Do Fly Rods Degrade with Age?

[Skook]

Hello,

I am looking to add a few more fly rods to my quiver, and I often see older, classic, used rods (SP, RPL, GLX, G Series, etc.) for sale at decent prices. Some of these rods are probably close to 30 years old or more. I usually find these older rods to suit my casting style and ability as good as, or better than, many modern rods.

Does rod blank material such as graphite degrade over time? How about the thread wraps and epoxy? I could be very content saving money by purchasing these time-tested rods, but I don't want to waste money on rods that might not have much life left in them, either.

Thanks.

 

[IdahoBeav]

They will be fine as long as they were not subjected to long periods of sunlight or moisture. However, ferrule technology has increased much since 30 years ago. The old ones won't fit together as tightly as a new high end rod, and this affects rod action, especially on an old 4-pc rod.

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[Ferrulewax]

Another thing to be on the lookout for is rod warranties. I have a bad habit of breaking rods as of recent, and replacemnt polices have saved my butt. I typically think it’s worth buying new for that reason. Otherwise you shouldn’t have any issues with old rods as long as they are taken care of. As graphite is used and flexed they tend to become slightly softer but that shouldn’t be a big issue. My Dads SP 865 one of the nicest casting rods I’ve used.

 

[Skook]

Thanks. So, let's say for about the same money, would you rather buy and fish a classic Sage RPL or a new Asian-made Orvis Clearwater? How about a new TFO vs. a well-loved GLX? A new Hyundai Tuscon, or a 15-year-old 4Runner, lol?

Usually, the answer is you need to cast them all to know for sure, but it's not really practical to cast all sorts of rods, especially when I see and old rod for sale on the Internet that is located halfway across the country.

 

[IdahoBeav]

I'm a rod snob, but if I were shopping with that budget, I would go with new Echo or Redington, and based purely on functionality, I would choose them over 20-30 year-old Orvis, Sage, etc.

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[Mtnmilsurp]

My primary fly rod is a Sage 5wt I bought in 1997. It still looks and casts like new. I would say if it has the original cork handle that would degrade faster than any of the carbon fiber due to exposure to water and sun. I also have a cheap graphite rod I got back in the 80s that doesn’t look new and needed repairs. I’ve replaced the cork and reel seat with higher quality upgrades which were inexpensive projects.

Used values are probably close to what I paid new on that Sage ($225). It’s definitely a dry fly rod. A newer rod of the same weight would be a little stiffer and throw nymph rigs a little better but I do just fine with it and haven’t even considered upgrading. If I did get a new rod it would be to go from 2 piece to 4 piece for pack ability. 4 piece rods used to be less common for graphite rods.

A lot depends on how they were stored and cared for.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Thanks. So, let's say for about the same money, would you rather buy and fish a classic Sage RPL or a new Asian-made Orvis Clearwater? How about a new TFO vs. a well-loved GLX? A new Hyundai Tuscon, or a 15-year-old 4Runner, lol?

Usually, the answer is you need to cast them all to know for sure, but it's not really practical to cast all sorts of rods, especially when I see and old rod for sale on the Internet that is located halfway across the country.

Personally, I’d buy the new cheaper ones with hood warranties. Todays cheap rods have better technology than top of the line stuff from years ago.

Get something with a good warranty, use it hard and don’t worry about it. Send it in when you break it.

 

[Mtnmilsurp]

One other thing, when it came time to buy rods for my sons I looked hard at classics like my Sage but the new Reddingtons are so good that that’s what I went with. Lifetime warranty…

 

[thinhorn_AK]

One other thing, when it came time to buy rods for my sons I looked hard at classics like my Sage but the new Reddingtons are so good that that’s what I went with. Lifetime warranty…

Sage went back on their lifetime warranty. Even rods sold with a lifetime warranty won’t be honored. I’d not drop a dime on a sage rod.

Reddinton, echo, st croix, moonshine, etc all have rods that fish well and are covered by a good warranty.

 

[Skook]

I was somewhat of a rod snob back in the 1990s and early 2000s when I first began buying my own fly rods, as opposed to borrowing my dad's rods from the 1960s.

Now, with top-of-the-line rods costing $1,000 plus, I just don't see the value in it. If I can get 90% of the performance for 30% of the price (especially considering the limits of my abilities), I feel better about my purchase. Years ago, I was more interested in owning the latest and greatest rod.

Saving $500-$700 per rod pays for a couple nights in a cheap hotel and a drift boat guide for a day.

 

[hiker270]

Yellowstone Angler puts out some interesting info. on fly rods. They call it their Fly Rod Shootout and test 15-20 rods. Its worth while checking out.

 

[Ferrulewax]

Thanks. So, let's say for about the same money, would you rather buy and fish a classic Sage RPL or a new Asian-made Orvis Clearwater? How about a new TFO vs. a well-loved GLX? A new Hyundai Tuscon, or a 15-year-old 4Runner, lol?

Usually, the answer is you need to cast them all to know for sure, but it's not really practical to cast all sorts of rods, especially when I see and old rod for sale on the Internet that is located halfway across the country.

Some of the lower price offerings are really good, but they’ve all crept up price wise in the last few years. Some solid rods in the lower end that I’ve liked are the sage foundation (warranty sketches me out though now), the orvis clearwater, Echo has some nice rods, and I’ve been fairly impressed with my redingtons as well but after their recent warranty change I’m about out on them. If I were making a stable of lower end rods right now I would probably have mostly clearwater, echo and TFO. The nice thing about Echo is that they make purpose specific tapers but at a lower pricepoint.

 

[Seeknelk]

Well, i don't think they degrade but they sure have advanced a decent amount. But any top end sage or Loomis from 10-15 years ago will still be a great stick. But I've had a 9 1/2 ft sage XP 5 wt since 06. Been my main rod and was warranted a couple times for $50( fixed each time not replaced). But I got a 9 ft 5 wt. Fenwick Aetos and it's far lighter and overall I like more than the old XP. The XP could always dig deep and give more than most 5 wts so I forgave it's weight but this Aetos is just too nimble to ignore. Aetos was pretty cheap and they warranty replaced it once.
Edit to add...I DO think they soften up with lots of use.

 

[Goatboy22]

Old fly rods are junk! Send me any Sage LL's, old Scott G's or those old Orvis bamboo POS's so I can stake up my tomatoes with them. I will even pay for the shipping!

 

[roadrunner]

Old fly rods are junk! Send me any Sage LL's, old Scott G's or those old Orvis bamboo POS's so I can stake up my tomatoes with them. I will even pay for the shipping!

How do you really feel? Bit confused with the mixed messages...

 

[MTtrout]

I haven’t bought a fly rod in a couple years and never owned one from back in the ~90s that you mentioned. I would focus on the rods that fit your fishing style and casting abilities first. I have sage, orvis, TFO, eco, fenwick, Scott, and an old south bend rod. Plus a nice bamboo rod my friend made me. Some of my rods fit me more than others. Try them first before you buy