Gillum 8½ ft 2pc/2 tips strong salmon rod
Gillum 8½ ft 2pc/2 tips strong salmon rod. This rod has clearly been used, but remains very straight with perfect fits to the Halstead step-down ferrules. It was built for Herb Wellington, a prime customer of Gillum rods and the grip is typical of the shape that Herb preferred. Herb owned a great many Gillum rods and gave many away to close friends; this one was given to C.R. Smith whose initials adorn the cork grip. C.R. Smith built American Airlines into the world class business it still is today and served as Secretary of Commerce under the presidency of LBJ. It is a very powerful salmon rod; it feels like it will want a #9 line to bring out its pure Gillum action with what feels like unlimited power. Varnish shows signs of use, but nothing that needs attention before fishing that I can find. This is a resorcinol glue rod as evidenced by the dark glue edges and the locking nut has the proper “H.S. Gillum / Maker” stamp. The iconic Gillum conical fighting butt has a perfect fit, as does the butt plug when the fighting butt is not installed. I have included a close-up photo of a place at a node on one tip where the resorcinol glue has filled small voids; this clearly did not concern Mr. Gillum and it would not me either. The fighting butt fits inside the top of the tube with grip and reel-seat down to make room. In original bag with pull-tab, conical fighting butt and original tube. SOLD
