Why a Fiberglass 8-Weight Might Be the Best Redfish Rod You’re Not Fishing

A day redfishing Florida's Space Coast revealed how modern fiberglass rods load quickly, cast short and accurately, and still handle real-world distance.

Making the short cast for the win. | Photo provided by Ken Baldwin

Recently, I was fishing for reds in Mosquito Lagoon on Florida’s Space Coast. I'd caught a bunch early, so I switched to a fiberglass fly rod ~ for fun. I enjoy fishing fiberglass, and when technical casting, or numbers aren't as important, I'll fish one for the slower feel of the cast, and the exaggerated fight when you get a fish on.

A Fiberglass 8-Weight

The fiberglass rod I had switched to was the Moonlit Lunar S2-GLASS, in an 8-weight. I had never fished it before, so I made some blind casts to find the rhythm of the rod.

New Glass Rods

If it's been more than 15 years since you've cast a fiberglass rod, you should give it another try. The new glass has changed a lot since then; it is not a loose, whippy tool like it was back in the day.

What the Old Glass Was

The older fiberglass rods were soft, heavy, and slow. Not “slower,” but slow. I remember some of my dad’s fiberglass rods that would wobble to a stop, and out of that wobble, I had to learn to make a presentable cast.

Fiberglass Rods Have Come a Long Ways

Today’s fiberglass rods benefit from real advances in materials and taper design. Improved resins, combined with modern tapers, have changed how these rods load and recover. Many of the makers who focus on fiberglass bring an artisan’s eye to their builds. The result is performance you can feel, and some rods that are truly beautiful to look at.

Back at Mosquito Lagoon

With the Moonlit rod in my hand, after having made some casts, I came to a stop. You know, that moment when something exceeds your expectations, and you instinctively pause—to take a second look? Not because you don’t understand it, but because you didn’t expect it. I do this with people, too. So you look again, “Let me see what this really is."

Better Than I Was Hoping For

The rod felt lighter than I had expected and easier to cast. I assumed any fiberglass rod over a 6-weight would be on the heavy side. I knew fiberglass had made advancements, but not to the point of making 8-weights light. That's just a recent accomplishment in graphite rods, so this was a surprise.

An Angler's Hunch

Then I got a hunch. This rod is no longer a novelty, but one that performs well. And because it's fiberglass, I bet it would excel in the short game. Modquito Lagoon would be the perfect place to test it out.

Majority of Casts are Short and Shorter

When redfishing, most of my casts are under 60 feet, with 30-40 as the sweet spot. But what happens frustratingly often is the 15- to 20-foot cast you have to make when you suddenly see a red just off the bow, and the boat is moving.

This can be a difficult cast to make. Getting a fast rod to load with a short amount of line, and be able to deliver a fly quickly and accurately without a lot of commotion. That's asking a lot from a graphite rod.

A Soft Rod For the Job

But the rod in my hand was a glass one, it's softer and bends deep. With the heavy, short head of the Scientific Anglers Redfish fly line, I could get the rod loaded quickly. One false cast, or a roll cast, will get my fly where it needs to be.

Put to the Test

I was tested right away. The first fish we spotted appeared in front of us at about eleven o'clock and 20 feet from the bow, and that distance was closing. We were so occupied with looking for fish way out in front that we crept up on this one without knowing it.

Passed the Test

Because it was fiberglass, it didn't take much to load the rod, and with one false cast, I placed a shrimp pattern in the fish's window just 15 feet in front of us. He took. The rod performed as I thought it would.

My Moonlit Lunar fly rod was a surprise and is now part of my regular redfishing toolkit. | Photo provided by Ken Baldwin

When You Need Distance

One more thing about the rod is worth noting. Later in the day, I spotted a fish at twelve o’clock off the bow, about 70 feet out and coming straight toward us. The cast wasn’t complicated—I just needed the distance. The Moonlit rod covered 60 feet and placed the fly accurately in the fish’s path.

Redfish of the Mosquito Lagoon | Photo by Ken Baldwin

One For the Quiver

I now have a new rod to add to my redfish quiver. It came to me unexpectedly and has earned its place as a fly-fishing tool that will catch me more fish. The bonus is that it still has the fiberglass qualities that give it an extra bit of fun, especially when fighting a fish. ~ Ken Baldwin - Follow me on my X account

Slow down...listen to the hoppers...be patient with yer wife...eat sardines with hot sauce... catch “Gagger” trout!!!" – Flip Pallot

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The gear reviewed in this article was provided to me at no cost for the purpose of evaluation.The views and assessments presented are my own.