Currently in Stock

See Classic Reels at Bottom of Page

Last Revised June 8, 2009

1) Guba Payne Model 98: 7', 2/2, 4/5 weight, new. George Guba has become well known for his Payne reproduction rods, sold by more than a half dozen dealers in the U.S. This model 98 is true to the originals in look and action. The ferrules and slide band reel seat are oxidized and the dark marbled stablized wood insert of the reel seat lends a richness to the entire rod. It has a strap and ring hook-keeper and an oxidized mildrum stripping guide. The cigar-shaped grip is of high grade flor cork and the wraps are the dark brown with gold trim favored most often by Payne. It comes in a brushed aluminum tube with brass bottom and cap and a CSE rod bag with leather hanging tag. $1275

2) Swift River Edwards Heritage: 7', 3/2, 4 weight, new. This rod is made on one of the few remaining unused Edwards cane blanks from the 1930s and finished in a fashion similar to Edwards rods. It has oxidized CSE Super Swiss ferrules and a cigar grip, an oxidized cap and ring reel seat and a cedar spacer. The silk wraps are Edwards brown with gold tipping. The action is a classic medium, perfect for all around small stream fishing. It comes in a CSE rod bag and black coated rod tube with brass cap. $950

3) F.E. Thomas Bangor: 7'6", 3/2, 4 weight, excellent, partially restored. This is a rare configuration for a Bangor grade Thomas. The cane work is as good as all Thomas rods but the fittings a bit more modest. It has a screw-down reel seat with a black resin spacer and a cap stamped with "THE BANGOR ROD". It has a mildrum stripping guide and bright nickel-silver ferrules. The guides are original reverse twist and the wraps a muted red. One tip is an indistinguishable matching replacement from another F.E. Thomas rod. The action is medium, suggesting its design as an all-around small stream rod. It comes with the original bag, hanging tag and Thomas brass capped tube with the Thomas shield mostly worn off. It is currently being polished and revarnish and will be ready to ship in June. $1275

4) Swift River Sierra: 7'6", 3/2, 4 weight, new. This rod has a slightly softer action than other Swift River Sierras. It is made in the Leonard Hunt style with darker cane and 3/3 nodes, muted rose colored silks and oxidized hardware. The reel seat is an oxidized nickel-silver cap and ring with a Vermont butternut spacer to give contrast with the darker cane but reflect the lighter nodes. It has a lovely coke-bottle flor cork grip. The ferrules are CSE step-downs in size 15 and 10. It comes with a CSE rod bag and a DB Dun Green codura nylon covered rod tube for easy back-country packing. Ready to ship in June. $1225

5) Goodwin Granger Special: 7'6", 3/2, 4 weight, very good, restored. Goodwin Granger rods of this length and configuration are not easy to find. This model appears to have been restored some years back but the color of the wraps on one of the tips is slightly different on close examination. It has the correct Granger green wraps and the internal up-locking NS reel seat with Goodwin Granger stamp and the Granger Special stamped script on the butt section. The action is a classic medium as with most early Grangers. All components are original as are the rod bag and tube. The Granger label on the tube is mostly worn and difficult to read. I have it listed as very good rather than excellent due to the slight color variation of the wraps of one tip and the fact that one male tip ferrule fits a bit loosely into the female mid ferrule and would benefit from the use of parafin. $1200

6) A. J. Thramer, Classic Taper Series, Edwards Mt.Carmel: 7'6", 3/2, 5 weight, excellent. This rod is a great tribute to the best of the Edwards six-sided genre and true to the original in many ways. It is a fast action rod with significant power that will pick up a lot of line and recast it with ease. The cane color is the Edwards caramel brown and the wraps are a medium brown with gold trim favored in the Edwards and Sons rods. It has a cigar grip and a cap and ring reel seat reminiscent of the early Edwards style. The ferrules are recreations of the "double shouldered" male ferrules used on the Edwards and Sons rods. The agate insert stripping guide and oxidized ferrules add a nice touch. I have washed the grip to remove some slight soiling, the only sign of use on this wonderful rod that promises years of fine fishing. It comes with the the Thramer labeled tube and bag. $775

