It is currently 29 Mar 2024, 04:30


New Topic Add Reply
Author Message
Rare Vintage Fenwick
Post 03 Aug 2021, 19:09 • #1 
Master Guide
Joined: 09/29/09
Posts: 906
Location: US-MI
Shown below is a rare vintage Fenwick fly rod that I had not seen previously. The rod is 6' in length and in really fine condition for its age. Feels like it could handle 3-5 weight lines with ease. Interested to know if you have enjoyed this model FL 72-6.









Top
  
Quote
Re: Rare Vintage Fenwick
Post 03 Aug 2021, 19:33 • #2 
Guide
Joined: 03/26/16
Posts: 162
Location: Permanent vacation
Awesome rod! It looks like yours is a little older than mine since the one I have doesn't say "Grizzly." It had a very similar grip and identical hardware when I bought it though, which is really interesting. All the guides were rusty, so I stripped it down to the blank, dipped it and rebuilt it. I also expected it to be a 4-5 weight, but a little casting showed it to be a solid six. I love it with a Hook & Hackle DT6F, and it handles big foam flies beautifully. Definitely a favorite for salmonflies and hoppers. Yours is the only other example I've seen - fantastic find!

BTW, it's tough to find a reel with enough capacity for a double taper six that still balances the short, light rod, but MG3's are just about perfect and I like the looks as well. It's a nice pairing.





Top
  
Quote
Re: Rare Vintage Fenwick
Post 03 Aug 2021, 19:41 • #3 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 09/18/09
Posts: 5561
Location: Relocated to the Drought Stricken West.
Neat rod. This appears to be in the Grizzly era where it was owned by Fenwick and sold as blanks. I wonder if it was sold as a one piece that was ferruled by the builder or if it came as a ferruled two piece rod. It's definitely nicely done.

How does it compare to an FF60?


Top
  
Quote
Re: Rare Vintage Fenwick
Post 03 Aug 2021, 20:04 • #4 
Master Guide
Joined: 09/29/09
Posts: 906
Location: US-MI
Chip,

Mighty fine trout you have landed on this taper. Impressive. Glad to hear you were able to salvage your rod and put it to such great work.

Carlz,

Do not have access at present to a FF60 but I suspect this rod shown may accept a greater range of fly lines. Test cast briefly with a three weight line and a four weight line which worked for this taper. Was going to try a five weight line soon and with the suggestions from the other reply a six weight line as well. Thinking the model number may equal 7' two piece for six weight line but this is speculation. The versatile range on this blank and the color had me thinking of the similarities to some of the Cummings rods.

Thanks for all the thoughts posted thus far.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Rare Vintage Fenwick
Post 03 Aug 2021, 20:14 • #5 
Guide
Joined: 03/26/16
Posts: 162
Location: Permanent vacation
Thanks - it's a fun one!

The code for Fenwick blanks (FL) is inches / dash / line weight, so an FL72-6 is a 72" (6') 6 weight. They used that system from the early, orange/brown blanks like ours through the yellow ones and then the brown ones with tip-over ferrules. There was a very late run with an additional "F" at the end, probably to indicate fiberglass once graphite was also on the scene. Woodstream also made some finished rods with FL prefixes at the very, very end but that's a different story.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Rare Vintage Fenwick
Post 03 Aug 2021, 21:03 • #6 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/23/05
Posts: 4966
Location: US-MT
At some point they changed their numbering system, thus a 756 is a 7 1/2" 6wt.

Neat old rod, and in that condition wow. What is the story behind it? That grip seems too modern to me, but ferrule is certainly good old stuff. Looks homespun?

Thanks for posting, looking forward to more info if it comes along.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Rare Vintage Fenwick
Post 03 Aug 2021, 21:54 • #7 
Guide
Joined: 03/26/16
Posts: 162
Location: Permanent vacation
Hi,

The FF756 is a 7 1/2' #6 finished rod - the equivalent blank was the FL90-6. The rod system did change from (mostly) two-digit models like the FF75 to three-digit models like the FF756 or FF755. I believe the transition was in the K-prefix period (1971-73). The blank system stayed the same except for the F ending that was added toward the end of the run.

My FL72-6 has the same ferrule and exactly the same seat hardware, which makes me wonder if there was a kit available at some point. The hardware in particular would be a crazy coincidence if not . . . really neat to see another example to compare. Thanks so much for your post, Grouse!



Top
  
Quote
Re: Rare Vintage Fenwick
Post 03 Aug 2021, 22:36 • #8 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/23/05
Posts: 4966
Location: US-MT
Right you are, the BLANK ##s stayed the same. I missed that.

