Review - Echo Glass Spey, 6124-4

[Pete]

I recently order an Echo Glass Spey, 6124-4 from Kiene’s. First thoughts, the rod definitely has some flex but it is not sloppy. Though marketing seems to focus to a large part on the use of these rods for Skagit/sustained anchor casting, I got the rod for touch-and-go casts with the use of a full floater. The line I put on it was a new Airflo Delta II 6/7.

After my first outing, I was not pleased. I couldn’t get the timing, flow of the rod/ line combo at all. After my second outing of casting, the line/rod combo was still not performing the way I intended. Prior to buying the rod and line, I checked the line recommendations on the Echo web site and under the Delta for the 6124 sits an “*.” After a few emails back and forth with the folks at Echo, I was assured the 6/7 Delta would fit the 6124 nicely – for me, it doesn’t work nicely. (However, the Delta 6/7 rocks on my 7136 Z-Axis.) At 460 grains I’m thinking this line might be a bit heavy for the 6124. The Delta 6/7 is recommended for the 7129 glass spey, so perhaps the Rio Short Head Spey for a 5/6 may be the line I am looking for.

I did use a 450 grain Airflo Skagit Compact on the 6124 – and the rod performed effortlessly and flawlessly. After a couple of casts, it was easy to get the timing as long as I took things slow. I was also impressed at the distance – I was able to cover all the water I would ever need to with a 6 weight spey setup.

Overall impression, it’s a fun rod and a nice addition to the quiver. I just need to find the right floating spey line.

If others are fishing these glass rods, I would like to hear which lines are working for you.

Pete

[Hogan Brown]

I fish the 11' switch 6wt glass and love it…I like the Airflo Skagit Switch 360 grain head. It was a bit of a challenge to match it all up but ounce you do it is a pretty powerful rod.

[Rmacneil656]

The glass rods are also soft. I casted a buddies over the winter and I enjoy it a lot for skagit casting, you may just have to really really really slow down and let the rod do more of the work. Its a rod that IMO does not do what you try to force it to do.

[ZWhit]

I have to say, I have a crush on these rods. Pete was nice enough to let me try his glass, and in two cast, though underlined based on its listing, I loved it. Soulful. Lots of feel. It's why I love single hand casting and for the first time I felt it in a two hander.

I have the 4wt 11 and have been casting on lakes with the 270 Airflo Switch Float line and I giggle a lot, especially when I reach across the inlet or into areas where you typically need a boat. The best part for me is the feel. Delicate for dries too. If you try to force it, it will not work. It hates being forced. I'm now looking at either a 6 wt or 7 wt switch.

[Alosa]

I have the 6wt switch. It's a blast.

[Pete]

ZWHIT - it was fun getting out and casting the 6 spey with a lighter grain load. It was nice, not spot on in my opinion but nice. We need to get out there again soon.

We were casting the 6124 with a 360 Airflo rage and a 10' fast sink polyleader. The rod was alive. I have also tried the 360 Airflo skagit switch with a 10' t-8 mow tip and heavy fly and was very surprised at how much I liked this set up. I read a review of the 7126 glass spey on the Deneki site and they were liking the 7 at the lower end of it's grain range, 480. For me and my casting style, I think the lower end of the grain spectrum for the 6 spey is were I'll find my mojo, 390 rage or 390 switch float and a 390 Skagit switch.

These rods are a lot of fun.

[ZWhit]

@pete definitely need to get back out there. 390 seems like it would be a sweet spot for that rod.