That's great news.

My question, though: apart from mere reputation and anecdotal information, how will we know which high-functioning rods are also the toughest?

Why don't you do an article on it, Deeter? Maybe come up with a few standardized breakage tests, then apply them to all the new "tougher" rods. You can then help us separate the hype from the facts.

In 50 years of flyfishing I broke one rod - I lay it across the handlebars of my motorcycle and drove home from the Beaverkill in waders. The first sharp turn snaped the tip in half. The rod maker, the late Vince Cummings, made me a new tip and scolded me for ruining his handiwork. I have since given up motorcycles, my rods remain intact.

The rod companies need gimicks to make people buy new tackle. Once in a blue moon there is a meaningful improvement. Most of the time, its just PR. I am not aware that the graceful graphite rods of the 80's have been improved upon....you can buy them on e*** for under $100. they just don't help sell fishing magazines.

David Bershtein
www.fishingwithdaughters.com

I have always had a problem purchasing a rod with a lifetime guarantee. I look at it as spending $500 on a $250 rod with a warranty. I would rather have a manufacturer willing to repair a rod at a lessor price then sell me an insurance policy.

I have always thought G. Loomis had the market cornered on resin technology. They make a very strong rod with a hollow (sensitive) tip that appears very durable. (knock on wood).

I don't know if the new toughness will increase the bend, the load placed on a rod without breaking, OR, it will prevent the fractures that occurring from a hard object. A wt'd fly, or just a big hook fly can slam into a rod at high speed, and cause a fracture...then when the rod bends it breaks at that point, and the angler blames it on a mfg'er failure. I've seen anglers, mostly lure anglers driving down the road with the tips of their rods laying on the tailgate, and vibrating, going down the road. And if you are into casting for distance?...just look at the diameter of the rod tip. Rods that can layout line will have THIN rod tips...bigger diameter tips are heavier, and do not bend, and recover as fast as thinner, lighter tips. But thinner relates to easier to break from a ding as well. Ever see a fly guy thread the line through his rod, and then pull straight down trying to get the line out of the rod guides only bending the tip?! The rod depends on a HOOP bend to distribute the load, not just a crimp put on the thin tip. I had a sport sitting in the passenger seat with the rod straight up in the air trying to get line out of the rod guides, and when we stopped to fish he needed another rod to fish with...broke the tip section of his rod trying to get line out of the rod And another no no. You see salt water guys with their left hand(rt handed) up the butt section of the rod applying pressure to the fish. Rods designed to do that have a cork grip up the rod butt for that purpose, and the rod is beefed up in the butt section. Rods that do not have that cork, fighting grip are not designed to place your hand up the rod butt, and apply pressure...your hand area of the rod then becomes an excessive, pressure point..but I do it, hopefully knowing how much pressure I am applying.

The toughest rods I've seen are Shakespeare's UGLY STICKS! I wouldn't want any of my customers near my good flyrods after I see someone test out an ugly stick for toughness like in the commericials....worse thing that ever happened to good fly rods!
And I like Ugly Sticks for what they are used for, and the folks that buy them....throw them in the rig, pile stuff on top of them, and go fishin.

koldkut..I didn't know they made an Ugly Stick flyrod. I relate to their baitcasting/spinning rods. The tips are solid "glass", and the longer ones are very heavy. I've picked up their shorter, spinning rods, and could have a fun time with them. They aren't very heavy because of their shorter length. Guys will come in a store, and grab and ugly stick by the butt and the tip, and bend the tip around to the handle...YEEE GAWDS! You just hope they have sense enough not to try it with an expensive fly rod!

Even though tougher rods are saving the makers money they sure don't seem to be passing the "insurance" savings on to us. But breaking a fly rod after a long haul to the stream in the middle of a hatch turns one's stomach enough to make the extra cost worth it.

I put together a Hexagraph last winter and used it this summer - I doubt it is unbreakable but should be pretty close. Have to appreciate a slower action, though.

I should have been more clear... I'm not sure everyone likes paying extra to cover a built-in warranty. Of course, when I slam the rod in a screen door... the warranty is the best thing in the world. But, when I add up the number of rods I break (and I assume I break more than average... guide trips, etc.), I would still guess that I'm in the red.

OK, I've got a good contest to see how bad that 2x to 4x connection is using a blood knot, BUT, you have to make one more wrap with the 4x than you do the 2x, and use name brand tippet material. Here's the test. Tie the 4x tippet using a standard clinch knot to something stationary, and put a bend in a Deeter, xtra strong flyrod, say a 5, or even a 6wt. Bend the rod till something breaks. I say the rod will break before the 4x.

Nice one. How do you guys do that? Your posts are awesome and has been one of the sources I have when I write about fly fishing stuffs and I do post it here on my own site http://www.sammaka.com/ Hoping you could pay a visit and let me know what you think of it. Thanks ahead :)