The Parker-Hawes Rod
 

This post is for those people who are interested in Parker things other than guns.

Many people do not realize that Parker made or marketed a variety of high quality sporting things.

In the 1920's, Parker partnered with Hiram Hawes to produce a Parker-Hawes fly rod. Hiram Hawes had been an apprentice of H L Leonard, who is credited with producing the modern American lightweight split bamboo fly rod, and whose shop produced some of the best. H L Leonard rods are some of the most collectible today and are still in use. Along with Hiram Hawes, a fellow Leonard apprentice was Pinky Gillum, whose work was impeccable. A Gillum rod recently sold for $5000. Leonard, Hawes and Gillum rods are highly sought.

Hawes made approximately 1000 rods under his own name and about 220 under the Parker-Hawes relationship. They are high quality and still fishable today. This is a 9 foot, 4 and 3/4 oz rod, with what is understood to be the original rod tube and sock. The tube is missing its label. Hawes rods are collector quality rods and the Parker name makes them even more so. The Parker-Hawes rods ceased production in 1933. It is not known how many still exist today. They are of the Catskill school. Not having been in the Catskills, I cannot venture a guess as to chances of finding ones today that are not already known to collectors, but one never knows.

Bruce, do you know if that example is in original condition or refinished? The difference between the mounting of the agate in the tip tops is what raises my curiosity. The grip cork does not appear to be in original condition - can you comment on that? I'm not nit-picking. The fact that so few were produced makes that one an extremely rare rod indeed.

I believe that both tips are original, just different agate circles. These are all hand cut and vary. Both tips on this rod are full length.

The grip has been cleaned. A common cleaning method is soap and water then rub with dry Comet powder as an abrasive until the cork is cleaned.

There has been a varnish recoat but its not streaky and no brush strokes are seen. No evidence of any rewinding and the ferrules still pop.

Rare indeed, thanks for sharing Bruce.

Hawes Fly Rods
 

Hawes was Leonard's nephew, and was with Leonard for 28 years before beginning his own shop. I'll have to dig around in my catalogs , but 6+/- Hawes rod types are listed in the 1920 A&F catalog, and I think they were cataloged by Mills as well.
If the number Bruce gave of 300 Hawes rods sold by Parker in a few depression years of the 1930's is correct, it is probable that more than 1000 were sold during the roaring twenties.
Warm rain and strong wind took the ice out of several streams near here, and trout season is legally open on open water. I think I'll wait for the water temperature to reach 40F. I'm off to the Hanover Orvis outlet to get some 3665A and 94701.

Best, Austin

Cleaning Cork Grips-
 

Another good way to clean a cork grip is with common white Colgate toothpaste and a toothbrush- a mild abrasive, with water and some 'elbow grease" usually works-- I have never seen a Hawes rod- my favorites were the three piece Leonards, especially the 49 7 & 1/2 foot and the 50 8 foot--

Not uncommon for rod tubes and their labels to "stray", but having such with the rod if you offer it for sale will command a higher price.

Also common to find older rods from the 1920-1940 era to be 'wearing a new suit of clothes"- back then, horsehide or casein glues were used, and most all the major rod makers made their own ferrules and reel seat hardware-

I have only seen one original Harold Steele Gillum rod- a lovely salmon rod- 9 foot 3 pc. with two full tips and the removeable extension butt. The owner used it on the Restigouche and Matapedia rivers in years past- believe he had a Hardy St. John salmon reel with it--like a AAHE 20 bore in mint condition- truly a thing of beauty with form following function-:cool:

Hello Austin, the number I was told was that Hawes made a total of 1000 rods under his own name in all years and 220 under the Parker-Hawes name. I wonder if those are the correct numbers.

Of course, we all know what 3665A's are, but what are 94701's?

Austin, one of these days I'll give you my recipe for the streamer I developed over several years of trial and error - The "Apparition" (borrowed from the Ghost series of streamers but didn't want to use that name as mine is tied in an advanced 'matuka' style). I tie it on a 3665A also. It is far and away the most effective streamer I have ever used for a smelt imitation.

Here's a good hook comparison chart. No 94701 though.

http://www.killroys.com/hooks/hookchrt.htm

Wonder who thought up the numbering system for Mustad. No apparent rhyme or reason that I can see.

Well guys;

Tomarrow I start my flyfishing season at the Rockwell Springs Club. I pray the place is not overstocked with fishermen and itchy flyrods as the weather out look is dead perfect per the weather channel

I have spent the last two hours rummaging through my bugs and leader material testing which leader material I hope can stand up to a solid hit or vicous pound and a half or maybe half pound trout battle. The last time I was fishing the damn leader knot untied itself from hard hit or a little pressure. Dai Riki was the culpert.

BTW Unlike you other nimrods I do not tie my own flies, not enough patience on my part plus what appears to be too a large investment in materials and equipment for me.

