Glass or Graphite am I understanding the diffrence?

[scaledriver]

I am looking to get a couple new rods.  From what I have read glass has a more parabolic bend.  I am guessing that might be better for a cranking type application?  Does this mean that graphite would be the prefered rod type for lets say a flipping stick?  Any other advantages disadvantages  in glass VS Graphite?

[Raul]

Back in the old days glass blanks had the stiffness of a rubber band, today 's glass blanks are a completely different animal, Back in the old days graphite blanks had the limberness of a pool cue, today 's graphite blanks are a completely different animal.

So as the time passes and new developments in materials appear it getting increasingly harder to tell appart one from the other, nowdays we have glass blanks as stiff, as sensitive and as light as graphite and graphite has also come a long way to the point we now have graphite rods with a lot of flexibility.

Now it all boils down to power and action.

F/XF for single hook baits

Moderate/MF for treble hook baits

That in case you want bait/technique specific rods. Or go along with a F and change the power if you don 't want a bait/technique specific rod. ML/M for treble hooks and M/MH/H for single hook baits.

[scaledriver]

wow that seems a lot easier than I was expecting    I am for sure going with technique specific rods from here on and I guess either glass or graphite is more along the lines of personal preference then?

[Raul]

I guess either glass or graphite is more along the lines of personal preference then?

Yup.

[The Rooster]

I've always thought of glass rods being heavier in weight than a graphite rod. I personally do what Raul said to do second, which is use a graphite rod with fast tips on everything and change the power according to the baits. Medium for crankbaits, jerkbaits, anything with trebles, along with a somewhat loosened drag to cushion the hooksets (cause I have a tendency to overswing, which I'm working on stopping). Medium heavy for spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, jigs, any single hooked baits. I think this works....to a point. Eventually I may want a big fat heavy crankbait and it'll weigh more than a medium rod will handle so I'd have to then get a medium heavy for the proper lure range to cast it right and not damage my rod, but opt for a slower tip then such as the MF instead of F.

[Raul]

I've always thought of glass rods being heavier in weight than a graphite rod.

Used to be that way, not anymore, I still have my first older than dirt fiberglass spinning rod .... man it weights more than my graphite rods all together !   and I got a bunch of graphite rods, you can imagine how heavy it is, needless to say it 's like fishing with a rubber band.

[Jake.]

Graphite rods are also more sensitive.

[Stasher1]

Graphite rods are also more sensitive.

That's generally true, but the sensitivity of some of the graphite/glass composite rods currently on the market is very impressive. At the risk of sounding like a commercial, the Kistler Magnesium TS composite crankbait rod would change the way you think about glass rods.

[flechero]

my own preference is graphite for everything. (except maybe super deep cranking)  That's the only place the extra weight of glass might actually help.  Today's graphite rods are available in actions that cover the entire range...  

[iceintheveins]

Pretty much right on. I use glass or glass/graphite mixes for any treble hooked lure and ALSO on buzzbaits and spinnerbaits. Graphite gets the call for all plastic applications, topwater frogs, jigs, and natural bait.

[Jeff H]

my own preference is graphite for everything. (except maybe super deep cranking) That's the only place the extra weight of glass might actually help. Today's graphite rods are available in actions that cover the entire range...

Same here, no exceptions.  Even my favorite deep crankin rod is graphite (7' MH/F)  No way would I go back to glass.