7) Heddon Model 20: 7'6", 3/2, 4/5 weight, excellent, partially restored. This difficult to find rod promises years of enjoyable fishing. I have never before seen a model 20 in this length and configuration. It has a 1 1/2 ferrule designation and the early spiral Heddon script on the butt section. It is in excellent original condition (exception below) with maroon wraps and gold trim, blackened ferrules and an 8mm mildrum stripping guide. It come with the original labeled rod bag and tube. The mid-section is a matching replacement from another Heddon rod and it has a non-Heddon replacement female ferrule that looks correct to the untrained eye but has a rolled rather than a machined, welded welt. The tip ferrules seat fully and correctly in the replacement mid ferrule. It comes with the original Heddon bag and tube. $775

8) Swift River Salient: 7'6", 2/2, 4/5 weight, new. This new offering of the most popular Swift River taper will be a delight to own and fish. It is made in the Leonard Hunt tradition with dark flamed cane and lighter nodes in a 3/3 pattern and Leonard style ferrules. The ferrules and cap and ring reel seat are oxidized and the olive green wraps are off-set with wine tipping. The reel seat insert is Vermont butternut to complement the darker cane and match the lighter nodes of the blank. It has an elegant medium action with good range and high accuracy. Comes with CSE rod bag and black rod tube with brass cap. $1150

9) F.E. Thomas, Dirgo: 8', 3/2, 4/5 weight, very good plus, restored. This classic rod, restored a few years back, is unfished since then. Eight foot F.E. Thomas rods do not appear often on the market. This rod has the Hardy style down-locking reel seat with black resin spacer, a heavily swelled butt, bright nickel silver ferrules and burgundy/brown guide wraps over medium brown cane. The stripping guide is a mildrum carbide style. The snake guides are later replacements added during the restoration, not reverse twist, and the guides on the two tips do not line up perfectly, a bit annoying but true. Yet it has that unmistakably wonderful F.E. Thomas look and feel and all sections are straight and complete. It has a classic medium F.E. Thomas action and a new CSE rod bag. I am looking for an original Thomas tube for the rod. $1275

10) Amherst Rod Company, Berkshire: 8', 3/2, 4/5 weight, original, excellent. Absolutely the nicest Amherst rod I have ever seen. The Amherst rods were made only from 1947 to 1953 and most were longer rods of 8'6" or 9'. Most reel seats were of modest quality but the cane work and ferrules were decent. This 8' Berkshire model has a very nicely made cork insert, cap and ring reel seat tapered into a half Wells grip. It has a delightful medium action. The ferrules are bright nickel-silver with black ferrule wraps and the guide wraps are green variegated. The rod is very clean and lightly used. Script on the butt section reads Amherst Rod Co. - "The Berkshire" - 8' 3 1/2 on three alternate flats. It comes with the original bag and tube, also in excellent condition. Whether you have an attachment to the Amherst, Massachusetts area or just a fondness for well made all-around trout rods this is a real keeper at a good price for a rod of this quality. $675

11) Edwards Heritage by Guba: 8', 3/2, 6 weight, new. George Guba has finished out a few of these blanks originally made by Gene Edwards in the 30s and purchased by Swift River Fly Fishing in the late 90s. He has done beautiful work on this one, outfitting it with CSE Super Swiss ferrules and a CSE slide band reel seat with a tiger maple insert. The guide wraps are ruby red with gold trim. It has a slim 5 1/2" cigar grip. The action is medium/fast and it is a powerful rod that will throw a long line when needed. This is one of only a half-dozen remaining Edwards blanks and will be a pleasure to own. $775

