Post Your Vintage Fishing Gear...Split Bamboo Fly Rod by Belmont

[TheHobbyist]

I have a vintage (guessing 1950s or earlier) split bamboo fly rod that I bought recently. Great craftsmanship. It is a Belmont.

Thinking about getting into collecting these and doing some fly rod fishing.

If you would, please consider posting pictures of your vintage (heck new is fine too) fishing equipment. I am starting to think this is an area of greater interest for me.

Best,

TH

[kleiss1]

My father in law just gave me a couple. Don't know a thing about them. I'll get some pics up.

[arjay]

My vintage stuff is a rod I made about 30 years ago
Fly fishing is quite an addiction often followed by a fly tying obsession lol

[Rpg]

My vintage fly rod is a Wonder-rod by Shakespear - 7' fiberglass rod my Dad gave me in the late 1950's. I still use it exclusively along with an automatic reel.

In the mid 1990's, I had a friend who lived in Aspen. When he and I went fishing, he was so embarrassed by my gear ( I caught more fish than he did) that he gave me a complete Orvis set for Christmas. I still haven't used the Orvis gear.

[ACP230]

My grandpa had some split bamboo rods.
My uncle got the good ones after grandpa died.
When he died I don't know where they went.

Also lost track of the Spanish copy of a S&W revolver grandpa
had. It also went to my uncle and then to my aunt's cousin
somewhere in California.

[DeathGrip]

I've never had reason to fly fish down this way but I do have some spinners from as far back as the 50s. Plus some cranks that I have no clue how old they are.

My brother took a bunch of my grand fathers (plural) stuff from dad's garage years ago and I'm lucky I have some that he missed. I thought a friend of mine swiped one and lost a friendship over it.

The coolest are the Mitchel 300s that I learned to cast with. I still use them on occasion. One is a half bail. AKA a finger bail.

I gotta take some good pictures.

[emptypockets]

These belonged to my father, the fly reels were on rods that over the years were lost. The Union Hardware reel was on a bamboo rod and the Shakespeare on a fiberglass rod. My father fished with these reels and cleaned his fish with the knife.


I sure miss fishing with my dad those sure were good times.

1.] Shakespeare Silent No. 1837 Model GB
2.] Union Hardware Co. Fly Reel
3.] Shakespeare Marhoff 1964 Model GE
4.] Mid 70s Garcia Abu-Matic 170
5.] Group Shot

[billwill]

Mitchell 300s...bunch of memories fishing with my Dad using those reels.

[-db-]

Some of my stuff awaiting proper storage/display while I'm working on other things, all of it 1940s-1980s vintage. Every rod is 'glass- no graphite, foam handles or any other modern nonsense. I've got everything from old Finnish jigging sticks for ice to Heddon baitcasting musky rods and specialty Phillipson fly rods. Same with the boxes and reels, all of it old. There's no doubt about it, the vintage fishing bug bites just as hard as the gun bug.

[-db-]

More reels needing inspection/sorting. These hobbies, you've got to love 'em...

[Texas Star]

Someone should probably post some famous lures, like a Dardevle or Rapala.


My first good reel was a Mitchell 308, and I later had a 408. I like open-face spinning tackle. I have a nice Shimano now, but would have to get it out and look up the model. It's smooth, though.

[30-30remchester]

[QUOTE=Texas Star;139588285]Someone should probably post some famous lures, like a Dardevle or Rapala.


I grew up 6 miles from a small 2 stoplight town. Our property that the house sat on ran under the Roaring Fork River. I could stand on the front porch and cast into the river. Needless to say, I fished a bit. Spinner and spoon fishing was my greatest fun. That being said I have only caught a dozen or so trout on Daredevle spoons and I have drug the paint off several Rapala's from Arizona to Alaska and I have never gotten so much as a nibble on one. I guess I will have to break down and read the instructions some day and see what I am doing wrong.

[billwill]

-db-......WOW! Nice collection

[rburg]

[quote=30-30remchester;139588413]

Originally Posted by Texas Star

I guess I will have to break down and read the instructions some day and see what I am doing wrong.

Why argue with success? Keep it up as you've been.

[H Richard]

I have been a fly rod fisher for many years and have rebuilt several bamboo rods. It's fun finding old seemingly junk rods at garage sales etc. and bringing them back to good use. As long as the feral's are solid and the joints are not coming unglued it is fairly easy. I use Tru-Oil and put about 7 coats hand rubbed on, then put on all new guides trying to keep the thread wraps close to the original color and style. On some I have fit all new cork grips and reel seats.
Here's just a few I had done over the years.








I rebuilt my fathers 1936 rod, caught trout in CO on it, and have it set aside for my Grandson.

I have one 2 door upper cabinet in my reloading/gun room set aside just for fly tying materials. Unfortunately with my back and knee I don't get out much anymore. I can't stand on my feet for prolonged time, maybe 30 minutes at most before my left leg starts going numb.

[1morethan8]

When I spin, I use the 300's.

[DWFAN]

Originally Posted by -db-

More reels needing inspection/sorting. These hobbies, you've got to love 'em...