Roger

Roger - Have you met Bill Green, who is a long-time member at Rockwell? He often fishes there with Pat Dwyer, a respected Detroit-area veterinarian. I train dogs with Bill, and serve on the Anglers of the Au Sable board with Pat.

There are a couple of tippet manufacturers that I stay away from for that very reason. The material is extremely hard (for 6X) and consequently, the knots often slip and when a large fish is lost the tippet manufacturer has lost a customer.

John;

I only know just a very few members but will ask my favorite barmaid/waitress if the mentioned are in club at this time.

Also it seems that I hit a nerve with poor tippet material.

FG time C Roger

BTW Unlike you other nimrods I do not tie my own flies, not enough patience on my part plus what appears to be too a large investment in materials and equipment for me.

Roger[/QUOTE]

In some ways tying flies is like reloading. I takes some investment in tools and components but you get exactly the end product you want. Also, it gives you a connection to the sport when you can't be out doing it. For some tying flies is an art form in and of itself. So is building rods.

Hawes Fly Rods
 

Bruce; I have no real information on Hawes production but Hawes was given the premier listing in both the Abercrombie and Fitch and Mills catalogs. The A&F catolog has 4 lengths of Trout, Bass and Dry Fly Hawes rods at $50, a Hawes featherweight at $70, two Tournament rods at $60, and a Salmon rod at $90. A Hardy on the same page is $65. A&F notes the popularity of the Hawes; I would think that more than 100 Hawes rods would have sold each year during the 1920's to warrant almost a full page in the catalog.
( The Parker April 1923 catalog offers a Trojan at $55, a VH at $69, and a VHE at $90, quite comparable to the Hawes rod price range)
Greg; that hook is the TDE 3X long 2X heavy nymph hook that the nymphs running diagonally in the picture are tied on. As you say Mustad's numbers are assigned by a random number generator, but I did dig through Mustad's web site and found it. I have visited three major shops this month, without finding any in stock. I have also drawn a blank on 6X long streamer hooks in small sizes, and the 1/2 inch longer series which were my favorites.

I am making up some long pseudo March Brown nymphs on the 3665A for the early season here. I have not been able to obtain the 3665A in 14, which is a good nymph size for our cold clear streams.

Best, Austin

Austin

Maybe this will help. http://www.tackledirect.com/3665a.html

Cheers
Marcus

Tackle Direct
 

I called up tackle direct; they do have 3665A and some other useful hooks in lots of 100 at reasonable prices. I did find some 3X long 2X heavy at Manchester Orvis with their own label, but only in size 12 the day I was there.

Best, Austin

TPS p.55, found the source.

Says Hiram and Merritt Hawes produced just under 1100 rods and approximately 220 Parker-Hawes rods. The A112 on this rod is the serial number, this one being number 112 made.

Hiram Hawes rods and 6X Tippets
 

Bruce- perhaps the late Everett Garrison studied Hawes, when he entered the rod making world in the mid 1930's. He also used an Alpha prefix for his rods, when he got to Z- he restarted the series. Of all the great rod makers, I liked Lyle Dickerson's system the best: 6 digits for a 3 pc. length, then descending ferrule size, 4 digits for the 2 pc. rods- both series were/are "Steinways" IMO.

And for Deano-- try this trick on tippet material that doesn't hold a knot-- rough up the to be knotted area with fine steel wool first- it is the 'slick" surface that is causing you that problem.

And when at the storied Rockwell Club, remember that fly fishing, like bird hunting with a fine side-by-side, is a gentleman's sport- so, keep both your flies and martinis very dry!!:cool:

[QUOTE=Francis Morin;14527]
And for Deano-- :nono: try this trick on tippet material that doesn't hold a knot-- rough up the to be knotted area with fine steel wool first- it is the 'slick" surface that is causing you that problem.
QUOTE]

Hey Francisco, I tried that once but the steel wool in my vest pocket quickly turned into a matted soggy, rusty mess. I determined it was a lot simpler to curtail the use of such a product...

Who da "dude" in your new Avatar, Dean??
 

Nice to see some changes in the Avatar fotos- someone in your family perhaps? 1920's era--

I always carried a wad of OOO steel wool in a zip-lock baggie in the vest, along with a Bic lighter (and I am a Non-Smoker) and not trusting those yo-yo Orvis 'zingers" for anything heavier than a nipper, I kept the hemostat and the folding Kershaw knife on a cord inside the shirt, around my neck-I've seen in my day a lot of such fly fishing "sundries" take a bath-

The steel wool will have just enough petroleum base in its fibers to start an emergency fire- and the aerosol sprays for bugs and mosquitoes will also treat birch bark or toiler paper with enough accelerant to do the same- The old "Be prepared" scenario--

Fine 600 emery paper would work as well, and not turn rusty like the steel wool. I miss my many days on streams, but in MI so many canoes and guide boats, it's like trying to play solitare on the center berm of I-95 near the beltway at rush hour.

