MILWARDS FLY ROD
Milwards fly rod information and details on the features and characteristics of this sort-after piece of fishing tackle.
Milwards Fly Rod Description
The rod that basically made the Milwards name famous was the Milwards Fly Rod, a split cane fishing rod that was affordable and yet crafted to a high level of quality. The rod came in different models (such as the Rover trout rod) and different lengths. Normally they came in two or three sections, with the most popular length nine or nine and a half feet. The actions varied, as did the line weight rating, which was usually six or seven weight.
The Milwards Fly Rod was fitted out with bronze over brass ferrules, silver guides with agate rings, silk threads (usually the trademark Milwards green and black), and cork handle. Plugs evened out the size of the sections so that they would be the same length in the protective cloth bag. The original bag had an equal number of compartments to the sections, and was branded with the Milwards logo. As was common with split cane fishing rods, a spare tip sections was also included in the kit.
Availability
Of all Milwards fishing tackle, the fly rods were produced and sold in the greatest numbers and are therefore the rods most likely to appear in online auction websites such as eBay, as well as in the inventories of stores specializing in antique and vintage fishing rod, reels and lures.
However, because of their relative availability, you must exercise a lot of care before buying one. Check that all the threads and guides are still tight and in good condition, that the cane has been cared for properly, and that the cork handle is relatively unmarked. And, most importantly, check that the ferrules join together snuggly and that there is no rattling going on.
If you are buying to add to your vintage rod collection, then you will need to find a Milwards Split Cane Fly Fishing Rod complete with extra tip section and original cloth bag. And all of these items need to be in as perfect a condition as possible. Luckily, a lot of these rods were bought and then hardly ever used – just stored away in a closet somewhere. If you are lucky enough to stumble upon one of these 'as new' rods, buy it if the price is right!
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