I've been looking for a small creek steelhead stick made of fiberglass, and like all the cool kids of the 70s I want a fenwick FF85 or FF80. I found a few of these rods on fleebay, but I have a hard time justifying paying what they end up going for. So what did you pay? Anyone know what they went for originally (just out of curiosity)?
I believe my FF857 went for the princely sum of about $20 in 1968 Compared to about $14 for an Eagle Claw
around $75-$125 depends on the condition, tube, sock etc... I think this is a reasonable range for vintage Fenwick. If you willing to pay higher than that... there will open up more options to the modern fiberglass rods such as Steffen Bro.
Thanks, guys. I just found a guy who was willing to trade me a FF858 that he wasn't using for a graphite stick that would sell for around 100. I really dig these glass rods though. I can't wait to swing up some summers on that thing.
Cool! I have the FF 858 and really love it. I attached a 6" lower handle to it. It cast skagit head 15' around 320 grain + 7-10' T8, using sustain anchor casting style. Smoooth and a lot of feels to it. Really great to handle lead-eye leech flies. The lower handle.
Just a hedzup. I noticed a near-mint ff857 listed in Seattle craigslist yesterday for $75. Seller claimed it was "never fished." Still listed, seller located in Port Orchard.
They were available for $30 - $35 in the Seattle area in the early 1970s. I could see $100 as a reasonable price these days. I can't believe I wrote that! Sg
Still have my FF858, plus a few others. Great rods. $35 sounds about right. Picked mine up from the Pay N Save around 1980 when I finally bought my first rod of my own (and gave my Uncles fenwick back to my Dad). Still have it, with the old USA Pflueger I bought at a garage sale. They are fun sticks to play with. Still have a couple 6 (one picked up off the board a year or two ago), one 7, couple 8's, couple 9's, and a couple 10's (one has the original extension butt with it), all vintage Fenwicks. Some I bought new, some I bought used over the years. Great rods, and most who have a chance to swing them, fall in love with them pretty quick.
BTW, around $100 is to be expected, depending on condition, has rod case and sock, etc. But you can find them around $50-75 for just the rod itself in fished but not destroyed shape.
That is what I have found. I'm really looking for a lower handle for the FF858 that I picked up....or a second one with the grip included. I lined that thing with a royal wulff 8wt ambush and it is pretty awesome; tosses spey casts in tight like a champ. Lost a fish on it the other day, and I rolled a fish on the surface with it yesterday....just waiting to put the first one on the bank.
JS. I picked up a FF858 this summer, $60. Now where do we find the handle like Yuhina, and do we have to use a hack saw to install it? ouch
Not sure, Jeff, but if I find out I will let you know. I saw a rod with the lower handle on fleabay, but the auction ended at like 2am and I wasn't able to grab it up. Negative on the hack saw! If you check out the bottom of the reel seat there should be a rubber plug that pops out, and then the lower grip has a metal stem with o-rings that hold it in place.
Guys, they only made the extension handle on certain 9 and 10wts. I may be wrong, but never heard of one in the 8wt and under range. If you see one on anything under a 9, I'm assuming it's a custom. Which wouldn't be hard to do actually. I've been tempted to convert mine into a switch rod.
BTW, I'll see if I can find some of my old catalogs (have a few scattered over the years of the 1960's through end of 70's). Will see if I can dig them out and find out what they say. But the two I've ever had were a 9 and a 10 wt.
LOL, I just looked at his pic (missed that). He custom made that one. The Fenwick ones had the "fenwick" buttcap you found on their gear rods.
Nice, Jerry. I am going to have to work out something custom for my FF858. I am absolutely loving that rod, but it would be incredible to have a little two hand assist for it. So money for skating smaller steelhead streams.
