beryllium-copper rod

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Patrick Z
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Re: beryllium-copper rod

Post by Patrick Z »

Bill,

Were the Heddon rods that broke all XL models?
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OCauto
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Re: beryllium-copper rod

Post by OCauto »

I would like a copy if you find it John
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Bill Sonnett
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Re: beryllium-copper rod

Post by Bill Sonnett »

three out of six were XL's the other three as I recall were all five and one half ft L's
I love to get old reels, work on them until they run as smooth as silk and the take them fishing using pre-1960 plugs, mostly surface fishing for Largemouths after dark.
Patrick Z
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Re: beryllium-copper rod

Post by Patrick Z »

Thanks, Bill. I fish with a 5' L Heddon, and recently picked up a 5 1/2 L. Now that I am forewarned, I guess I will only target small fish with it (usually not a problem for me)!
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Bill Sonnett
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Re: beryllium-copper rod

Post by Bill Sonnett »

Every broken Heddon Pal rod that I was witness to, broke on the cast either approximately a foot below the tip or just ahead of the handle. There was nothing subtle about the events. Sounds like a firecracker going off followed by much confusion on the part of the angler as to what just happened--LOL
I love to get old reels, work on them until they run as smooth as silk and the take them fishing using pre-1960 plugs, mostly surface fishing for Largemouths after dark.
Maru
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Re: beryllium-copper rod

Post by Maru »

I don't have anything to contribute in terms of the origin/history of this species, but I do have some history of use that might be interesting to someone.

My dad had 2 copper-beryllium heavy trolling rods made in Baltimore in or around 1958. They were made by Barney Admunsson at Barneys Tackle on Harford Road. They were intended for use trolling for big spring rock and blues. It's possible that he took older rods apart in order to make these for my dad, or had NOS blanks. If I had to guess, they would be 40# or 50# class rods if they were rated. There were no markings on the rods. They were step tapered and about 7' long from gimbal to tip. I think they were ferrule mounted into a chrome AFTCO seat with a hickory trolling butt. Each had a roller tip and extremely heavy hardened German silver boat rod eyes. The wraps were monel or some other soft wire and soldered tight. Something was used under the wire to keep the solder from binding to the blank. It could have been an oxide patina layer, not sure. They were a beautiful rich silicon bronze color and did not show additional staining from handling, from salt exposure, or from various fish juices including regurgitated alewifes.

The rods were absolutely brutal to use if you had anything less than a 20# fish on. It was the very last rod we pulled out! But, if you had a 30# to 40# rock on, or a 18# to 22# blue, it was the shiz (this rod landed the 23+# blue that won the 1985 MSSA Bluefish tournament). The action would automatically tear the mouth out of big trout upon a strike. We used Penn 149s with stainless or monel wire exclusively. I look back and wish we had some 49s to use on these rods. The rods were very light. At 8 to 10 yrs old I could balance them on one finger without the reel.

One was lost in a boat fire in 1972. The other was stolen off my boat in Deale in 2005. Wish I still had them!
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