Some time back I started offering for sale both the 6'6" and 7' models of the Eagle Claw Featherlight fly rods which I feel are a great exposure to what a fiberglass fly rod is without much expense.
Last month I sent five of the 6'6" 4/5 weight Featherlight fly rods over to Adam Maskew in Australia and last week he sent this dispatch and review of their first time out on the water with them.
Adam wrote... "I was super excited when I went to the post office last Thursday and became the holder of a very long box containing the four Eagle Claw Featherlight 4/5 weight 6’6” fly rods. The timing was right as we had a friend up and had planned to go to Rocky Pool, one of the permanent fresh water pools on the Gascoyne River, the following day. I quickly dug up my five weight fly reel and some small flies the kids had. I don’t usually fish this light but have been looking for a fun stick in this weight and something the kids could learn on too.
The smallest flies I had were tied on #8's and I had to make a detour on the out to get some 8 pound tippet so that I could tie the flies on. After the initial isn’t it strange seeing so much water in an arid environment we quickly strung up the Featherlight.
To say I was impressed with the little fibreglass rod is an understatement. I didn’t expect it to cast nearly so well as it handled the 5-10 knot winds well. Most importantly it was a delight to throw such a light line and fly. The spangled perch cooperated very nicely with over twenty fish bought to hand between myself and the two kids ranging from 4 – 8 inches. Also importantly the kids really liked using the little yellow stick as much as I did. One of the biggest surprises was that my wife, a long time ambivalent fisher, picked the rod up and had a crack as well. Thanks for providing some advice about these fun little sticks and sorting me out for them. I’m in the process of giving the other couple of sticks to friends and I’m sure they will have as much fun with them as I have."
If you are interested in a Featherlight of your own please check out the T.F.M. Store page and send an email to thefiberglassmanifesto@gmail.com to place an order.
Last month I sent five of the 6'6" 4/5 weight Featherlight fly rods over to Adam Maskew in Australia and last week he sent this dispatch and review of their first time out on the water with them.
Adam wrote... "I was super excited when I went to the post office last Thursday and became the holder of a very long box containing the four Eagle Claw Featherlight 4/5 weight 6’6” fly rods. The timing was right as we had a friend up and had planned to go to Rocky Pool, one of the permanent fresh water pools on the Gascoyne River, the following day. I quickly dug up my five weight fly reel and some small flies the kids had. I don’t usually fish this light but have been looking for a fun stick in this weight and something the kids could learn on too.
The smallest flies I had were tied on #8's and I had to make a detour on the out to get some 8 pound tippet so that I could tie the flies on. After the initial isn’t it strange seeing so much water in an arid environment we quickly strung up the Featherlight.
To say I was impressed with the little fibreglass rod is an understatement. I didn’t expect it to cast nearly so well as it handled the 5-10 knot winds well. Most importantly it was a delight to throw such a light line and fly. The spangled perch cooperated very nicely with over twenty fish bought to hand between myself and the two kids ranging from 4 – 8 inches. Also importantly the kids really liked using the little yellow stick as much as I did. One of the biggest surprises was that my wife, a long time ambivalent fisher, picked the rod up and had a crack as well. Thanks for providing some advice about these fun little sticks and sorting me out for them. I’m in the process of giving the other couple of sticks to friends and I’m sure they will have as much fun with them as I have."
If you are interested in a Featherlight of your own please check out the T.F.M. Store page and send an email to thefiberglassmanifesto@gmail.com to place an order.
11 comments:
Nice, you're going global.
Kevin...seems like that, eh? These fly rods, even with international shipping, are to cheap not to try.
Nice! I just aquired a 6'6" rod. I love glass, and I took it out twice already, although the cold PA winter is kicking my arse and no trout have been brought to hand yet. This rod casts pretty darn good! I threw everything from midges, weighted nymphs, scuds, even sculpins. Love it. Its gonna be my go-to small stream brookie rod this spring for sure.
By the way, my Ocean City #76 balances out this little rod just about perfectly.
I hope to one day take my Featherlight (and some other rods too) to Australia for some Barramundi fishing. I'm a bit saddened to know that it won't be the first Featherlight to see action down under.
Congrats on going global!
The Sasquatch...thanks for the update and I'd like to see what that Ocean City looks like on that outfit.
Jay...I want to see those photos when you do that too.
Funny, my first fly rod was an Eagle Claw, and after twenty years of fishing with much more expensive graphite rods I just bought another one. And though we're right in the middle of winter steelhead season, I can't stop thinking about fishing this thing to small resident trout in July. I cast it in the snow the other day to the cats, and we all loved it.
I'll take a picture of it when I get home tonight! It looks pretty tight. I'm hoping to get some form of trout on it this weekend, of course we just got hammered by some serious rains. Our limestoners should be at a great level by Saturday, though.
Peace,
Squatch
Charles...it's always good to know that I'm not the only one that gets giddy about picking up these gaudy yellow sticks over fly rods that cost ten times as much.
Squatch...good luck. I'll be looking forward to photos.
the 6'6" is the only one i haven't had a surreptitious meeting with at 3am in a walmart, yet. someday, in some forgotten corner of white trash paradise, my white (or yellow, i suppose) whale awaits.
part of the magic in a featherlight is aquiring them. the soul of the rod is imbued by what discount shop you find it in. i always look as i walk by the sprotting good section by looking for yellow rods longer than the shimano spincast combos. the 8'ers will be bent over at the ceiling, they're easy to spot.
gfen...I hear you on the "magic" of finding them where you least suspect it. Or you could just pick one up from your favorite dealer. Cough, cough...T.F.M... HA...
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