Rod Review - Ideal's Fly Atom Glass Rod

As I mentioned in my previous post, I am a fan of vintage rods. To be more specific, vintage fiberglass rods. Fiberglass has become pretty fashionable again, but a lot of the modern glass rods cost as much or more than their graphite counterparts, so I stick with vintage rods, most of which are as old or older than me (that's old), but they still cast beautifully and they tend to match my casting stroke better than faster graphite rods do. And, as an added bonus, they are relatively cheap!

One of the most unique glass rods I own is called an Ideal's Fly Atom. I don't know anything about the Ideal's company, or if they made any other fishing tackle, or how old this rod is, but I do know one thing: it is really short. It's by far the shortest fly rod I have ever seen. At 4-and-a-half feet, it probably is the shortest fly rod ever made. Most people don't think such a short rod is castable, but it is. Sure, I can't bust out a 90' cast with it, but it is deadly accurate up to about 40 feet, and in most trout streams around here, that is the perfect casting distance. It is a fine casting tool, and a pleasure to use.

To be honest, my Fly Atom is not usually the first rod I grab when I am headed out on a fishing trip. It is the first one I grab when I am going to teach one of my fly fishing classes, though. The fiberglass blank allows students to actually feel the rod loading and unloading, which really helps them to figure out the timing of the cast. And, as an added bonus, the rod is so short I can cast it in most classrooms I come across without fear of hitting the ceiling.

I wouldn't say that the Ideal's Fly Atom is for everyone. Which is good, since I've only ever seen two others in existence. But it's a fun rod to play around with. If you ever take one of my fly fishing classes you can see what I mean.