Vintage Bamboo Fly Rods, Reels, and Tackle

The following are ‘Vintage’ rods and other classic tackle that I have for sale. If you have an interest in any of them, be sure to contact me for availability and any questions you may have, or if you need photographs.. This inventory is subject to change as additional rods & reels are acquired and others are sold. Reasonable offers will be respectfully considered.

Dr. Paul Hermann Rod Collection

We are priviledged to have been asked by Paul to sell his significant bamboo rod collection. He was a dear friend and fly fisher. As many of you know, he passed away in November, 2016, and we miss him dearly. Here is a list of the rods he asked me to sell. Please contact me for more details on any of them or if you need photos.

8' Leonard Model 50. 3/2. Dr. Hermann said it was restored by Ted Simroe- who managed the Leonard rod shop after the fire. New red wraps, guides, and varnish. Leonard bag and small diameter tube. Mr. Simroe is highly skilled at rod-making, and his level of expertise is evident on this rod. Your chance to own a post-fire model 50 Leonard at a very low price! $900

8 1/2' Leonard Salmon Fly rod. 2/2. Red wraps, serial #1525, made during Simroe era, has permanent 2" lower handle. Orig. bag and tube. This would be a great rod for salmon and steelhead on Great Lakes tributary rivers. Priced to sell at $800.

8' F. E. Thomas "Special". 2/2 with cork handle and reel seat. Agate stripper (has new wraps). Great casting 6-wt. and also does nicely with #5's. c. 1939. Thomas rods, especially these 8-footers, are incredibly comfortable to cast. See why Thomas rods are so cherrished by their owners (and fished)...! The price is $1000 for a fast sale.

SOLD:
7' Kretchman Dry Fly Rod. 2/2, Mint condition. Casts #4 & 5 lines. Plenty of reserve power which Dr. Hermann ordered. Orig. wool bag and bronze tube. This rod  is based on a Payne rod taper, and is a nice dry fly action for today's modern lines. It is our Signature Grade rod at a very affordable price. $1500- SOLD
9 1/2' Payne Model #435 Dry Fly Salmon rod. Extremely rare, 2/2, excellent condition, made for 7-8 wt. lines, Original bag, tag, and tube. Plus an aluminum detachable handle made by Dr. Hermann. Ready to fish!! It can be cast as a single-handed rod and the lower extension handle used for fighting large fish. This is your chance to fish a rare, legendary 2-piece Payne rod at a price of $1600 . Use it for salmon or steelhead and add a classic reel by Zwarg, Edward VomHofe, Bogdan, etc. You'll be the envy of all the other guys around you on the stream!-SOLD
8 1/2' Thomas & Thomas Salmon Fly rod. 3/2. Mint condition- never fished. 7-wt. lines. $1700-SOLD
Walt Carpenter, 7 1/2' "Browntone". Mint- never fished. 2/2. Rated for #4 lines. Length is 7' 6 1/2". Original bag and tube. $3700-SOLD
7 1/2' Winston, 2/2 , Made by Glen Brackett, Mint condition. 4-wt. with orig. bag and tube. $2100-SOLD
8' Winston, 3/2, Another Glen Brackett rod in excellent plus condition. Agate stripper. Serial #3193. For 6-wt. lines. $1700-SOLD
7 1/2' Daryl Whitehead Custom Engraved Rod. 2/2. Excellent condition, reel seat engraved by Paoblo Barbaretti, fancy walnut seat, intermediates, agate stripper,
   a stunningly beautiful rod with original bag and tube. Made for #5 lines. $1700-SOLD
7' Thomas/Campbell 'Browntone' Fly rod. 2/2. Mint-unfished. Stamped L22 on butt cap. Campbell bought the F.E. Thomas name and makes nice renditions. Tag
     lists it as weighing 3 1/4 oz. It feels like a 3-wt. rod. $1300. -SOLD
8' Thomas/Campbell 'Browntone' fly rod. 2/2. Mint-unfished. Stamped M2 on cap. Listed at 4 3/4 oz. Brisk 6-wt. rod with original bag and tube w/ Thomas
   decal. $1000- SOLD
7' Edwards "Quadrate". 2/2 in excellent condition. Agate stripper, cork reel seat. Blue bag and old tube. Feels like a 4-wt. dry fly rod. $1400=SOLD
7 1/2' Edwards Model 50 "Quadrate". 3/2. Excl. refinished condition. Inscriptions carefully preserved. Black wraps tipped yellow on mid and butt, orange on tips.
   Feels like 5/6 wt. with orig. bag and labeled tube. Made during Bristol ownership... $1200- SOLD
9' Paul Young "Para-18". 2/2. Rod has gold lettering applied by Bob Summers when he refinished it in the late 50's. Rated for GBF lines. Orig. bag, tube, and 3"
     detachable handle. This would be a great steelhead or salmon rod. $1600- SOLD
8' Summers Model 856. 2/1, Serial #8388. Orig. bag and tube. A great casting 5/6 wt. This is one of his most popular models. $1600-SOLD
8' Summers Model 856. 2/2. Serial #7792. Nice even flaming. Blued ferrules.. fantastic 5-6 wt. rod ! Walnut reel seat. Orig. bag, ferrule plug, & tube. $2500-
     SOLD
7' 3" Summers Model 735. Very rare rod. 2/2. Near Mint condition. Serial #82587. Rated 4-5 Wt., I love it with a WF-5 line. Slightly parabolic action that is so
   smooth casting. This is a 'dream' rod from one of the master rod makers. Original maroon bag with label, and possible replacement tube. Actual length is 7' 1
   1/2". $2800-SOLD
9' Gillum Salmon Fly rod. 3/2. Excellent condition, serial #I-838, owner's name inked on butt too, 6.5 oz. actual weight. Orig. bag and labeled tube with light
   canvas protective case. Great casting rod... $3500- SOLD
12' Olaf Kundrus Spey Rod. 3/2, impregnated rod, 12 1/2" forward handle, 5" rear handle. Agate stripper. Nice workmanship. Orig. bag and tube. $1000-SOLD

