Can anyone suggest a good 8 1/2' 4 wt.?

[kevinhaney1]

Realizing I have a hole in my bamboo arsenal, I'm looking for a good 8.5" 4 wt. Can anyone suggest a good vintage model? Say something of Granger or Heddon quality and price?

[Vaughanwilson3022]

EC Powell.

Granger and Heddon rods would be 5wts.

[bluesjay]

Hi Guys, I agree, EC Powell..........

Jay Edwards

[16pmd]

EC Powell made some great 8 1/2' rods that could cast a 4 wt., but not in the same price category of Granger and Heddon and superior casters in my opinion.

[ibookje]

I'm looking for a good 8.5" 4 wt.

Aren't these questions like can anyone recommend me a girl with long brown hair or a car that has 200 HP?

Questions like this needs more elaboration at least on type of action (slow, medium, fast for starters) and if it's an issue price range (like max. $800 or even $2800)

[munsey w]

I would suggest that you get Bob Hallowell to make you one. His rods are hollow built and have glass ferrules, so they are very lightweight. He goes by bobha on this forum.

[kevinhaney1]

OK, elaboration. I would like to get a medium to fast dry fly action rod under $800. And I was really hoping to get a vintage rod, not a modern one.

[carl otto]

A Heddon 8'6", 3/2, 1 3/4F would probably meet your expectations. IF you could find one in a Model #17 (Black Beauty) or higher model number (20,35..). This is a rarer configuration and depending on condition I would think certainly one could be found for less than $800. Sometimes these may be a light 5 WT., you just have to get your hands on one and see.

Carl

[Palakona123]

Hardy made some nice 8 1/2 rods in the 4/5 wt range. Most of these have a medium action, and are mostly overlooked, especially in the american market.
I prefer the 30s rods, as the build quality is second to none, as well as the aestethics. Most of them would need to be refinished, as the varnish before the mid 50s is a natural resin - oil varnish that dries out and cracks unless well cared for. A good example can be quite hard to find, as they are usually well fished, but when restored, they are some of the best looking rods in my opinion.

Some different rods:

8’6’’ Featherweight perfection - A nice sweet medium rod, with a progressive action and quite firm tip. For short casting I prefer a #5 line, which flex the tip just a tad more for in close work, for 35’ and on i prefer a #4. These rods are 2/1 and not very well known, so they come up for sale for very low prices, way less that similar quality rods.

8’6’’ Fairy - Similar in apperance to the featherweight perfection, but 2/3 and with slightly lighter tips and firmer butt. Dark green graduated intermediate and signature whippings, half wells grip, gloss black spacer and bright polished sliding screw grip reel fittings and butt cap. Should be suplied with ferrule stoppers, reel seat «wrench» (if a mid 30s to 40s rod), brown silk bag, labeled aluminium tube and tube bag, if complete. These rods are fairly well known, also in the american market. The 8’6’’ rod was a favourite of Hemingway, (which probably explains the higher prices (doesn’t make the rod better though….).

8’6’’ DeLuxe - I have only tried the longer models of this rod, but they are sweet in these lengths too. Medium with quite light tips, with lots of power in the butt. Should come with the same tube, bags, ferrule stopper and reel seat «wrench» as the Fairy. Similar in apperance as the other rods, but with a thicker full - half wells grip, dark red guide whippings and tan intermediates and signature whippings.

8’6’’ Fairchild - A quite rare rod, as this length was probably only made as special order. A light 4 wt in my hands. A full, soft action with quite firm tips and butt. Similar to the cc de France, but way softer. A very slim taper, probably not for most, but still a very sweet rod. Not floppy or anything like that, but more parabolic and light than most rods of this length. Same bags, tube and ferrule stoppers as the other rods. Full cork grip with sliding band, green ferrule whippings and tan intermediates. No signature whippings. Later rods (mid 30s) are all green.

[blackdog]

A Heddon 8'6", 3/2, 1 3/4F would probably meet your expectations. IF you could find one in a Model #17 (Black Beauty) or higher model number (20,35..). This is a rarer configuration and depending on condition I would think certainly one could be found for less than $800. Sometimes these may be a light 5 WT., you just have to get your hands on one and see.

Carl

There’s a Heddon rod in this configuration on the big internet auction site for “buy it now” for $600. I’ve dealt with the seller and he seems reputable. Looks to be in very good condition too.

[nuchamps5]

You also might check out Bob Selb's site. He's got a J Harvey Lincoln (Heddon made) listed as a 5 wt, but you might check with him if it would work with a 4 wt. He has it described as 16/10 ferrules, which would actually make it a 1 1/2 F 8'6" rod, which, if I understand correctly, wasn't really made by Heddon regularly. So either the ferrules are listed wrong or it was an oddly made rod that could work well with a 4 wt line.

[joep]

I can't think of very many people that make a true 8.5" 4wt. I know Bohemian Bob may still have one for sale from Simroe. I would trust that is a dead 4wt. It seems that whenever i see a rod with those specs, the phrase "may be a better 5 wt" seems to accompany it. I have a James Reid 8'5" rod that i use a 4.5 wt line on. Those Heddon rods really get blurred as to their line wt, i see the 2F ferrule advertised as a 5wt, i have only cast a few but they sure as hell were not 5wts. No clue about the 1 3/4 though.

[chsparkman]

Brian Greer came to SRG with a rod he made using a Powell taper that is an absolutely wonderful caster. A true 8.5" 4 wt. So if the OP doesn't want a modern rod (man, Brian's rod is really something!) then he ought to look in the direction of classic Powells.

[kingstu]

Leon Hanson makes a great 81/2 4 wt 3 piece rod! Works great with a 4WF.
Stu

[nativebrownie]

Find some pre-fire and early Leonards at 8 1/2'. A good many of those are 4 weights - you can usually tell by the actual weight and cane diameter above the grip.

[Greg Reynolds]

Find some pre-fire and early Leonards at 8 1/2'. A good many of those are 4 weights - you can usually tell by the actual weight and cane diameter above the grip.

Like the 50 1/2 Tournament...

[nativebrownie]

Yep, on target and good advice.
I have two very early 50 1/2 Leonards - each is a full working taper 4 weight. Each is perfect on eastern spring creeks - like that beauty in State College.

[joep]

Yep, on target and good advice.
I have two very early 50 1/2 Leonards - each is a full working taper 4 weight. Each is perfect on eastern spring creeks - like that beauty in State College.

Any tapers of those lying around. That does sound like a nice rod for Spring.

[oneculm]

The Heddon 8 1/2' 1 3/4 taper for most is a 5wt. Heddon also made a 8 1/2' with the 1 1/2 taper which is a great 4wt. They are hard to find and the one's I have had and cast were Jay Harvey trade rods. A friend has a nice Heddnon one. dm

[2wtt]

Dennis Stone made me two ferruled blanks in 2018 or 2019, one is an 8' 3/2 Heddon 1.5F & the other an 8.6' 3/2 FET special, I like both with a 3wt, they are on the soft side of medium but not noodles, I asked Dennis for a couple of soft rods

FET

Heddon