Collecting Antique Fly Fishing Tackle

The first American fly fishing tackle was made by New England gunsmiths, initially using designs imported from the United Kingdom, but eventually evolving into distinctively American forms to adapt to the different fish and waters here. In this article, we will look at collecting antique fly fishing tackle from the era before the Civil War. Such fly fishing tackle doesn't come cheap, but it can transport the fisher who owns it back to an era when rugged pioneers first forged this great nation of ours.

The Origins of Antique Fly Fishing Tackle

Fly fishing tackle is as old as America itself, with the first American manufacturers becoming established in Maine and elsewhere during the Colonial period. The earliest known fly reels date back to around 1820 made by George Snyder of Paris, Kentucky and John Conroy of New York City. Fly rods started appearing in Cape Cod and New York during the following decade or two.

Woods favored for antique fly fishing tackle included ash for the butt of the rod and lancewood for the tip, with midsections being made of ash, lancewood, ironwood, mahoe and greenheart. The butt and midsection were often stained and varnished, while the tips were left bare. Rods were made in three to seven sections, depending on the age and manufacturer. A complete rod from the antebellum era is a rare find nowadays and worth an awful lot of money.

The same applies to reels. The rarest, and therefore most valuable reels from the antique era are made by Conroy, Billinghurst, Fritz Von Hofe, Ustonson, Haywood and Crook, signed by the smith who made them. German silver reels are more valuable than brass ones. Unmarked reels, or those marked by the selling house rather than the manufacturer, are less valuable, but a complete example with no replacement parts can still fetch a pretty good price.

Finding Antique Fly Fishing Tackle

There are a number of retailers who specialize in antique fly fishing tackle. Philip Thompson of Houston, Texas runs the Avid Angler Antique Tackle store, which sells antique fishing reels and wooden lures along with miscellaneous nautical and hunting memorabilia. Tom Greene of Lighthouse Point, Florida buys and sells American made rods and reels, both for fly and game fishing.

Finally, for those whose budget cannot stretch to the genuine article, but who love the feel of hardwood rods and wood and brass reels, there are manufacturers who make antique-style fly fishing tackle for a fraction of the cost of the real thing. For example, the Bayou Sportsman store on eBay offers a tightly woven fly fishing tackle box with a leather strap for $34.99 plus shipping and handling. For the price of a meal for two at a decent restaurant, you can feel like a 19th century pioneer going after the salmon in the waters of Maine in order to feed your family.