12) F.E.Thomas Special: 8', 3/2, 4 weight, very good, restored. This beautiful light line rod was fully restored when I received it but the quality of the restoration was not great. I am currently redoing the varnish and reoxidizing the ferrules to bring it back to top condition. It has light brown silk wraps, oxidized ferrules and an agate stripping guide. The reel seat is a cap and ring with a cork spacer. The grip is a slender cigar shape. The butt cap is appropriately marked with the Thomas Special designation and a "1" stamped on the bottom. The cane is in great shape and all sections are straight, but one tip is down 1/2 inch, having no impact on the action but reducing its value from the approximate $1600 it would normally fetch. It is a nice light action rod and comes complete with original Thomas bag and black tube with Thomas shield. $1275

13) Swift River Sojourn: 8', 3/2, 4/5weight, new. This Swift River model is based on a wonderful E.W. Edwards taper that I have found to be both graceful and accurate. It is finished with translucent gold wraps and ruby tipping, an oxidized slide band reel seat with Vermont butternut spacer, fish tail cork grip and oxidized CSE ferrules. The ruby red agate insert stripping guide matches the color of the tipping. It is a wonderful all-around trout rod and the one you would pack for an extended trip on a variety of waters. Ready in early fall. $1225

14) E.W. Edwards and Sons, Edwards Special: 8'6", 3/2, 5 weight, very good, mostly original. This early 30s rod was made shortly after the passing of Eustis Edwards when Gene and Bill were still making rods under the Edwards and Sons name in Bristol,Conn. This rod has darker flamed cane, dark brown wraps, an agate stripping guide and down-locking reel seat. The butt cap is stamped "Edwards and Sons, Maker, Bristol, Conn." Edwards "Special" is inked on the butt section in yellow ink. It has the double "shouldered" male ferrules of the period but the female ferrule on the mid section is an unusual shouldered step-down style made by Edwards and original to the rod. The grip has been lightly sanded and is in excellent condition. The varnish has been polished and given a new light overcoat. Everything about the rod is correct except that one tip is down 1.5 inches. It has a medium-slow action and comes with the original bag and tube. $725

15) Cross - The Essex Rod: 8'6", 3/2, 4/5 weight, excellent, mostly original. A wonderful early 20th century rod in unusually fine original condition. The stamp on the butt cap reads "Cross Rod & Tackle Co - Lynn, Mass - The Essex Rod". It is very well made with machined nickel-silver ferrules and agate stripping gude. The cane sections are straight and show no signs of fatigue. It has red silk guide and full intermediate wraps, all in excellent original condition. The varnish is also remarkable for it age. The small diameter agate stripper suggests it would respond well to a silk line. It has medium/slow action and I would not hestitate for a moment to take it fishing in spite of its age. The grip has been lightly washed and the spacer on the slide band reel seat has been lightly sanded to remove some gunk and then revarnished. It comes with the original canvas sack and a Shakespeare tube for added protection. $575

16) Goodwin Granger Victory: 8'6", 3/1, 5 weight, good, original. I had hoped to restore this rod myself but never seem to have the time. It is an early Goodwin Granger with the full nickel-silver reel seat with slide band and a coke bottle grip. The wraps need to be redone and the tip section straightened. The sale includes the ferrule for the missing tip and the original canvas sack with wooden tip protector. $225 as is or $375 restored.

17) Leonard/Mills Standard: 9', 3/3, 6 weight, excellent, mostly original. This wonderful old classic is all original except that the varnish has been polished. It has three original Leonard tips but two lack the full intermediate wraps found on the butt, mid and other tip. Given the rod bag and tip tube I am quite certain that this early rod was built with two mids and two tips and that early in its life two new Leonard tips were added and one original mid discarded. It appears that the two newer tips were made by Leonard in the 30s. All ferrules match and the varnish on all sections shows the same age and condition. It comes in the original canvas sack with metal tip tube to hold two of the three tips. $495

18) Varney Montague: 9', 3/2, 3/4 weight, excellent original. The most elegant Montague you'll ever see. This circa 1925-30 rod has chololate brown cane and moderate flaming, oxidized hardware, Landman style twist-lock reel seat with oxidized nickel silver cap and ring stamped with a Montague banner and name. A gold Montague sticker on the butt is mostly complete. The rod is wrapped with dark red/black variegated silk and intermediates with oxidized agate stripping guide and moderate Wells style cork grip that shows some use. Two small repairs are a re-wrap of the mid tip ferrule and replacement of a small portion of the wrap above the grip. Varnish is very good to excellent with a touch of bag rash on one tip. It comes with the original bag and tube. Clearly a collector's rod for a suitable owner. $450

See terms and conditions of sale at bottom of page.

