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Fisher Graphite?
Post 05 May 2021, 07:07 • #1 
Sport
Joined: 01/03/20
Posts: 26
Location: South Africa
Inspired by the recent graphite post, I thought I would enquire of the experts on this forum as to whether a rod I purchased years ago really is a Fisher. It is a 9', 5/6 weight, 4 piece unmarked graphite rod. It came in a plain plastic tube, which I since upgraded,and had one bent snake which I was able to straighten. My gut tells me that this is a rod built locally (South Africa), as the reel seat is our local wild olive wood. For graphite, it is relatively heavy, and has a slow, smooth action, flexing down into the grip. Any help with the origin of the blank would be really appreciated, thank you all in advance. All the best, Mike.









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Re: Fisher Graphite?
Post 05 May 2021, 07:30 • #2 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19077
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
Fisher sold scads of blanks - looks like it may be a Sterling to me - kind of a shame you didn't get the 2nd Combo handle that makes a 3-pc rod. (Sterling is 8'10")

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Re: Fisher Graphite?
Post 05 May 2021, 07:36 • #3 
Sport
Joined: 01/03/20
Posts: 26
Location: South Africa
Thanks Ron, I suspected you might reply. Unfortunately I purchased the rod second hand through a local fly fishing shop, so never met the original owner. Sorry about the lousy pictures, used my cell phone. Thanks for your imput.


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Re: Fisher Graphite?
Post 08 May 2021, 12:20 • #4 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 09/18/09
Posts: 5561
Location: Relocated to the Drought Stricken West.
There is nothing that say's it's not a Fisher blank and as Ron has mentioned, they sold a lot of blanks. The build looks "age appropriate" for a fisher build.


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Re: Fisher Graphite?
Post 08 May 2021, 15:51 • #5 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 04/20/07
Posts: 8920
Location: US-ME
Let's put it a different way. What makes you doubt that it is a Fisher blank?

Truth be told, if you like the rod, it doesn't much matter if you like the rod--any placebo effect of the name being long passed. But at the time you bought it, was Fisher well known and widely distributed in S.A. ? If not, would there be a reason for someone to misrepresent it, and if they did, what commonly available blank would be used instead?

Fisher was a go-to manufacturer for hobby builds and small shop builds for many years. But even in parts of the U.S., the name itself wasn't well known except to builders and their buyers. Telling someone on a secondary sale years later, "this is a Fisher" wouldn't add much to the likelihood of a sale or its price. A potential buyer would just judge the rod by his own preference for feel, action, and cosmetics.

Fisher made great graphite blanks but kept a low profile at the retail level. Today, its "vintage" graphite--and of course fiberglass--are as fine as ever--but with much more name recognition and cachet. Years ago, it would be a casual point to mention that a hobby or custom rod was a Fisher, so I don't see much reason that it would have been misrepresented--unless the market was completely different in S.A. Beyond that, the only way to know with near certainty is by comparison in hand with a known Fisher blank. It sure looks like one, but others had a similar appearance.

So in that way, if you like the rod, it doesn't matter anyhow. Identifying an old build as on a Fisher blank adds little to its value either.

Just to give the idea, I knew of Fisher 'glass and graphite since their time, built on one 'glass bank, several graphites, and saw many more because they were popular with friends and a shop owner I knew well. Fifteen or twenty years later, I got one 'glass blank and passed up a bunch of graphites at a salvage sale. I asked what kind of blanks they were, and the reply was just a casual, "I think they are Fisher," definitely not aimed at convincing me to buy or justifying the selling price, which was low anyhow.

I knew they were Fisher blanks--just 6 or 10--not just from appearance but because I knew their origin, how they sat unsold and wound up all but junked in storage. They were in remarkably good condition, but I passed on the graphites and got just one 'glass in a length and line weight I wanted. I won't say what I paid, and the graphites might have cost me a dollar more per blank, but it is only another decade or two later that anyone would think I "stole" them.

Probably a Fisher, probably purchased for a good deal, and probably a very nice rod.


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Re: Fisher Graphite?
Post 10 May 2021, 02:14 • #6 
Sport
Joined: 01/03/20
Posts: 26
Location: South Africa
Thank you carlz and whrlpool, I really appreciate you taking time to comment. I should possibly clarify my question, the reason I asked is because I have no point of reference since this is the only Fisher rod that I have been exposed to here in South Africa. When I purchased it, it was because I liked the rod, a nice smooth and slow action, and a well put together build.
To answer the question, no, Fisher never seemed to make inroads in the local market, so not having seen any before or since, made me ask the question. This is a using rod and I don't mind where it is from, but it's a matter of putting a name to the face, as it were, especially since I have been able to learn about J K Fisher on this forum. It is always interesting to know something about the hand of the maker, not to add financial value, but rather personal and historical interest. Thank you once again for a valuable source of knowledge and information. All the best, Mike.


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