The joy of Granger rods

[flyty2]

The Victory 8040 in one of my pictures is an earlier Wright and McGill, so it has thin black silk wrapping on either side of the orange and black jasper silk main wraps--which really makes the wraps pop.

Oh, sorry! I thought that was an 8642. Upon closer examination, the rod tube does say 8040. Yes, the wraps are very nice, as is the caramel color of the cane.

If we are both talking about the same restored 8642 that was in the classifieds, it was done in the later Wright and McGill style, with only the orange and jasper silk wrapping...a change that Wright and McGill evidently did back in the day to save a bit of time and money.

Sounds like the same one--it was restored(varnished?) by Zia rods.

If you want a really awesome looking Victory, you need a Goodwin Granger rod like the one in Para_adams' picture. The original Victories were created by Bill Phillipson with orange and black jasper tipped with black, and then a space and then another stripe of black. Fantastic!

Jeff

Okay, I'll keep an eye out. Thanks for your post!

[archer829]

Kevin, I think Wright and McGill rods are a tad quicker than the original Goodwin Grangers, because W & M made the tips just a bit thicker to cut down on breakage. As a result, for a person with 25 years worth of experience fishing graphite fly rods, the Wright and McGills are a little better fit....

Jeff

[teter]

The 8040s


Victory, Special, Aristocrat, Favorite, Deluxe, Premier and Registered

[PT48]

Dazzling Lon.

[scarlet>fire]

Awesome,Lon!

[teter]

Thanks.

[billems]

I'll have to say--no other rod seems to have as many fans as Granger. I loved how their models covered the gamut for prices at the time. I call them the "New Deal" fly rods, owing to much of its span of manufacture was during the time of FDR's presidency. It was the rod of the People. (and the floy-doy with their Registereds). In the book, "How to Fish From Top to Bottom," author Sid Gordon waxes admirably about his 9 and 9'6" Grangers while fishing the Brule. Those 8'6" rods are still a great deal. Keep fishing the long ones!

[billems]

I love looking at, reading about, and researching all things Granger, and maybe others are, too. So here's a sampling of some of the rods I've picked up so far. I've only been at this thing for a couple of years, so I guess I'm pretty far behind in the race to own them all, but I'm trying.....

That is one of the classiest displays I've seen. Good luck in your Quest!

I thought about buying the fully restored 8642 Victory in the classifieds that just sold--it came with a 3 1/2" JW Young Pridex reel and line, a complete package. I didn't necessarily like the color of the wraps, but yours looks beautiful.

How did you get those reel seats so pristine?

[NshTrtBum]

Flyty2,

I thought about buying the fully restored 8642 Victory in the classifieds that just sold--it came with a 3 1/2" JW Young Pridex reel and line, a complete package.

I'm glad you didn't she's my first Granger albeit a Wright and McGill...I don't know why it took me so long.

Brett

[Shrimpman]

I generally prefer softer rods, but I prefer the W&M 8642 taper to the lighter-tipped Goodwin-Granger. It is, for me, more versatile and accurate with the slightly crisper action. Of course, they are not too divergent and either is very nice.

[NshTrtBum]

Gents, As a new owner of "the" W&M 8642 mentioned what were the years of manufacture and any line suggestions?

[Shrimpman]

I do not like my rods underlined and I found a DT5F (close to true weight) to perform very well on mine; a nice "dry fly" action. I also have no doubt it would fish a DT6 well.

[ozarkwater]

Thanks, Flyty!

The Victory 8040 in one of my pictures is an earlier Wright and McGill, so it has thin black silk wrapping on either side of the orange and black jasper silk main wraps--which really makes the wraps pop.

If we are both talking about the same restored 8642 that was in the classifieds, it was done in the later Wright and McGill style, with only the orange and jasper silk wrapping...a change that Wright and McGill evidently did back in the day to save a bit of time and money.

If you want a really awesome looking Victory, you need a Goodwin Granger rod like the one in Para_adams' picture. The original Victories were created by Bill Phillipson with orange and black jasper tipped with black, and then a space and then another stripe of black. Fantastic!

Jeff

Jeff: What is the cut off date on the black trimmed versus only jasper wraps?

Thank you!

[archer829]

I'm pretty new to this game, but if we're talking only about W&M Grangers, I think the black trimmed wraps would date a rod to 1947-1950. ALL of the original Granger Victories (produced before WWII) would have had the black wraps, and apparently the W&M Victories produced from 1951-56 would have been jasper only.

One of the experts here might be able to clarify this further, though....

Jeff

[Spunky725]

I'm kinda new at this, but would be up for the challenge.
I have an wright&Mcgill granger victory I would use but not sure if I should. It obviously was used before just no idea when.
Should I attempt or not?

[barebo]

It appears to have some condition / structural issues. Assuming that the 3 sections with the original tip fit together smoothly and with light flexing, no "clicking" that would detect loose ferrules is felt, it would be fine to fish. The rod has been refinished at some point - wraps aren't original. The guide below the female ferrule on the mid looks kind of strange? A 6 wt line would be fine and a word of caution - if you've never fished with or cast a bamboo rod, you need to be very mindful of slowing down your casting stroke, and the ability to "punch" the forward cast is a good way to snap the rod at a ferrule. You need to have a smooth stroke allowing the back cast to load the rod and come forward smoothly as well. Many rods have been broken due to a person used to high speed graphite rods using the same casting stroke. Get a feel for it - start slowly until you feel what the rod can do.

[St Vrain Angler]

The original Victory (both GG and WM) had wraps of orange and black jasper with black border wraps and black tipping. According to Sinclair's Granger Rods, "The Victory rod first lost its black border wraps after WW II, leaving the rod with wraps of black and orange jasper tipped in black. Soon the black tipping was lost and the wraps became plain orange & black jasper. It is believed that all of the wrap changes for all grades changes were complete by 1951."
For my money, the early double black-tipped Victory and the Aristocrat are the prettiest Granger rods.

[ozarkwater]

Thank you guys!

[Salmo Nella]

I don't collect Grangers but I do very much enjoy my GG Denver Special 8642. I fish it more than any of my other rods.
I have a question for you experts about tapers though. I saw a for-sale add on another cane rod web page. I believe it was from some years ago and was for a Denver Special (9050 I think). One point they mentioned was that the two tips were different tapers. I just checked mine and the two tips are identical as close as I can measure them. Was it common for Granger to make different taper tip sections on the same rod or was there something else going on with that rod?
Dave

[jimlucey]

i have a granger 9660 , which i've only fished a few times . i'm wondering what lines you folks like on that rod ?
thanks , jim