My Pocket for today.  Now, I have been somewhat slow to adjust to the crazy weather pattern and get out there and fish, but, I can share with you some fishing "tidbits".  I am going........................ Here is a couple of reasons why I get excited about stalking the ponds in my area.  How about a 19" Crappie? Wouldn't that make you a bit giddy?  Not a rumor!  Then there was this guy (meaning the fish) that charged out of the water just yesterday and nailed a small trout being reeled in from shore on one of my local ponds.  Fish also has been verified, no rumor!  My Grandson was fishing with his buddy, Marcos.  Marcos did it up well!

This is a 35" Pike

Looks like I had better be tying up some big ol' nasty Streamers.

This fish was released to swim again!!