History of HW Hawes rods and models

History of the H. W. Hawes Rod Co. Feel free to discuss Hawes Rods here.

Moderators: Ken M 44, fishnbanjo

Locked
User avatar
fishnbanjo
The Canefather
Posts: 4282
Joined: 03/21/04 19:00

History of HW Hawes rods and models

#1

Post by fishnbanjo »

The information here is taken from the short lived Hawes-Leonard Model Rods Catalog. Short lived because the Mills Co. took great umbrage to Hawes' use of the Leonard name in his rods and he was forced to stop. It is an historical fact the Hiram W. Hawes worked along side his uncle, Hiram L. Leonard and discussed rods at length and probably is responsible for much of what Leonard rods became as much as Leonard himself. Hawes truly has not been given the full credit of his genius and using these words from his catalog: The question of Mr. Hawes as a first class rod maker is not "How many?" but "How good?" I find no better choice of words myself. After 28 years of working along side Mr. Leonard, Mr. Hawes left the company to make rods of his own when Mr. Leonard died. With his wife and mother-in-law, Mrs Leonard and her daughter, he moved to Canterbury CT where he built rods with his son Merritt until his own death in 1929. Merritt continued to build for years and is pretty much responsible for those rods marked Parker-Hawes. Hawes was a Tournament caster of note having been recorded in the record books for years and it is the Tournement style rod for which he is much remembered as well. Mr. Hawes offered a complete catalog of rod types which I am listing below. Hawes Fly Rods Also called Hawes Regular Fly rods: Model F-1, length 8' and weight 3 1/4-3 3/4 ozs. Model F-2, length 8'6" and weight 4 1/4 ozs. Model F-3, length 9' and weight 4 1/2-4 3/4 ozs. Model F-4, length 9'6" and weight 5 1/2-6 ozs. Hawes Model the Featherweight Model F-5, length 7'-7'6" and weight 2-2 1/2 ozs. Hawes Model the Featherweight Special Model F-6, length 6' and weight 1 oz. Hawes Model Dry Fly Rods Model DF-1, length 8' and weight 3 5/8 ozs. Model DF-2, length 8'6" and weight 4 1/8 ozs. Model DF-3, length 9' and weight 4 1/2 ozs. Model DF-4, length 9'6" and weight 5 1/2 ozs. Hawes Model Tournament Rods Model TF-1, length 9' and weight 4 3/4 ozs. Model TF-2, length 9'6" and weight 5 3/4 ozs.
Hawes Model Salmon Rods (two handed rods) Available in 12'-15' lengths and 18-23 oz weights Hawes Model Dry Fly Salmon Rods Model DFS-1, length 10' and weight 7 3/4-8 ozs. Model DFS-2, length 10'6" and weight 8-8 1/2 ozs.

Locked

Return to “H. W. Hawes Rods”