I think it was the late Sparse Grey Hackle who commented on having to share the water with a stranger was like inviting him into your bedroom on your wedding night-- Tight Lines however--:eek::duck:

My grandfather, James Romig, was a railroad executive and lived in southwestern Pennsylvania. My Dad was born in 1923 and was the youngest of eight, the eldest being nineteen when Dad was born. I believe the photo was taken around '05 as he appears to be in his early twenties in the photo.

In my smoking days ('63 - '92) I would burn the tag end of the tippet with the end of my cigarette causing a tiny bulb that would never slip back through. I think this is the only reason I miss smoking...

New Leader
 

i have always found a handfull of bottom from the stream you are fishing to be the best medicine for a new leader. Grab a handful and pull the leader through it a couple of times. If you have trouble with the knot the leather punch a Boy Scout knife or similar works; put the punch in the eye as you tighten the leader knot.
With all that said , present day leader really stinks. I never lost a fish to a leader break until last year, when I lost several. I fish hard rock streams that are pretty abrasive, but my old leaders held well. I lost a dozen or more early in the season. I have cut my leaders back to about 0x or 1x but I still loose a few.
The other interesting point is that modern graphite rods won't turn over a small nymph on a short cast. I have pretty well gone back to my old fibreglas rods for small streams

Best, Austin

These days I prefer flourocarbon tippets. Knots hold extremely well with this stuff as it doesn't have that hard slick surface and you can generally use heavier tippets than you normally would with the other materials because of its nearly invisible qualities when submerged as well as its non-reflective surface. If a heavier tippet impairs the action of your fly a surgeon's loop will take care of that problem.

Austin;
Saturday I lost at least six fish (I did not keep an accurate count ) and the fly due to knot slipping and tippet breaking, mighty frustrating. I had newly purchased 6x Dai Riki and Orvis tippet material.

Now you tell us carbon fiber rods do not cast well as I have no fiberglass rods, I gave them all away. I use a bamboo 7wgt or a carbon fiber rod 5wgt. I like the carbon best.

Rog

I went steelhead fishing with an old San Francisco-vintage Winston fiberglass 9wt last weekend and it was perfect. It takes a lot of rod to haul out a bunch of sink-tip in fast water with a heavy fly. Don't throw the fiberglass away!

Ah Yes- Tom Morgan, Glenn Brackett, Doug Merrick
 

The only non-split cane rods I ever used, and used a great deal, were the early series Kelly Green std. action Twin Bridges MT R.L. Winston graphite rods-They always handled well, and never failed, whether I was fishing dry flies, nymphs, Wooly Buggers and weighted streamers- floating, sinking tip or even shooting heads.

I was never into tournament casting, anymore than I am into competitive clays events. I recall the old adage "Castin' ain't catchin'"!! Tight ones--:bigbye:

What a great surprise... Did anyone else see Art Wheaton last evening on a "Quebec Outfitters" TV show salmon fishing? I don't remember the name of the river but there were a good number of salmon and grilse.

10 or 12 yrs ago, I was talking to Bob Clouser Sr. about tippet material. He took a spool of Danville's Mono Tying Thread (smoke colored) from the case, put it in a tiny zip lock baggie with the tag end sticking out and said try it. He told me he's been using it for decades and had yet to find anything superior. It has virtually no memory, is strong and the smoke color almost disappears under water. I pretty much don't use anything else for my 5x-7x (comes as .006 or .004) tippets.

Oh yeah. It costs a buck for 100yds:shock:.

Cheers
Marcus

Parker Hawes
 

Was Art on one of the 600 channels? I'll look for a repeat.

My Orvis "99" 7 1/2 foot HDH works great with a floating line and my 8 1/2 foot Madison GBF lifts a streamer as it should. When it comes to roll casting a nymph to a spot 20 feet from my feet, my fibreglas "Orvis Full Flex" copies of the nymph rod do the job.

About 10 years ago I bought an Orvis Henry's Fork GEF carbon fibre, as it most closely matched the nymph rod. It was very good except for that 15 - 25 foot window for upstream nymph fishing. I had a gravel bar disappear under me last season and took a good spill. The rod finished out the day, but made cracking noises the next time out. I took it to Manchester in early February hoping to find a new butt section. My rod returned by UPS three weeks later with a new butt at no charge. Orvis is retroactively guaranteeing their high end carbon rods for 25 years.

I tried several new rods while there. They are all as fast as a 220 Swift. I think that the butt section from an old telescoping steel rod would match the action. The fibreglas rods were made using the same QC jigs as the bamboo they imitated. The carbon fibre rods
have an action alltheir own.


