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Wright & McGill ??
Post 21 Oct 2010, 13:27 • #1 
Master Guide
Joined: 01/11/06
Posts: 542
Location: Platte City, Missouri
Hey folks, I just picked up an unusual flyrod today for a decent price. (well unusual to me)! I don't know much about it and I know there are a few of you folks on here that might. It is an 8'6" for a 7wt, tip over butt 2 piece. Everything is there excluding the tip top, but the things I have never seen on an Eagle Claw rod before, besides the tip over butt ferrule, is the unusual fray-proof nylon wraps. I was planning on giving this rod a make over, but wanted to check with the people in the know if this rod is one that isn't seen alot and should be left alone or not. Since I have several in this configuration I was going to refinish it and sell it.

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Sorry for the out of focus last shot, but it is the Wright McGill logo etched into the seat.



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Wright & McGill ??
Post 21 Oct 2010, 13:58 • #2 
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Joined: 06/23/05
Posts: 4966
Location: US-MT
Denco was EC's budget rod, and I have see only a couple of those with the plastic "wraps". I have a 8ft ECrod with tip over butt and regular thread wraps.
Personally, I would get rid of those plastic things in a heartbeat.
Keith


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Wright & McGill ??
Post 21 Oct 2010, 14:00 • #3 
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Joined: 02/19/08
Posts: 2462
Location: Seattle, WA
Scott ... The Eagle Claw Super Denco II's came into existence in 1980 (an upgrade of the Denco Line of rods) and the 8 1/2ft version was then listed as an 8wt. Perhaps it's a misprint ... as I've learned from Howard (cofisher), the information in the catalogs isn't always spot on and sometimes it's totally missing. I'm not sure how long they were made. I have a 1988 Eagle Claw catalog and they weren't around then. IRT the wraps, the 1980 Eagle Claw catalog describes them as follows: "High quality, super strength guide wraps with tough, flexible "Seaflex 100" coating". ..whatever that is. Elsewhere it was described as "solid nylon "nylock" wraps". Are any of your guides ceramic by chance?

P.S. Howard has told me that the etched reel seat like you have was found in Eagle Claw rods from 1978-1980 ... Howard correct me if I'm wrong.


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Wright & McGill ??
Post 21 Oct 2010, 14:09 • #4 
Master Guide
Joined: 01/11/06
Posts: 542
Location: Platte City, Missouri
This one says Super Denco III and I also noticed that the model number is a replacement for a prior number, as noted in the ( ) in the signature area. I just wanna make sure I don't refinish a rod that might be preferred to be left as is.


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Wright & McGill ??
Post 21 Oct 2010, 14:13 • #5 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/19/08
Posts: 2462
Location: Seattle, WA
Oops, my mistake (Super Denco II vs III ) Image. Hopefully Howard can bail me out. I just won a 1982 Eagle Claw catalog on Ebay and it should be here tomorrow. If it sheds any light on your rod, I'll let you know.


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Wright & McGill ??
Post 21 Oct 2010, 14:43 • #6 
Emeritus
Joined: 06/08/07
Posts: 2505
Location: Superior, Colorado
Harley, refinish and show us how nice a rod this can be. I suspect that this was the last gasp of Wright & Mcgill fiberglass or close to it. My gentlemanly demeanor keeps me from saying what I think of this rod's color and hardware, but there is hope. I don't recall ever seeing the etched reel seat although my one 1980s Sweetheart may have an etched seat but I've aged a couple of months since I looked at it last and don't remember.


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Wright & McGill ??
Post 21 Oct 2010, 15:20 • #7 
Master Guide
Joined: 01/11/06
Posts: 542
Location: Platte City, Missouri
Okey dokey, I'm going to refinish her ala harley!


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Wright & McGill ??
Post 22 Oct 2010, 04:31 • #8 
Emeritus
Joined: 06/08/07
Posts: 2505
Location: Superior, Colorado
Generally speaking, I've always liked the looks of the W&M rods. By today's standards they are mostly pretty dull with a few exceptions, but for the times I think they were cool. I love the different colored wraps and reel seats, etc. Late 70s onward, I think they fell under the spell of bad taste. The school bus yellow and funky wraps and plastic reel seats took a good product and made it look Mickey Mouse-ish. I don't have any experience in how they cast, they might be great. But I wouldn't have got caught on the water with one. My 2 cents only. Harley, I know that whatever you do will be a vast improvement. Please post the results.


