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Post 11 Jul 2021, 12:24 • #1 
Sport
Joined: 06/06/21
Posts: 41
Location: Northeast Oklahoma
I bought this fiberglass casting rod at a garage sale yesterday. The rod information is printed in an old style script; however, the rod looks almost new. Does anyone have an idea when this might have been made?
Best wishes.
Mitch


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Post 11 Jul 2021, 12:25 • #2 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/11/05
Posts: 1008
Location: US-NY
I will look it up tonight.


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Post 11 Jul 2021, 15:32 • #3 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19078
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
should be a 3-letter date code near the model identification
First two letters are the year, the 3rd letter is the month.
Model FCJ = 1958, Feb

Image


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Post 11 Jul 2021, 17:33 • #4 
Sport
Joined: 06/06/21
Posts: 41
Location: Northeast Oklahoma
This rod does not seem to have a date code. The only text is "Shakespeare No.206-6' Spin or Cast Made in U.S.A."


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Post 11 Jul 2021, 19:49 • #5 
Administrator
Joined: 01/10/06
Posts: 7811
Location: Holly Springs, NC
Look at the reelseat and metal parts of the casting handle. Some early Shakespeare fly rods had the date code stamped into the metal.


Tom


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Post 11 Jul 2021, 20:52 • #6 
Sport
Joined: 06/06/21
Posts: 41
Location: Northeast Oklahoma
I checked again, and I don't see anything printed on the reel seat or other metal parts. So far, it's puzzling.


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Post 11 Jul 2021, 22:39 • #7 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/11/05
Posts: 1008
Location: US-NY
The rod appeared only in the 1963 catalog. Hope this helps.


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Post 12 Jul 2021, 07:36 • #8 
Sport
Joined: 06/06/21
Posts: 41
Location: Northeast Oklahoma
Gaddis, Thank you so much for finding the date--I know that took a lot of digging.
Bulldog and Tom, Thanks for your great information on date codes.
I am amazed by the knowledge and resources of the experts on this forum!
I bought this rod for the purpose of fishing with it and wearing it out, based on the assumption that it probably has little or no collectors value. Is that still a good assumption, or should I think twice about letting it bang around in my canoe?
Best wishes.
Mitch


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Post 12 Jul 2021, 07:37 • #9 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19078
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
thanks for posting photos


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Post 12 Jul 2021, 08:07 • #10 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/11/05
Posts: 1008
Location: US-NY
Mitch,

If it was mine, I would fish it.


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Post 12 Jul 2021, 08:44 • #11 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19078
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
many of the light-tip rods from that era work better on spincast - I can think of a Browning/Silaflex I gave to a friend just for that use.
He loves it and uses it.

But if it has a fast tip, put an old Ambassadeur on it...


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Post 12 Jul 2021, 16:53 • #12 
Sport
Joined: 06/06/21
Posts: 41
Location: Northeast Oklahoma
Thanks, Bulldog and Gaddis. I recently bought a Shakespeare 1775 Wondercast reel that I can use with the rod. The rod set me back $7.00 and the reel was $2.50. That brings the grand total to $9.50 for the combo. One good mess of fish should just about get me to the break even point.
Mitch


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