This five-sided penta has the ability to present small flies delicately but has reserve power in the butt for longer casts or large fish. Bill described it as having an extra "spank" because the rod bends at the apex adding power. This is hollow-built for quicker recovery scalloped up to 12" to 15" from the tip tops.
This model was the smallest one made with the quick release back plate to change out spools. Many feel this SCA model was one of Joe's best designs with the highest of engineering tolerances.
David Robichaud's work is well-regarded, and his reels are not often available. The removable back plate is ingenious—press in on the plate surface and make a slight turn which then releases the pressure on the spring between the front plate and spool.
Ron Kusse held the position of Vice President at the Leonard for the majority of the 1970s. The rods he built reflected the defining characteristics of Eastern rod building — elegant swelled butts, refined tips, and a crisp, responsive casting feel.
Tom built rods under the name "Spring Creek Rods." This is a 7' 6" two-piece for a 5-weight line weighing 3.65 ounces. I'm told that it's difficult to get quads straight. This rod is dead straight and the finish work and minimal aesthetics are exceptional.
This reel appears to be circa 1930s to early 1950s and made for Mills by Julius vom Hofe. Pillar to pillar the reel measures 3 1/8" and has a rim diameter of 2 5/8" with a frame width of 1 1/4”. The reel weighs 4.80 ounces.
The smallest and lightest of the Charlton Reels, the 8350 has long been a favorite of trout fisherman. This is LHW. It is loaded with a 1/5 (3-5 wt line) and has a rare 1/2 (1-2 weight line) spare spool.
This is a 7' 0" two-piece weighing 1.95 ounces. In my hand, this feels like a 2-weight. The 38L evolved from the "Baby Catskill" series, eventually becoming listed as the "Letort" series in the early 1970s, only to return to the "Catskill" moniker.
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