FE Thomas Special Bamboo Fly Rod 8' 3/2 #4/5

FE Thomas Special Bamboo Fly Rod 8' 3/2 #4/5An FE Thomas Special bamboo fly rod, 8', 3 piece, 2 tip, and built for a #4 or #5. The rod weighs 3. 5 ounces on my scale. Medium slow action. Fair condition, all full length but some wrap fraying at the mid male and there is a clear wrap below the tip top on one tip. There are also some signs of polish residue and some overcoating of guide wraps. This is a fairly early rod with no # on the butt cap and a rolled and soldered ring. Chinese red main

just the faintest hint of soiling to the western style grip

central knurled drum screw

Reportedly the owner sent this rod back to the Payne shop every year to have it tuned up

and was designed to fish "rings up" positioned on top of the rod with the spool rotating in the opposite direction of modern reels

Comes in a non-original neoprene bag

dark brown at the ferrules

Despite being only one tip

Spool width: 1 5/32”

) but it isn't spar varnish

Al Gretz was a prominent Pennsylania conservationist and supporter of the Allegheny Mountain Chapter of Trout Unlimited as well as the Henry's Fork Foundation

The reel is in excellent condition though it does display some cosmetic wear

2 1/4 inch diameter (very rare size