Need Some Help Restoring a Fly-Fishing Rod...

[Yéil]

My husband has a fly fishing rod that his dad used as a younger man. Hubby has never done fly fishing but has mentioned he'd like to learn. A few years ago, his dad gave him the rod and a very cool tackle box with a delightful amount of flies (some still in their original packages) and patterns from about 40-50 years ago.

I'd like to restore the rod, spool and line for him as well as set up a fly-fishing tackle box - featuring all his dad's flies. Hubby has been working so hard these last few years with his full time Army job and doing Staff College as a distant learner. He graduates at the end of the month and I'd like to give him the rod and tackle box as a present.

So where to start?

The rod is a circa 1950-60. The spool is metal. I can't find the weight number on any of the labels (probably not looking in the right places).

I'm going to need to know how to clean and refit the spool (taking it off, taking it apart etc), how to set it up, should I use frog's hair or not, what weight line to get, best knots to use and how to best set up the tackle box and organize the flies. Most of all, I guess, is the whole thing worth it? My hubby's dad is such a big figure in his life and I'd like to see hubby using his dad's rod. More importantly, I'd love to see hubby learn to fly fish with his dad's rod... how cool would that be?

I'll post some pics later as I need to dig the rod out and take some pics.

Thanks guys.

[MTB_FlyFisher]

This may not be a popular answer...

With all the recent advancements in material technologies, your hubby would probably be much better served learning how to fly fish using a newer rod / reel.

That being said, considering the awesomeness of the rod and the fly box as well as both the back-story and the obvious importance of his father in his life, perhaps you could look into making a mount for the rod and open fly box showing off it's contents and hanging it in either his man-cave or den as a present. That way he would get the benefit of the newer technology as well as having an important part of his past displayed and as a reminder to him of their relationship.

[Yéil]

Thanks MTB, I did buy him a couple of new fly rods - I just thought it would be nice to refit his dad's rod for him to use for his first time out. He'll have the other two rods to continue on his learning curve.

I do like the idea of maybe mounting it after he takes it out that one time... thanks for that.

[Gun+Rod]

Originally Posted by Yéil

Thanks MTB, I did buy him a couple of new fly rods - I just thought it would be nice to refit his dad's rod for him to use for his first time out. He'll have the other two rods to continue on his learning curve.

I do like the idea of maybe mounting it after he takes it out that one time... thanks for that.

Give Geoff Pieroway a call. www.pierowayrods.com

He restored my great grandfather's bamboo rod for me. Its a wall hanger over 100 years old.

[Yéil]

Here are some pic of the rod and reel. Any suggestions? I have a week left to get it cleaned up. Thanks guys.