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Wright & McGill ??
Post 23 Oct 2010, 09:20 • #9 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/09/05
Posts: 2524
Location: US-CO
The Wright McGill Eagle Claw rods were everyman's fishing tool. You could buy one for just over $10 when a Fenwick was $30 and the Brownings were going for about $60. They were simple and inexpensive though the 2As had a beautiful uplocking nickel silver reel seat for the day. I keep my eye out for bad rods with that nice reel seat. If they were fished much, they would lose that little medallion that is on the grip. I sent mine back to the factory 15 years after I bought it because the wraps were coming off and they fixed it and sent it back. I keep an 8 ft 7 wt at my house in CO ... great rod for the San Juan and other big water in the neighborhood. Donny


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Wright & McGill ??
Post 23 Oct 2010, 16:31 • #10 
Master Guide
Joined: 08/30/08
Posts: 659
Location: Lincoln,CA
I have a 9 foot 8 weight with the "Solid nylon fray proof guide wraps". Mine is a Denco Super IV and it has red wraps. Kinda wierd and a little ugly but I couldn't bring myself to change it. I've only fished it a couple of times so it's not really worth it to make changes IMO. Here are a couple of pictures. I've only seen a couple of these.
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Mike


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Wright & McGill ??
Post 23 Oct 2010, 21:13 • #11 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 04/20/07
Posts: 8920
Location: US-ME
As paveglass said, the epitome of everyman's 'glass rod. As such, though, there is no duty to flyroddom (or flyrod-dumb) to preserve it as is; there were plenty like it, still, today, some quite similar, and those that are gone won't be missed. This is not a bad thing. The bad, or sad thing is that someone bought it and didn't use it much. That would be the only duty of the current owner--to get some enjoyment out of it. If it were mine, I would leave it exactly as is unless there were damage to a guide or wrap. But it is also perfect to experiment with and refinish to one's heart's content. Either way, the only value is to the owner. Its monetary value won't and can't be altered significantly through either preservation or restoration.


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Wright & McGill ??
Post 24 Oct 2010, 04:46 • #12 
Master Guide
Joined: 08/30/08
Posts: 659
Location: Lincoln,CA
Well put Whirlpool. I try to fish all my rods but, don't tell my wife, I'm getting too many. Most don't have a lot of value but are fun to own. I usually change what I don't like if I think it will improve the rod.
So, my understanding is that the blanks are all the same between the different models, just different cosmetics. This sound right? I'm thinking mine is a newer model than Harleydeans based on the reelseat.

Mike


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Wright & McGill ??
Post 24 Oct 2010, 14:19 • #13 
Guide
Joined: 09/23/07
Posts: 259
Location: High Desert, Oregon
It's good to see the diferent models of this rod. I have a 9' 9wt. version. I have not found the opertunity to fish it yet. I thought I had posted photos when I bought it but can't find them.

Eagleman


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Wright & McGill ??
Post 25 Oct 2010, 11:47 • #14 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/19/08
Posts: 2462
Location: Seattle, WA
My 1982 Eagle Claw Catalog finally arrived in the mail this afternoon. Super Denco IV Fly rods (model # DNFP225) were contained in it. So, I deduce (from my earlier post) that Super Denco II's, III's and IV's were probably produced in 1980, 1981 and 1982 respectively but I don't have a 1981 Eagle Claw catalog to be 100% sure but that seems like a sure thing.

Separately, the 1982 Catalog also shows a "new" Denco Graphite rod that's possibly more homely than either of the two Super Denco's above. It's has a darkish brown blank and those same "nylok" solid nylon guide wraps but they're slightly darker red ... yuck!


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Wright & McGill ??
Post 25 Oct 2010, 13:35 • #15 
Master Guide
Joined: 08/30/08
Posts: 659
Location: Lincoln,CA
I'm with you, "yuck". I don't understand why they used those Nylock things. The guy I got my rod from said he bought it in Alaska to fish for salmon on a trip when he was younger. 80's sound about right.

