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Fenwick Feralite FF9012
Post 06 Apr 2021, 02:48 • #1 
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Joined: 10/14/19
Posts: 128
Location: Tauranga, New Zealand
A big hello from downunder to fellow forum members. I'm the proud owner of a FF9012, purchased for the princely sum of NZ$40-00. The ferrules are absolutely perfect and it is obvious that the rod has had very little use. It is a significantly heavier rod than my FF9010 and my two FF116 rods. So, it is a 9 foot #12. However the label on it says - Recommended Line Weight AFTMA 10. I would appreciate comments about the #10 label please. I haven't had the opportunity to cast the rod yet because the snake guide on the butt section had to be rebound. This was done today. One thing I have noticed is the wide color variations of the brown thread that Fenwick used on the various Feralite models. This particular rod has the serial number L93592. I do intend using the rod for small makos and the larger yellowtail kingfish that frequent the offshore reefs in New Zealand's Bay of Plenty. My mate Kiwiscanfly will post a couple of photos. Cheers


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Post 06 Apr 2021, 04:40 • #2 
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Joined: 08/21/20
Posts: 22
Location: Whangaparaoa, New Zealand




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Post 07 Apr 2021, 02:51 • #3 
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Joined: 11/15/17
Posts: 101
Location: SanDiego,California
Here are some pictures of my FF9012 from 1972 ( K249358). The model number on yours does not look like an original factory number but rather that someone printed it on there. A FF9012 is going to be 12wt rated. You don’t show a complete picture of your rod so I can’t see if it really is a FF9012 or not. However compare your rod to the pictures I sent and see if it is the same.







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Post 07 Apr 2021, 04:39 • #4 
Guide
Joined: 10/14/19
Posts: 128
Location: Tauranga, New Zealand
Hi NetMan. Many thanks for your reply. I will take some photos of the rod and get my mate to post them. My rod is a lot different. For a start, it does not have a built in fighting butt, nor does it have the upper fighting grip. I will find someone with a micrometer and measure the outside diameter of rod at various points so that a comparison can be made. The black butt cap can be removed so perhaps a fighting butt is able to be inserted. The rod is noticeably heavier than the FF9010 and the FF116. The other possibility is that the rod was assembled by Kilwell (Kelly Rotorua Limited), as they had a licence from Fenwick to build FF rods in New Zealand. Your FF9012 is a beautiful fly rod. I'll get back within the next couple of days. I have just weighed the rod at 6 3/4 ounces. Cheers


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Post 07 Apr 2021, 13:50 • #5 
Master Guide
Joined: 09/23/18
Posts: 614
Location: Eastern Wa
Mine looks just like NetMans and definitely is more powerful than my FF9010 and FF9311 and is also labeled a 12 wt.


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Post 10 Apr 2021, 03:32 • #6 
Guide
Joined: 10/14/19
Posts: 128
Location: Tauranga, New Zealand
I am back after having to find a battery to fit the Hornady Digital Caliper. So I took a few measurements on the Fenwick Feralite that is labelled as a FF9012. I would really appreciate NetMan and fishuntmike measuring their rods so that we can sort this out. The shaft just below the tip measures 3.47mm. The diameter of the shaft under the snake guide on the female ferrule is 11.56mm. The diameter on the tip of the male ferrule is 9.88mm. The diameter under the hook keep is 17.3mm. The diameter of the reel seat is 22.21mm. I will take photos tomorrow and ask my mate Kiwiscanfly to post them. A big thanks for your help. Cheers


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Post 10 Apr 2021, 07:30 • #7 
Master Guide
Joined: 09/23/18
Posts: 614
Location: Eastern Wa
I got 3.43, 11.8, 9.9, 15.5(above upper cork handle under hookkeeper), 16.8 (above lower handle below where hookkeeper would be if upper handle was missing, but since it has a fighting butt its measured above where it would be if fighting butt was missing hence smaller diameter) and 22.3 on reelseat. Probably the same blank despite small variations (measurements rough and converted from inches to mm)


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Post 11 Apr 2021, 03:15 • #8 
New Member
Joined: 08/21/20
Posts: 22
Location: Whangaparaoa, New Zealand
Here's Mudfishes images:

















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Post 11 Apr 2021, 17:55 • #9 
Guide
Joined: 10/14/19
Posts: 128
Location: Tauranga, New Zealand
Thanks Kiwiscanfly for posting the photos and thanks also to fishuntmike for taking the time to measure up your FF9012. Much appreciated guys. Yeah, I reckon it's an FF9012, just assembled differently. I do like the examples with the foregrip, they are very special. Cheers


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Post 12 Apr 2021, 02:28 • #10 
Guide
Joined: 11/15/17
Posts: 101
Location: SanDiego,California
Well Mudfish I must agree it looks like you do have a FF9012 blank that was put together a little differently than the original USA factory rod of the 70’s. I do not have the tools to measure my rod but I am sure it would come out just like Fishuntmike’s. It might be helpful to have a removable 3in or 6in fighting butt made for it. I have a FF9310 (10wt) with a 6in removable fighting butt; FF114 (10-11wt) with a 3in fixed butt and a FF109 (11-12wt) that I am having a 6in removable butt made for.
When you are able cast this rod it would be really interesting to find out what line weight it can handle, 10wt, 12wt, or ?. One of my larger saltwater reels that I have set up for my FF9012 is a Penn International 4G. It has a Shooting Head 14wt Float (25ft) 437gr with 90ft of 30# float running line (.040in) and 300yds of 30# Dacron backing. I can get a 90ft cast with it and it really helps to use two hands by gripping the fighting butt


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Post 12 Apr 2021, 03:08 • #11 
Guide
Joined: 10/14/19
Posts: 128
Location: Tauranga, New Zealand
Thanks for your post NetMan. I will make a short fighting butt for the FF9012. The one that I made for one of my FF116 doesn't fit, that's for sure. I also own the Penn International 4G which I use for makos. My gem however is the Fin Nor 4.5AR in one of the photos above. It is fairly new to me and I have yet to use it in anger, although I know that the previous owner caught two or three world record makos on it. I am looking forward to seeing how the FF9012 compares to my #12 Epic Boca Grande. Many thanks for the information on your fly line and backing setup. Very much appreciated. Cheers


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