The Parker-Hawes Rod

[C Roger Giles]

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

[Big D]

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.

[Dean Romig]

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.

[C Roger Giles]

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

[Rod N. Gunn]

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.

[Austin W Hogan]

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

[Marc Retallack]

Austin

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

Cheers
Marcus

[Austin W Hogan]

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

[Bruce Day]

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.

[Old and Reliable]

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!!