Fibreglass Owners and Users.

[Mick G]

Time to wake up this topic again, so here goes.

For a short time in the 1960's, those lovely people Chapmans produced a small range of glass rods, on Sportex blanks, as alternatives to their split cane models. I picked up a Peter Stone Ledgerstrike on Ebay some years ago and paid more for carriage than the price of the rod !! I got round to stripping it down and rebuilding it about ten years ago and I still get it out, strap a Mitchell 300 onto it and have fun, mostly free lining.

More recently, I was given by a long time retired rep' friend of mine a new, untouched Sportex 14 foot match rod blank. Being very busy fishing Scottish lochs for trout, rather than consign the blank to store, I turned it into a dapping rod, and what fun that turned out to be !!! I got lots of strange looks, and remarks, from anglers around me, nearly all standing up in their boats attempting to cast to the far horizon, while I sat comfortably and let the wind do the casting and the soft rod do the playing.

Tight lines all !!!

Mick G

[SeanM]

There's only one glass rod that I miss and that is an ABU Ledgerlite that I used for roach fishing until it was stolen along with all the rest of my gear in 1989. I had roach to well over 2lb on it and it was just perfect.

If anyone sees one then give me a shout. I think it was the Ledgerlite 101.

[RobTheRake]

There's only one glass rod that I miss and that is an ABU Ledgerlite that I used for roach fishing until it was stolen along with all the rest of my gear in 1989. I had roach to well over 2lb on it and it was just perfect.

If anyone sees one then give me a shout. I think it was the Ledgerlite 101.

I too had one of those, Sean. I remember a pal turning up to watch during a tench-fishing session, so I lent him the rod for a spot of margin float fishing and he retired to the next peg.
After a little time had passed, he shouted "Got one!" and I looked round just in time to see him swinging out a tench of a pound or so with the rod bent in a ridiculous hoop.
The expected sound of splintering fibreglass never came - it's amazing what glass rods are capable of.

[Ljm183]

Here,s a couple of Sowerbutt,s glass rod,s i have
The Super @ 9ft a possible sportex blank ?



This one is a Glassprite De Luxe @ 12ft

[Kevanf1]

I have a number of glass rods. Some from way back that I bought new, some fairly recent purchases. I think my favourite has to be the Shakespeare Alpha (Polyestel) leger. I've had barbel up to 10lb on it and that rod coped perfectly. Yet, comparing it to modern rods 'designed' for barbel it should be rubbish as it only has a test curve of 1lb. I see so many barbel rods now at 1.75lb test curve and even 2lb and above!!! I used this rod on the Severn from Atcham (where I got the 10lb barbel) down to the Quatford area just below Bridgnorth. Ok, I can accept that maybe a slightly beefier rod might be needed for somewhere like the tidal Trent but elsewhere?

Anyway, I recently picked up another Alpha leger together with two Alpha (Polyestel again) float rods one with the rare softer tip section. I think the last time I used one of the leger rods was about 4 years ago but, it is always in the rod bag in case.

[Marc]

Hardy Marksman 13'. Wonderful trotting rod, bought for twenty quid about four months ago. The only thing that puts me off glass is the diamiter of the butt section. It's purely an aesthetic thing but I think the handle should be a certain width and the blank another. It just doesn't look right in the hand.

[PershoreHarrier]

I still have my Allcocks Billy Lane Combination Match Rod which I bought new in 1967/68 and which I use with a Match Aerial on one of the local ponds when fishing for roach. I fished the Norfolk Broads fairly extensively in the late 1960's for Bream and this was an ideal rod.

It derserves an outing this season so if something reasonable arrives on the bank with it I will put up a photo.

[OldFellah]

I have had a great many glass rods over the years but only really fell in love with two of them. I had a B and W mkiv carp that I used for carp, bass and even pollock (with an ambassadeur 5000 multiplier) and a Davenport and Fordham Clive Gammon bass rod that I used from the beach for mainly bass and even used it for pike where it was great for launching a dead bait a good distance. The worst rod I ever used was a glass fly rod (my first) made by Davenport and Fordham which I still own but have never been able to put a decent line with. Everyone who has tried it agree's - it is one awful rod.

[Aitch]

I have a Shakespeare Alpha match rod, Leeda 9' spinning rod, plus 3 fly rods (unused)... I like the action of glass rods... I used to have a nice collection of em years ago... my Gerry Savage S/U carp rods in red were the pride of my gear once upon a time... be worth a few bob nowadays... I also had the Sealey Octostrike, then sold that for the Blue Match.... both superb rods, but I'd have to say that the Octostrike was the better of the two....

[Macdescruple]

I use a trio of Shakespeare Alpha rods, the 13' Match, 9' Ledger and the 11' Carp all of which have served me well. I also have a sentimental attachment to a two piece ledger rod from Gerry's of Wimbledon that was given to me years and years ago. It is so soft you can practically tie it in a knot but its fun for smaller species.