Above: 7' Kretchman 4/5 wt.

7 1/2' D. Whitehead 5-wt. rod. 8' Leonard Model 50 - mint restored by Simroe

"Fit For A King?'-2 Salmon Rods Made for Prince Charles & Princess Dianna by T&T for President Reagan to present as Wedding gifts.

President Reagan (during his second term of office) ordered a pair of salmon fly rods from the Thomas & Thomas shop as a wedding gift. Len Codella, owner of T&T at that time, had a short time frame to make these rods, so he instructed Tom Dorsey to build a back-up set of blanks just in case something went wrong with the first set. Fortunately, the first set of blanks were perfectly made, so Len ordered the extra blanks be advertised for sale. Our friend, Dr. Marchant, saw the ad and asked Len to complete them for him. That pair of rods is being offered here as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! These stunning rods are pictured below. They have only been cast or fished possibly once or twice. They are in pristine condition. The only difference between these and the ones made for Charles and Diana are that these rods have detachable lower handles, whereas the Royal Couples' rods have fixed handles. Accompanying these rods is the original letter of sale to Dr. Marchant from Codella and Dorsey, and the original advertisement that drew Dr. Marchant's attention. Finally, a letter from Len describing in detail this whole story is included. This pair of rods will be the centerpiece of your collection. The only other rods like this in the world are housed in the Sporting/Trophy room at Balmoral Castle. This package is priced at $8000 plus shipping & insurance to the fortunate buyer. Please inquire if you have more questions or need addtional photos.

9' George Halstead

Priced at $800

Made by the reknown George Halstead, this 3/2 rod is probably suited for #7 lines and has a strong dry fly action. It features richly flamed bamboo, random nodes, an agate stripper with early wire frame, a screw down-locking reel seat with Halstead's stamping on the locking ring, a curly African wood spacer, lightly blued ferrules that seat fully and pop when taken apart, and a 7" slightly tapered cigar shaped handle. A few cork rings have ridges but are far from needing to be replaced. The wraps are translucent brown and appear to be re-done since some of them have threads over-lapping. There is also one snake guide missing from the mid section. All sections are full length and straight. Compleating this rod is the original dark green bag and brass-capped tube. One 'ventilation' hole has been drilled at each end of the tube. One tip has a pair of 1" pieces of bamboo spliced into it, using resorcinol glue (see photo below). This type of repair was professionally done and I don't detect any weakness there. Under the nearby snake guide is some rust stain from the previous guide. While not perfect, this is an opportunity to own a Halstead that is fishable as is or can be repaired if you prefer.

