This year I acquired my first fiberglass rod, a coffee brown 7’8” Fenwick made to throw a 5 or 6 wt line. I have enjoyed fishing it noting that it has the soft slow action of a bamboo rod at a fraction of the price. Ever since I first fished it I have been scheming to find room in my budget for another. I have also had a long-standing plan to build my own fly rod, but it seemed foolish to purchase a (relatively) expensive new fiberglass blank without any experience whatsoever building or finishing a rod.

The solution came unexpectedly at an antique store in Jamestown, CA where we were getting lunch on the way to fish an evening hatch on one of our favorite rivers. In the window I saw a lovely, if beat up, two-piece, seven-and-a-half foot fiberglass rod. The blank was a nice light brown color, and in good condition. All but one of the snake guides and the striping guide had rusted or come off which probably accounts for the price. 22 bucks!

The cork grip and Bakelite reel-seat were in good condition, so I am going to use this rod to teach myself how to wrap and finish a rod before I set out to build myself the rod of my dreams. With any luck it will throw a 4 wt line, which would fill a gap in my collection, but more likely it will throw a 6. The inscription on the rod is illegible, so I don't know who originally built it. It probably won't have the same wonderful action as my Fenwick, but anything is possible.

This weekend I began the project in earnest. After measuring and documenting the rod, I carefully removed all the remaining guides and wraps with a razor blade. I next stripped off as much of the varnish as I could with acetone and a rough scotchbrite sponge.

The cleaned up rod looks much lighter than the varnished rod, it has almost an orange huge. Next weekend (UPS willing) I will have the materials I need to begin the next stage of the project, wrapping on new guides. I never expect this rod to be a great beauty, and at the moment I don't even know what weight line it throws, but I am already growing fond of it. Its finish is not smooth, and I am somewhat weary of the Bakelite reel-seat, but  if nothing else it is unique.

I am looking forward to getting down to work on it.

-- Posted by Eben