Daiwa rod I.D. help required

[The Sogster]

Hi all,
I have recently acquired a 3 piece Daiwa feeder rod as part of a deal from a high street pawnbrokers.
I was only interested in the reel, a Shimano XT4000FA ( the original metallic green type) and for less than forty quid I couldn't leave it behind.

Anyway on to the rod unfortunately it came without a rod bag, but having studied the rod it has no model name stencilled on it, but it has the armlock feature with a dupion foregrip, genuine fuji reel seat and maroon/ crimson whipping with a double whipping on the ends of the rod sections which push in. The blank has x weave running throughout and each section is 43" long making the assembled rod just a bit over 12' 6". The only graphic is above the foregrip it just states Daiwa with the Union Jack below and GT. Britain

Having put it together and testing with line through to a weighted small bucket it seems like quite a nice rod, and probably ideal for chub or tench.
I suspect it is from around or before 2012/ 13 when the reel came out, any ideas gents?

 

[Mark Wintle]

I had a quick look through several of my old Daiwa catalogues; none of those specified seemed to fit the bill, mainly because very few Daiwa feeder rods are 12' 6", plenty at 12ft though. In general the Union Jack and Armlock handle suggests one of their better rods as the cheap rods don't have these features.

 

[mikench]

A photo might help.

 

[sam vimes]

I have a sneaking feeling that it will be an early 90s rod that has had the reel seat retro-fitted. It's not remotely unusual for the graphics on Daiwa rods of the period to fade very badly. The put in joints also suggest an early 90s model. 12'6' is a bit of a curve ball though. They did occasionally do 11'4"/11'6" tip rods back then, but I don't recall a 12'6" model. However, I take far less notice of tip rods than I do float rods.

Maroon/Crimson whipping might suggest an original Tom Pickering Matchwinner (sometimes called the Tom Pickering Whisker or even Whisper). However, there's no X weave on these.

I'd take a wild stab in the dark and suggest that it's probably a Tom Pickering Connoisseur (a.k.a. Tom Pickering Whisker Kevlar). Possibly the WTP123HT (12'3") Heavy Feeder. The graphics will have faded and a more modern Fuji reel seat fitted to make identifying it a little more difficult than it could be.

Here's one that sold on eBay relatively recently. Clicky.

 

[nottskev]

I have a sneaking feeling that it will be an early 90s rod that has had the reel seat retro-fitted. It's not remotely unusual for the graphics on Daiwa rods of the period to fade very badly. The put in joints also suggest an early 90s model. 12'6' is a bit of a curve ball though. They did occasionally do 11'4"/11'6" tip rods back then, but I don't recall a 12'6" model. However, I take far less notice of tip rods than I do float rods.

Maroon/Crimson whipping might suggest an original Tom Pickering Matchwinner (sometimes called the Tom Pickering Whisker or even Whisper). However, there's no X weave on these.

I'd take a wild stab in the dark and suggest that it's probably a Tom Pickering Connoisseur (a.k.a. Tom Pickering Whisker Kevlar). Possibly the WTP123HT (12'3") Heavy Feeder. The graphics will have faded and a more modern Fuji reel seat fitted to make identifying it a little more difficult than it could be.

Here's one that sold on eBay relatively recently. Clicky.

The "weave" and period details made me think Whisker Kevlar, Chris, along with the whipping colour. I had the 14' float version of this rod, and what a lovely rod it was. I acquired it in a swap for a horrible Ivan Marks 11" canal float rod I'd bought unseen (the Whisker Kevlar owner thought it was too long for him!) and eventually sold it for a song (£60) to a friend, ex army and short of decent gear. If the OP has a rod in that series, lucky bloke. I wish I still had the float rod.

 

[The Sogster]

Thanks for the replies. It maybe that the handle and reel seat are refurbished, as I've discovered that the handle is detachable from the butt section. It is a great job if so. Maybe any graphics were professionally removed at that point.


Below are a couple of pics

 

[sam vimes]

The reel seat is 100% an aftermarket modification. Daiwa didn't use any Fuji screw down reel seats until around 2000. That rod definitely predates that by a good few years. As far as I'm aware, they have never fitted that particular style of Fuji reel seat to any production model rod.

