psycho sardine Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 So I'm trying to compile a list / catalogue of brands that produced Blackfish rods, Being a keen blackie fisho it's a bit of a hobby, as for many, to acquire vintage tackle so a wish list of rods would be a great thing to tick off as they can be found... My question is would raiders be willing to comment on known rods and model numbers they have known, seen, used, have or are after collecting themselves? Heres a few questions and any input would really be appreciated... all reference to rods are regarding Blackfish models. Did Sportex and Butterworth produce 2 piece rods or were they all 1 piece ? Were they or has anyone successfully converted a 1 piece to a 2 piece.... ( besides high sticking : ) What were the blank / model numbers for these brands ? Butterworth also produced the Blackfish Deluxe available in burgundy and black I believe as estuary models ... did others also market estuary models? How many brands marketed or used the GP 3145 blank ? was it just Snyder and Excel Composites? Did Jarvis Walker make a specific Tonkin cane 3 piece Balckie rod? If anyone cares to shed some light on models I haven't even mentioned would be great to know just how many Blackie rod variations there are out there. Hope you like the thread and enjoy telling of your favourite Blackie rods. Tight Lines Sardine. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luderick -angler Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 Sportex 403, 404, 287, 662, 663, 3902 Butterworth 5144 in light medium and heavy, 3145GP, 4126, 4138, 4144MT, 3126, C108 Slazenger b5 b10 b15 b38 then there were Jarvis Walker, Fenwick, Conolon, Grizzly, Silaflex. That’s the most common used in the 1960’s amd 70’s a bit later you had rods from Shakespeare, Diawa and Snyderglas. You need any more info just ask. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psycho sardine Posted January 30, 2021 Author Share Posted January 30, 2021 Awesome reply Luderick angler .. Thanks, now will hit the old books and look for some images. One question: were the sportex and butterworth models you list only sold as 1 piece rods? Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killer Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 They did make the Sportex 662 and 663 in 2 piece. I bought a 662 and my mate bought a 663 from Nivens back in the 1960's, both 2 piece. I swapped mine to L.A. several years back. I assume he still has it. I have a "new" (only ever been fished with on one occasion) one piece 663 in the garage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryder Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 I saw a Butterworth Blackfish Deluxe 2 piece recently for sale in burgundy, but it was pickup in Canberra. I have a Sportex 525 1 piece from Hayden's built as a Blackfish rod at 10'6" the tip is the same dimension as a 663 but the but is slightly bigger so the taper is faster and the action a little stiff. Found a very old Sportex 406 10ft in woodgrain 1 piece in an antique store in Huskisson I had built up as a whiting/blackfish rod. I recently picked up a couple of burgundy 5144L( light) 1 piece, (same dimension as Sportex 662) which I shared with Luderick Angler. I've got another black 1 piece Butterworth I think was known as a Rockhopper. Another recent acquisition 1 piece Butterworth SS4138 (surf spin) in burgundy which would make a great blackie rod. The 2 piece models in my collection are The Black Queen Deluxe with agate guides, Slazenger 38 from LA, and a Hank Newman Snyder Glas c144bf. Slazenger model 5 was a three piece I got for $5 at the tip went to my nephew. Snyder models Butterworth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psycho sardine Posted January 30, 2021 Author Share Posted January 30, 2021 Hi Killer, so the difference between the 662 and 663 would be similar to a 3 wrap v 4 wrap ? New 663 sounds unreal as does a 2 piece.... can you clarify the yellow blanks are normally Butterworth blanks ? Sportex blanks tend to be the wood grain is that correct? Did they manufacture black and burgundy blanks also? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psycho sardine Posted January 30, 2021 Author Share Posted January 30, 2021 Hi Ryder, Again may be a silly question, were the sportex blanks manufactured here and are they totally seperate from the German sportex rods? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryder Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 They are German, tackle shops and rod builders would import the blanks and make them up for domestic market. They also appear in the UK, Tony Fordham of Davenport and Fordham used Sportex blanks, along with Olivers of Knebworth and quite a few others. They were state of the art. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killer Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, psycho sardine said: Sportex blanks tend to be the wood grain is that correct? Did they manufacture black and burgundy blanks also? My Sportex rods are "yellowish" Edited January 30, 2021 by Killer put in wrong spot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luderick -angler Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 The 662 and 663 were both 12ft there is no difference in the blank wall thickness it was the taper. The 663 had a slightly thicker taper. If you put them side by side you can see it. The early ones were brown amd later varying shades of yellow. And yes Killer still have the 662 pride of the collection. It’s had a full refurb and epoxy wash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psycho sardine Posted January 30, 2021 Author Share Posted January 30, 2021 so.... and don't hate as its just a theoretical question 🤣 Having fished one and two piece rods and comparing actions, in the hands of a good rod builder is there any reason or has anyone been brave enough to do it.... have a 1 piece blank of any make made into 2 piece? If Sportex produced 2 piece blanks and I assume they would be metal ferule joints.... does the make up of 1 and 2 piece blank vary if they are just joined with with said metal