Union Hardware Co. rod

Question
When my uncle died I found a very old pole that appears to be bamboo.  It's a heavy duty pole.  Looks to be for deep sea fishing.  It has a rubber knob on the bottom and then a grooved
wood handle 10" to the reel seat. More grooved wood 4 1/2".  The bamboo starts and then 11" up there is a big eye, then some metal where it looks like it screws apart.  Then 15 1/2" up from that, there are 2 eyes one on each side of the pole.  Weird looking. The tip is 16 1/2" up from that, but it is weird also.  It looks like the eyes.  Round.  The rod looks very very old and to me looks like a boat rod, maybe for jigging or something.  I can't find out anything on it.  I appreciate all the help I can get.  Thank you,  Jeanne  I would send a picture, but don't know how. p.s.  It's only 70" long

Answer
Hello Jeanne. Thank you for the question.

Union Hardware was a large and diversified manufacturer and machining company that was founded in 1864 and in 1905 began producing fishing rods of steel. I have a couple in my small collection.

CollectorsWeekly.com posted an article that stated the company began producing split cane rods around 1925. That may be the earliest of dates your rod may have been produced. There are many models out there ranging from fly rods to "boat" style rods that were used all along the Atlantic coast as well as the Great Lakes. The company ultimately was purchased by the Brunswick Corp in the late 1950's, early 1960's. In their history they produced thousands of rods and reels both for other companies as well as under their own name.

The rod you describe was used in saltwater angling from boat and pier. It was known as a squidding rod, not for catching squid but for a technique used in fishing WITH dead squid as bait (as well as other lures and baits with the same rhythmic, jigging retrieve). Don't be confused by "fishing" for squid...that is not what "squidding" rods were for.

The rod is very unique with guides on both sides and I am guessing, a ring type tip that would allow the line to pass through it no matter which side the rod's butt section was aligned to. Most anglers would rotate the butt (and the reel) 180 degrees after a fish or at least, after each trip. This design was such that the cane rod would never get a permanent "set" or bend in it...pretty ingenious don't you think?

I hope to do some additional research on Union Hardware and perhaps find a list of models manufactured. I would welcome any shared info from other readers. Until then, I hope this answer will suffice.

Thanks again for the question.

-Mark Rimmer