The Fiberglass Manifesto

Tuesday, June 2, 2026

GRAYWOLF RODS - The Rodmaker 24/7 Glass Spey Explained

In the latest email blast from Graywolf Rods this week, Shane Gray shared a recent 11' 5/6-weight Glass Spey build and even though I've been aware of this Rodmaker 24/7 blank, I hadn't seen one built up. I asked Shane to put together a few notes on this fiberglass two-hander blank since I figured that I couldn't be the only one who might be intrigued with this unique offering.

Shane wrote... "For the past couple of years I’ve been offering an 11' 5/6-weight fiberglass Glass Spey blank through my Rodmaker 24/7 line, and it has quietly become one of the most consistently loved blanks I sell. I’ve moved dozens of them now, and the feedback has been the same across the board: smooth, powerful, and a whole lot of fun to fish.

I figured it was time to share a little more about it with the T.F.M. crowd...

WHY I BUILT THIS BLANK
I wanted the Glass Spey to not be a novelty piece — something you could actually fish all day, travel with, and trust on real water. The result is an 11'0" 5/6-weight UNI S‑Glass, 5‑piece blank with a 325–400 grain window (add ~25 grains for Skagit). It’s compact, tough, and has that deep, honest load that makes glass Spey so addictive.

Each section is 29", so it packs into a 2.5" × 30" tube, which makes it a true travel rod. The ferrules are double‑reinforced, tip‑over‑butt style, and the blank weight comes in at 4.8 oz — light for glass in this category.

It’s available in brown or matte clear, and both finishes look great wrapped up."

HOW IT FISHES
This blank loads deep but recovers clean. It’s not a fast graphite rod pretending to be glass — it’s a real S‑Glass Spey that rewards timing and gives you that full‑rod bend you can feel right down into the cork. It handles compact Scandi and Skagit heads beautifully, and it has enough backbone to turn over real fishing tips without feeling clubby.

THE GRAYWOLF RODS BUILD
I also offer a finished Graywolf Rods build on this blank, and it’s become one of my favorite two‑handers to assemble. The build includes:

Red/orange silk wraps tipped black
Lemke LC25EX extended‑body seat
11" fore grip + 4 5/8" rear grip
Custom black cotton bag with a Cordura tube

It’s a clean, classic Spey look — nothing flashy, just well‑balanced and built to fish.

WHERE IT FITS
This rod shines for trout Spey, small steelhead, and any situation where you want to slow down and enjoy the cast. It’s forgiving, it’s durable, and it has that “Glass Grin Factor” that keeps people coming back to it.

I’ve been really happy with how this blank has been received, and I’m proud of how it performs on the water. If anyone in the T.F.M. community has been curious about glass in the two‑hand world, this is a great place to start."

Interested? Remember to use code "TFM15" on Graywolf Rods and Rodmaker 24/7 websites for 15% off your online order. Follow along on Facebook and Instagram for the latest shop news.

STEELHEAD TRAINING: Chrome Chum Salmon on the Swing

A shortie swing film from The Flyfish Journal that should some with a NSFW warning for language if you're pressing PLAY at the office or around the kids.

The Flyfish Journal continues to publish some of the very best content in print, online, and in film. Subscribe to the magazine and the YouTube channel if you don't already.

Monday, June 1, 2026

SKWALA - The Man & The Manifesto

The longer that I am into fly fishing, the more particular ethos, mantras, and manifestos make sense in how someone would approach different angling situations and preferences. Skwala's latest profile on guide Mark Raisler of Headhunters Fly Shop hits a lot of high points and I get it. Sign me up.

I've known Mark for years and I need to book a few days on the Mo with him. There's something special about Craiglandia and Mark and Headhunters Fly Shop are a huge part of that.

Visit the Skwala website for their latest offerings, jump down a rabbit hole in the Skwala Lounge, and click subscribe to their YouTube channel.

P.S. If you don't have a favorite Skwala retail partner nearby, making a purchase through the affiliate links in this post will put a few coins in the T.F.M. piggy bank. I appreciate the support. Thank you.

6 COOL THINGS - The Red, White & Blue Edition

This is going to be a summer of celebration with America's 250th anniversary and there have been some tastefully patriotic gear collections that have rolled out recently that are worth sharing. I've also included a flag company based in Charleston that are 100% American sourced and sewn.

SMITHEY NO. 11 AMERICAN ANNIVERSARY SKILLET

ABEL REELS, ROSS REELS & HATCH REELS

YETI - SUMMER ANTHEM COLLECTION

TURTLEBOX - AMERICANA BLUE COLLECTION

WOODLEY CO - AMERICA 250 COLLECTION

ALLEGIANCE FLAG SUPPLY - AMERICAN SEWN, AMERICAN FLOWN

What red, white, and blue gear has caught your eye? Email and let me know.

Sunday, May 31, 2026

YAMAME FLY RODS - Introducing "The Supernova"

If you are looking for something a bit different in the fiberglass fly rod realm, always consider giving a look at Yamame Fly Rods as Nico Vreugdenhil is always working on something, either on his own or in a collaboration with another esteemed fly rod builder.

Nico's latest is a 7'11" 4-weight that he's dubbed "The Supernova" and he's shared a few of the latest build images along with notes below.

Nice wrote... "The Supernova" is made of S-Glass and finished in a beautiful aubergine colour. Medium flex and powerful. So the name captures exactly everything in this design with power, craft, and galaxy...with a colour to match. I always say, the truth is in the detail."

Visit the Yamame Fly Rods website to learn more. The Supernova is able as a blank or finished build. Follow along with the latest shop news on Facebook and Instagram.

PROLIFIC NORTHWEST - Expectations vs. Reality

This short film from Prolific Northwest is just the reminder that we all need when it comes to fly fishing and trips, both near and far. There's some good life lessons in this one, too.

Check out the Prolific Northwest website and subscribe to the YouTube channel for more.

Friday, May 29, 2026

EMERGER FLY FISHING - On Craft, Design, Build, and On the Water

One of the highlights from being at the Fly Fishing Show in Denver earlier this year was spending quite a bit of time with Chris and Randi Freeman of Emerger Fly Fishing. After years of trading emails, text messages, and the occasional phone call, it was good to get to know them both better and to hear their plans for the future. Good gear, and this is some of the best, means so much more when there are good people behind it. If you follow on Instagram, we hinted at an upcoming collaboration recently that I hope we can share more on soon. The Retro Fly stamp came out SO good.

In the meantime, I thought it would be good to share some past T.F.M. posts that tell the story of Emerger Fly Fishing with background to share the process on how their side bags are made, design updates, and then of course, a couple of favorite fly fishing stories from the Driftless where the updated Cameron Side Bag (and Hybrid Wallet) came along for the trip.

THE STORY BEHIND THE CRAFT