The seat hardware doesn't look the same to me?? The one rod has two narrow rings the other a cap and a wider ring.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Rare Vintage Fenwick
Post 04 Aug 2021, 06:12 • #9 
Master Guide
Joined: 09/29/09
Posts: 906
Location: US-MI
In reading the earlier post by Chip he believes the rod shown in the first post is an earlier version of his fly rod as the rod shown is labeled Grizzly Fenwick rather than his model was labeled Fenwick. He also references that his fly rod had similar hardware before he rebuilt his rod so I am confident the fly rod posted is original, although the rebuilt rod shown in the next post also looks really nice.

The slide ban feet have worked with each reel used in test casting. Fine fit and secure.

Anyone know the year Fenwick transitioned from labeling rods Grizzly Fenwick to only Fenwick?


Top
  
Quote
Re: Rare Vintage Fenwick
Post 04 Aug 2021, 09:29 • #10 
Guide
Joined: 03/26/16
Posts: 162
Location: Permanent vacation
Hi

Grouse is right - the rod's wearing a Struble D2S these days. I dug out some reference photos I took when I bought the rod to show the configuration when it came to me. It absolutely appears to have been built by the same hands, as the components are the same and even the thread color looks like a match. FL's were only sold as blanks, so it must have been either a hobby builder or a "custom rod" operation but it's a little surprising there's no script from the maker if they were doing any volume. Really a curious little mystery!

Note that mine was originally staggered, and cut down a little to 66 3/8" - I added a stent to get to equal sections and it's 5' 8" now. Is yours exactly 6', Grouse? Also, is the stripping guide the same?

Fascinating stuff.















Top
  
Quote
Re: Rare Vintage Fenwick
Post 04 Aug 2021, 09:44 • #11 
Guide
Joined: 10/30/18
Posts: 203
Location: SF Bay Area
Grip, seat and sliding bands look Orvis.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Rare Vintage Fenwick
Post 04 Aug 2021, 11:22 • #12 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/23/05
Posts: 4966
Location: US-MT
Fun stuff, if only rods could talk


Top
  
Quote
Re: Rare Vintage Fenwick
Post 04 Aug 2021, 17:30 • #13 
Master Guide
Joined: 09/29/09
Posts: 906
Location: US-MI
The rod measures 36" for each section and 6' when assembled. Had not studied the stripping guide until the post by Chip, but it looks similar. The stripping guide is really cool to my eye in that the base is the color gold similar to the ferrules except for the stripping guide itself which is a Mildrum or similar insert. Very attractive on this rod as it compliments the overall build.

Agree that the reel seat rings appear to be very much like the Orvis variety which is a good feature. The rings are knurled on the outside and smooth on the inside so fast to grip yet easy on your reel foot. The end cap is also a silver circle as shown in the pre-rebuild photographs of the other rod above.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Rare Vintage Fenwick
Post 04 Aug 2021, 23:34 • #14 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 09/18/09
Posts: 5561
Location: Relocated to the Drought Stricken West.
Grouse wrote:
Anyone know the year Fenwick transitioned from labeling rods Grizzly Fenwick to only Fenwick?

The Fenwick book (page 162) says the merger was in 1969, and the Fenwick-Grizzly blanks appeared for 1 year (1970) before the Grizzly name was dropped.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Rare Vintage Fenwick
Post 05 Aug 2021, 10:03 • #15 
Master Guide
Joined: 09/29/09
Posts: 906
Location: US-MI
Wonderful detail Carlz. The rod marking places this rod at 1970. Great to know.

Appreciate the additional information.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Rare Vintage Fenwick
Post 06 Aug 2021, 17:43 • #16 
Sport
Joined: 07/27/21
Posts: 46
Location: WV,MD,NC,SC,TN,NY but mostly PA
Hello,

This is actually my favorite rod.
I own two FL72-6's and one FL72-5.

Both the 72-6's are one piece.
One is yellow and measures 6'1" and casts 3/4/5 wt lines.
The other is brown and measures 6'4" and casts 3/4/5wt lines.

The 72-5 is 2pc and measures 6' 3/8" and casts a 3/4/5wt line as well.


IMO the 72-6 is a better roll caster than the 72-5. All of them are a delight to fish , I'll try to find some pics later.

I really like your rod btw. I love those small copper colored ferrules and the cork through real seat.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Rare Vintage Fenwick
Post 06 Aug 2021, 20:18 • #17 
Master Guide
Joined: 09/29/09
Posts: 906
Location: US-MI
Six foot,

Great to hear your comments and look forward to your photographs as time permits. Appreciate your experienced opinions about this rod.

A belated welcome to the forum.


Top
  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  

New Topic Add Reply



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 24 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Jump to:  
Google
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group