Can anyone help with some information about a split cane fly rod that I have?

It's a 9ft 6inch 3 piece. There are no markings on the rod except for a small oval stamp on the brass butt ring that says G. Shakespeare Wolverhampton.

Any info greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance, Castaline.

No positive id possible without a photo, unless it's a very special rod, or well-known rodmaker.

__________________
That wouldn't happen with a Pridex

Thanks for the reply DB. I've posted a couple of photos to give you an idea of what the rod looks like. Although the length was stated as 9ft 6 inches, when assembled the rod is about 9ft 2 inches, with the tip section being some 4 inches shorter than the other 2 sections. Possible tip breakage/repair at some time in it's past?

As I said in my OP there are no markings on the rod other than the small oval stamp on the butt ring.

The whippings along the blank and ferrules are red, but the eye whippings are a different colour ( sand ), and even to my untrained eye don't appear to be particularly well done. But the blank seems to be straight, and the brassware responded well to a vigorous application of Autosol.

The mystery to me is in the rod's name. It was advertised as a ' Shakespeare Lightweight', and I bought it assuming it was made by the Redditch company of that name. I have never heard of Shakespeare's of Wolverhampton, and all internet searches lead back to their Worcestershire namesake.

But all hope is not yet lost; we have on the forum a member who posesses an encyclopedic knowledge of midlands tackle manufacturers, who even as we speak may be delving deep into his archives, and may shed enlightenment upon us.

Mr Castaline, the Doctor will see you now....

Best regards, Castaline.







ccccc

Hi,

Thanks for the pics - looks nice, but if the tip has been broken at some stage it may not be worth much.

I'd be interested in an update when you have some more info.

Cheers,

DB

__________________
That wouldn't happen with a Pridex

Hi DB;

I also doubt that the rod's worth much, but as I only paid a tenner for it that's not a problem.

I bought it out of curiosity really. I've never used a cane fly rod before, and just wanted to know how different the casting action would feel compared to my carbon fly rods. I'll be taking it up to my practice field for a wee waggle or two in the near future. As stated, there are no markings to indicate what weight rating the rod is, but my guess would be somewhere around the 6/7wt mark. And as I just happen to have a nice old Intrepid Rimfly loaded with a 7wt line, that seems to be as good a point as anywhere to start.

But going back to this mysterious ' G.Shakespeare Wolverhampton' stamp on the butt ring. Theories so far;

There was a rod maker of this name and location, and the rod was one of their products.

G.Shakespeare were a tackle dealer, and sold rods made for them by somebody else under their own brand.

The rod was a 'home-build' made from a bought-in blank, and the builder stamped his own name on the rod. But 'signature' rods as often as not have the builder's name in script rather than block letters, and usually painted onto the butt section.

But all in all, I do like the fact that I seem to have bought something that is outside the run of the mill easily identifiable vintage rod, and if I can put a line out and have it bent by a troot at sometime in the future, I'll be well pleased.

Cheers! Castaline.

Hi Castaline, thanks for posting the photos of your rod.
I am at loss as to who made the rod, i have some friends who work for Shakespeare so i will try to find out if the company had any connection to wolverhampton.
I would think its more likely to be the stamp of a fishing tackle shop selling a rod built elsewhere.
I like the shape of the cork and the reel fittings, although not the same as my Fosters of Ashbourne Airsprite rod cirtainly similar. The intermediate whippings were usually used in earlier cane rods where the glue was not up to the more modern standards.
You will find if you re build the rod with snake rings rather than the bridge rings that are fitted it will improve the action,thats what i found with the Airsprite

Steve