sold R.L. WINSTON 8’6” BAMBOO FLY ROD, HOLLOW-BUILT

R.L. WINSTON 8’6” BAMBOO FLY ROD, HOLLOW-BUILT

Classic San Francisco Winston by Lew Stoner, made with one tip, as was his custom, and as evidenced by the bag.  The rod is marked as 8 ½’, weighing 4.4 ounces on my scale, with serial number 5895.  Annette at Winston confirmed from her records that it was made as an 8’6″rod in January of 1940.  The ferrules are nickel silver, which Stoner used before 1946 when he went over to Duronze ferrules.  Well-known Northwest fly tyer and early steelhead fisher Mike Kennedy owned the rod,  and had Portland rod builder Ed Haertzel refinish it.  Ed did not follow the original wrap pattern exactly. The maroon is pretty close, but the ferrules were originally over-wrapped with variegated thread.  Condition is excellent refinished, with original maroon bag and tube with Bakelite cap.  Traces of the gold and red tube label remain.    At 4.5 ounces, this is a trout rod, not a steelhead rod, fishing a 5wt. or 6wt. line.  (I cast it on the lawn with a 444 6wt DT and on the water with a 444 WF5 and liked it at those weights.)