Fibreglass rods

Does anyone remember the Fibreglass rods coming out it was the new rod material back in the day. I never had one but a lot of my mates did they would always want to show me how bendy it was by bending the tip round to meet the butt, I don’t think they lasted long and Fibreglass started being used more for tips. The other rod that was around when I was a youngster was a Tank aerial made into a rod with a cork handle. Not much around after the war and it was very much make do and mend.

Kirky's Dad wrote:

Does anyone remember the Fibreglass rods coming out it was the new rod material back in the day. I never had one but a lot of my mates did they would always want to show me how bendy it was by bending the tip round to meet the butt, I don’t think they lasted long and Fibreglass started being used more for tips. The other rod that was around when I was a youngster was a Tank aerial made into a rod with a cork handle. Not much around after the war and it was very much make do and mend.

Certainly recall tank aeriels being in use, I'm not old enough to recall fibreglass rods coming out as such but I do recall my first rod being a Milbro in a dull orange colour with "fibreglass" written in script at an angle just above the reel seat.

Googling the history of fibreglass rods kept me "busy" for an hour this afternoon

Notbad wrote:

Kirky's Dad wrote:

Does anyone remember the Fibreglass rods coming out it was the new rod material back in the day. I never had one but a lot of my mates did they would always want to show me how bendy it was by bending the tip round to meet the butt, I don’t think they lasted long and Fibreglass started being used more for tips. The other rod that was around when I was a youngster was a Tank aerial made into a rod with a cork handle. Not much around after the war and it was very much make do and mend.

Certainly recall tank aeriels being in use, I'm not old enough to recall fibreglass rods coming out as such but I do recall my first rod being a Milbro in a dull orange colour with "fibreglass" written in script at an angle just above the reel seat.

Googling the history of fibreglass rods kept me "busy" for an hour this afternoon

Did you find anything interesting?

Quite a lot about them on the web KD

Fibre in the UK but Fiber in the US

As a materiel it was identified in the 1800s but a way to produce it in quantity was only discovered by chance in the 1930s/1940s.
(Details vary a bit
on the web entries I found)

The initial use on a fishing rod was when a resourceful chap repaired his fly rod with fibreglass, Shakespeare were early on scene with a rod in production.

Initial solid rods later developed into hollow designs.


Wonder if in years to come someone will ask on here " Do you remember graphene rods coming out?"

My first rod had a "Greenhart tip"two bottom sections were cane with a cork butt. (12th birthday present)
The reel was like a fly reel made out of base metal with a clicker ratchet.For a long cast,I had to pull line out between each rod ring and let the loops go when I cast.
I've got a couple of fibreglass rods,they are handy when there is a chance of lightening.
The rolls royce of rods for years were built cane rods,and old guy gave me two carp rods he had had for years.
I have an antique built cane fly rod that I haven't tried yet.

Notbad wrote:

Quite a lot about them on the web KD

Fibre in the UK but Fiber in the US

As a materiel it was identified in the 1800s but a way to produce it in quantity was only discovered by chance in the 1930s/1940s.
(Details vary a bit
on the web entries I found)

The initial use on a fishing rod was when a resourceful chap repaired his fly rod with fibreglass, Shakespeare were early on scene with a rod in production.

Initial solid rods later developed into hollow designs.


Wonder if in years to come someone will ask on here " Do you remember graphene rods coming out?"

Thanks for that I suppose if you live long enough most things become antique or historic in some way.

VALVEBOUNCE wrote:

My first rod had a "Greenhart tip"two bottom sections were cane with a  cork butt. (12th birthday present)
The reel was like a fly reel made out of base metal with a clicker ratchet.For a long cast,I had to pull line out between each rod ring and let the loops go when I cast.
I've got a couple of fibreglass rods,they are handy when there is a chance of lightening.
The rolls royce of rods for years were built cane rods,and old guy gave me two carp rods he had had for years.
I have an antique built cane fly rod that I haven't tried yet.

After my first attempts with the rod my Dad’s friend gave me I bought a split cane rod it really was a lovely rod the workman ship in it was next to none all varnished I had it for years. Saved up and bought it out of my pocket money if I remember rightly it cost £5.15s which was a lot of money the my Dad would be on about £10 a week.

Kirky's Dad wrote:

VALVEBOUNCE wrote:

My first rod had a "Greenhart tip"two bottom sections were cane with a  cork butt. (12th birthday present)
The reel was like a fly reel made out of base metal with a clicker ratchet.For a long cast,I had to pull line out between each rod ring and let the loops go when I cast.
I've got a couple of fibreglass rods,they are handy when there is a chance of lightening.
The rolls royce of rods for years were built cane rods,and old guy gave me two carp rods he had had for years.
I have an antique built cane fly rod that I haven't tried yet.

After my first attempts with the rod my Dad’s friend gave me I bought a split cane rod it really was a lovely rod the workman ship in it was next to none all varnished I had it for years. Saved up and bought it out of my pocket money if I remember rightly it cost £5.15s which was a lot of money the my Dad would be on about £10 a week.

Those split cane rods were a work of art like you said.The flyrod I have is light weight,I stripped it and used french polish,and replaced all the antique spiral rings.I bought two fly reels and they are loaded up ready to go.(last time I went lure fishing for pike,I ended up with tennis elbow) (casters elbow Haha.)

VALVEBOUNCE wrote:

Kirky's Dad wrote:

VALVEBOUNCE wrote:

My first rod had a "Greenhart tip"two bottom sections were cane with a  cork butt. (12th birthday present)
The reel was like a fly reel made out of base metal with a clicker ratchet.For a long cast,I had to pull line out between each rod ring and let the loops go when I cast.
I've got a couple of fibreglass rods,they are handy when there is a chance of lightening.
The rolls royce of rods for years were built cane rods,and old guy gave me two carp rods he had had for years.
I have an antique built cane fly rod that I haven't tried yet.

After my first attempts with the rod my Dad’s friend gave me I bought a split cane rod it really was a lovely rod the workman ship in it was next to none all varnished I had it for years. Saved up and bought it out of my pocket money if I remember rightly it cost £5.15s which was a lot of money the my Dad would be on about £10 a week.

Those split cane rods were a work of art like you said.The flyrod I have is light weight,I stripped it and used french polish,and replaced all the antique spiral rings.I bought two fly reels and they are loaded up ready to go.(last time I went lure fishing for pike,I ended up with tennis elbow) (casters elbow Haha.)

That’s not nice and quite painful.