One for my Conolon Friends the first 2402 circa 1961 - Collecting Fiberglass Fly Rods - Active Discussions - fiberglassflyrodders - Message Board - Yuku

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One for my Conolon Friends the first 2402 circa 1961

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flyfishing4goldentrout	One for my Conolon Friends the first 2402 circa 1961	Lead	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 2282 (06/03/09 23:24:35) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Hi Guys, Well I picked up two very early Garcia Conolon circa 1960 post June or up to about 1961 pre January 2400 series rods off evil bay recently. These are the earliest post Garcia rods I have. Single rod model number decals, and I mean model numbers, no letters, no line designations nothing. Both have 6mm stripping guides, even on the one thats a big bass rod. Now the kicker. I now have a 2402. The Ferrules are exactly right, they are Conolon made gold aluminum spin offs of the Super Z design. Conolon early on bought Super Z but couldnt handle the precision fit of each and every ferrule in NS, so they tried Brass, then anodized Aluminum before they gave up and bought Featherweight Sizematic ferrules for their premium rods. This early 2402 does not fit into any 2402 Ive ever seen or owned. 2402s are two piece 7ft rods. This rod is 6ft, two equal pieces, laying beside my Phillipson miti light 6ft #62, the snakes on the tip section are exactly the same placement, the stripping guide is slightly back towards the grip on the Conolon. So does anyone have a 61 Conolon catalogue, its the one if it exists I dont have, or even anything from 1960, I dont believe either Conolon or Garcia Conolon produced any sales lit for this transitional period. Rod is really unusual, does anyone have any idea or info about the possible existance of a Conolon 2402 6ft production rod? I will try to get some pictures taken asap, we have been having lighting storms here the last couple of days which have precluded my taking pictures, but as soon as I can I will post some, but wanted to open the question in hopes someone might have any info on this rod. Richard Last Edited By: flyfishing4goldentrout 06/22/09 21:17:28. Edited 1 time.
corlay		#1	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 868 (06/04/09 07:58:26) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Richard. Wow. sounds interesting. I look forward to you posting some pics. 2042 is the one GC rod I really, really love for trout fishing. What's the ferrule? Featherweight? "From my observations I think that most of us spend too much time worrying about our tackle and too little time learning the intimate characteristics of the fish and streams we fish most." - Ray Bergman Trout, New York: Knopf 1938
keebranch		#2	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 897 (06/04/09 10:22:09) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I'd be interested too as I have the 7 1/2 and 8 foot versions. The 8 is staggered and the 7 1/2 is equal lengths. Les Ultralight fly fishing forum Creek guy and light liner
flyfishing4goldentrout		#3	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 2283 (06/04/09 12:51:01) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Hi Guys, well got some nice weather this morning, we are in the middle of several days of March like weather, thunder storms, yesterday we had over 3000 lighting strikes in the around around me, one hit a kid riding his bicycle on the way home from school, luckily everything is ok, god was riding with him. 6 small fires started nearby, biggest was 40 acres before they got it out. Hail and rain to boot and they say at least 3 more days of this, so Ive been staying home and finishing up my clearances. The Forest service here as a June 9th requirement that all buildings be clear cut at least 100 ft around or they will do it after that and charge you for the work and site you to boot. Did get a few minutes to take some pictures outside this morning though. This 2402 is unlike any of the others I have and I before this had thought I had managed to get one of each varient. However this is a really different rod. Best I can tell it was built between June 1960 which is when the sale of Conolon to Garcia was completed and January 1961 when production was shifted into the 1962 product line, which at that point the 2402 became the 2402T 5 star companion series at 7ft, two pieces of equal length. This one is 6ft and upon carefull investigation has the only set of Conolon Made machined brass Super Z marked ferrules Ive ever seen on a Conolon Rod. Briefly Conolon or shall I say Narmco Conolon bought the rights to the Super Z ferrules. However they found that their ferrule making skills weren't up to snuff with the original NS