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Post 28 May 2023, 01:07 • #1 
New Member
Joined: 05/27/22
Posts: 4
First post here. I’m looking to pick up a good vintage glass rod for carp and maybe a salt flat water rod. I’m leaning towards the FF858 bit as I’ve been looking at them on eBay have noticed they seem to have been available in 3 weights: 3 7/8oz, 4 1/8oz, and 4 3/8oz.

Can anyone tell me why these came in three sizes over the years and which size seems to be preferred? Are they all 8wt’s?

Thanks


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Post 28 May 2023, 07:13 • #2 
Master Guide
Joined: 07/26/21
Posts: 383
Location: North West Georgia
Wizard,
Im not an expert on the weights, but the 858 certainly did come with different marked weights over time. Most people here would encourage you not to pay too much attention to the marked weights on Fenwicks. They dont mean as much as you would hope. Instead, Id recommend focusing on serial number prefix. Later s/n will often mean a slightly lighter, quicker, and more consistent rod. The earlier numbers in many fenwick models are often slower.

As for the 858, its a quick and powerful rod with a DT8. With a true 9wt bass taper, mine is still very fast. Ive never fished for carp or bone fish, but it would be hard for me to imagine this rod not having the muscle.

Dont overlook the FF85. Slower sweeter rod, plenty of muscle in the butt, and very versatile.


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Post 28 May 2023, 07:46 • #3 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 04/20/07
Posts: 8920
Location: US-ME
Fly rod weights from Fenwick, Whizstick, or any other manufacturer are nominal, even when the advertised or labled weight is consistent over many years. Simple cosmetic changes in the fittings, a change in their style, or a change in supplier can all affect the approximate weight, and then the labeling and marketing catches up to that. The reel seat style alone may explain the different ballpark weight. Take a look at the rod and see if you like its fittings or find nothing to dislike in them.


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Post 28 May 2023, 08:17 • #4 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/23/05
Posts: 4966
Location: US-MT
Years ago I had two FF807's, with a large difference in weight written on shaft. On an actual scale, the rod that had the heavier weight on shaft was actually lighter the lighter of the two!


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Post 01 Jun 2023, 16:59 • #5 
New Member
Joined: 05/27/22
Posts: 4
Thanks for info. Looks like I won’t be worrying too much about the weights.


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Post 07 Jun 2023, 12:21 • #6 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/24/11
Posts: 1144
Location: Belgium
There's quite a bit of variance in Fenwicks and well, most rods really. Somehow they all end up being pretty good, just don't expect any two of them to be exactly alike.


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Post 07 Jun 2023, 17:39 • #7 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 07/11/14
Posts: 1784
Location: urban Colorado
these are also the rods that are labeled for line weights 7, 8 and 9..
;-)
The idea is, 7 DT floater, 8 WF sinking, and 9 ST (shooting head) are all appropriate lines for the rod. But this is too complicated to explain in the small print on the rod, so it never caught on I guess.

mine works great with an 8 WF floater for carp.. I'll have to weigh it now just out of curiosity.

Image


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