Need Help with Rod ID

Question

Fiberglass fly rod wit   QUESTION: Hi,

I recently "found" the first fly rod that I had back when I was a kid.  It's not an expensive rod, but just having found it after all these year (approx. 50 years) is a great thrill for me, as I'm now an avid fly fisherman.  

I need help identifying the rod.

It's 7'1" in length (unusual size, I know), 2 piece and is a solid glass rod (the standard light caramel/green color of glass and resin).  The guides are all snake quides (no stripper guide).  There are 4 snake guides on the rod; one on the butt section and 3 plus the tip top on the tip section.  The wraps are orange and black.  The cork grip looks like a cork amalgum (sort of what I imagine particle board would look like if it was made out of cork particles).  The reel seat is downlocking, is black anodized aluminum and has a bronze colored butt cap and barrel screw.  The first 3 inches above where the rod inserts into the grip is painted black and the only designation on the rod is "HAW.4", which is printed in white on this black section.

I thought it might be a Wards Hawthorne rod, based on the printing on HAW.4, but am not sure.  

Can you help me to ID this rod?  I would greatly appreciate it since, although it has, I'm sure, no real collector value, it has tremendous personal value to me.

I can send pictures of the rod to you if that would be helpful (actually, I'll try to attach an image to this posting).

Thanks in advance.

Best,

Allan

ANSWER: Hi Allan,

Sorry, I do not have anything that identifies this specific rod.

I can tell you that it is just like the first fly rod I ever got, except mine in in much worse condition due to excessive use and came from a hardware store in Oklahoma about 57 years ago.  It also has a green reel seat and different colored wraps, but basically it's the same rod.  I've caught a lot of fish with that rod and really should restore it.

Your guess about Ward's is probably as good as any I could make.  I'm sure these old solid glass rods were probably made by a small number of manufacturers and then sold by every store in towns across the country under different brand names.

Fiberglass first hit the marketplace in the 1940s and many of the early fiberglass fishing rods were solid glass.  You might try some searching in the 1940s-1950s time period for solid glass rods and have some luck identifying the rod or a possible maker.

You are correct in assuming these old rods don't have much value, but they do still work and they do bring back a lot of pleasant memories.

Here's what I do...I take one of the old rods I have along and fish with it in the morning while my shoulders are still feeling good.  After lunch I switch to one of my new rods because they are so much lighter and it is easier on my shoulders.  Try it and see how much you still like that old rod after all these years.

Thanks,  Joe

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Joe,

Thanks for the reply.  

The rod was purchased sometime in the 1958-1962 timeframe; so later than a 40's rod, but definitely an inexpensive solid glass rod.  I'd love to be able to find out what the "HAW.4" designation means.  I tried to make it Hawthorne 4 wt., but I don't think it would cast a 4 wt. line (particularly given that the solid glass rods and early hollow glass rods were, generally, for 6 wt. and higher lines).  I'm sure it was mass produced, but I'd love to find out by who.

Best,

Allan

Answer
Hi Allan,

Yep, a 6wt or 7wt or maybe even an 8wt is probably right for the rod.

Sorry I don't have anything on it.  There is an online discussion board at the following URL:

http://fiberglassflyrodders.yuku.com/

Someone on that board might know the answer if you pot a question and a picture.

Thanks,  Joe