Just asking- how many 3 piece 8' Montague rods have you ever run across, or seen catalogued?
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GoneFlyFishin...
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 freestoner |
GoneFlyFishin... |
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Posts: 602 01/27/2009 14:35 |
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GoneFlyFishin |
8 foot Montague Rods... | #1 | ||
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Posts: 147 01/27/2009 17:04 Monty Collector |
Freestoner,
With just a quick glance at my reference sheet, I have run across 16 Montague production models (so far) that were advertised to be made in an 8' length. Only 2 of these indicated they were a 2-piece configuration, so I'm assuming the rest (14) were probably 3-piece rods. There are several others in 6'6", 7' and 7'6" lengths as well. I have stacks of advertisements and reference materials that still need to be combed through, and very few catalogs available for reference, so I expect that number to increase over time. In addition, I'm sure that retailers and wholesalers could request any length that they wanted. If you have one of these 8' critters, I'd love to see some pictures!! . . . Rex
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hopkintoncane |
#2 | |||
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Posts: 311 01/27/2009 17:47 |
Freestoner, I don't have the resources that Rex has, but I can tell you that I have run across two configurations for 8 foot rods from Montague. The first
is the two piece model, the only grade I have seen is called the Amatuer (sp?), and thats a 2/1 configuration, very low end rod, brass plated ferrule and like
either 3 or 4 guides total. I'm sure theres a trade rod out there in the same configuration, I have just not seen it. The other configuration is the 4
piece rods, they were called Zephyrs, and there were 4 models and they are all 4/1. I had an example of the "highest" grade of the series (a
"Little Smokey") and it was like the slowest Montague rod I've ever handled, and I have a couple of the early Varney-inspired wet fly rods (like
the Dame Stoddard Neverbreak) so I know what a slow Montague is like. You could roll, light, and smoke a cigarette during the backcast with that rod. And there
were not a lot of guides on that rod either, but then again, I think is was probably built as a "Lightwieght" model. Leave it to Rex though,
he'll probably find you an 8 foot Redwing, that short one he's posted pics of is a beauty!. Todd
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bamboo4u2 |
8 foot Montague Rods... | #3 | ||
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Posts: 274 01/27/2009 18:56 |
I've seen 8', 3piece Montague Rapidans from time to time. The only other 8' Monty model that I've personally seen is the 2 piece Amateur.
I've heard rumors of an 8', 3 piece Manitou but I think it's as elusive as the H&I Tonka King.
Regards and WDE!! Bob L. "Until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore, you will not know the terror of being forever lost at sea." --Robert Earl James |
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lewis2dl |
#4 | |||
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Posts: 26 01/27/2009 20:38 |
The 1939 Montague catalog doesn't list very many 8' rods. The Rapidan is only listed as 8.5, 9 and 9.5 foot long. The Zephyr series of rods, are listed
at 7.5, 8, and 8.5 lengths. All are three piece rods. The Amateur isn't listed as a fly rod at that time.
In the 1951 catalog, the Rapidan is listed at 8, 8.5, and 9' as well a the "Blue Streak" with a higher cost than the Rapidan. Also listed at 8' are the Manitou, the Red Wing and the Fishkill. The Amateur is listed only at 8' as a two piece rod. The rest were three piece rods in the '51 catalog. That is what I can see in the catalogs. Dean |
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GoneFlyFishin |
8 foot Montague rods... | #5 | ||
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Posts: 148 01/27/2009 21:40 Monty Collector |
You heard it from Dean first, the Manitou and Red Wing were both made in 7'6" and 8' lengths! Another notable model made in an 8 footer is the
Varney model. These are at the top of my gotta-havit list!
 For a look
at one of these gems (7'6" 3-piece Red Wing Game Cock) follow this link on the Forum - http://clarksclassicflyro...ku.com/topic/19065?page=2
Dean, look a little closer, and you'll see that the Rapidan is listed in 8' as well in the '51. I have bought a couple of 8' Rapidans off the big online auction, but one turned out to be an 8'6" rod, and the other was chopped down (poorly). I returned them both, without a big fuss. I haven't held one in my hands, yet. . . . Rex
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lewis2dl |
#6 | |||
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Posts: 27 01/28/2009 02:40 |
Rex is the authority and has the Montague rod stable pretty well researched. I did leave out that in the 1939 catalog the Rapidan is shown as a 2 piece rod in
the 7.5' length. The regular 3 piece rods start at 8.5' in that catalog. In the 1951 catalog, the 8' Rapidan is a three piece rod. There is also
another listing for a 7.5' light Rapidan that is a two piece rod.
