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| A Roll of Graphite Material Ready for Use in the Manufacture of Fly Fishing Rods |
Of the huge array of fly rods available on the market today those manufactured from graphite materials are the most modern and widely used by fly fishermen the world over. Before the development and introduction of graphite as a fly rod manufacturing material fly rods were either made from bamboo or fiberglass materials. Although some fly rods are still made from bamboo and fiberglass materials today those that use them are very much in the minority.
Brief History
Some time around the early nineteen seventies the first graphite fly fishing rods became available on the market and with this introduction of graphite and other similar materials the whole fly rod manufacturing industry began to change. To the delight of fly fishermen everywhere fly rods were now becoming much lighter and could be designed with a whole range of stiffer tapers which meant that more and different actions than ever before were now a possibility. With the improved look and feel of the superior fly rods made from this new material it is no wonder then that a graphite fly rod is the first choice for the majority of fly fishermen these days.
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| A Step in the Graphite Fly Rod Manufacturing Process |
Graphite Fly Rod Technology
Graphite manufacturing technologies have of course advanced since those first graphite fly rods were introduced in the seventies and indeed continue to advance and develop all the time. Without getting technical the basic difference between the different types of graphite available today boils down to weight. Some graphite materials are heavier than others. The lighter the graphite the more it costs to manufacture and not surprisingly the more expensive will be the fly rod made from it.
When looking into purchasing a graphite fly rod you will almost certainly hear the term 'modulus' used in one way or another to describe the rod or more precisely the graphite that the fly rod is made from. Again I wont get technical here but in simple terms the higher the modulus rating the stiffer the graphite fiber and hence the less it will naturally flex. In fly rod terms this means that a rod made from a very high modulus graphite will be a stiff fast action rod whereas a lower graphite modulus will produce a more flexible fly rod with a medium action.
Buying A Graphite Fly Rod
You will surely find when shopping around for a graphite fly rod for your fishing that graphite fly rod prices span a very wide range. Most of the time you will find that the very lightest rods are the most expensive and that the heavier the rod gets the less it will cost to buy. You may find that some of the cheaper rods can weigh up to as much as twice that of the most expensive equivalent rod! Choosing the right fly rod can then be tricky. This is not to say that the cheaper graphite fly rods are inferior due to their weight - any rod made from graphite materials will be light in the hand.
One thing to watch out for if you are looking at buying a low price graphite fly rod is the quality of the finish. Sometimes manufacturers may compromise on the quality of the components and finishes used on their graphite blanks in order to compete in the low budget fly rod market. It is possible that you could get a very nice graphite fly rod but with a reel seat, line guides and wrappings that won't stand the test of time! Sometimes it is just the case that you get what you pay for.
How Graphite Fly Rods Are Made
