fenwick

[salvelinusfontinalis]

lately i have been thinking about getting a cheap fenwick fly rod on ebay. my buddy has been using the same fenwick now for 20 years. i have always loved that rod. i am a slow action fly rod lover but lately i have been thinking of getting a short fenwick for my brookie fishing. something cheap so i dont worry about breaking it. i have seen alot of fenwicks on ebay that are the fenwick feralite models. before i bid i wanted some opinions on these rods. here are two auctions i saw on there, what do you guys think?
fenwick1 this auction almost over
i think that rod is too heavy

cheap rod on this one:

fenwick2

the guides look wrong though. anyways ill find the right one eventually i just wanted some opinons first

thanks in advance!

 

[sandfly]

fenwick #2 is a spinng rod not fly....look at the guides and the reel seat...

 

[RLeeP]

The fenglass rods of the era immediately preceding the introduction of mass market graphite rods were not "cheap" rods. In the mid-70's, they were selling for 60-90 bucks, which would be a couple hundred today.

They were excellent rods, perhaps the best glass rods made for the mass market and short of custom builds.

 

[jpavoncello]

I concur that the Fenwick glass rods are not "cheap" rods. I recently purchased a mint, never fished, 8 foot 5 weight for $140 from the original owner. Might sound like a high price, but the 8 footer is rare (most are 8.5) and to find one never fished is even more rare.
Fishing the feralite is wonderful, IF, you like a slow action rod. Since I enjoy bamboo, I immediately took to the Fenwick glass. It has beautiful dry fly presentation at short to moderate distances, perfect for fishing small creeks like Codorus and Letort Springs Run.
Once you've hooked up, the feralite is even more fun, with a full flex the entire way to the grip with a big fish. Tires them out quickly.
If you do pick one up, test it with a couple of different lines. My 5wt throws a WT4 perfectly, but dumps with a WT5. I'm going to try Cortland's Sylk line on it soon, I hear that line is great for glass rods.

 

[RLeeP]

I agree, JP.

I had 2 of the Fenwick glass rods, a 755 (7 1/2 foot for a 5 wgt.) which I sold during a period of low liquidity and high creditor pressure a number of years back...

I kept and still have a FF605. At (I think it is..) 2 ounces on the button, this is as delicate and fine of a rod as any graphite I've picked up. It isn't the right rod for every place, but where it is, it's a blast to fish.

 

[dano]

jpavoncello wrote:
I recently purchased a mint, never fished, 8 foot 5 weight for $140 from the original owner.

I have the same rod if it's a Fenwick FF805 3 ounce Feralite.
The rod is still in nice shape but no where near mint. The paint is wearing off underneath where the flyline slaps it and needs the #1 stripper guide replaced. It' still a decent rod that also throws a nice DT4 or 5.
It's such an easy rod to cast.
I almost gave it away a couple of times.
I guess I should hold onto it. Didn't know it was a rare model #.

My number one ANF small stream stick is an old 6-foot, 5-weight(HEH) Conolon glass rod. The rods been banged around a bit but still in good original shape. The finish has held up much better than the Fenwick. I fish it with a Rio Classic 4DT.
I picked this rod up years ago at a garage sale for $3.50.

 

[ginkyhackle]

There are some very sexy fiberglass rods out there that use the same imported blanks as fenwick but are beautifully finished collectors items. The Japanese are sticklers for these kinds of slow-action rods and do a superb job with them.

There's also the steffen brothers who are reputedly the best fiberworkers in the country -- For $200 your getting a work of art.

http://www.steffenbrothersflyrods.com/

Ginky