The 8' Amateur is listed as heavy. I rebuild one of these as one of my first attempts with working with bamboo. The original rod had 3 guides. I rebuilt it with 9 and it casts much better. It would be good for bass or other such fish. It is a little stout for trout in that length. The rod casts and fishes well, but it isn't up to the display level that most of the rods I see on this forum. I learned a lot in the process and later rods are looking much improved. I have a two piece Rapidan that needs refinishing and probably will get more guides as they were a little skimpy there too. |
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freestoner |
#7 | |||
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Posts: 603 01/30/2009 07:55 |
I have a fly rod called the "Westkill", that's an 8' 2-pc. Still has a partially legible decal on the grip that says ETCO, ----Tackle Co.,
New ---------, New York. It has the same black plastic reel seat as the H-I Tonka Prince, and the label on the grip says "plastic impregnated"...who
made it? Slender half-wells grip with a flattened circular winding check that reminds me of a South Bend. It's definitely been messed with and rebuilt at
least partially. But most of it looks original to me- including the red aluminum ferrules! Very fast rod, thick tip section- a streamer/bass bug/weight tosser.
Mine is split at the tip, unfortunately- it's down about 1", missing a flat for about 3", and the tip-top is a replacement.
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bamboo4u2 |
2/1, 8' Westkill Fly Rod | #8 | ||
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Posts: 275 01/30/2009 15:38 |
I have a 2/1, 8' ETCo Westkill flyrod too. Also with red aluminum ferrules! I thought the ferrules on mine were replcements but obviously not. The rod
sections are full length on mine and the bamboo is in great shape. My rod has a walnut sliding band reelseat but this is probably a replacement. My rod is a
fast rod for bamboo and is a great bass-bug rod. With WF8F Clouser Line it will throw a bass bug a long long way(unusual for an 8' rod).
I've had the rod for 7 or 8 years and have done some research but I've never seen another
"Westkill" fly rod, although ETCo rods (mostly bamboo spinning rods) used to come up on that "popular internet auction site" from time to
time.
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lewis2dl |
#9 | |||
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Posts: 29 01/30/2009 18:13 |
I guess I could add some photos of the rebuilt Amateur. I think it looks pretty good and is certainly a very fishable rod. I hope to reach the level of
some of the other builders I have seen on this site, but I am certainly a few rods away from that level. Working with silk is much different than nylon. So
anyway, here is the rebuilt Amateur that I did as my second project.
Dean |
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freestoner.fiberglassflyro... |
#10 | |||
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Posts: 44 02/05/2009 09:58 |
Lewis, that looks like nice work- rather better than the rod deserves, from what I've heard. The general opinion is that the Amateur is pretty mediocre-
although the opinions I've read probably come from light-line stream fishers for trout, in search of a sleeper equivalent of the Dickerson 8013. It could
be an ideal bass bug or streamer rod, who knows...that's the impression I get about the Westkill.
Speaking of the Westkill- bamboo4u2, there's yet a 3rd example noted in the back pages of this forum folder, by 2beadpupa- http://clarksclassicflyrodforum.yuku.com/topic/8569 |
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flyby |
Etco Westkill | #11 | ||
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Posts: 1 04/04/2009 09:51 |
Hi Bob, I'm new to the forum and stumbled across this thread in an attempt to i.d. a rod I picked up yesterday. It's 8 1/2 ft, flamed, and has a
bakelite reel seat. Very fast. Looks like there are at least 3 Etco Westkills out there!
-Jason |
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TheMontyMan |
#12 | |||
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Posts: 40 04/04/2009 16:40 |
Jason,
Welcome to the Forum!! Please post some pictures, or send them to me, and I'll post them. It would be great to see another example for comparison. That's the beauty of this Forum! Lots of show and tell, just like back in grade school! . . . Rex TheMontyMan
Last Edited By: TheMontyMan 04/04/2009 16:43.
Edited 1 time.
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bamboo4u2 |
Etco Westkill | #13 | ||
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Posts: 289 04/04/2009 18:37 |
Jason,
Regards and WDE!!
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flyby |
#14 | |||
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Posts: 2 04/11/2009 14:30 |
 Bob L. - It's a two piece rod that had silver
ferrules which were cracked and I have removed. No stickers, the only marking is the "Etco Westkill" pictured here.
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bruces Recycling |
Empire Westkill Rod | #15 | ||
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Posts: 1 04/28/2009 20:07 |
I have a Empire Westkill Rod and they are scare apparently does that translate into $ value that you know of?
Thanks Dean 
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TheMontyMan |
#16 | |||
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Posts: 81 04/29/2009 00:42 |
Dean,
Welcome to the Forum! Please post some pictures, or send them to me, and I'll post them. It would be great to see another example for comparison. I wish that scarce always meant you could get a big price for the rod. I guess you have to have high demand, along with scarcity to get the big bucks. There are a lot of scarce, and rare rods out there that not too many people are interested in. . . . Rex TheMontyMan |
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2 Bead Pupa |
Westkill | #17 | ||
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Posts: 283 04/29/2009 22:57 |
I stumbled onto this thread and saw my handle mentioned . It's good to see that there are others out there with Westkills . Something that I didn't
mention in my earlier post was that my ferrules are nickle silver with a rolled welt and pinned. The winding check also is flattened into a hex shape . Russ
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bruces Recycling |
Empire | #18 | ||
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Posts: 2 05/04/2009 22:55 |
Hi, Thanks for the info and will try to post some pix. By the way Im in Shelton so we are neighbors
Thanks Dean 
  
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