I don't think there's a doctor anywhere that would consider you a sane man. I'll warrant that at least 90% of that never had water on it.
That's got to be the best collection of fishing equipment I've seen one person accumulate.
My Grandfather was a fishing nut and had about a quarter of that. I used to be mesmerized by all the stuff he had.

DW

[Nevada Ed]

Yep;
have all that stuff.

Ruby red eye liners and extra tips for the split bamboo rods
even a 302 Mitchel salt reel and old Bomber lures.

I don't know what is worse.........
fishing gear or hunting/reloading gear ?

[-db-]

Originally Posted by DWFAN

I don't think there's a doctor anywhere that would consider you a sane man. I'll warrant that at least 90% of that never had water on it.
That's got to be the best collection of fishing equipment I've seen one person accumulate.
My Grandfather was a fishing nut and had about a quarter of that. I used to be mesmerized by all the stuff he had.

DW

DW, I'm actually a small-time/part-time collector compared to a lot of other guys. The vintage fishing forums (Fiberglass Flyrodders, ORCA, etc.) are full of guys with collections dwarfing mine. Rod and reel collections numbering in the multiple hundreds are common and lure collecting can become a very serious hobby, if not a lifestyle, where guys have tens of thousands invested in old fishing lures. It can get kinda crazy but that's part of the fun.

[VaTom]

Went to a firearms auction and came home with two fly rods. One early 1950s orvis bamboo 9 wt and an early 1980s Thomas and Thomas 5 wt Dry Fly Special graphite. Sold the Orvis and kept the Thomas and Thomas. Made enough on the orvis to break even. T&T rods are high quality and if you find one buy it.

Mitchell 300 series are built like a tank (those made in France). Easy to clean up, lube and put to use if you find at yard sales. Bought two at yard sale last year and use all the time. Classic!

[Texas Star]

I recall some German reels with a brand lke Quick from the 1960's. Do any of you know them? There's one in the pics of gear here.


I never owned one, but knew a guy who did. He liked the brand a lot. I think they cost more than Mitchells. They were good looking reels.

[Lee Barner]

nothing fancy here. the flies in the shadow box were tied by my mom back in the 40s and 50s. she could put one in a coffee can at 50 feet. the cane poles speak for themselves. lee

[BearBio]

Don't have pics but I put together an outfit just for fishing the Madison in Yellowstone (The year I took it, we got snowed in at the Lodge in early September!): It's a Grainger bamboo with a Hardy Perfect==Just seemed like the Madison in fall deserved a real classic outfit. I've used it a few times in the Cascades but haven't caught anything with it yet (Dry flies only, of course!)

[kleiss1]

My Father in law gave me these. I know nothing about them.

[labworm]

First, one needs the proper fishing hat to wear, I have chosen the real macho type when in my favorite stream.



I really own this hat.

Just a quick picture of the gear I used while trout fishing, at least 40+ years old. You couldn't come close to buying this vest today.

[DeathGrip]

Originally Posted by Texas Star

I recall some German reels with a brand lke Quick from the 1960's. Do any of you know them? There's one in the pics of gear here.


I never owned one, but knew a guy who did. He liked the brand a lot. I think they cost more than Mitchells. They were good looking reels.

My Grandpa loved his. I have it now but it needs to be cleaned up a little.

[DeathGrip]

Here's another one of Grandpas that he was proud of.

Pescador 400. Made in Italy.

[DeathGrip]

Here's the Mitchell 300 finger bail I mentioned previously,

[JohnRippert]

I am not even sure where they are hidden around the house but I still have Dad's old fiberglass rod and Mitchell 300 combo somewhere. That thing is as whippy as a willow switch. Back in the early 2000's when I was still fishing regularly it was my favorite rig for plastic worms after bass. Great feel through it.

[DeathGrip]

Originally Posted by JohnRippert

I am not even sure where they are hidden around the house but I still have Dad's old fiberglass rod and Mitchell 300 combo somewhere. That thing is as whippy as a willow switch. Back in the early 2000's when I was still fishing regularly it was my favorite rig for plastic worms after bass. Great feel through it.

My go to Garcia Mitchell 300 was on a 7 foot single piece whip made by Hurricane in Miami in the late sixties. It holds my record for species caught and I can't imagine how many others were caught with it by Grandpa. I still have the rod but it needs resto. Good thing my Grandpa taught me how. I also have some other FGs that were good for the times. I hope I can find the time to resto them.

[les.b]

I'm I only have one rod and reel that are "valuable", an Orvis split bamboo with extra tip and the matching Orvis reel. I don't have a photo right handy, but will try to take some soon. Orvis still make these, but of course there are all sorts of synthetic materials which have entered the rod building craft these days.

I will always believe, though that the pinnacle of rod building artistry was the bamboo. Hoagy Carmichael was a rod builder and wrote a wonderful book about the craft of building the bamboo rod. I have the brook as well.

Best Regards, Les

[spricks]

My favorite Mitchell is the 308 that I place on my 4' fenwick ultralight rod that I toss spinners for brook trout...and I have my dad's bamboo rods and their reels from the 40's and 30's. Nothing more fun than fishing a fresh water stream when a hatch is on! Great Thread.

spricks

[41]

That hat is the cat's mellow.

I still have all my old rods and reels from the 50's plus some of the Curt Gowdy parametric rods which I still use.