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A load of gifted rods needing attention/refurb

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Casker

Casker

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Newbie fisher with a load of gifted rods which all need some sort of repair/maintenance: looking for some advice on which to bother with & which to, maybe, not bother with/refurbish (please don’t say “not bother” with any of them – I’m not one to throw stuff away).
I’m not interested in fresh-water sport fishing nor salt-water boat fishing; primary interest is fishing for food from beach/pier/estuary (although I might eventually also try some freshwater angling for food). Any advice re the refurb’ and/or kitting-out of the rods for various TYPES of fishing would be gratefully received. So, these are the rods:

1. Very old DAM “Pirate All-round” 3-piece 8’ 10” solid fibre-glass spinning rod with 4+1 plain chromed guides. Metal section sockets need some tlc (butt & middle section presently “jammed” together). Probably the best-condition rod of all – father-in-law looked after it – and I just need to acquire a compatible fixed-reel for fishing.

2. Un-branded (no lettering what-so-ever) 3-piece 11’ 9” woven fibre (not carbon) blank with 7+1 plain stainless steel micro-guide set-up. Butt style is as per a beach rod (thin plastic-wrapped blank). I’m thinking was designed as a “float” rod (fresh-water ?), but what do I know ?! Unfortunately one double-foot guide has been squashed requiring repair or replacement – useable, but that squashed guide really needs attention. (See No3 also)

3. DAM 3-p 12’ “Minor Match” woven fibre (can’t tell what material) with 7+1 plain s/s micro-guide set-up. Again, one double-foot guide is squashed. Now, apart from the 3” difference compared to rod No2, it is visually identical in appearance to No2 and, in both cases, the rod spine is at 45 degrees to the vertical, iow on the left-hand side of the blank.

[Because rods no2 and no3 are so similar, I think I will add another guide (or two) before the tip on one of the rods to convert into a light-weight casting rod with a modern low-profile multiplier reel !?]

4. Zebco "Primera-Spin" woven fibre-glass (I reckon) 2-p 9’ spinning rod with 5x rusted ceramic lined guides and a missing top guide! Obviously a new tip-guide required and those rusty guides really ought to be replaced.

5. Shakespeare fixed-reel “Pro-Power Beachcaster” 3-p 13’ 10” woven fibre (can’t tell what fibre) w 5+1 double-foot ceramic-lined rusty guides. Useable, but those rusty guides are an eyesore !!

6. Fladen “Charter Beach” 2-p 12’ woven fibre (can’t tell what fibre) w 5+1 double-foot guides. Guides quite good condition, but tip guide is bent – usable, but that tip-guide really ought to be replaced !

I was also gifted a Fladen “Charter Surf 7000” fixed reel. Seemingly a fairly low-end/basic fixed reel, but worth trying out with rods 5 & 6 maybe.

(So I need a reel or two obviously; at-least a smallish fixed reel for the DAM Pirate. I would add that I am inclined to go buy a new inexpensive casting rod with a modern low-profile multiplier reel to get me started while I consider the various rod refurbs.)

Any thoughts anyone ?
 
Stick some photos up👍

If it's just to get you fishing, cheap guides available from the likes of wish/temu/eBay.
Wrap them on with butchers/electrical tape.
 
You might want to rebuild a couple of those rods as projects but to be honest none of those blanks are anything great. If you do go down the road of taped guides then don't use electrical tape to hold them on (but you can use it to over wrap) as it's nothing like as good at the job as butchers aka bagging tape.
 
Welcome Wobert.
I expect someone will give you some proper help.
 
I would probably do them all overtime, do the beachcasters first,if your just starting out fishing stick with a fixed spool reels,then maybe get someone to teach you how to use a multiplier. Hope this helps. Tight lines.
 
Wolf said:
I would probably do them all overtime, do the beachcasters first,if your just starting out fishing stick with a fixed spool reels,then maybe get someone to teach you how to use a multiplier. Hope this helps. Tight lines.
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Multipliers are easy to use with a bit of practice and stop over runs (birds nests).
 
Topwater said:
You might want to rebuild a couple of those rods as projects but to be honest none of those blanks are anything great. If you do go down the road of taped guides then don't use electrical tape to hold them on (but you can use it to over wrap) as it's nothing like as good at the job as butchers aka bagging tape.
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Thanks Topwater. I appreciate that their blanks are not great spec', but if they'll lob a line then worth saving from the scrap heap. (I'm working on the premise that successful fishing is so so much more than the blank that stuff is attached to or hanging off - key factor being the person holding the rod of course !) I do, however, like the feel in my hands of the almost identical rods No2 and No3 (albeit not yet used in anger). Never heard of butcher's/bagging tape until this thread: I might try it as an emergency or trial fix (e.g. to test-out rod No2 guide modifications perhaps), but I'd like to learn the skill of binding.
 