design. They then turned to machined brass and did better but still found it too costly to continue. They then switched to a machined aluminum satin slide ferrule, the same ones the Narmco Conolon Rods used for many years for their premium rods, but quickly switched to Featherweight Sizematic machined aluminum ferrules with o-rings for their premium rods by 1963. Anyway as far as I know all model 2402 rods that Ive ever seen catalogued (1962-1979) were 7ft two piece rods. This rod is a true 6ft rod. I lawn cast it today and its lighter than the other 2402s as well, easily casting a WF5 line, something a 2402 doesnt do well as a 7ft rod. This rod is nearly identical in feel to my 6ft Phillipson Mity Lite #62 rod, casts with the same reel and line Im using. Anyway if anyone else has seen one of these or has any information I would love to know more. The wraps were pealing off the ferrules so I removed them to see if the ferrules had been reset, nope, its the original set from the factory. Several of the other wraps need replacement however I dont want to damage the collectability of this rod by altering it in any way sense its the only one Ive ever seen or heard of. lower rod is my Phillipson Mity Lite #62 for size comparision, the tip section guide spacing is identical note the early Garcia decal, without mention of Conolon, also the Companion Series without the 5 star rating Note that its a simple roll stamped 2402 model Only Garcia rod Ive ever seen with the Super Z roll stamp in brass on it Quite and interesting rod that I never knew existed.
flyfishing4goldentrout		#4	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 2326 (06/21/09 11:52:41) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Well I cleaned up the ferrules and rewrapped them, put a coat or two varnish on the rest of the wraps to secure them, then it was lining up some reels and seeing what the little guy could do. Alas after several days of playing around with it and its bigger brothers, the true 7ft 2402s and 2404s Im convinced that this rod was a very early 1961 test rod, sort of put out there to see if the public would accept such a rod. Its the top 6ft of the same blank that the later longer versions are made from and a true 6wt, it really shines with both single and double taper lines. Anyway heres some pictures along side its longer later version the 2402D which is a 7ft model. I also picked up a 2404 of this same period (1961) with the bit later Featherweight Sizematic Ferrules, at 8ft its still the same basic blank as well. Both are interesting addictions to my growing collection of the 2400 series rods from beginning now with this previously unknown to me 2402 to the last of the breed, the 7 1/2ft Glass spigot Ferruled Letort. Late 60s 2402D model with SS spigot ferrule and Wulff Quadrant grip at 7ft Finally with a 6wt line, at this point this rod performed like a slightly faster verision of its longer brothers I have an older Ocean City 76 on it now with a L6F line set up for the local Black Crappie fishing ongoing now Richard
mvinsel		#5	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 315 (06/23/09 15:56:27) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	You've found the missing link!
flyfishing4goldentrout		#6	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 2328 (06/23/09 20:59:28) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Hahaha, naw just an early aberation that came along after Garcia took over and before they standardized the Gold 2400 series. the 2402 I have from the same period, perhaps 3 months newer, shows many of the same difference, although its an 8ft rod at this point, the paint, wraps and seat are all wrong for a 2400 series rod that was to come along by 1962. Ive a couple of other rods from the Conolon Santa Anna period just months before Garcia bought them and they are entirely different as well. carrying more of the Narmco line forward but some more modern changes too. However those rods show the strong influence that they were being spun off before they moved from Costa Mesa in December 1960. I have a mint example from those last months in Costa Mesa and its exactly like the early Santa Anna Conolons except the Costa Mesa rod has no mention of Narmco but says Costa Mesa, the Santa Anna rod likewise has no mention of Narmco but has no address either. These two early 2400 seriies rods I have clearly say Garcia but no mention of Conolon, just Garcia Champion, no stars yet either that would come the next model year, along with adding conolon to the decal. I find it intereting to follow the progress of these early rods, as well as tracking the fact that little changed for alot of years the same basic Mandrels seem to have been used for a varity of rod series. Richard

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