ferule joints? Just wondering if it was a common conversion to convert old 1 piece rods into 2 piece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luderick -angler Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 1 hour ago, psycho sardine said: so.... and don't hate as its just a theoretical question 🤣 Having fished one and two piece rods and comparing actions, in the hands of a good rod builder is there any reason or has anyone been brave enough to do it.... have a 1 piece blank of any make made into 2 piece? If Sportex produced 2 piece blanks and I assume they would be metal ferule joints.... does the make up of 1 and 2 piece blank vary if they are just joined with with said metal ferule joints? Just wondering if it was a common conversion to convert old 1 piece rods into 2 piece. The Sportex were one piece. Cut by the builder. Back in the day it was a storage and travel thing, also personal preference. Remember people took bus trams and trains. Does not overly affect the action bar a small flat spot as the action was parabolic. Hope that helps. I’m deep into a bottle of gin! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psycho sardine Posted January 30, 2021 Author Share Posted January 30, 2021 hahaha half ya luck.. im working tomorrow ! Thanks for everyones input very informative, looking forward to coming across a sportex and butterworth someday ! enjoy the gin 😜 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luderick -angler Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 10 minutes ago, psycho sardine said: hahaha half ya luck.. im working tomorrow ! Thanks for everyones input very informative, looking forward to coming across a sportex and butterworth someday ! enjoy the gin 😜 no malice intended but good luck on the Sportex every bugger wants one now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wazatherfisherman Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 Hi Sardine have built 2 piece Sportex 3902's a couple of times also Butterworth 3108's and one BF5144L (sanded finish) this was years ago of course, chromed brass ferrules. Had a light green 5144L for years until it was stolen. Has a giant red and green diamond bound on it if anyone sees it-very distinct. Still have 2 x Butterworth GP3145'S, one with grips and regular winch which also has a bent tip (left the blank bent around purposely after rod was finished) the other has bind-on winch and no grips. Had a couple of 3902's one traded, one stolen with a heap of gear from garage at Carramar. Also have a black un-sanded 3145 cut down to 10ft with grips and regular winch, an old solid glass 3 piece Jarvis Walker "Swansea"- off the rack Blackie rod and one each of 10 and 11 ft Shakespeare limited edition black Blackfish Special which were extremely cheap in the 70's but still going strong after I rebuilt them about 2 years ago. Had also a Ugly Stik 2 piece Blackfish rod (not many made) had glass-to-glass ferrule (one of the first rods made like this here) Butterworth were original makers of GP3145. Jarvis Walker brought out a 2 piece in the "Gold Medal Range" called the Port Hacking- 10 ft 2 piece, glass-to-glass ferrule-you were pushing it to break 4lb mono on it- super noodle. Mick Simmonds also had a 2 piece solid glass noodle that even bent under the cheap winch and low grade cork grips, they were sold in 1976 for $4 built. Max Mulligan used to build Grizzly's while they were available, he also made rock floats and was a club member of the Amateur Fishermen's Association of NSW (AFA was known as-still an active club meeting at Concord weekly). Hank Newman built about 3 different Blackfish rods 1 and 2 piece and he used one himself to catch most of his record fish on 3lb line in the early days of ANSA. I only have the above rods left in collection, but have nice collection of reels from Steelite right up tp G+Y "Purist 2". Also have many custom spool Blackfish reels in Cedar, White Onion-wood, Beefwood etc and decent float collection. Great to see others still collect these classic items. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wazatherfisherman Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 Just wanted to add (because I forgot until looking) I bought 3 x 3 piece coarse rods from the UK last year. All make great Blackfish rods, one is a Sportex Mamba- brown glass, singular long cork butt with sliding rings reel seat. Can't reach the other 2 at the moment but all are 12 ft and 3 piece glass joints. Christened the Sportex a couple of months ago and similar action to a 3902. My Sportex were all orange. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Priest Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 Did Shakespeare ever make a blackfish ugly stick fishing rod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wazatherfisherman Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 11 minutes ago, Robert Priest said: Did Shakespeare ever make a blackfish ugly stick fishing rod Yes they made a 2 piece 10ft ugly stick rod- I had one but they didn't retail them for very long and they were not advertised. I got mine from Kim Jones who was the sales rep at the time- roughly 1978-80. Glass to glass ferrule which was a fairly new concept at the time. Still have both the 10 and 11ft versions of their fibreglass Blackfish rods, both 2 piece. These were very cheap rods (about $18 at the time retail) but have stood the test of time and I rebuilt them about 3-4 years ago and they work beautifully Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimT Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 I still have my self built (circa 1975) and use a Butterworth MT 4144 for blackfish/general light estuary fishing. Nice long and light rod and well balanced when using an Alvey sidecast blackfish reel. Used this reel so didn't have to cart around a second reel for bream etc off the rocks. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slowjigger Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 I still have and fish with a Jarvis Walker Silverwater. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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