The most innovative fly rod........

[briansII]

.......of our generation, and it doesn't come from Sage.



We all missed out on the opportunity to be a part of fly fishing history. The donation period has ended, and they achieved their goal. I'm crushed......but we can send in pre-orders.

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-m ... -pre-order

Who's going to be the first kid on the block to have this revolutionary rod.

Since I'm not buying any gear this year, I can't order one until 2014.

briansII

[darrin terry]

Funny how they hype the crap out of it without saying anything of importance about why it is supposed to by better. The funky new fangled grip must make it better. Hmmm. There may be something to this…you might want to tell Randy about it.

[Pete]

For a traditional builder, like me, it is hard to look at. But, new innovations don't come without pushing the limits into uncharted territories.

Can't see myself giving up on my glass and grass just yet though.

Pete

[darrin terry]

I went to the Arctic Silver website to get a little more info. Looking at the vid, the grip looked like it might allow the rod to flex thru the grip better and according to the website, that is the intent. Supposed to allow better power loading of the rod due to no glue and with less effort. Interesting idea that makes some sense. Still, I don't see a new rod company making it work on their own. Too many well established players out there, I think.

[WanderingBlues]

I'd donate if they were a video production company. They have that down pat!

[lucfish]

I don't get it. To me that grip looks very uncomfortable. How much farther could this possibly cast? And how much farther do you need to cast? Match a good rod with the right line and you should be able to cast all you need, if not, it's not the rod.

[briansII]

Bah! All the skeptics will be assimilated once this design masterpiece hits the market. The Sages, Winstons, Scotts, etc., will be left to catch up. It will dominate the 5 wt/8 wt Shootouts(once Yellowstone Angler gets exclusive rights to sell them)for years to come. It will make the average caster into Steve Rajeff.

Or not.

briansII

[fly addict]

When it comes to casting, it's not about the rod! A good caster can make any rod work. A lousy caster with a great rod will still be a lousy caster.

[Dry Fly Rie]

When it comes to casting, it's not about the rod! A good caster can make any rod work. A lousy caster with a great rod will still be a lousy caster.

So what if you're like me; a lousy caster with a bad rod?
I guess there's no hope for me.

[briansII]

Looks like they borrowed their reel design from....



And their groundbreaking grip from......



Truly innovative stuff!

briansII

[FlyinFish]

I have a better idea for getting a more "thru-grip" design that will give you more feel and keep the action of the rod more uniform... Just take a blank and wrap it with bicycle grip tape... No glue, no stiff cork, enough thickness for ergo, soft, grippy, and flexible. No?

[charlie]

The reel looks like a mouth screaming. Maybe Edvard Munch influence? Are the batteries rechargeable?

[fly addict]

When it comes to casting, it's not about the rod! A good caster can make any rod work. A lousy caster with a great rod will still be a lousy caster.

So what if you're like me; a lousy caster with a bad rod?
I guess there's no hope for me.

There is always hope, it depends on how much you want to improve. Take lessons, and practice, and you will get better. Becoming a better caster will improve your distance and accuracy with less effort on your part. It will also give you the opportunity to make presentations to fish in places most people pass on. And maybe catch a few more fish. Jim (Wildman) took the time to learn to cast. His casting improved along with the number of fish he catches.

[briansII]

On a more serious note. I do appreciate the forward thinking folks, who come up with things like this. It's one thing to have an idea. It's another to see it through on a finished product of this scale. Respect to them.

I've mulled this subject over before. Not on fly rods, but some conventional bass rods I had built. The handle length can vary a lot, and I wondered how it would effect the action. Is the lower section not meant to be a part of the rod's action. I never did get a solid answer. So I wonder if the fly rod makers design their rod tapers, with the grip as part of the equation. My guess is yes, how could they not. If so, then how is this new grip going to be "a better mouse trap". I'd be curious to do a side by side test.....or at least read one. I'm guessing it will feel different.

briansII

[Jimbo Roberts]

Paint me skeptical for several reasons.

First most modern rods designed for casting great distances have relatively fast actions and stiff butt sections.
For this concept to work the butt section must flex significantly to release any power in the casting stroke.
I can only see any advantage when one is casting great distances with a slower action rod. Spey casting for salmon maybe, but I can't see much advantage for more mainstream flyfishing.

Most of my flyfishing for Trout is done at 40' or less. I have no trouble casting these distances and really easily double that. The most modern evolution of flyfishing is the Czech/French nymphing where everything is at close range. I too am in the close as possible flyfishing camp.

I also believe that technique trumps tech when it comes to casting.

Jimbo