Mike


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Wright & McGill ??
Post 25 Oct 2010, 15:49 • #16 
Master Guide
Joined: 01/11/06
Posts: 542
Location: Platte City, Missouri
It's nice to hear the stories of different models of the Eagle Claws. I've already stripped the rod of it's guides, so now I'm prepping the blank. I didn't much care for the "wraps" so I'm going to do my thing and it should turn out super.


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Wright & McGill ??
Post 25 Oct 2010, 22:11 • #17 
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Joined: 04/20/07
Posts: 8920
Location: US-ME
Harleydeen, if you can, how about a series of process to result photos for posting in the rebuild section? They might help some others new to such things, and a lot of us would probably enjoy seeing them anyhow.

Why "nylock"; why cosmetics. This is very simple to understand. These were economy fly rods, often chosen by casual buyers. Such buyers are often coming to flyrods from spincasting tackle, where gaudy cosmetics ruled at this time. It was the style of cheap stuff for people who picked things by what stood out on the rack. As for nylock (you could probably do the same thing today with clear tubing available at any hardware or auto parts store, or you could have "surgical grade guide fittings" by getting your tubing from a medical supply shop.) Slipping these tubes on was no doubt cheaper than wrapping the guides. Make it look cool and sound high-tech--that's the marketing approach for this niche. I'm not knocking it either. It works.

That rod is going to make a nice refinish project. Hope we get to see it again. Bet you keep the medallion on the grip, using better glue than the factory did, and repositioning it so it doesn't interfere with your grasp.


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Wright & McGill ??
Post 25 Oct 2010, 22:51 • #18 
Emeritus
Joined: 07/05/05
Posts: 1154
Location: US-OH
I've never handled a fly rod with the Nylock wraps, but I've got three Eagle Claw spinning rods in the garage (all saltwater) that feature this design. I purchased them new in approximately 1976 or 1977, certainly not later than that. If my memory serves, the were purchased at K-Mart. I do know that I've never liked them because the tips were way too soft. Of course that has nothing to do with the action on the fly rod blanks, which may be just fine.


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Wright & McGill ??
Post 11 Nov 2010, 13:32 • #19 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/19/08
Posts: 2462
Location: Seattle, WA
dhoover8448 wrote:
My 1982 Eagle Claw Catalog finally arrived in the mail this afternoon. Super Denco IV Fly rods (model # DNFP225) were contained in it. So, I deduce (from my earlier post) that Super Denco II's, III's and IV's were probably produced in 1980, 1981 and 1982 respectively but I don't have a 1981 Eagle Claw catalog to be 100% sure but that seems like a sure thing.
Last week, I came into possession of a 1981 Eagle Claw Catalog fully expecting to see the Super Denco III's listed and to my chagrin ... nada ... just Super Denco IV's (DNFP225) as found in the 1982 catalog too. So the mystery continues however those etched logo reel seats seemed to end in 1981. So perhaps the Super Denco III's were made just briefly between the publications of their 1980 and 1981 catalogs since the Super Denco II's are contained in the 1980 Catalog.

Howard, when are you going to write that History of Wright & Mcgill Rods to straighten these kinds of problems out?



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Re: Wright & McGill
Post 09 Aug 2021, 16:34 • #20 
Master Guide
Joined: 07/21/21
Posts: 447
Location: Florida
Ok lads … taking a punt responding to a 12 year old post but Eagle Claw’s are timeless treasures and I just bought a Denco Super IV that has never been used and is in brand new condition original wrapping. 8 1/2 feet and a line weight of 8. I think this beauty will be my new salt water flats rod …. So I guess this is an early 80s rod (the flower of my youth) and I thought I had read on some other WC threads that this rod was US made and of a high build quality, relatively speaking that is … interested to know what others have thrown on here WRT line weight and reel. Just like any other EC rod I wonder if it indeed is an 8Wt?


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Re: Wright & McGill
Post 25 Aug 2021, 23:35 • #21 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/19/08
Posts: 2462
Location: Seattle, WA
Hard to say on the line weight. But usually if anything, they typically understate the line requirement. But with that said, I doubt that would be the case here. Something requiring a 9wt line on this era with them would have been unusual....but who knows.


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