Quote Originally Posted by Ernest View Post
I know nothing about Hardy Carbon rods, and if someone says they're great rods, then probably they are.

But if someone loves bamboo rods, why not just stick to the bamboo rods? They can be expensive, but they don't have to be, and my cane rods do whatever I want them to do in small streams, without the need for a alternative.

And if someone says they (unconditionally) love bamboo rods, I'm afraid they have not had the experience I have had with bamboo. Some of my cane rods are perfect for their purpose. Others have been absolutely terrible fishing tools. It's not the material; it's what the rod maker makes of it.

I currently have very good rods made of bamboo, glass, and graphite. I have had poor rods, for my uses, of each material, and have discarded these over the years.
Must agree with you Ernest,

I've had a couple of cane rods that I didn't like using or they didn't perform as I expected!!! But that also applies to other rods in glass or carbon. I mix and match my rods! BUT; and here's the but : I've been refining my tackle over a few years, until I found something I really like using. I am now pretty much sorted in the stream fishing type of rod and reel I use; and also the fly lines I use! I really do like fishing with both types of rod. I absolutely love being out with my 6ft.3in, #3, Cane Rod, and an LRH Reel fitted with a silk line, It is a truly magical experience, the outfit suits me perfectly! Then one day a friend gave me his Hardy flyweight 6ft, #2, weight to try, now I've tried many 6ft fly rods in my time - but the flyweight Rod performed like my cane rod (a soft action) and so extremely lightweight! So I bought myself one! I also had a couple of 7ft, stream rods, I sold them to buy the hardy Featherweight 7ft, #3, weight. yet another extremely lightweight and soft actioned rod, similar to the action of a cane rod! And before anyone says "They're not like Bamboo" I'd agree! Although they do posses a good deal of the characteristic's of a boo rod. I love fishing lightweight tackle and find that the Classic Lightweight Range of rods and reel suit me fine! Took me quite awhile to discover a range of tackle that I'm really happy with! Including my lightweight Cane Rods!