I don't mind people referring to my rods as plastic...I mean afterall this IS what I fish with:


Kidding aside, the term "plastic" probably does ignore or cheapen the technology in many of these rods. Are they painstakingly labored upon for days (if not months) by hand like a bamboo counterpart? No...but there's still a human element involved in the extensive R&D that goes into the creation of a good "plastic" rod.

As an owner of all flavors of graphite rods, the use of "plastic" doesn't personally bother me...it's just another example of how it seems fly fishermen tend to be a more insular and exclusionary group than most, even amongst themselves. That's actually why I like this forum, it generally does a better than most job of cutting BS like that out of the equation. If somebody says "plastic" on smallstreams I perceive it more as an simple adjective rather than a slur. I haven't been here long, but have noticed this tends to be a supportive & inclusive community.