Opinions on an older quality HD glass rod

[Cuttyhunker]

I just picked up a 116A 10/0 Senator, but looking at the rod, I'm wondering if it may be the better part of the deal.  78 1/4" overall, 19" Butt, 61 3/8" ferrule to tip, 1" ferrule, AFTCO roller guides, I can't find any makers marks or decals on any of the components  except the guides.  Lot's of green corrosion, and some mouse nibbles on the cork. My thought was Harnell/Harrington, but have had suggestions of St Croix or a custom wrap on a Magnaflex out of FL. I Found it in central FL.  I would appreciate any thoughts.  Thanks

[Ron Mc]

you're right about the colors matching Harnell.
I'll dig in my '60 catalog and get back to you...

...I'm back - if it's Harnell, it's in this series - the Royal and Unlimited series are all 5'6"
575R, 576R ?




I'm also thinking a finished Harnell rod would use Varmac hardware - Varmac was the distribution partner with Harnell, but Harnell sold more blanks than finished rods. I have a Fispo spinning rod built on Harnell blank that was finished in Zurich.


gratuitous Harnell 17" dock fishing spec - the rod is a '55/'56 645R, 7-1/2' and easy to aim back-cast beneath palm branches.

[Cuttyhunker]

Thanks for the response Ron, if it is a Harnell, it's probably a 576 R or less likley a 580 R, the difference between the two is besides the weight rating is the reel seat. Mine has a few minor differences from the catalogs. trim on the wood handle in the cats is 3 rings at the ferule, mine is 2 at the ferule and 2 at the gimble, The ferule is close but mine has a notch in the base of the male end and a "pin" through the seat for the notch to seat into, it's 2" shorter than the stated length, and as you said the guides aren't Varmac. If it's a Harnell, is this a case of the cat artwork not keeping up with the product line, as was common in the early Penn catalogs, or is it just a nice old custom? In either case it's a nice old survivor.

[Ron Mc]

It could also be older or newer than my 1960 catalog - very different rod markings between the different dates.
I have this beauty 652R 8' fly rod with patent reel seat and have never seen the seat it in a catalog.
Another H-I made 1652 BronzGlas (painted). Some very nice examples show up on FFR ranging from '55 to the late '60s (Gladding) - no offshore rods, though.
If you search Harrington on corpusfishing forum, there are a few beauty offshore and surf rods. Roy's Bait & Tackle in Corpus Christi sold Harrington blanks as long as they were available.
This 652R may be a Gladding rod - it has the highest-grade ring cork I've ever seen on a rod

Harnell's typical block cork on the H-I factory 1652


The black blanks, btw, came from John Harrington formulating his resins with carbon black. This improved the strength and stiffness of the resin itself, and is a big part in those great para tapers he produced.
Even the BronzGlas, the paint is chipped in two small spots, and you can see the black-resin blank.