REELS

NEW: Bogdan- "Wide Spool Baby" Trout Reel

One of the most desirable reels Stan & Steve ever made... This one is in excellent condition.. It has the black anodized side plates, aluminum frame, and un-mared foo. It was owned by a lady fly fisher, Nina Rodrick, whose name is nicely engraved on the faceplate. This reel is currently set for RHW, but I can reverse it if you want... Stan showed me the process years ago. Stan rated this 2 3/4" diameter reel for a #4 WF line plus 25 yds. of backing. It weighs 4 1/2 oz. and comes with the original suede leather bag (proudly made in New England). This is a great reel for #3 & 4 lines on your classic bamboo rod!!!! Priced reasonably at $2300.

New: Hardy 3 3/8" Perfect

This classic reel has the early satin enamel finish, straight line stamping, ribbed brass foot, and tension adjustor. Although it's been fished and has some finish wear, it remains in excellent mechanical condition. The number '24' is stamped inside the face plate. Included is the spare spring and clicker. It weighs 6.9 oz. This reel is designed for #5 & 6 lines with plenty of backing. $375.

Hardy St. George Jr.- Pristine Condition

This is one of the most desireable sizes for fishing 1, 2, & 3-wt. lines. This one has a smokey agate line guard, a ribbed aluminum foot, tensioner, and brown leather pouch. It appears "as new" with no signs of use. The foot hasn't been modified, no wear on the rims or side plates, and no cracks in the agate. It has a black handle and a baked finish that is not smooth like the 50's era models but has a satin / charcoal colored finish that is less reflective of sunlight. The stamping on this 2 9/16" reel is straight. It is mechanically as tight as it was from the factory. This reel belonged to a physician who was a dear friend of ours and was well-cared for. The bag may or may not be original, but it fits this reel perfectly. $575 plus shipping.

Another 2 9/16" Hardy St. George Jr.

Similar to the St. George Jr. listed above, this one has been used and has light wear on the rims and side plates. It also has a smokey agate line guard (without cracks), straight line stamping, ribbed aluminum foot (un-modified), and line tensioner. It has the earlier smooth enamel finish and a light brown handle. It is also mechanically sound /tight. This wonderful reel model is ready for more fishing adventures and comes with a brown leather pouch with draw string which fits this reel perfectly. Priced reasonably at $475 plus shipping.

Hardy Flyweight

This later model has the single screw line guard. It looks new and includes a new Orvis WF-4-F line and blue & cream vinyl case. $325

Books

Schmookler & Sils' Rarest Limited Editions

This spectacular book is #5 of only 30 copies ever made! It is: Rare and Unusual Fly Tying Materials: A Natural History. Housed in a blue leather slip case designed to look like a book. It measures 15 1/2" x 13" x 4 3/4". When opened, there is an index inside the front cover of 117 different feathers featured in the book. The book itself is simply breathtaking- gold gilded edges, royal blue leather trim and matching blue cloth covers, and is loaded with exquisite photos & text. Stored under the book are 14 panels of actual feathers- numbered to match the index inside the front cover. This "book" has lived for years on the original owner's bookshelf- away from direct sunlight, and is in excellent condition. Several prominent book dealers have told us they have never seen one of these editions, so this is a very rare opportunity to own one of the most desirable books by Paul Schookler and Ingrid Sils. Priced at $3500

The Salmon Flies of Major J.P. Traherne: (1826-1901). This copy is #5 of only 28 copies made. It is in excellent condition and features gorgeous leather binding with gold embossed lettering, cloth covers, gold gilded edges, and matching slip case. The photos inside are Paul Schmookler's spectacular quality. Inside this book (behind the text), is an actual Major Traherne Salmon Fly. It is approximately 3 1/2" x 2 1/2". With only 28 copies in existence, this represents perhaps the rarest of Schmookler's works, and it is in excellent condition. Priced at $1800.