Parker-Hawes

[Bruce Day]

The Parker-Hawes rods are rare. I’ve not heard of more than a handful. The catalog was long and detailed, I know of only one original, this one is a photocopy from the original. The rod was the top in its day and from a family that created the split bamboo rod. This rod is a 9’ 6wt and substantially unfished. The bag and tube are original. It cost $55 in 1934.

[OH Osthaus]

nice one

they come up for discussion on the Clark's classic fly rod board every so often

[Dean Romig]

Bruce, very nice.

Is it marked with the three-letter code for the line type/weight?





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[Rick Riddell]

Wow I haven't heard it called Clark's in quite sometime! Brings back memories when that board had a lot of great personalities!
Hawes family is very well known (and under the radar) makers of excellent cane rods from Hiram, Loman and Merritt. They are definitely in the top echelon with Leonard, Payne and Edwards, man to be alive back then!! I would love to know more about the Hawes/Parker arrangement, but that's probably lost to time!

[OH Osthaus]

Originally Posted by Rick Riddell

Wow I haven't heard it called Clark's in quite sometime!

yeah - one more sign i am often in a time warp

[Southpaw]

Bruce is that a 3 piece rod with two tips. Neat find. Most bamboo rods I've seen were always two piece, but they were not 9' either. $55 was a hefty price for a whippy stick in 1934.

Really like a 6 weight rod. I'll bet that would be fun rod to cast with a popping bug going after some bull bream, even today.

[Bruce Day]

Yes this is a 3/2 rod. Blued ferrules and guides, agate tips. I use an old Hardy Perfect with it and have two spools, one with silk and the other modern flyline.

These were made by Merritt Hawes. Charles Parker was an enthusiast of the Leonard/ Hawes lineage of rods and partnered with Merritt. If I remember correctly from an article I wrote about the rods it was either 220 or 280 that were made, either way not many. A wide variety following the Leonard line could be ordered but most made were dry fly rods of medium weight such as this. Contemporary writers termed these the “A-1 Special of rods”.

I would not term these whippy sticks, slow action yes in comparison to present stiff graphite but many prefer a slow action rod. These force a person to learn a count technique.

The only complete and original catalog I know of is owned by Mike Clark in Lyons. All of these are names that those interested in vintage fly rods will recognize. It joins a Jenkins, two Gary Howells and two Glen Brackett rods in the quiver. The workmanship on the Hawes is high end, the cane is flawless, the joints are perfect, however I think we see today in the best rodmakers the best rods have ever been.

[Dean Romig]

Hi Bruce -

My previous question probably got lost in the shuffle of conversation so I'll ask again;

Is the three-letter code for line type/weight marked on the rod?





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[Bruce Day]

No.

I have not seen a Parker-Hawes rod with any markings other than stampings on the grip cap.
On one side:
Parker-Hawes Rods
Meriden-Canterbury
Conn. USA

The other the SN, here
A112

[Southpaw]

That is a neat rod. Btw I call all fly rods whippy sticks. Grew up fly fishing so very appreciative of the equipment and sport. Have only casted a bamboo rod once and it wasn't really casting since it was just a small stream. Not enough room to really work and load the rod on a cast, but catching a few fish were fun. Even small ones really work the rod.

There are all kinds of casting techniques and have tried them all, really like Lefty Kreh system and how it saves shoulder. But when its all said and done after umpteen years of casting you can do it by feel the cast by way rod loading in the hand. Still have my first fly rod that is an inexpensive fiberglass rod in 6 wt. It probably has less back bone than your bamboo rod. I know there is one thing I can do with that rod with a flick of the wrist that is near impossible with a modern rod without some practice and that is lay a tight loop that looks like your rolling out the carpet. I think that bamboo rod would be able to do the same. I find its easier to do with a more flexible rod.