[Dave Olley]

Hi
Does anyone know where I can source some fibreglass fly rod blanks?
I have just built a couple of coarse fishing rods on glass blanks and I love the smooth feel of them, especially playing fish.
I have built rods in Carbon and bamboo so would like to try one on a decent quality glass blans.
Anyone know if they are still available?
Thanks
Dave

[Sandy Nelson]

Dave

I would think Lamiglas, would be your best bet.
Plenty of suppliers stateside, i belive, not sure about the UK though.
There was a company years ago, cant remember their name off hand, will think about it and see.

Scott and winston do as well, but can't find the blanks for sale anywhere.

Still i remember Lamiglas, being quite well regarded and decent value.

Sandy

[Dave Olley]

Hi Sandy
Thanks for that.
I don't think that Lamiglas do glass fly blanks anymore.
I bought the coarse blanks from Cono-flex but they don't do fly blanks.
The only one I have found are in the States and made by Steffan Brothers. They are not particularly cheap at $120.00 but they get very good reviews so I might try one of theirs. The longest / heaviest they do is an 8' for a 4wt. Sounds about right.
Dave

[Dutchfly]

Hi Dave,

In the States Diamondback sells fibreglass blanks but I don't know who imports them in the UK. http://www.diamondbackflyrods.com/pages/blanks.php

Good luck,

Jeroen

[Dave Olley]

Seems I was wrong as I have located some lamiglas blanks.
The blanks from Steffan Bros. do look kind of nice though

[Rob Brownfield]

I did not know Conoflex where still doing glass blanks..I had a pair of fast taper 3 pound TC Pike rods and a pair of slow taper 2.5 tc carp rods I built when I first moved to scotland 25 years ago. Would love to get the fast action rods again, they put a bait miles!

There are a few Fibatube blanks still kicking around..could try Somers???

[Dave Olley]

Hi Rob
I was talking to Conoflex this morning and they will still make up glass blanks to order.
I think that there is a good chance that they could supply what you wanted.
They are doing a 12" fast taper 3lb blank for just over 50.00
I have just built a pair of rods on 11' 1.75tc blanks and they are very very nice. The next project is what they call a trotter blank which is and 11.6" 1.25TC Avon style rod.
They have also offered to make up a 9' 4wt fly blank for around 25.00 so looks like I get my wish.
Worth giving them a shout on  http://www.conoflex.co.uk/freshwater-rods.htm
Dave

[Mike Barrio]

Hi Dave

That's going to be interesting ..... What do you think the benefits of a fibreglass blank might be?

I just love it when somebody gets down and does something different

Best wishes
Mike

PS: You gonna buy that pontoon boat from me, it's in the for sale section

[Dave Olley]

Get thee behind me satan (or mike in this case) Let me have a ponder and sort out my finances

Regarding the fibreglass rod I am not sure. The coarse rods I have made up are very nice. Through action and very smooth. The only penalty I can see is slightly more weight and a fatter blank dia. This doesn't really matter for these rods as they spend most of their lives sitting in a rod rest.
It might however be a problem for a flyrod. Talking to Conoflex this morning the dia. of the blank at the butt is likely to be around 17mm which is a bit big, in fact it would be difficult to find a reelseat with an ID to fit (other than a Fuji which TBH i don't have too much of a problem with) The cork grip would also need an excessive amount of reaming as well, I job I don't enjoy at the best of times. I would expect the action to be slow, almost on a par with bamboo so you might get the sweet slow action without the hefty price tag. That's the thought anyway. The Steffan Bros blank from the States seems to be a higher modulus more advanced blank and may be worth the extra money but I think I will try the conoflex first just for the craic , it would be cheap enough it it doesn't work.
Hope to get over to see you soon, it's my birthday next week so who knows

[Sandy Nelson]

I would expect the action to be slow, almost on a par with bamboo

Whose bamboo  .

Did you know that fibreglass is generally a lower modulus than bamboo

Sandy

[Dave Olley]

Sandy, i wouldn't dare argue 

[Sandy Nelson]

awe more's the pity.

I just thought it was an interesting piece of trivia. Fibreglass replaced bamboo, because it was cheaper not necessarily better
So much, like much in life these days

Sandy

[Rob Brownfield]

Dave,
Thats interesting about the 3lb blanks..because I well remember the cost of the blanks way back in about 1985/86..they where £43 each! £7 in 20+ years aint too bad

I use cane and fibreglass blanks for stalking carp, and the reason is the action. It bends and bends and you just clamp up on the centrepin and hold. They will stop fish in there tracks without locking up or exploding

For years I used 1.25tc rods from North Western and they where a dream to play carp, tench and barbel on. I then stepped up to the 1.75 version for bigger carp. In 1910 I got a pair of the Carbon versions of the 1.75 and although they outcast the glass versions by some way, they just did not have that "feel" about them when playing fish.

As for glass fly rods, I think the advantage comes with short light line rods..say a 7 foot 3 weight. The natural weight of the blank allows the rod to flex more thus making short casts on small rivers easy. With a carbon rod you frequently have to arialise more line or over line the rod to get it to work close in.

I think glass still has a place in fishing, both fly and otherwise, as does cane.

[Dave Olley]

In 1910 I got a pair of the Carbon versions

They must have been some of the earlier carbon blanks then, made from coal?   

[Sandy Nelson]

He's just showing his age, Dave