The weave looks more reminiscent of a Powermesh rod (which it isn't). However, I believe that they used such a weave on Matchlite models (from the period just prior to me starting to take notice). Now that we have pics, I'm pretty sure your rod is a Matchlite, but I've no idea of the model. If the rod was one of the dual length models, it missing the "dolly" section could be another possible reason for the lack of graphics. However, it still having the Union Flag graphic seems strange, but I don't know how the variable length was achieved or where the joints might have been.

Here's a variable length Matchlite Feeder for comparison. The only possible fly in the ointment here is that I'm not sure that the Matchlites had the Armlock handle. I've only seen pictures of Matchlites and Armlock handles often aren't obvious in pics.

I'm starting to wonder whether your rod is something of a 'bitsa". I'm reasonably sure you've got some Matchlite bits though.

 

[The Sogster]

Cheers Sam, I think you are right it probably started life as a dual length rod. Looking at Thomas Turner the images of the matchlite float rod are very comparable.
Someone obviously loved the rod enough to modify the reel seat and take off the graphics, I'll have to invest in bag for it.

Be interesting to try as I've never owned a Daiwa rod.

 

[mikench]

It looks very much like my Amorphous Whisker11-13 ‘feeder with a fuji reel seat fitted to replace the original bands. I cannot remember the numerology and cannot check at the moment. It has a dolly butt but a complete cork handle. Its called a stillwater combo and they came in a light and heavy version .


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[sam vimes]

It looks very much like my Amorphous Whisker11-13 ‘feeder with a fuji reel seat fitted to replace the original bands. I cannot remember the numerology and cannot check at the moment. It has a dolly butt but a complete cork handle. Its called a stillwater combo and they came in a light and heavy version .

The AWM rods do have the braid cross weave. However, the blank is a different colour and the whipping is not that deep red colour.

 

[mikench]

Im sure mine does but I will check i go home


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[peter crabtree]

I had the same rod until I gave it to Neil 1970. It too had a Fuji reel seat which looked standard. It also had no model name or number on the blank, just the union flag and Daiwa. Mine had the original bag, a standard blue and white Daiwa bag from the period, it was tailored to fit the short butt section so I’m sure it was the correct bag. It didn’t have any graphics printed on it either to identify the rod.

Whatever it was I regret parting with it now. It was a very good bit of kit.

 

[sam vimes]

I had the same rod until I gave it to Neil 1970. It too had a Fuji reel seat which looked standard. It also had no model name or number on the blank, just the union flag and Daiwa. Mine had the original bag, a standard blue and white Daiwa bag from the period, it was tailored to fit the short butt section so I’m sure it was the correct bag. It didn’t have any graphics printed on it either to identify the rod.

Whatever it was I regret parting with it now. It was a very good bit of kit.

The blue and white Daiwa rod bags pre-date any kind of screw down/up Fuji reel seats.

 

[The Sogster]

Thanks again for the replies.

Curiouser and curiouser.

I have had another look at the rod and it appears that there was no dolly section. The spigot above the reel seat either takes the short butt piece (29") pushed over it or directly to the middle section pushed in.
I've not seen this on other rods before.

@peter crabtree was your rod the same?

 

[peter crabtree]

The short butt section on mine had a female connection at the top, quivertips could be stored inside it and sealed with a bung…

 

[nottskev]

The short butt section on mine had a female connection at the top, quivertips could be stored inside it and sealed with a bung…

I've 3 11/13's from different eras - an Amorphous, a Connoisseur and a Spectron - and the handle makes a put-over fit to the 2' extension, and a put-in fit to the middle section to make an 11'.

 

[The Sogster]

I used this rod for the first time yesterday at a commercial fishery with small method feeder.

All I can say, whatever it started life as it is a fantastic rod at its shorter length. I had numerous carp to 16lb on 6lb mainline to 5lb hooklength and never felt any lack of confidence in the blank. The rod is super responsive and absorbs those under the rod tip lunges with aplomb.

It's probably about the same age as my similar 11'/ 13' Shimano Technium but feels much better.