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Author Topic: Can you ID this fly rod?  (Read 1545 times)

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Offline RangerJoe

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Can you ID this fly rod?
« on: September 30, 2010, 11:46:09 AM »
This is a pretty old fly fishing rod I found while cleaning out my basement. It's bamboo, about 7.5 feet long. It has no markings on it at all, as far as line weight, length, manufacturer, nothing. The only marking on it is in the photo attached - it says "Featherweight" in script on the very end of it where the reel is screwed on.

MY guess is it was my dad's rod from when he was living in Colorado in the early 60s. Probably dates back to then. Can anyone ID it and tell me anything about it? Quality, line weight, manufacturer, etc. Any info, really, would be appreciated.



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Offline skarke

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Re: Can you ID this fly rod?
« Reply #1 on: September 30, 2010, 01:20:13 PM »
No, but it sure is purdy.  I probably wouldn't fish with it though unless you had it re-worked.  I was tempted to say, "oh yea, that's the one I lost!!!", but naaa ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Cool discovery man.
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Offline RangerJoe

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Re: Can you ID this fly rod?
« Reply #2 on: September 30, 2010, 02:18:16 PM »
What would I need to do to it in order to fish with it?

I found an old fly reel as well that I imagine was probably on it at one time.
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Offline skarke

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Re: Can you ID this fly rod?
« Reply #3 on: September 30, 2010, 06:54:36 PM »
Well, check the eyes, make sure the guides are still secure and the windings are't rotten.  If they are fraying, or the eyelets are cracked, replace them.  Take each piece and carefully bend it it every direction, looking for cracks in the rod coating.  If it is cracked, I'd probably put the thing on the wall, because bamboo that old will break.  Make certain the rod tip is tight.  Clean the joints very well, getting all of the green stuff out (or you'll never get it back apart).

Test it out in the yard, listening for any "funny sounds".  If it is creaking, moaning and groaning, again, it might be best used as a real nice display in your office or something.

It sure is pretty.
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Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it on to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children what it was once like in the United States when men were free.  Ronaldus Maximus

Offline RangerJoe

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Re: Can you ID this fly rod?
« Reply #4 on: October 01, 2010, 07:01:49 AM »
Alright, will do. Thanks a lot for the input!
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Offline saddlebum

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Re: Can you ID this fly rod?
« Reply #5 on: October 01, 2010, 08:39:33 AM »
I did a little looking and came up with this guy who may be able to identify your rod. On this page he talks a little about a rod that sounds like yours but was not givin enough info to identify it conclusively, (no pictures). You might be able to send him the pictures of yours and get an ID. He mentions sending your rod info to macsrods@yahoo.com for indentification. Hope this helps!

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Fishing-1634/2009/1/Vintage-bamboo-fly-rod.htm


Also, the reel may be something interesting too and maybe worth more than the rod!  (like an old Hardy)

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Offline huntswithdogs

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Re: Can you ID this fly rod?
« Reply #6 on: October 09, 2010, 04:58:45 AM »
Like the other have said, I'd have it checked out prior to using it. A good fly shop should be able to give yuo an idea as to what weight line to use.
Oh is this your first time flyfishing? If so I'd not start out on a classic like this. I know how bad I was or still am, when I restarted. I'd save that rod for when I had the finesse down pat.

HWD
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Offline bulldog1935

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Re: Can you ID this fly rod?
« Reply #7 on: November 05, 2010, 06:26:58 PM »
Wright-McGill Featherweight, made in Denver.  
aluminum ferrules date it to early 60s.  
The guides are called perfection guides and I had them on a Conolon Royal Javelin from the late 50s.  

no offense, but I believe that rod is Trevarno glass rather than split cane.  
Collectible, very fishable, a great Rocky Mountain pack rod. 
Almost certainly a 6-wt. 

there is a wiki on this site:  
http://fiberglassflyrodders.yuku.com/
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Offline skarke

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Re: Can you ID this fly rod?
« Reply #8 on: November 05, 2010, 07:07:05 PM »
Bulldog, you are amazing.  Cool info.  Just curious, where did you learn this stuff?
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Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it on to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children what it was once like in the United States when men were free.  Ronaldus Maximus

Offline bulldog1935

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Re: Can you ID this fly rod?
« Reply #9 on: November 05, 2010, 07:16:03 PM »
http://bulldog1935.u.yuku.com/

I'm a collector and historian of fly reels, mostly between-the-wars British reels made by JW Young & Sons

the bulldog, though is the Pflueger trademark from before the war
here is a Leonard Fairy Catskill No. 40 made between 1915 and '30 sporting a Pflueger Golden West made between 1925 and '40
 
this is a true prewar 3-wt., and the second-lightest fly rod made anywhere in the world before WWII, at 2.7 oz.  
(lightest was the No. 39, which most collectors believe too delicate to fish...)
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Offline skarke

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Re: Can you ID this fly rod?
« Reply #10 on: November 06, 2010, 04:17:35 AM »
Thanks.

It is always neat to read the writings a afficionados,

I agree with your signature.
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Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it on to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children what it was once like in the United States when men were free.  Ronaldus Maximus

Offline RangerJoe

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Re: Can you ID this fly rod?
« Reply #11 on: February 16, 2011, 04:10:09 PM »
Bulldog - thanks very much for the info (and I apologize for kinda cashing out of this conversation for a bit...)

Your information sounds pretty spot on to me; my dad was living in the general Fort Collins area in 1960-61-62, and used to go up into the mountains to fish all the time. He used to "hang" with a guy named "Rattlesnake Jack Brinkerhoff". Sounds like a movie character to me, but I have seen photos of the man (slides, actually.) Supposedly had a pet mountain lion, but I can't back that up.

Sadly, my dad kinda gave up fly fishing when he came back east and is now a spinning reel/bait man, but damned if he still doesn't outcatch me every time. When I started taking up fly fishing a few years ago, he never mentioned that he used to fly cast. It took me finding his old slides of his adventures to get these stories out of him.

I'd love to fish this rod, so in a way I'm kinda glad it's probably not bamboo; I only said that because it _looks_ like wood to me. Obviously I don't know anything about it. Once spring gets here I'll get this thing cleaned up and see how it performs, and maybe give it a shot.

Thanks to everyone else as well for your input.
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