Tom Morgan rods..

[greendrake]

I would have to be a multi millionaire before I would spend $1,400 for a graphite rod or even $850 for one.With that being said,I did spend $260 back in 1980 for a Russ Peak fiberglass rod.To give you an idea of how much money that was at the time you could buy any bamboo rod Orvis made for $450.That rod will still be in my possession when I die.It is the sweetest 6'6" 4wt that I have ever fished with.I doubt that I would pay today what I could sell it for.I'm sure that if I put it on ebay that it would bring more than a grand and the odds are high that the buyer would be Japanese.Russ Peak fiberglass rods have a huge following there and are still in great demand in this country as well.

Bamboo remains my rod of choice because I just like the way they cast and feel when fighting a fish.Nothing to do with elitism,it's all about the feel.Of course it doesn't hurt that they are beautiful as well.I have yet to see any graphite rod or fiberglass rod that can match the aesthetics of bamboo.
Will

[JB in SC]

Zach,

I had the opportunity to talk with Tom quite a bit in the late 70's (he built several glass rods for me) while he was at Winston. When it comes to synthetic rod design, he is one of the greats. No doubt these rods might be quite valuable in time. I love graphite rods, I just don't love them $1400 worth.

Jerry

[Pete-G]

I'm pretty sure that Loomis rolls the blanks for Tom's graphite rods. Nothing wrong with that. I just thought i'd throw it out there.

[Zac Sexton]

Jerry: That must have been a great experience to associate with Tom back then. Yes, $1,400 is a little tough to choke down (why I don't own one--yet;-). But, I still think, SOMEONE has to have the "Best" and they might as well charge what they think they're worth... I'll just have to cast 'em when I visit next, and be happy with that :| .

Pete: Loomis used to roll the blanks in the design chosen by Tom, but I don't think Loomis (the company) does any more. Gary and Tom are good friends and I think Gary Loomis, the man, is who does Tom's blanks (since Tom doesn't have the physical ability to do it himself). I was talking with Sam Drukman a while back about it, and we were mostly discussing the changes in GLoomis, the company, and what Gary was up to. We never really nailed a whole lot down, and I never thought to ask Tom. I guess I don't really care... But, I'm curious...

An interesting lesson for me, by talking with Tom and Sam D., is the craftsmanship that goes in to putting a carbon-fiber rod together after the blanks are rolled. It really is quite similar to cutting blanks for bamboo rods--in the "commercial" rhelm of rod-making. It is all just so darn facinating!!!

[adam]

Craftsman? I believe Mark Steffen made the best graphite blanks, his finish work was utilitarian.

Best overall graphite rod? I think that would be Sage or Thomas and Thomas; flat out performance minded and the fit and finish is beautiful.

If in fact Loomis makes those blanks for Tom, then I really don't see $1,400 is worth my money, as was said, if that is what the market brings, the guys who buy them probably are not the anglers that would want to fish the places I would want to fish with it, just rich, really rich. Take a guide discount on a Sage and the $1,000 left over and fish somewhere for a while...

I don't believe a plastic rod is worth that much to me, NO WAY.

Just my opinion.

For performance and quality, Orvis and Temple Forks, maybe a St.Croix.


I think if you are going to place that much time into a rod, might as well be bamboo and if you choose a graphite stick for all out casting performance, might as well buy a, ahh, I can't think of the guy who makes the completely hollow bamboo rod with a graphite ferrule, MACCA.

Wayne Macca.

What I think is the "best" and what you think is the "best" is subjective.

Zac, absolutely no disrespect to you, not one single bit, I just don't agree.

And no one should be sorry for having a opinion and being respectable about writing it either.

[Pete-G]

$1400 would buy a pretty nice bamboo rod. I've seen a Morgan graphite rod. It's very nice, but still not as nice as bamboo. I suppose if I won the lottery i'd get a Morgan graphite rod to just have one, but i'd also get one of his bamboo rods to fish. :D

[Zac Sexton]

Adam: No disrespect taken. But there is NO WAY a Sage or Thomas and Thomas is even close to the field of a custom rod maker such as Morgan or Sweetgrass. Have you seen and cast/fished them? Until you do, there's no way to compare. I've cast/fished Sage, T&T, Temple Fork and all the rest, but they don't compare to Morgan on finish work and craftsmanship. No comparison. Rod action is a different beast altogether. That's not to say I don't like some of the rods in the mass-produced market, but you get something extra on a crafted rod. And Morgan CAN'T make his blanks because he is a quadrapelegic. He uses his knowledge of rod design with the imput of a few other makers/anglers and gets the blanks that fit his taste, from Loomis/Gary. So his rods reflect his idea of the perfect fly rod, which of course may differ from anyone's perspective of the "perfect" fly rod.

And again, it's all whatever makes us happy (and what we can afford...) in the end, yes! :bigthumb:

I hope I don't sound too fanatical about the crafted carbon-fiber rods, but it's really only been since having cast custom rods made on custom mandrels, or cut to a specific maker's preferences, that I've become aware of how good carbon-fiber can be. But, that's also what I love so much about bamboo--the absolute control of the product by a maker(s), to produce the "perfect" rod as seen by the imagination of the creator. And they're sexy! But I digress...

Respectfully,

Zac