Group: Members
Posts: 54
Joined: 20-February 08
From: Helena, MT
Member No.: 14026




I'm now the owner of a bamboo fly rod blank with little knowledge about it. The blank appears to be well made and nicely finished. The ferrules are attached and a ferrule plug is furnished. The only writing appearing on the blank is: F/A 7656. I take the 76 to represent the length but I have no idea what the other initials and numbers mean. When testing the blank with the CCS method I find it is a slow action five # blank. The AA is 67 and the ERN is 6.08. The blank also weighs in at 3.2 ounces.

My last bamboo rod was a Granger Victory given to me as a High School graduation present by my father in 1950 and from that time my rods evolved through the fiber glass rods of Fenwick to the present graphite models. This leaves me at a loss to know how to build this blank.

From the information I've given I would be interested in any information or speculation about the blank as to its origin and purpose. If I decide to build it into a rod I'll most likely build it with state of the art components rather than what many would describe as classic. I've built 50 plus rods of various types on graphite and glass blanks but this is the first cane blank I've considered and I'm open to your thoughts or ideas.

Stan Grace
Helena, MT
"Our best is none too good"

You can measure it and see if those first two numbers are the length in inches or feet (76 inches versus 7 feet 6 inches).

It would be a powerful 5-weight at most average to long distances, and fish nicely with a 6-weight line inside of 30 feet or so. I suspect the last two digits intended to show it as a 5/6 weight line rod. The CCS numbers would seem to indicate it would work well that way.

I would have no idea where it came from or who made it, but from the fact that it carries AFTMA type numbers instead of the old line diameter ratings, I'm going to assume that it was made after about 1962.

..........

Tom,
Thanks for the info. I tend to believe it is of a more recent build. as well. The man that gave it to me had it for 10 years and never took time to build on it. It comes in a heavy clothe rod sock that only has two compartments so I believe it was sold as a single tipped blank.

Stan Grace
Helena, MT
"Our best is none too good"

Stan,

I believe it was Partridge of Redditch that used to market a line of blanks as "Fast Action," as opposed to "British Action," that were available through Angler's Workshop, among other places. I do remember that a 7'6" 5/6 wt configuration was available in either action; unless I am completely off-base, I also think the catalog code listed them as either FA 7656 or BA 7656.

Anyway, that's my guess.

Sean

Sean,
Thanks for your information. It gives me some real clues to check out and certainly appears to make sense. Angler's Work shop is the major supplier to a lot of folks in this area as well.
Stan

Stan Grace
Helena, MT
"Our best is none too good"