GH 14

[originalrockhoppa]

If anyone could give me some info on these old rods I’d be very grateful.

ie who made them, length, pulling power

Edited December 11, 2019 by originalrockhoppa

[bluefin]

Ironglass ?   American Blanks.  GH = Gospel  and Hanstead, The Importers.   I made up a few, Very nice rods, Came out about the same time as Star Wars. I named one Darth Vader !!! Black Blank !!  Nice Spinning rods off the rocks, with a seascape 6 to 1 Reel .  Howard.

[bluefin]

https://www.shimanofish.com.au/content/fish/oceania/au/en/homepage/articles/land-based-game-fishing.html

[originalrockhoppa]

Thanks Howard, I’m off to check out a guys garage tomorrow who looks like he has about 100 rods for sale, a friend of mine who’s overseas said he was after a GH14 so was hoping to know what I was looking for while I’m there. I’ve got a couple of 9177’s, one slightly shortened that I use so I’m all sweet, just trying to help a mate

[originalrockhoppa]

Thnx bluefin, interesting read

[originalrockhoppa]

I didn’t realise these rods were as old as they are, no wonder I’m struggling to find info

[bluefin]

Im Old !!

 

[originalrockhoppa]

Haha

I’m nearly 50 and feel it on the climbs out but while I’m down there and into it I still feel 20

[originalrockhoppa]

Don’t mean to harass you there Howard but do you recall by any chance how long the 14 was?

[bluefin]

No.  But we were using Butterworth 8144 at the time at 12 '  I think these were shorter Im guessing 10' . a lot of people were using the 8120 and 9120 . I ended up using a sabre SS220 . so there was a move to shorter rods. 

[Goby]

Hi guys,

new to the forum, saw it after looking for iron glass blanks. First rods I built since arriving in Australia, first I built was a GH 6. Built about 50 GH 6 and 12 S for me and mates since and probably about 10 JS980s. They were designed as Howard said by Joe Gospel. And Wayne Hanstead who came over here in the 70s I believe and along with Ross Cusack et al., pioneered high speed jigging over here. The 12 and 6 were both rated at 12 lb or 6 kg,  but had slightly different actions, they were absolutely the best 4kg rod you could build, fished 4 to the absolute limit. The blanks were made here by Butterworth and later changed to have graphite incorpororated in the butts, at least for the lighter rods. When Australian Composites started making them they modified the lighter GH 12/6 to a very/very radical taper that was rated for 6 kg, unfortunately people put heavy braid over it and broke it so they slowed it down. I have one of the originals with a Calcutta and it is my favourite rod, wish I still had some of the original  GHs. Recently managed to buy two 15kg and one 8kg Butterworth blanks to build. I’ve built Sabre, US Composites, Jigging Master and a load of other “best blanks” and nothing compares in my opinion to Butterworth or Synyderglass blanks. Sorry about the long post and rant. But those blanks were a thing of beauty.

cheers,

another Howard

 

[wazatherfisherman]

1 hour ago, Goby said:

Hi guys,

new to the forum, saw it after looking for iron glass blanks. First rods I built since arriving in Australia, first I built was a GH 6. Built about 50 GH 6 and 12 S for me and mates since and probably about 10 JS980s. They were designed as Howard said by Joe Gospel. And Wayne Hanstead who came over here in the 70s I believe and along with Ross Cusack et al., pioneered high speed jigging over here. The 12 and 6 were both rated at 12 lb or 6 kg,  but had slightly different actions, they were absolutely the best 4kg rod you could build, fished 4 to the absolute limit. The blanks were made here by Butterworth and later changed to have graphite incorpororated in the butts, at least for the lighter rods. When Australian Composites started making them they modified the lighter GH 12/6 to a very/very radical taper that was rated for 6 kg, unfortunately people put heavy braid over it and broke it so they slowed it down. I have one of the originals with a Calcutta and it is my favourite rod, wish I still had some of the original  GHs. Recently managed to buy two 15kg and one 8kg Butterworth blanks to build. I’ve built Sabre, US Composites, Jigging Master and a load of other “best blanks” and nothing compares in my opinion to Butterworth or Synyderglass blanks. Sorry about the long post and rant. But those blanks were a thing of beauty.

cheers,

another Howard

 

Welcome Howard I had a GH jig rod but can't remember the number -maybe GH 13? Great rod built by the (long closed) Fisherman's Friend at Yagoona it was a 10kg stick a bit over 6 and half foot. Yellow glass. I still know who has it but he wouldn't part with it!

[noelm]

The JS980 was one of my favourite blanks, (I still have one) way back in the late 70s the American jigging craze hit here and we had nothing in the way of blanks, so the GH range changed the world for us, radical (at the time) very fast tapers and stiff thick butt sections, unfortunately it took a while for reels suitable were made, old Jigmasters and so on just failed miserably after constant "abuse" we moved to 4/0 wide Senators for Jigging, great days back then, we even used the "new" idea of the hook tied to a short length of Dacron from the top ring.

[Green Hornet]

I still have a GH9 and a GH12. Both were built as my land based game, frigate/bonito spinning rods and suited 4-6kg line.

I cut a little off the tip of the GH12 to suit a slightly heavier lure and its now around 9'6". It has a very fast taper, light enough in the tip to cast an 18g metal, but heavy enough to lift a 1.5kg fish up onto the high, Beecroft ledges.

Both were great rods back in the 80's but rather heavy compared to modern day blanks.

@noelmI built up a couple of longer JS9120 Butterworths for 15kg land based rods. After cutting a little off the tip to suit a #15 roller (i think), it brought them back to around 9 foot and they were one of the best 15kg rods going.

 

Edited August 28, 2021 by Green Hornet

[noelm]

The JS range were great blanks (for the era) back in the "old days" Ironglass and Sabre blanks were cutting edge, lots were copied by other manufacturers, my current list of rods includes a JS980, 3 matching Sabre "short strokers" and an GH? (can't remember the number) that is my all time, "go to" Snapper rod, by today's standards, they are thick and heavy, but they suit certain styles of fishing so well.

[noelm]

Just to kind of add to how we used those fantastic rods, jigging was nothing like it is today, we used 30-40lb line, 4/0 Senators and big heavy "irons" and brute force was the name of the game, smaller fish of about 5kg were simple lifted straight in, and dumped into a big fish box so the jig could be removed, or, just held under your arm and the hook removed, then another drop to get another one, by today's standards it was just "meat fishing" but right or wrong, that was just what was done. There was nothing like working a school of 5KG fish, and on the next drop, a 20KG model took the jig, making hard work for the already worn out angler, and requiring some fancy work from the others to avoid getting tangled, Wild days indeed.

[Goby]

I must have got the GH12 wrong as the ones I built were the same length as the GH6 (slightly shorter than a Sabre 196). They might be heavier than a new graphite rod but they could cast a half mulie on an ambasadeur or millionaire or a nilsmaster on a blue sigma a mile and then sort the fish out. Best fish on them a mulloway and bonito just under 25kg and 5kg (caught by my wife), respectively. My daughter learnt to use soft plastics and small jigs with “her” blue sigma and GH6 and always outfished me!

[Goby]

Still looking for a GH6 and a js980 blank, if anyone has them for sale please let me know.

cheers,

Howard

[JimT]

are the Sabre blanks still available

Jim

[Goby]

Hi Jot,

Sabre blanks are available, try United Tackle they have the full range as well as Calstar and United Composites.

cheers,

Howard