Fenwick FS 120

Started by ClintB, December 06, 2019, 05:37:40 AM

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ClintB

I came into possession of this unused 1978-79 glass Fenwick FS120. It's rated for 1-6lb test line. l've never used such a long limber pole with such light line. Seems like there is a very specific use for this rod, is anyone familiar with this model?

foakes

Hi Clint --

It is a specific rod built for Steelhead & Salmon when the experienced angler desires a challenge with light line and small baits.

FS means Fly/Spinning -- 120 denotes a 12 foot rod.

Excellent old school Noodle Rod for finesse fishing.

Best, Fred
The Official, Un-Authorized Service and Restoration Center for quality vintage spinning reels.

D-A-M Quick, Penn, Mitchell, and ABU/Zebco Cardinals

--------

The first rule of fishing is to fish where the fish are. The second rule of fishing is to never forget the first rule.

"Enjoy the little things in Life — For someday, you may look back — and realize that they were the big things"
                                                     Fred O.

oc1

Quote from: ClintB on December 06, 2019, 05:37:40 AM
I came into possession of this unused 1978-79 glass Fenwick FS120. It's rated for 1-6lb test line. l've never used such a long limber pole with such light line. Seems like there is a very specific use for this rod, is anyone familiar with this model?
Let me know if you want to sell it.
-steve

philaroman

is it actually 12' & marked "FS120 1-6 lb" & nothing else ??? would love to see photos
I would have thought FS120 would be the 15-30# Surf Rod
I have the Noodle from different (later?) era, sold (only?) as 12'+ blanks marked only
"Fenwick Feralite FSH_______" (plus the standard "waxing instructions"  ;D  at the ferule)...
the rod-builder would "cut from the butt", if desired, and fill in the details
I would have sworn the darn thing is 2-8#, but I was assured ALL Fenwick Noodles were 2-6#

pretty sure:
FF = fiberglass fly
FS = fiberglass spinning
FC = fiberglass casting
FSH = fiberglass salmon/steelhead

if it's a truly unused production Fenwick Noodle, keep it as a collectible --
no too many left (especially, not with a factory-printed 1-6 lb. line rating)
otherwise, I can do a love/hate noodle-usage rant if anybody cares

ClintB

I have half a dozen or so Fenwicks, a couple ultra lights (one spin, one fly) from the 70's that I bought new and have fished for years.


Ron Jones

That is an amazing sea run cut-throat rod. I would have a ball with it on the Dosey. It would probably be great for reef fish on the Hickam flats as well.
Congratulations
Ron Jones
Ronald Jones
To those who have gone to sea and returned and to those who have gone to sea and will never return
"

philaroman

WOW!!!  that is SWEET!!!  don't use it -- TOO RARE!!!  too obsolete  :o

AND, easily worth more than a half-decent modern IM-6 Noodle that would be more enjoyable to use, IMO

I use mine because it's homemade w/ early Fuji's, so it's braid-friendly -- hence, more versatile;

it was already battle-worn when I got it; and it fits nicely into the tube w/ the IM-6 noodle (11'6", 1-4#, 1/32-1/8)

this type of rod is purely a fish-fighting tool -- it has one core intended function:

protect light line from big fish, which it does extremely well & barely tolerable to piss-poor at every other thing a rod does

i.e., from the moment I set the hook to subduing the fish -- LOVE; at every other time -- HATE!

Donnyboat

Nice Clint, but be careful old timber could snap really easy, I would prefer to use it on the wall rather than fish with it, to valuable, thanks for showing us, cheers Don.
Don, or donnyboat

foakes

IMO --

Fish it -- or sell it.

These old Fenwick glass rods are some of the highest quality rods -- and a pleasure to fish.

They will not snap or break -- at least while fishing.  Car doors are another matter.

You deserve to experience that rod with a nice fish on the line.

Real fish always taste better than wall-fish --

Best, Fred
The Official, Un-Authorized Service and Restoration Center for quality vintage spinning reels.

D-A-M Quick, Penn, Mitchell, and ABU/Zebco Cardinals

--------

The first rule of fishing is to fish where the fish are. The second rule of fishing is to never forget the first rule.

"Enjoy the little things in Life — For someday, you may look back — and realize that they were the big things"
                                                     Fred O.

ClintB

I think I'm gonna fish it! I mounted the Quick 280 on it and it balanced pretty nicely. I'll just have to pick out a good mono line for that setup.


philaroman

super-Slow blank action goes really well w/ zero-stretch line, IMO
I love mine much more w/ 5-10 lb. braid, than I ever did w/ mono
wouldn't recommend that for your original guides, but maybe lean
toward the lowest-stretch option available, for line selection

zero concern that "old timber could snap really easy"
that particular blank can be bent into a "U"
literally, tip parallel to butt

happyhooker

#11
Fenwick offered brown fiberglass blanks for some years after the late '70s for steelhead, with similar specs to this FS120.  The numbering/naming nomenclature changed somewhere along the line, though, with some 12-footers denominated by "144", presumably an inches measurement. "SH" named steelhead blanks.  Actually, now that I think about it further, "FS120" is probably a rod model number, where "SH-1441F" is likely the blank designation for the blank used to build that rod.

Frank

oc1

#12
Very interesting guys.  Has anyone noticed a Fenwick fiberglass steelhead rod rated for 1/16 - 1/8 oz. lures?  Or, would this noodle be about the lightest?

Phil, I assume you are saying that these things will not cast worth a darn.  Correct??

I need something to throw 1/8 oz. and am thinking 2wt fly rod blank.  At least 10 ft.

Discuss.  :)
-steve

happyhooker

Contemporaneous with the FS 120, Fenwick had a FS 106 made from a SH-1262F blank.  The "126" part signifies a 10.5 ft. blank, but the following "2" indicates a "less slow" action than the SH-1441F.  Rated for 1/4 oz. lure as lightest.  I'm not totally familiar with the current Fenwick line, but I'm thinking all the current catalog steelhead rods are graphite.  They still have fiberglass in some fly rods, I think, and maybe elsewhere in the line; maybe a fly blank could be found to fit a demand for a long, slow action rod.  Of course, Fenwick isn't the only game in town.

Frank

The Fishing Hobby

Wow, what an awesome rod! I love fishing long ultralight rods...and especially fiberglass!