# Carbon versus Fiberglass fishing rods



## ArWeTherYet (Mar 25, 2007)

Hi all
Wondering if anyone has an opinion or experience with high end fibreglass blanks versus carbon blanks. I can see the benefits of carbon rod for cast and retrieve especially when using light gear, but for live baiting and using heavier gear would a high quality glass rod be better?.....especially for kayak fishing where the extra fleck you get could be of some benefit when the fish is in close. :?


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## spooled1 (Sep 16, 2005)

Ay Paul,
The custom snapper stick I had made up last year is a high end glass composite and is as tough as nails. As an SP flicker running 20lb Tufline on a 2500 spin reel it generates a great cast using 1/6 and 1/4oz jigheads. It's got the softness of glass with the power of carbon.

This autumns multipurpose rod for flicking 1/2-1oz jigheads and also livebaiting tuna and cobes is also a composite. This rod had similar traits to the snapper stick in that it loads up like a jig stick but is more forgiving than carbon. When I landed that 20kg cobe and that big longtail the rod was almost bent end to end at times. Best thing was they were short fights on 30lb braid with the cobe taking less than 20 minutes and the tuna about 7-8 minutes.

Here's some footage of a stonker longtail I dropped on this rod to show you how a good composite stick can load up: 




In December I snapped a glass composite rod with a higher carbon blend on the first fish. This rod was pretty amazing but the fish was a 70kg bronzie and I high sticked it a bit too heavily at the side of the yak. The cobe/tuna rod I have now is the replacement for the busted one and is a better blank for my style.

I personally rate the latest composite technology higher than carbon for the yak because its more versatile, hardier and more forgiving when it comes to high sticking.


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## Feral (Oct 18, 2008)

I use them in heavier grades (4 to 8 kilo) on the yak when Cod fishing, to heavy to cast all day though.Mainly because I'm not game to use my egrell's on the yak, but the composites do a good job.


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## ArWeTherYet (Mar 25, 2007)

Sorry for my tardy reply

Feral I bet you didnt get the Egrell from Kmart :shock:

Thanks for that detailed reply Dan. But I guess even composite has its limitations.

I ended up with a Tenryu Oceania full glass rod (240 grams) as the equivalent to a composite was a little harder to get hold of.......and now having it I'm very happy with the purchase. A very nice well made rod. I Wanted something short and bendy for live baiting and this seems the goods.....pity I'm not worthy.


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## DougOut (Dec 31, 2006)

spooled1 said:


> more forgiving when it comes to high sticking.


 glad you mentioned "high sticking" Dan. 8) 
There's a lesson within for all yak fishers using carbon rods.
Note the modified tip(white circle)of a carbon rod I used offshore in my previous yak.  
_Keep those carbon rods out at arms-length (and on the opposite side)
when the fish is yak-side people._


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## kas (May 5, 2009)

Been looking into a solid glass rod for trolling & live bait purposes & have come across a super short & soft rod from Pioneer. I know that they are not the bees knees of rods or brands but this little bugger has some juice behind it. Loads up well & the best pert of it is, is that you do not feel the laod anywhere near as much as what you would with some of the other rods I have played with in store. I was literally asked to break it & as much as I tried, it held up with the tip almost comming back to the butt. I really felt that the not feeling so much pressure from the rod was a good thing & think that this can be a big bonus when fishing of a yak, although it would make it harder to play a solid fish out by being on the softer side. What do you boys find suits you in terms of a rods stiffness when playing with larger palagics?

Unfortunately though the componenets on the rod are pretty average off the shelf. A guy I know has stripped & rebuilt one useing top shelf gear & all at a cost of around $280.00 including the rod which retails for around $40.00 odd.
Might give it a whirl & if it's no good I could allways strip it down & reuse the components for another rod.


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## rastus (Mar 2, 2010)

Hey rarther than start a new thread. 
I'm looking for a shorter rod to match up with me inshore baitcaster say the 10-15 kg that is more robust that the graphite carbon rods. Been to the tackle shop tonight and they have bugger all glass rods and all the handles are to bulky and the graphite feel to soft/light I would not feel confident leaving them in the holder with a live bait on the end. Is here something I should be looking out for?


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## ArWeTherYet (Mar 25, 2007)

Kas you might be able to get a good quality blank and components from over seas cheaper than trying to do one up here. The Aussie dollar is starting to go up again. Ive spent thousands buying under $100 rods that are all either broken or sitting around gathering dust. I try now to do plenty of research and buy the right rod for the job. I only have a few rods that I use, none are top shelf, but they all do a pretty good job and most importantly they havent broken.
Rastus I use a 1.9mtr, 3-5kg, T-curve with my Revo. Usually use it for trolling for Snapper. Its caught plenty of fish and the occasional reef shark. Seems to be a good combination.
I prefer light rods with a fast action (dont like broom sticks) and generally match the weight with the size of fish I'm likely to catch, opposed to matching it with the fish I would like to catch. If you fish somewhere where fish are likely to reef you then a slower thicker rod may be better.


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