The newest member of the family...

[itchmesir]

So yesterday in my down time before work I decided to look on "the list" to see if there were any fly rods for sale in the area... And I came across a listing for vintage rods for sale... There was a picture of 3 rods for sale... 2 vintage baitcaster setups and a fiberglass fly rod made by Herter's with some medalist knock off for a reel... "$20 for each rod and reel combo"

So I did a quit google search and learned that Herter's was what was basically a precursor to what is now Cabela's... Gander Mountain... Bass Pro Shops.. it was a mail order outdoors company based out of Waseca, MN... Turned retail outlet... Ran by what I have come to read as the very non-pc George Herter(I'm gonna have to read his books for sure)... It went bankrupt in 81... Hence why I was unfamiliar with it...

I also learned that Herter's was a company that had their rods made by what was then and is now high sought after companies such as Phillipson... True Temper... St Croix... etc... So I saw the pictures... I told the guy to look over a couple things for me and he said they were all in excellent condition... So one thing I had come to find... Or not really find was info on this rod... it was limited... making it either an unknown rod... or an unknown gem... Comes to find out it was a St Croix built rod... Probably around '71... According to this info right here... This is from another forum... Email reply from St Croix themselves...

The oldest collection of St. Croix shop orders that I found began at 1971. At that time St. Croix had Herter's as a customer and I did find the RFSC6 and RFSC7 listed. The documents I examined were shop work orders and contained only specifications and a list of materials, as well as instructions for assembly; no volume nor monetary information was listed.

I also delved into St. Croix history and verified that we did make a 6' under our own label in the Imperial series at that time. Interestingly, a 7' was made up until 1970 and not again until 1976. It would seem strange that not a single, 7-foot, fly rod would be in the lineup for those years while we were making it for someone else but those years were hard and the business of rod manufacturing extremely competitive. St. Croix may have secured Herter's business by simply being the lowest bidder to stay busy and alive.

So after reading all that I was pumped... I was even more pumped to come across a fan of said rod and said he has a collection and owns 4 of them and "the 5th sold for $250 on the auction site"...

So needless to say I'm ecstatic.. This rod is clean... Looks like it was bought in '71... Fished couple times... Then left in the garage for 42 years... Now I'm releasing it from it's slumber and hoping it will get many years of use on the water that it so rightfully deserves.. It feels amazing in my hand... Can't wait to cast it... What a great find... The stars were definitely aligned for this one

Sorry with all the words... I know you really want pictures... So here they are...

 

[Rip Tide]

I just happen to have a 1977 Herter's catalog right here

Herter's World Famous Handmade Super Light Fresh-Water Finished Hollow Glass Fly Rods

Brushy rivers where you do not have room to use longer rods, these are the ideal fly rods. Rods for serious fly fishermen. Extremely light in weight yet no fish can break them in the hands of a competent fly rod fisherman. No fly rods in the world have the Mag-Power action built in the microscopic space nose cone glass threads. Special lightweight locking rings. Special neoprene rubber butt prevents damage to the rod in case or when setting rod down. Prevents slipping on clothing if you rest your rod on your body. With heavy wall fiber case. Shpg.wt.2 1/2 lbs

RFSC6.... length, 6' ..weight, 2 ozs...No. of Guides, 6.. Pieces, 2, 39".. Breakdown, (off-center ferrule).. Tip Dia, 5/64..Butt Dia, 21/64..Action, Super-Light.. AFTMA Std. Line Weight, 5..Per Rod, $19.27

Recommended fly reel for above rods, Herter's Model 314

(that's exactly what it says... no typo )

I'm not going to write out all the info for the reel but that's what you have

Herter's International Fly Reel. model 314.... $7.97

(international in this case means "made in Japan" )

Herter's rods aren't likely to go for anything near $250. More like "more than what you payed" to $125 at the very most
But that is a nice one, and it was their most expensive glass fly rod

 

[sweetandsalt]

I was a regular Herters customer in my youth. I bought a Green River Knife (like the mountain men used in trade), all my chamois shirts that I wore in camp and my first fly tying kit...a Thompson A and assorted tools and materials. I was too young to read George's book on "How to Train your Wife" but I might have learned something. I did have an outdoor cook book of his though. The catalog was as thick as a phone book I recall and full of wisdom. Congratulations on your new/old rod.

I saw an ex-wife this morning who had come upon a thick cardboard tube of old rods of mine including a 2-pc. glass rod with spigot ferrule I had built on a Phillipson blank and a Frankenstein one piece rod in which I had epoxied a graphite tip of a 2-pc. rod into the slightly larger diameter of the butt half of an Orvis brown glass rod old enough to have Orvis written on it by hand. 1/2 glass 1/2 graphite and it fells pretty good too. George Herter would have been proud of me.

 

[itchmesir]

I'm guessing a couple people got wrapped up in a bidding war for it to get that high...

