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I really oughtta just keep my mouth shut but since this is a subject that is dear to my heart-----
If you haven't read Tom Morgan's post about his tenure as the owner of Winston then do so!
<p097.ezboard.com/ffibergl...406.topic>
If you have read it then read it again. And study it closely. It is a goldmine of inside information from a great rodmaker and the best post I have ever seen on the rod industry.

That said even 'old hands' in the flyfishing game fail to understand a few things. The first goal of the rod producer is to build a product that is merchandiseable. Should it turn out to be fishable that is a mere secondary advantage in the eyes of the maker except in the case of a few such as T & T that Andy mentioned above and Global Dorber whose business principles hearken to an earlier era.
Unfortunately the sale of most rods these days is predicated on what I have long thought of as the 'parking lot wars'. As Tom Morgan indicates in his post the advent of graphite as a tool in tournament distance casting helped change the advertising of rods from fishing tools to casting tools. Unfortunately the flyfishing public bought it hook, line and sinker and now the vast majority of rod purchases are predicated on which rod sampled casts the furtherest with the best 'feel' to the prospective purchaser. Fishability is forgotten until the new rod owner discovers that there is something vaguely unsatisfying about the rod when using it.
Often the dissatifaction stems from the practice by the factories of recommending lines that are too light for actual fishing. But a line too light to make the rod get down and work as a fishing tool has a couple of distinct advantages to the maker. The first consideration is that it gives an advantage in the parking lot war since the rod has the best 'feel' with a lot of line in the air. Secondarily an underlined graphite rod isn't being stressed as highly under average use conditions and is far less likely to suffer catastrophic failure. The very nature of graphite (lack of 'toughness') has caused the industry to be forced to offer 'lifetime' warrantees on their products in order to compete successfully. That fact has driven up the retail since the seller must build into the profit margin the liklihood that he will have to replace every rod at least once. So when you buy a new rod you are actually paying for more than one.
How much more only the bean counters at each maker knows for sure, but be assured they know to the penny! What these practicalities of merchandising has done to the price of a top quality rod is too well known to even mention. What it has done to rods in their primary roles as fishing tools is why most of us are on this board.
LD99 has figured out his way around current reality in a practical manner that works for him. (and myself!)
Andy is also very probably correct about the infusion process helping 'toughen up' graphite. Time, and Andy's efforts in that arena, will tell.
So drag out those graphites that just don't 'feel right' and overline them. Make them 'get down and work for a living'. Fish them. Don't just lawncast them----unless that is all you do with a flyrod. If you fish your rods however be assured that only fishing will tell you what you want to know.
Personally I don't have any use for a 'casting tool'. I want a ''fishing tool' and I'll do whatever it takes to get it. Often that only requires putting the right line on it. Tom

For those with hungry minds Tom Morgan has expanded the theme of his post I recommended above. The expanded version can be found on his website at:
<www.troutrods.com/modern_rod.html>
It is worth the read. Tom