Modern Rods

Sixty years ago, traditional split cane rods dominated fly fishing.  But over the next twenty years, fiberglass rods took the lion's share of the market from cane.  The new material was tougher, cheaper, and more amenable to mass production.  Eventually, the large production cane shops were gone.  Yet a small core of dedicated craftsmen persevered with split cane and founded the bamboo Renaissance that grows to this day.  Thirty years ago, the tide turned again and graphite took the market from fiberglass.  However, just like glass never completely replaced cane, graphite never completely replaced glass.

Just like split cane, fiberglass rods are entering a Renaissance.  For the fiberglass fly rod fanatic, times are good and getting better.  The companies now working with fiberglass do it because they are proud of their products.  They all consider fiberglass an excellent material for fine fly rods.  As a result, modern production fly rods may be the best ever produced in glass.  And there really aren't any dogs out there.  Better still, new companies are experimenting with glass so this list of manufacturers just might grow.

This is the index of Modern Rod makers:  There is a link to a Wiki page on each of the (known) modern makers/manufacturers of fiberglass flyrods.  Each of these makers has full control over the manufacture of their blanks and other production methods.  This is not a listing of custom rod makers building on pre-made blanks.  The rods are listed inroughly increasing order of cost.  Most of these makers also sell unfinished rod blanks.  Interestingly, of the manufacturers listed, only Lamiglas and Wright & McGill were producing fiberglass when it dominated the market.

Eagle Claw Rods Wright & McGill has made Featherlight rods for 40+ years, but currently has only two models

Lamiglas Rods makes the Spring Creek rods and is still making their traditional honey colored rod blanks

Diamondglass Rods further US production of Diamondglass rods is questionable.  However, I'm told Cortland still has most Diamondglass rods and blanks in stock.

Steffen Brothers Rods  a custom rodmaker rolling his own S-glass.  A Steffen Brothers rod can be made in almost any configuration desired

McFarland Rods  a custom rodmaker working with E-glass.  A McFarland rod can be made in almost any configuration desired

TL Johnson Fly Rods builds the Synergy Glass series of rods

Scott Rods  the Scott F series is a series of well regarded light glass rods

Thomas & Thomas made the Heirloom rods, a series of five, three piece rods, however, this line is currently not in production and might not be resumed

Japanese Fiberglass Flyrods  Some very fine rods are produced in Japan

Much of the information on these Wiki pages was adapted from the rod maker's websites, with their kind permission.

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