To me it's pretty priceless in the fact that it's my first glass rod and so much else going for it... made in Wisconsin... sold in Minnesota... will be a blast for the streams here in the Driftless

I guess my next question is what kind of line would suit this rod best?(i'd prefer not to use level line haha.. was leaning more towards a DT.. saw H&H classic is on sale is it any good?)

---------- Post added at 03:57 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:53 PM ----------

Also if you look on the last pic... there is residue from a sticker that used to be there... how can i safely remove that residue without hurting the blank or the print on the blank that some of the residue rests on... can i use Goo-Gone or should i just slowly work at it with warm water cloth?

 

[Rip Tide]

The H&H classic is an excellent line and perfect for that rod in the DT.

When I was a kid. so much of my outdoor gear came from Herters.
Fly vise and tying materials, rod building stuff, archery stuff, down sleeping bag.
I'm pretty sure that my father had a Herter's fly rod... not that little one though.

I could see where the Herter's higher end bamboo rod might go for $250, but not a glass rod...no way. Even Philipsons don't go for that much.

 

[caseywise]

that's a sweet little glass rod you found there.
should be a blast on your driftless streams
have fun with your new toy!
as far as the sticker residue, some warm, soapy water
should take care of it.

casey

 

[petee]

Run away from the Goo-Gone for the rod!!!! Try the soapy warm water or your fingernail to scrape any brittle adhesive off. If the soap doesn't work then you can give some WD-40 on a rag a go.

 

[ctyslcr]

There is one on that auction site now.

Regards,
Peter

 

[itchmesir]

There is one on that auction site now.

Regards,
Peter

Where exactly... I just looked for it and saw nothing

---------- Post added at 11:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:03 PM ----------

The H&H classic is an excellent line and perfect for that rod in the DT.

When I was a kid. so much of my outdoor gear came from Herters.
Fly vise and tying materials, rod building stuff, archery stuff, down sleeping bag.
I'm pretty sure that my father had a Herter's fly rod... not that little one though.

I could see where the Herter's higher end bamboo rod might go for $250, but not a glass rod...no way. Even Philipsons don't go for that much.

Would a DT5 be fine or should I go down to a DT4 you think?

 

[caseywise]

i think a dt4 line would work nice with that rod.

 

[Ard]

What a wonderful find! I would have scooped that up myself had I the chance.

Ard

---------- Post added at 11:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:33 PM ----------

Where exactly... I just looked for it and saw nothing

I believe this is what he was talking about, a St. Croix Hollow Glass; Vintage Saint Croix Fiberglass Fly Rod 6 1 2 FeatherLite | eBay

 

[itchmesir]

Ah cool... So they used that blank for a couple of their rods back then it seems

Now it seems only logical I need to look for a Herter's reel to compliment my rod

 

[ctyslcr]

Here you go.

Custom Wrapped 7'0" Fiberglass Fly Rod XLNT Shape Herter'S | eBay

Regards,
Peter

 

[itchmesir]

Here you go.

Custom Wrapped 7'0" Fiberglass Fly Rod XLNT Shape Herter'S | eBay

Regards,
Peter

That definitely looks different from the RFSC.... Probably because its an XLNT... The one above that Ard posted looks like the same amber/brown blank... The RFSC6 and RFSC7 both have the simple cigar cork handle with rings... no locking reel seat like the one you've posted

 

[Rip Tide]

Well that St Croix rod that Ard linked to sold for the asking price of $110 which in my opinion was around $25-$35 too high.
I suspect that who ever bought it may have been influenced by this thread as there were no bids until yesterday morning.
Nevertheless, I'm sure that they're getting a fine fishin' pole :thumbsupu

 

[itchmesir]

Well that St Croix rod that Ard linked to sold for the asking price of $110 which in my opinion was around $25-$35 too high.
I suspect that who ever bought it may have been influenced by this thread as there were no bids until yesterday morning.
Nevertheless, I'm sure that they're getting a fine fishin' pole :thumbsupu

Seems to be right price then... the shipping was free... shipping rod can run a fella ~$20

It wasn't me... I have enough fiberglass rods...


...for now

 

[itchmesir]

So instead of starting a new thread I'll just ask a few questions I got here:

1) Is there anything I should do to ensure the longevity of this rod?

2) Should I seal the cork? If so.. What does one use to seal cork?

3) I can see that the times have changed with how much lacquer a company puts on it's thread wraps... I can see that it's covered and the wrap is not coming undone.. but it is a very thin layer as I can feel the thread... should i worry about adding a layer of epoxy to the wraps?

 

[Rip Tide]

You don't have to worry much about that rod.
Fiberglass is stronger than graphite, and I'm sure that it has plenty of finish on the wraps.
Your only issue is going to be with that reel seat.
If your reel isn't centered properly, the sliding rings are going to bite into the cork and eventually chip it away....
Don't ask me how I know that

 

[learning2fly]

Cool rod! I've been looking at building one. I like the color of yours

 

[bigfishcatcher]

The best rod I have I got at a thrift shop for $5