by Joe Cermele

We've seen bamboo rods and glass rods in the ongoing vintage tackle contest, so I thought it was time to work in some heavy metal. This steel rod belongs to Matthew Steinman, who acquired it at yard sale and assumed it was only meant for fly casting. Though Matthew didn't know much about the rod, he did say, "I have used it to catch trout on tiny streams in Snow Shoe, Pennsylvania." So let's find out what Dr. Todd Larson of the The Whitefish Press and "Fishing For History" blog knows about Matthew's stick of steel.

Dr. Todd says:

"While there were lots of metal fly rods--noted 1930s outdoor writer Edmund Ware Smith was such a fan of them he felt they were as good as many equally priced bamboo rods--yours is a three-piece steel utility rod manufactured by the famed Bristol-Horton Company for a trade house (likely William Mills & Son). It's called a utility rod because it can be used with a baitcasting reel or a fly reel; fly fishing at the time usually meant around 20-30 feet of fly line. This was made, by the way, for baitcasters without a level wind mechanism when casting 60 feet was a chore. It dates from the 1900-1920 period and because many millions were manufactured, are still readily available and worth $10-$20. They are fun to fish, though, if you're looking for a different feel!"

Great find, Matthew. Next time you catch a fish on your metal rod, you can clean it with the new metal blade--a Rapala Classic Collector Fillet Knife-- that's headed your way. Special thanks to our friends at Rapala for providing these great prizes for the next few weeks.

If you've already sent me photos of your vintage tackle, keep checking every Thursday to see if I chose it for an appraisal by Dr. Todd. If you haven't and want to enter the contest, email photos of your old tackle to fstackle@gmail.com, along with your name, mailing address, and story of how you acquired the gear. If I use it in a Thursday post, you get a Rapala Classic Collector Fillet Knife (below, $70).

Comments (9)

from themadflyfisher wrote 19 weeks 1 day ago

That's a cool little rod! How long is it?

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from twa32 wrote 19 weeks 1 day ago

Neat rod, I've never seen one of those. Does the steel have much bend to it?

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from buckhunter wrote 19 weeks 1 day ago

Have never fished a metal rod. Would like to just to say I did. You would think the metal would wreak havoc on a fly line?

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from santa wrote 19 weeks 1 day ago

Never knock "steel" rods or question how they performed because I caught my avatar picture with a True Temper steel rod and a South Bend reel on an offset aluminum handle with cork grip. It was not too heavy for me at that early age and served me well until I got my first solid fiberglass rod. I think that the solid fiberglass rod may have weighted a little more than the steel rod, but the action had a better parabolic curve.

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from Walt Smith wrote 19 weeks 8 hours ago

I have 6 of them that were my grandfathers. All are telescoping and one has the last section of it made out of copper (my favorite) because of their weight you barely have to lift the rod tip to set the hook! They are a little scary when a storm starts brewing though!

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from jamesti wrote 18 weeks 6 days ago

would love to own a steel rod! i've never even seen one.

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from RockySquirrel wrote 18 weeks 6 days ago

Walt;
Most rods today are Graphite. I am pretty sure graphic is a better conductor then copper or aluminum. If you see a lightning, is time to put down the rod and take the boat to shore.

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from Mgstein wrote 18 weeks 12 hours ago

The rod is 6 foot, which why I took it to those small trout streams. I am really just learning to fly fish so I really only used it to drift minnies to some trout. It is very tough to get any "rythm" going trying to throw flies with that thing. It is very stiff so it's short size makes it tough. It is the perfect length for those small streams though. Does anyone make a short glass fly rod. Like 5 1/2 or 6 foot. My 9 foot rod is way to long for those streams.

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from Mgstein wrote 18 weeks 9 hours ago

Thanks Joe and Dr. Todd. Great info on the rod! I was always curious why the grip was behind the reel seat. Makes perfect sense if it was designed as a multi funtion rod. Maybe I will try it with one of my old barrel reels down at the pond. The knife is great too!

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from themadflyfisher wrote 19 weeks 1 day ago

That's a cool little rod! How long is it?

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from twa32 wrote 19 weeks 1 day ago

Neat rod, I've never seen one of those. Does the steel have much bend to it?

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from buckhunter wrote 19 weeks 1 day ago

Have never fished a metal rod. Would like to just to say I did. You would think the metal would wreak havoc on a fly line?

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from santa wrote 19 weeks 1 day ago

Never knock "steel" rods or question how they performed because I caught my avatar picture with a True Temper steel rod and a South Bend reel on an offset aluminum handle with cork grip. It was not too heavy for me at that early age and served me well until I got my first solid fiberglass rod. I think that the solid fiberglass rod may have weighted a little more than the steel rod, but the action had a better parabolic curve.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Walt Smith wrote 19 weeks 8 hours ago

I have 6 of them that were my grandfathers. All are telescoping and one has the last section of it made out of copper (my favorite) because of their weight you barely have to lift the rod tip to set the hook! They are a little scary when a storm starts brewing though!

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from jamesti wrote 18 weeks 6 days ago

would love to own a steel rod! i've never even seen one.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from RockySquirrel wrote 18 weeks 6 days ago

Walt;
Most rods today are Graphite. I am pretty sure graphic is a better conductor then copper or aluminum. If you see a lightning, is time to put down the rod and take the boat to shore.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Mgstein wrote 18 weeks 12 hours ago

The rod is 6 foot, which why I took it to those small trout streams. I am really just learning to fly fish so I really only used it to drift minnies to some trout. It is very tough to get any "rythm" going trying to throw flies with that thing. It is very stiff so it's short size makes it tough. It is the perfect length for those small streams though. Does anyone make a short glass fly rod. Like 5 1/2 or 6 foot. My 9 foot rod is way to long for those streams.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Mgstein wrote 18 weeks 9 hours ago

Thanks Joe and Dr. Todd. Great info on the rod! I was always curious why the grip was behind the reel seat. Makes perfect sense if it was designed as a multi funtion rod. Maybe I will try it with one of my old barrel reels down at the pond. The knife is great too!

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

Post a Comment

 

All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.