Parker-Hawes Fly Rods

[Tom Flanigan]

Fishing a fine cane rod is indeed akin to hunting with a Parker or other fine double. My go to rods are vintage Leonard split bamboo. They were built by hand which is a slow and painstaking process that involves much skill. With respect to the Pflueger Medalist, it’s a nice reel. I grew up fishing one. It’s not in the same class as my Orvis CFO’s or Hardy’s but it’s a good honest reel that also looks nice and is worthy to sit on a vintage cane rod.

I have never seen or cast a Parker-Hawes rod. They are rare and you don’t often see them offered for sale. I would like to own one, but only because of the connection to Parker. Their value when they do appear for sale is at the bottom of the price range for vintage cane rods. I suspect they are classed in the same league as a Montague, which is at the low end of the market. But there are many Montague’s out there still giving good service and my comments shouldn’t be interpreted as a hit on the fishability of that rod or the Parker-Hawes rod. My grandfather fished Orvis cane but had a Montague Manitu that he liked a lot. I still fish this rod from time to time.

The first picture is of a couple of rainbows on my home river in the west, the North Platte in Wyoming. The second picture is of a couple of Fine Spot sub species of cutthroat from my “secret” spot for these fish in the wilds of Wyoming, many miles from civilization. All my trout are taken on vintage cane rods.