Walton Powell 8½ ft 2pc/2 tips for line #5
Walton Powell 8½ ft 2pc/2 tips for line #5. This looks to be a very early rod from Walton, the middle son of E.C. Powell as it is still marked (on the tube) as being hollow built, something Walton stopped doing for most of his bamboo rod making. The absolutely best Walton Powell rods I cast when I lived in northern California for a dozen years were all early and hollow rods much closer in action to his father's work than later rods. I have to confess that I am not an expert on Watlton's rods and I find the reel-seat a bit odd as it is more in the style of eastern makers and the wood spacer appears to be Butternut. I would call the action a subtle 'A' taper; Walton followed his father's taper concepts as well as many details of building for most of his work. Later in his career he usually built tips heavier than E.C.'s and he abandoned building with cedar cores and semi-hollow. He did maintain E.C.'s 'two-up' node spacing and it was from him at the Golden Gate Angling and Casting Club that I learned the concept and benefit of this spacing. I have used it since then in 1995 on all my hexagonal rods. This rod remains straight and in excellent condition throughout with an oil finish with varnish only on the guide wraps. A chance to own a very nice casting instrument with interesting pedigree for not much money. In what I believe is the original bag and labeled (and dented) tube. From the varied collection of Thomas H. Clark.
