I first met Jordan, the owner of JP Ross Fly Rods, several years ago at a fly fishing show in Massachusetts. We were introduced by a mutual friend who thought we would hit it off. Long story short, we did! As a result of that very first meeting, JP Ross Fly Rods released a panfish-themed fly rod, the JP Ross/Panfish On The Fly “Toad,” which turned out to be a big success. When Jordan approached me about another collaboration, I jumped at the chance. This time the focus was not panfish but the fish that eat panfish!
I am very excited to announce my second collaboration with JP Ross Fly Rods. A special edition of their new Phat Glass 7/8 weight fly rod. Some people have asked why I decided to promote a fly rod rated for a 7 or 8-weight fly line when the focus of Panfish On The Fly is fly fishing for panfish. The answer is simple. If you’ve spent any time fishing for panfish, you’ve probably run into bigger predators like largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, even large catfish. These larger fish live alongside and often hunt the sunfish and other panfish we chase with our flies.
Although big fish often eat panfish flies sometimes it works the other way around!
Bigger fish often go after the panfish flies we use or the actual fish we’ve hooked. I’ve caught plenty of bass and other predators on my light panfish rods but lost just as many because the tackle was too light. That’s why I usually bring two rods on warm water trips: a 3 or 4-weight for panfish and a heavier rod for bigger fish. When fishing from a float tube, kayak, or boat, I keep both rods rigged and ready. The second rod is stored in a rod holder or behind the seat, always within easy reach. This way, if I spot bigger fish or get a follow on a hooked panfish, I can quickly switch rods without stopping to re-rig. When walking the bank or wading, carrying two rods isn’t practical, so I often choose a slightly heavier 5- or 6-weight rod. This works but is not the best solution, as the rod is often too heavy for panfish and still too light for a big predator. Not to mention, by the time you change flies, the opportunity has often passed you by.
Being able to quickly pick up a second rigged and ready fly rod while perch fishing allowed me to catch this pickerel that followed a hooked perch up to the boat.
Fly fishing for predators such as bass, pike, and other large fish is exciting and fun on its own, and I enjoy it just as much as fishing for panfish. In fact, I often do both on the same trip—panfish in the afternoon, then bass during that magical last hour of light.
Fly fishing for largemouth bass is a worthy pursuit on its own. Exciting eats from strong fish that love to take the fight to the air!
My first project with JP Ross was the Panfish On The Fly edition of their “Toad” 4-weight. It was designed it with a stiffer butt section, which helps when hooking larger fish like bass by giving you extra backbone for the fight. The Toad is great for casting lighter panfish flies, even smaller bass patterns, and controlling small to medium-sized fish, but as a 4-weight fly rod, there are limitations to how well it can handle bigger, wind-resistant flies or the powerful fight of larger predators.
The JP Ross/Panfish On The Fly Toad is a panfish themed 7 ½ foot S-Glass 4wt. My go-to fly rod for panfish!
The new Phat Glass is an 8-foot 7/8-weight rod designed for these larger fish. The Phat Glass is constructed of S-Glass, a lighter, stronger form of fiberglass. This rod has a fast action, which allows you to cast large, bulky flies for bass and other predators and gives you the power to steer big fish away from cover.
The Phat Glass is a 7/8 weight fly rod perfect for bass and other large predators. (prototype Phat Glass with a smallmouth themed reel seat shown here)
I extensively field-tested a prototype of this fly rod on a bass fishing trip to Maine this May. During this trip, the rod was fished by half a dozen different anglers with different levels of experience. Several different species of predatory fish were targeted (largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and big chain pickerel) with a wide variety of flies. We fished a number of different line weights (7-9 weights) and tapers (weight forward, double taper, bass and bass bug tapers), and while each angler had their preference in lines, the rod handled them all. In the end, I was immensely pleased with the performance of this fly rod!
A good largemouth taken on a game changer and the new Phat Glass from JP Ross Fly Rod Company during the filed testing of the prototype..
The Panfish On The Fly special edition of the Phat Glass is a largemouth bass-themed fly rod. It features a hand-painted reel seat by the artist Jeff Kimball, and the rod blank features a sketch of a frog pattern of my own design, the Bog Frog. I love the idea that purchasing this fly rod not only supports a long-time custom rod builder but also a local artist as well.
The handprinted largemouth bass-themed reel seat by artist Jeff Kimball (JP Ross photo)
The white blank features spiral lime green thread wraps on the butt section, and a retro-style logo harkens back to the days when fiberglass fly rods like the Shakespeare Wonder Rod dominated the market. But make no mistake: Modern S-glass rods are nothing like the old Wonder Rod your grandfather used. They are lighter, have plenty of power, are more responsive, recover faster, and are a joy to cast.
This bass was caught on the fly, pictured on the rod blank. It was caught on the very first cast I made with the final production version of the fly rod! I am taking that as a sign of good things to come.
Below are some photos (provided by Jordan) showing details of the new JP Ross/Panfish On The Fly Phat Glass.
If you would like to learn more about this fly rod or purchase one for yourself, you can check out the Phat Glass on JP Ross Fly Rod Company’s website by clicking the button below.
If you would like to contact me directly to ask questions or discuss details about the fly rod, the button below will connect you with me.