Greg Posted April 9, 2007 Posted April 9, 2007 This winter I purchased (separately on ebay) and old Fenwick glass fly rod and an old pflueger medalist fly reel. The fenwick is 7.5 ft and a 6 wt. The medalist is the 1495. Both had obviously been used but well taken care of. I had to do a minor repair on the medalist. Both are somewhere in the range of 30 to 40 years old. I got to use them both today for the first time on Taneycomo. Both work wonderfully even considering their age. The Fenwick is exceedingly smooth and casts and mends well even given its short length. It's just a neat old rod. When I was in my teens I always wanted one of these rods but couldn't afford one at the time - I think they were $75 or $100. The medalist worked great too. One of the things I like best about the medalist is it's simplicity and ease of repair. Once you understand how the parts work - they are very easy to fix in the rare instance something breaks. The fishing was good with several decent 16 - 18" fish taken and both the old rod and the old reel handled them like a champ. It's no wonder the Fenwick was the top selling fly rod through the 70's and the pflueger medalist was the best selling fly reel for years and years. Anyone else use or own either of these oldies but goodies?? Greg "My biggest worry is that my wife (when I'm dead) will sell my fishing gear for what I said I paid for it" - Koos Brandt Greg Mitchell
Danoinark Posted April 9, 2007 Posted April 9, 2007 Greg Good for you. I have a couple medalist 1494's around here and an Orvis Madison 6/7 made by Pflueger in Fayetteville, Ar back in the 70's at their plant there. I passed along a Fenwick Grizzly to my good friend CC, or I should say we did a trade (he fixed up a rod for the grandson for me). He plans on hitting the smallie streams with that one. I guess I wax nostalgia. I love the old stuff and it brings back so many memories. I have a couple more glass rods around here. One is a Garcia Conolon in what I think is a 6/7 weight. Dano Glass Has Class "from the laid back lane in the Arkansas Ozarks"
Terry Beeson Posted April 9, 2007 Posted April 9, 2007 I have an old 8 wt 'boo I want to refurbish and start fishing as well as my late father in law's glass fly rod that would be fun to put back in action. I do love that Pfleuger reel I recently purchased and wouldn't mind to purchase a couple more of them. You know you have to wear high wasted khaki pants with suspenders and gum rubber waders when you fish those old rods... and no baseball caps... Stetsons only... TIGHT LINES, YA'LL  "There he stands, draped in more equipment than a telephone lineman, trying to outwit an organism with a brain no bigger than a breadcrumb, and getting licked in the process." - Paul O’Neil
troutchaser Posted April 9, 2007 Posted April 9, 2007 I have an old Wright & McGill 8wt. I received from a friend who passed away. He introduced me to fly fishing, now that I think of it. It's called a "Trimtackle" or "Trimpact" or something. It's a three piece glass rod with a matched up W&M Signature reel. I don't use the reel, though, the drag seems to be messed up. I wear my crushable wool safari hat when I fish it.(I only use it at night, so nobody sees me. He also gave me a Heddon Bamboo rod, 3-peice with two different tips. I haven't fished it because it needs new guides/wrapping. I've got another one he gave me, but I don't recall the details of it. The tip is warped, so it hangs on the wall with the (working) auto retrieve reel on it. They aren't worth a lot to most folks, but I sure do love 'em. Paul Rone
Danoinark Posted April 9, 2007 Posted April 9, 2007 You know you have to wear high wasted khaki pants with suspenders and gum rubber waders when you fish those old rods... and no baseball caps... Stetsons only... ..... red plaid wool shirt, a bamboo creel, and a pipe full of Prince Albert.. ....Dano Glass Has Class "from the laid back lane in the Arkansas Ozarks"
Terry Beeson Posted April 9, 2007 Posted April 9, 2007 And no long sleeves unless you're one of them young whupper-snappers... A white Sunday-go-to-meetin' shirt is an acceptable substitute for the plaid wool. And "Country Gentleman" in the pipe is an option for the PA. TIGHT LINES, YA'LL  "There he stands, draped in more equipment than a telephone lineman, trying to outwit an organism with a brain no bigger than a breadcrumb, and getting licked in the process." - Paul O’Neil
MrsDucky Posted April 9, 2007 Posted April 9, 2007 My grandmother used to fish, but not fly fish. We have some of her old rods, reels, and tackle. Some of it was unusable, but some of it has come in handy! She had a wonderful Little Cleo, silver and blue, that never failed...until I caught a huge tree with it! DUH!!!!! We all love to use her old Eagle Claw rod. It brings back memories for me, connects my son to her, and makes John feel as if he knew her, too. Fishing sure is fun! I can bring home the trout...fry it up in a pan...and never let you forget I caught it! 'Cause I'm a woman!
Danoinark Posted April 9, 2007 Posted April 9, 2007 And "Country Gentleman" in the pipe is an option for the PA. But Terry B. The PA can was great for carrying garden wigglers when you wanted to tip your fly! Glass Has Class "from the laid back lane in the Arkansas Ozarks"
troutchaser Posted April 9, 2007 Posted April 9, 2007 But Terry B. The PA can was great for carrying garden wigglers when you wanted to tip your fly! Yeah, but it sure made the tobacco smoke a little "whangy". Paul Rone
Crippled Caddis Posted April 9, 2007 Posted April 9, 2007 <And no long sleeves unless you're one of them young whupper-snappers... A white Sunday-go-to-meetin' shirt is an acceptable substitute for the plaid wool. And "Country Gentleman" in the pipe is an option for the PA.> Wrong Sardine breath! No 'Country Gentleman' would wear short sleeves. Nor would a white shirt be accorded respect. Scare the fish off don't you know? Khaki or a light flannel however are completely acceptable. 'Velvet' would be another permissable replacement for the PA including the can. "You need only reflect that one of the best ways to get yourself a reputation as a dangerous citizen these days is to go about repeating the very phrases which our founding fathers used in their struggle for independence." ---Charles Austin Beard
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