After using a couple different glass rods over the last few months, I decided it was time to pick one up for myself. I wanted a rod that was going to be versatile on different sized rivers while sticking with the deep loading nature of traditional glass. I’ve always told people the “F” in fiberglass stands for fun. For the older generations of fly anglers, glass is likely what they learned to fly fish on. For the younger generations of fly anglers, glass will differ significantly from the modern fast action graphite I learned on.
The Orvis Superfine Glass was the one of the first rods that came to mind as it’s what I would consider a “modern action” glass rod. This rod is by no means a noodle but there’s still a lot of feedback from the rod as it loads deeply through a variety of casting distances. I was torn between two sizes; the 476-3 and the 580-3. I use shorter 4 weight rods most often here in Utah but would that be enough rod for places like the Green, Henry’s Fork and larger Rocky Mountain rivers? After casting both sizes, I decided the 580-3 configuration would be just the ticket for a mix of larger rivers and smaller creek with good sized fish.
The 580-3 is still short enough that I can confidently cast on our smaller overgrown streams while still being stout enough to handle the periodic 18-20” fish. The additional length and increased backbone of the 5wt would also improve the rod’s ability to be fished from a drift boat, combat the wind and fish heavier rigs like a dry-dropper setup.
Since I’ve picked this rod up, I’ve used it on larger rivers, high elevation lakes and small creeks full of foam fly eating trout. This rod has outperformed my expectations and I’ve landed a wide variety of fish ranging from 8” brookies in high mountain lakes to 18” cutties that required delicate presentations and proper drifts.
If you’re interested in diving into the glass world, there are lots of options out there. There are glass rods available from most major manufacturers, custom rod builders and even your local Walmart but the Orvis Superfine Glass should definitely be considered by anglers of all backgrounds. Whether you’re chasing bass and panfish in the south or dry fly eating trout in the Rocky Mountains or Appalachia, this rod will put a smile on your face all day long.
For more info on the Orvis Superfine Glass check out the video below:
