Fenwicks really do age well. My brother has my grandfathers Fenwick from the '50s/'60s and it still fishes great and has held up really well. Heddon is another one of those companies that tends to age very well. Here's an old Heddon Pal Superlative being put to work. (sorry its not a close up) This one has a little oxidation on one of the guides, but other then that its fine. I passed this rod onto a buddy of mine as his first fly rod. He told me he took it to the high sierras and caught a bunch of fish in the backcountry on an ant pattern and outfished some of his buddies that were using spinners. He was pretty fired up and it was great to hear it was still getting use.

I broke a Fisher graphite 5 wt. probably 10 years ago. Of the moments Ive broken a fly rod in my life, that was probably the saddest. Great little dry rod that could switch gears to streamer or nymph or whatever if needed.

Alec, you fish a Valentine 76 on that Steffan?

Paul

I was wondering that myself. Whirl.I would love to see more pics of the Fisher.

A Bean's "LL" eight foot for a six weight--a Philipson Master by another name. It has been used, wraps refreshred with spar, picked up some scuffs and is overall unimpressive until you fish with it. Then I can't say enough.

Cummings Water Witch

My FF806 - my dad bought it in the 70's for a trout trip to Idaho. I'd thought I'd lost it and found it a few years ago in the wrong rod tube in my basement after a bunch of moves. Decades of use, family connection, and plenty of fish. Particularly like it in local warm water ponds where you never know what you're going to hook!

Incredible sweet 1963 Shakespeare Wonderod FY910 UL5wt. Lots of fish and lots of fond memories.

Here are a couple pics of my Great grandfather's Actionglas

Yes bamboo looking paint job that is peeling, He was from PA, I have some old pictures of him cleaning brookies, I remember as a kid not understanding the whole fly line thing, couldn't understand that pile of line on the pond bank, lol. That was after we migrated to Oklahoma. Never saw him trout fish with it. I think I will replace the guides and fish it, seems to like a 8 weight, possible an 7 it started to feel good with a 7 when I had quite a bit of line out, 9 felt heavy on it, need to put an 8 on it and see.

OKMike, a refurbishing of that rod would not change the mojo. Of course, keepkng it as it is, cleaning it, repairing that one wrap and revarnishing the other wraps would not change the mojo one big. Lucky you having a rod wish such fine heritage and mojo.

Paul

I love this thread! probably because one of the reason I love fiberglass rod, it last forever!
I have a little yellow rod from Japanese Fenwick, it's a 3 weight 5 piece rod called "little yellow". I use this rod very often, but I don't think this rod has some exceptional characters, I think I use it simply because it is so compact and it fit my backpack well, so I bring it everywhere, even on the way to my office when I lived in Boston. My friend even made a wallet for it... can't believe time flyby so fast...
though it only being 8 years on this rod, I feel the rod is like been bought yesterday... : )
cork is getting dark..

IMG_2200 by markyuhina, on Flickr

this fish was literally on a subway station - mud creek park, everyone was surprised that we got big carp in the center of Boston...
carp1 by markyuhina, on Flickr