I purchased on Ebay (for $70) what the seller said was a vintage fenwick 130lb class fishing rod. I know the risks of purchasing on ebay. I have 14 days to return it. When I got the rod it looks like the pics showed exept it didn't have a but (the pics online also never showed the bottom of the rod) and it didn't say fenwick anywhere on it. There is no initials or nothin for me to tell what kind of rod it is. All the guides are Aftco 52, 42, or 32 roller guides. The guides have some pitting but I was gonna clean it off and all the rollers are smooth rollin. The blank used was white and only has a few scratches on it. If anybody has any ideas as to if it is a Fenwick or a custom or some other maker or the value they think this rod is worth without a but I would appreciate any advice. The total length as it is is a little over 68". Based on the bend in it I would say it is a 130lb class rod or an IGFA rated 80 lb class rod. It doesn't bend very much.
Hi, most of the vintage Fenwick rods were produced in New Zealand in the 60s and 70s. The fact that they have Aftco guides is a good sign because Aftco started making there guides around 1958. No butt wouldnt concern me because they actually did produce a vintage rod with interchangable bottoms in the early years. Now here is the interesting part. Most fenwick blanks had the length, class and eagle logo printed on them. I have two and they both do, however between 1952 when Fenwick first started making rods and 1961 the blanks in most of the big game models had no inscription on them at all. So, since we know that Aftco started in 1958 and fits into the time frame of your rod, you either have a just a custom made older rod of another make or in fact you have a vintage Fenwick, my guess is you have the vintage Fenwick.
Hope that was some help
Anthony
I saw this rod on Ebay, where's the unibutt? I own two Fenwicks but not the vintage one, having aftco guides and unibutt does help I guessed! My 130lb Fenwick has the Fenwick logo, my 50lb Fenwick has only Aftco.Hope this helps!
Thanks for the comments. I took it to Bobber's here in Lakeland which been around forevor and according to the owner builds the rods for black bart. He said it looked like a vintage fenwick. When allaroundfishin posted his Georgia report and had the pictures of his vintage fenwick it just confirmed everything I was hearing cus the rods are identical. I can't really afford a butt for it so I gotta return it to Maine tomarrow.
theres butts all over the place for cheap look on craigslist