Beach said:
Multipliers are easy to use with a bit of practice and stop over runs (birds nests).
Click to expand...
I've been watching Youtubers explain/demonstrate how to set up modern (low-profile) multipliers: not quite so difficult I would say. I'm also regretting not buying a used Penn Peer traditional multiplier I recently saw in a general antiques store attached to some sort or rod with combined price of £25 - I know just a bit more now & might go back 2mor to see if still available & check out model number (I think it might have been a 309).
 
stan m said:
I think he was pointing out that if you grow beans, tomato etc then these rods would make good canes for them. As to the rods, I`ll not comment.
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Ta - so I get it now. I already knew they were generally low-spec' blanks/rods (in the minds/opinion of many in this era of ever more advanced manufacturing and use of various rod fibre mixes inc' carbon fibre) ... but the type/quality of a blank is far from being the main reason why folk do or don't catch fish I would say !!!! ( I might just tape some guides and strap a reel to a cut bamboo cane idc !! ;))
 
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wobert said:
Ta - so I get it now. I already knew they were generally low-spec' blanks/rods (in the minds/opinion of many in this era of ever more advanced manufacturing and use of various rod fibre mixes inc' carbon fibre) ... but the type/quality of a blank is far from being the main reason why folk do or don't catch fish I would say !!!! ( I might just tape some guides and strap a reel to a cut bamboo cane idc !! ;))
Click to expand...

Worked absolutely fine in the 1920`s to early 50`s, they were called Burma poles. The blank is indeed not the by all and end all of catching but when you get your 8ft 10" Dam solid glass blank with metal ferrules and chuck out (at best) 30-40 yds you are gonna be cheesed off when somebody with a rod you appear to deride, say 12ft modern stick and he chucks 130yds to where the fish are and catches whilst you blank. You are also gonna starve if you are fishing for food.

Probably no point in trying to advise you as you appear to have your mind set. Old gear fine if it was quality in its` day, e.g. Abu 464 & 484 rods, Daiwa beach rods etc etc
 
Unfortunately I'm not sure those rods are really worth the effort 😢.....but post some pics and we can have a look 👍
The quality of a rod can have a lot to do with your ability to cast to where the fish are..... fiberglass is heavy and very floppy.....not the most fun to use, but saying that if its what you have, no reason why you cant have some fun with the knowledge that if you do acquire better equipment it will be much nicer to use👍
 
stan m said:
Worked absolutely fine in the 1920`s to early 50`s, they were called Burma poles. The blank is indeed not the by all and end all of catching but when you get your 8ft 10" Dam solid glass blank with metal ferrules and chuck out (at best) 30-40 yds you are gonna be cheesed off when somebody with a rod you appear to deride, say 12ft modern stick and he chucks 130yds to where the fish are and catches whilst you blank. You are also gonna starve if you are fishing for food.

Probably no point in trying to advise you as you appear to have your mind set. Old gear fine if it was quality in its` day, e.g. Abu 464 & 484 rods, Daiwa beach rods etc etc
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@stan m - thanks kindly for your further comments, but I am not deriding the advancement of rod-building technology (or associated opinions thereon) at all. As I originally said, I'm inclined to buy a modern rod/reel while I work out what/how to refurb' my freebies to best advantage.
 
They'll be fine for learning and practicing rod building techniques. Stan M is one of the most experienced rod builders in the UK (stop blushing now Stan🤗). Check out Alba Rods. He can come across as a grumpy auld curmudgeon online at times but he's actually a very nice chap. There's that other site where he's posted a rake of helpful videos and info. You just have to forget that he likes yank pisswater for beer. Oh, and he does say "mammary" a fair bit....
 
Topwater said:
They'll be fine for learning and practicing rod building techniques. Stan M is one of the most experienced rod builders in the UK (stop blushing now Stan🤗). Check out Alba Rods. He can come across as a grumpy auld curmudgeon online at times but he's actually a very nice chap. There's that other site where he's posted a rake of helpful videos and info. You just have to forget that he likes yank pisswater for beer. Oh, and he does say "mammary" a fair bit....
Click to expand...

Oi you dickflutemammary, I have feelings you know. :oops:

He`ll struggle to check Alba Rods as the site no longer exists. I`m perfectly happy mind you to advise the gent on refurbing his rods. ( I do have a feeling mind you he will ignore any advice and go cheapest route)
 
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