Old Glass…
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As my interest is increasing in fiberglass fly rods I thought that I would see if anyone has any suggestions for moderately priced vintage glass rods that I could look around the web, flea markets, garage sales, etc. for.
If anything those coats of varnish would improve the rod. If you have not found out yet, you soon will, that many of those old glass rod have a slow to very slow action. I have found restored and sold many over the last 20 years.
Your ideas for finding those rods are good. I would shy away from searching the net though; as I doupt your bargins will be found there. Pawnshops and antique stores are worth checking out too. Garage sales are the best, since many people don’t know what they have. I have many times picked up old glass rod for $1 to $5, taken them home rewrapped the guides and sold those same rods for $40.
Do your homework:
Know your rods
Bargin hard
And be prepared to do some restoration work.Cameron,
I have a soft spot for vintage fiberglass as well. Two of my favorites are:
– Orvis Fullflex 5 weight with original rod sock and tube
– Abercrombie and Fitch 5 weight with original rod sock and tube
These can be found from time-to-time on Ebay although they are usually missing the original tube for some reason. Obviously the complete set (rod,tube & sock) will command top dollar. If you can do repairs, damaged rods (I’m talking a bent or missing guide, loose ferrule, etc) can be bought at a discount.
Drifter
No PoudreRiver…you can not have the Winston LT…it still has a place in the fly rod arsenal.
There is a Shakespere factory in Columbia which leads me to think that there might be a few of their fly rods in local pawn shops, garage sales, and flea markets. I am going to start looking around with more interest.
I’ve been really surprised how many “never been fished” vintage fiberglass fly rods there are out there. Really quite amazing to think of a fly rod being 50 plus years old and never been on taken on the water.
I am not to handy as of yet with rod repairs so I’ll be looking for ones that are in pretty stellar shape already.
Cameron,
Here’s a few photos of my old glass:
Abercrombie & Fitch Featherweight
Orvis Fullflex
…and an old steel rod made by Union Hardware in Torrington, California.The fiberglass fly rod board may be even more interesting to follow in the days coming…Tom Morgan formally of Winston Fly Rod Co. posted tonight and eluded to posting information regarding the Winston Stalker rods of years past.
I thought that I would post a photograph of the latest glass rod and reel outfit that I put together over the past several weeks. I found the rod, a Heddon Pal Pro, which is a seven foot long five weight on the fiberglass fly rod board. What a neat lightweight rod and in pretty good shape once you realize that this rod is older than I am. The reel is a Hardy Lightweight knock off also from back in the day from Wright & McGill. And for the line I went with the Cortland Sylk in double taper. I have heard a lot of good and bad about this line and decided to give it a chance. I thought the “mustard” color was a nice match with the brown blank of the rod.
I can’t wait to get this rod on some moving water.
Whew…this thread was about to drop off the first page…thought I’d bring it back with a couple photographs of taking the “new” Heddon rod out on the pond…with one decent bluegill to show for the effort.
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