Best, Austin

Austin, I don't know what the channel number is from your provider, mine is 307 or 308, but it is a show often televised as "Quebec Outfitters" and is narrated by a man with a French Canadian accent and covers anything from white tail deer hunting to ice fishing to Atlantic Salmon fishing. From my provider it is at least a weekly show.

The ultra-fast, stiff action rods being made today are not for small stream fishermen but are for the younger set who believe more is better and longer casts will get you into more and bigger fish... a prevalent myth today. Glass, cane or even graphite rods like my slower actioned Thomas & Thomas rods of the early '80's are powerful enough to turn over a shorter line and accurately present a roll-casted nymph or streamer.

The Ultimate Collectable Parker
 

I think the ultimate Parker would be an A 1S with an entry in the order book for a cleaning rod made from a Hawes butt section.
This isn't beyond the realm of reason; I once had a muzzle loading S X S with a bamboo rod butt as a ram rod.

Best, Austin

Older series Orvis rods??
 

Austin-HDH and GBF- back in the silk line era, weight and taper codes, right? An HDH would be a double tapered line, a GBF sounds like a weight forward design, perhaps a bass bug taper. One of my Michigan steelhead/salmon rods was an Orvis Graphite 9 ft- had the detachable FB, alum uplocking reel seat with dual lock rings- believe it was an 8 weight, and I bought it the first year Orvis came out with their 25 year warranty on graphite rods.

I can tell you for a fact they lived up to that. In July 1988, eight of us in the FFF flew into Galgary and fished the Bow river for five days straight- all flies only, all C&R--fantastic- didn't get dark until about 10:30 (2200 hrs.) so we had 12 hours on river time- two to a Lavro drift boat with guide, enough river that we all got to fish a different section each day-

My best fishing pal then had just bought a new Orvis graphite, again, the 25 year warranty. We all took at least three rods and reels up there, usually had one rod rigged for dries or nymphs, the other with ST lines for "spank the bank" with weighted streamers-- Bob had set his new Orvis graphite somewhere near the sockets for the sweep oars, the wind came up and the rod shattered just behind the ferrule- when we got back home he sent it into Orvis, two weeks later he received a brand new one- same model, and Orvis reimbursed him the shipping costs as well- Says a great deal about the "Big O"

FYI- as I was a "tackle junkie" I guess back then, high end reels and rods, here's my arsenal for that trip-- R.L. Winston Std. action graphite -9 foot-3 pc. 7/8 wt. made for me by Glenn Brackett- equipped with early series Ross S-1 saltwater reel with the stainless steel drag and extra spool- Thomas and Thomas 9 foot 2 pc. graphite 6 wt. with Bogdan Trout reel- and Doug Merrick SF Winston split-cane 8 & 1/2 foot 2 pc. one tip 6 wt. with Hardy Perfect 3 & 3/8" dia. reel (I later had Glenn make a matching second identical tip for it- just as I had Bob Sommers made a matching replacement tip for my 7 & 1/2 ft. 5 wt. Young Perfectionist)--

I still have many fotos from that trip-and although I am now "out of the game" I still have many fond memories of times spent on rivers of now remembrances.. All good--:bigbye:

Austin - Today I had a similar thought, yet reversed. I am having some reel seat inserts made to build a couple new fly rods and I like walnut the best because I love guns. It occurred to me that using an old gun stock would be cool. The hunk of wood spends its first 100 years hunting and its second 100 years fishing, I should be so lucky. - Dave

Marc;

What is your source for the Danville Tying Thread?

Roger

At the risk of being a cynic, well-tied knots don't fail. As a volunteer instructor at the Michigan Trout Unlimited School each year, I have studied and taught fly fishing knots a bunch.
Look at the failed knot. If the remaining end is a curly pigtail, then the knot failed. If it is a clean end, then the tippet broke.

When tightening up the knot, wet it to provide lubrication, and draw it up slowly to reduce friction and resulting heat, which weakens monofilament.

Light tippets can be protected with light rods and soft strikes

BTW, anyone interested in the school to learn or improve your fly fishing skills. (June 11/12/13 this year) please visit www.tuffs.org

John, at the risk of sounding arrogant and self-righteous, I've been tying both tiny and large flies onto all sorts of tippet material for well over fifty years and will snip off and re-tie any knot I have any doubt in... even in the heat and frenzy of an evening spinner fall - if you know what I mean :eek:

Agreed!. Particularly at 2 in the morning during the "Hex" spinners on the Au Sable. At least then you can use some really stout hawser material - the big browns don't seem to mind.

Roger

I normally buy it from my home shop, Clouser's Fly Shop. They've been having an issue getting the smoke colored so I did a Google search. After trying a few dozen sites, I found some at Doc's Fly Box- https://www.docsflybox.com/sunshop/i...t_detail&p=927 . It's getting hard to find so I ordered 10 spools this past weekend.

Marcus