In-Coming Rods

Rods Being Restored for Sale, Listed In Order of Availability -

I am happy to take a $50 deposit on a rod from the restoration list and give you the right of first refusal. However I cannot track all the names of people who write to say they would be interested in a rod when the restoration is complete. Rods go on the list when they are restored unless a deposit has been taken.

Classic Fly Reels

1) Peerless Model 1A: This modern classic has been lightly used and is set up for left-hand-wind. It is in very good to excellent condition showing only a few light marks on the rim and no other signs of use. It comes with the original Peerless leather reel case. $525

2)Bill Ballan Model 50: A very nice classic left hand wind reel based on the well known Leonard 50 reel. It has raised pillars and the spool is 2 5/8 inches in diameter. It has a half-handle and highly polished black side plates. It weighs 6.4 ounces loaded with DT-4-F line and 75 yards of backing. It come in a soft sheepskin lined suede reel case. $225

3) Orvis CFO II Trout Bum: A 2007 Conservation Limited Edition (No. 263) reel in mint, unused condition. This lovely reel for 2 to 4 weight lines has an anodized gun-metal grey finish with brass reel foot, hub, counter balance and drag knob. It is set for left hand wind and comes with leather case and original box and papers. $275

4) Pflueger Medalist 1492 DA: A classic American reel, mint and in the box with papers, unused. The 1492s are right hand wind reels for 2 to 4 weight fly lines. $95

Silk Lines

Once used Thebault DT 5 I - 15 meeters - in box with papers - $90

Sale Pending Section (rods and reels shipped but still under inspection)

Ted Godfrey Westminster Reel Model GW-275: A beautiful hand machined reel for 4 or 5 weight lines that has been used only a few times. There are two small areas on the rim showing a bit of roughness but otherwise the reel is in excellent condition. New models sell for $950. It comes in an original lined suede reel case. $675

Sales Terms and Conditions

I try to offer rods at fair prices. Those prices depend primarily on what the rod cost to acquire and restore if necessary and a reasonable market-up, generally below the standard for this business. I am open to fair offers and potential trades for other high-end classic rods. I will do the best I can to find an arrangement that works.

Terms of Sale, Inspection and Return Policy - By purchasing a rod from Swift River Fly Fishing you agree to abide by the following terms. Rods are described to the best of my ability after careful inspection and research to verify condition, originality and authenticity. However, mistakes do happen and all rods are sold with a two day inspection period.

This inspection period is to verify that the rod is as described on the web site with no significant issues or defects other than those in the description. Any defects noted in the description are taken into account in pricing the rod. If any other substantive problem with the rod is identified within the inspection period a full refund is provided, including shipping.

The inspection period is a not intended as a trial period to see if the action is suitable or the rod measures up to some subjective standard. If you take a rod out to cast or fish this means you have accepted the rod as in advertised condition and you now own it and are solely responsible for any damage that occurs during use.

Please examine any rod throughly upon arrival. Rods returned in violation of this policy are subject to a 20% relisting fee. Never ship a rod back without first discussing the timing and shipping method. A rod must be returned in the condition in which it was shipped. Be certain to repack the rod correctly and insure it for full value.

If a rod is returned damaged it becomes the buyers full responsibility. No refund will be issued for a damage rod. It is the buyers responsibility to file and collect on any insurance claim. If a rod is damaged during use I am happy to repair it at a reasonable price.

Swift River Fly Fishing is a small, part time business. The best ways to contact me are by email or phone in the evening, 6 to 9, or on weekends. I am not home weekdays and away on travel from time to time.