# New Fly Rod



## Popperdave (Jul 9, 2016)

This is my latest build. It is built on the new Northfork Composite "Iconoglass" fiberglass rod blank. It's 8'6" 4 piece 8wt. Casting it over at the city park, it cast well. Not as fast as a good graphite but very manageable even in the wind. Much nicer than the old e glass rods. Definitely the best glass rod I've ever cast. Can't wait to get it out on the bay and see how it handles a nice Redfish or two.


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## Bird (May 10, 2005)

That white blank has a cool old school look to it. Nice.


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## bones72 (Oct 29, 2019)

You do some awesome work, that rod is beautiful.


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## Popperdave (Jul 9, 2016)

First Redfish on my new fly rod. The rod cast great, it cast much like a graphite rod but with a glass feel, nice and smooth. Managed to land 6 fish in the low slot range before the boat broke( bent prop shaft). We did manage to get back to the dock before the lower unit failed.
Hopefully we will be able to get out again soon.


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## ran.fisherman (Jul 17, 2020)

Popperdave said:


> First Redfish on my new fly rod. The rod cast great, it cast much like a graphite rod but with a glass feel, nice and smooth. Managed to land 6 fish in the low slot range before the boat broke( bent prop shaft). We did manage to get back to the dock before the lower unit failed.
> Hopefully we will be able to get out again soon.


Good catch Popperdave.


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## 348473 (Apr 12, 2017)

Popperdave check your private messages, thanks.

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## Thestork (Dec 4, 2018)

purdy.......do you make these to sell?

Love the cork...


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## Popperdave (Jul 9, 2016)

Yes I build custom fly rods. I build both fiberglass and graphite rods. Price is based on the cost of the materials. Blanks run from $100 to $500. As with all custom work you get to pick options. If interested PM me.


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## 348473 (Apr 12, 2017)

That one he has in the picture isn't for sale since I bought it! Thanks PopperDave. Looking at that redington reel. Can't wait until this weather is past us to get on them.


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## Bruce J (Jun 27, 2004)

How different does the rod feel in terms of weight compared to a graphite rod? Love the old school look. It reminds me of my first fly rod as a kid - a Sears or Shakespeare model with a red clicker reel. Still have the reel, but the rod disappeared a long time ago.


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## DoveBucket (Feb 7, 2019)

Nice set-up!


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## Popperdave (Jul 9, 2016)

The fiberglass rods tends to weigh slightly more than a graphite rod. This fiberglass rod weighed 6 oz..While my Sage One rod weighs 4.5 oz. The glass rod still balances well with the large arbor reels and you don't notice weight when you are fishing. I wouldn't let the weight difference be a deciding factor in trying a fiberglass rod.


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## 348473 (Apr 12, 2017)

Still waiting on .gov USPS for that rod. **** have all my setup just not the rod. USPS blows and wind has been perfect!!!


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## 348473 (Apr 12, 2017)

Got it thanks Dave. Now to get up on some fish!

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## Popperdave (Jul 9, 2016)

Don't forget to post up one your first fish.


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## 348473 (Apr 12, 2017)

Casts great. Messed with bass last evening. 8wt on bass lol. I will try reds, just troubleshooting trolling motor at the moment. Always some BS.

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## 348473 (Apr 12, 2017)

Popperdave said:


> Don't forget to post up one your first fish.


It's a start. First legit sight cast. Hooked.









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## Popperdave (Jul 9, 2016)

Great going, even a small tug on the line is better than no tug. Just weight until you hook into a 27# Red and he runs you into your backing.


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## karstopo (Jun 29, 2009)

Nice going! Redfish up shallow are a blast!


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## 348473 (Apr 12, 2017)

Thanks, small but learning alot, especially about how they look in the water. When I saw this guy i notice a handful of shrimp explode then saw him messing around and got him. spooked a real nice one just walking from the shoreline. they must feel your vibrations or something. This bigger fish zipped out then came back and almost beached himself. We locked eyes and he turned himself back around and bolted. Don't see this stuff cruise 40mph across the bay! I could do without the **** snakes though. Need to get my troll motor back in action too.


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## karstopo (Jun 29, 2009)

I probably see bait like shrimp getting pushed and spooked way more often than seeing the fish first. Lighting and water conditions rarely seem ideal for easily spotting the fish, but it is harder to miss the bait getting pushed around by a predator. 

Sight fishing redfish is a lot like still hunting or quietly stalking something like a whitetail deer or an elk. Things can go horribly wrong in either case in spite of every conceivable precaution, but sometimes it all comes together.


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## Popperdave (Jul 9, 2016)

When I wade fish I usually wade out to about knee deep water and then look back toward shore. The big thing is to move SLOW and to look for any signs of life. Bait jumping,wakes, tails. Then I look for movement, shape and color. It takes awhile to get to where you can spot a Redfish slow cruising. When i say slow, I mean real slow I usually only cover 100yds an hour wading. When fishing from a boat I only have about a 50% success rate on fish i see, the boat spooks them easily. While wade fishing i see less fish but I catch about 80% of them.
Once the water starts cooling off (october) the fish will start feeding more aggressively and they should be easier to spot and they tend to school up more and you will find them under birds also. Don't overlook Trout working under birds either they are a blast on a fly rod also.. You can usually get close enough with a good drift to reach them.. i like a pink and white clousers for them.
Just keep at it. It's not hard, it just takes practice and patience.
Good fishing.


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