8" 4 weight
Moderator: TheMontyMan
8" 4 weight
#1So I'm "loosely" thinking of pursuing an 8 foot 4 weight cane rod, something sweet and delicate for summer in the Catskills... I'm more interested in a taper for a clone rod that might be readily available than the name of a rod builder. I'll be 75 soon and can't wait on a backed-up builder to make me one... not that I need this as I have enough cane now, but bamboo is a lot like Lays Potatoes Chips, it's hard to have just one...
I'm really annoyed with myself for selling a sweet 8' 4 Winston I had years ago, I'd love to have that again...
I'm looking forward to mulling over your feedback, thanks...
Ed
I'm really annoyed with myself for selling a sweet 8' 4 Winston I had years ago, I'd love to have that again...
I'm looking forward to mulling over your feedback, thanks...
Ed
Re: 8" 4 weight
#2My favorite 8' 4 wt is a Heddon 1 1/2 F. Its a really good taper. Let us know what you decide on.
Vern
Vern
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Re: 8" 4 weight
#3And the Granger 8040 is also a very nice rod.
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Re: 8" 4 weight
#4Was your 8’ 4 wt Winston the 3 1/8 oz or 3 5/8 oz model? I have been looking for a similar rod. I enjoyed your book and have never been to the “Circle”.
Re: 8" 4 weight
#5For fine, sweet casting, price and availability I think you would really love an 8040 Granger. Mine is a Wright & McGill adn I was never really crazy about it with the standard five line. When I tried a four I found nirvana. I am not sure of KB has one, though you are welcome to try mine if we can arrange it.
To be clear, you want to be able to cast the rod before buying as some seem to favor the five line, though it is unfathomable how much of the disparity in opinions relate mostly to the feel and style of individual casters rather than the rod itself.
George Maurer's Queen of the Waters is a wonderful rod, though hard to come by. Jerry Kustich designed an 8' four weight pent for me the summer before last and that is a very crisp, wonderful rod.
To be clear, you want to be able to cast the rod before buying as some seem to favor the five line, though it is unfathomable how much of the disparity in opinions relate mostly to the feel and style of individual casters rather than the rod itself.
George Maurer's Queen of the Waters is a wonderful rod, though hard to come by. Jerry Kustich designed an 8' four weight pent for me the summer before last and that is a very crisp, wonderful rod.
...a wink of gold like the glint of sunlight on polished cane...
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Re: 8" 4 weight
#6h ello, you liked your winston; try a(n) f e thomas 8 foot rod with the sinle number 4 stamped on the buttcap. the four does not represent the line number, but the length of a german silver reel seat and insert with which fred thomas could regulate balance and hand placement and somewhat limit which reels could be accommodated on the rod.
you will really like the thomas, ask steve campbell
jim w
you will really like the thomas, ask steve campbell
jim w
Re: 8" 4 weight
#7I don't recall the exact specifics of that Winston, but I broke at least one tip and had Winston rebuild me another... I still have one shorten tip here, with the #1336 on it... I cry when I move it about...sagegrouse715 wrote: ↑06/08/22 00:05Was your 8’ 4 wt Winston the 3 1/8 oz or 3 5/8 oz model? I have been looking for a similar rod. I enjoyed your book and have never been to the “Circle”.
Thanks for your kind words about the book, I have a new one recently out and plan to talk about it soon, hopefully after the Catskill Fly Tyers Guild does a review....
Ed
Re: 8" 4 weight
#8Munsey made me an 8' letort. He hollowed it and made it with a splice instead of ferrules. It is light smooth and slow. I love the rod.
Re: 8" 4 weight
#9The Leonard Letort taper makes a very sweet rod and the Granger 8040 will also fill the bill, as will the above named Heddon. You might also look at the 8' Phillipson varnished rods. I found a Powr Pakt some years ago. It's a dandy 4 weight rod.
Re: 8" 4 weight
#10X2 on this. Munsey made me the same rod, only ferruled. I use it on the limestoners here in PA.
And he has a pretty quick turnaround time.
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Re: 8" 4 weight
#11Several replies here peaked my interest, thank you... and, I'm very curious about "Munsey"... any website or details available about "Munsey"...
Thanx...
Ed
Thanx...
Ed
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Re: 8" 4 weight
#12I'm not aware that he has a website; however, I can attest that he definitely makes fine rods, because he has made them for me! And, you can contact him through this Forum. He's "munsey w".
Re: 8" 4 weight
#13Munsey posts here as "munsey w", here's his profile page: memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=6388
Great guy, they don't make them better than him.
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Re: 8" 4 weight
#15I will second that.GerardH wrote: ↑07/01/22 20:41Munsey posts here as "munsey w", here's his profile page: memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=6388
Great guy, they don't make them better than him.
Re: 8" 4 weight
#16Heddon Featherweight, Jenkins 8 foot 4-5 wt, Granger, Maurer's Queen of the Waters, RK Bolt. Eight foot 4wts were once a rarity, but many builders today make them. Joe Bradley makes a progressive 8ft 4wt that Mike Lawson fishes.
Re: 8" 4 weight
#17I’m lucky to call Munsey a friend and as such I’ve been able to cast many of his rods . They are all sweet and beautifully built with great attention paid to details. His 8’ 5wt is just awesome and capable of all I need. His splice ferruled rod is the sweetest casting rod I own.
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Re: 8" 4 weight
#18I have a mid-1920s Leonard 50DF that casts a DT4 line nicely. It seems appropriate for fishing the Catskills...
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Re: 8" 4 weight
#19I would suggest a 7'9" 3/2 4wt. from Bill Blackburn. A wonderful casting rod at a more than reasonable price.
Re: 8" 4 weight
#20Yo epe - I recently got a wonderful stick(s) from a super maker who's not far from you - Dennis Menscer of Little River Rods. He's right there on the banks of the Delaware right near the bridge at Hancock. The rod(s) is his 8' 4wt solid hex, but unique in that it has 2 butts along with the usual 2 tips. The 804L butt is the light one, and the 804H is the faster one.
I've had 2 San Francisco Winstons for a long time - the 8' 5wt and the 7'6" 4wt. Both are dry fly actions but have that sweet Winston feel. Chasing the 8' 4wt holy grail, I have an old red wrap Leonard 40L, which is solfter and borders on a 3wt. For Tricos, BWOs and midges, I worked with Bill Taylor on an 8'3wt, which turned out to be a hollow hex - Bill felt that long and light a rod wouldn't work in a quad format. He ended up calling it the Les Young Special, since I was part of figuring out the taper, and that model was his best seller for several years. But it is a true 3wt, and there is a big difference between 3 and 4 wts in bamboo when fly sizes range bigger than #16.
I have cast a number of 8'4wts from other makers, and it is tricky to get the tapers right of that longer, light line.
tl
les
I've had 2 San Francisco Winstons for a long time - the 8' 5wt and the 7'6" 4wt. Both are dry fly actions but have that sweet Winston feel. Chasing the 8' 4wt holy grail, I have an old red wrap Leonard 40L, which is solfter and borders on a 3wt. For Tricos, BWOs and midges, I worked with Bill Taylor on an 8'3wt, which turned out to be a hollow hex - Bill felt that long and light a rod wouldn't work in a quad format. He ended up calling it the Les Young Special, since I was part of figuring out the taper, and that model was his best seller for several years. But it is a true 3wt, and there is a big difference between 3 and 4 wts in bamboo when fly sizes range bigger than #16.
I have cast a number of 8'4wts from other makers, and it is tricky to get the tapers right of that longer, light line.
tl
les