The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

I have just taken delivery of a rod I bought on eBay for £20.99. The listing didn't mention a model, just that it was a Sealey and from the photos I knew it had a whole cane butt and middle, with a tip of built cane. This had me hoping that it would be a Floatcaster, to complete my set of all three fully cane Floatcasters. However it turned out to be a Supreme. I'm still delighted though!


The rod is in extraordinarily good condition. All the furrells are tight, with no knocking. The rings are shiny and the whippings and varnish are tip top. Makes a lovely and most welcome change from the duds I have ended up with lately, with floppy tips that don't spring back when bent.


The rod is 10 feet 9 inches long. The tip section looks short, but then it does on a lot of full length Sealeys. Whether or not it is missing a inch or not the tip seems fine enough and the action still looks good.











There is one thing that is puzzling me though. I have been looking at threads on the forum (as I always do when I get something new) and other Sealey Supreme rods seem to have a different configuration. They seem to have a whole cane butt, a middle of whole cane with a spliced bit of built cane at the top of the section and then a built cane tip.

As can be seen in the last picture mine is different though. Mine has a whole cane butt / whole cane middle / built cane tip configuration.

Is this because the rod is mislabeled, or is it to do with the age of the two? Did they change the configuration after so long?

I'm very pleased with it, regardless. I just hope someone can satisfy my curiosity about it's configuration.

My Sealey 'Floatcaster' is of whole cane/whole cane/split cane configuration.

The Sealey 'Supreme' was a 'match' type rod available in (at least) 11ft and 12 ft versions, the 12ft having a spliced whole cane middle section. There are photos of the 12ft version on the inthenet site :-

http://www.inthenetuk.com/pages/Vintage ... Sealey.asp

Did the 11ft not have a spliced middle section? Perhaps mine is the 11ft with a couple of inches chopped off the top then.

I have one that's whole cane butt and middle, split cane tip.

Chevin wrote:I have one that's whole cane butt and middle, split cane tip.

Nice and light aren't they? I was shocked how light it was!

What species do you use yours for? Would I be pushing my luck if I took it tench fishing?

I will measure mine when i finish work. They are surprisingly light to handle and mine has a very steely feel to it, although i have not fished with it as it had rusted rings when i bought it, its all stripped and ready to restore, just looking for a suitable blue thread to match the blue reel bands.

I think rather than whole cane that rod might actually be made of Spanish reed.


Hence the light feel. It might struggle with a fish beyond 3lbs, since the reed doesn't bend too much and the tip has to do it all....or almost.


I'd guess it is like their Match Rod, also in reed, which actually came with a sticker warning it was not intended for big fish.


I think it has indeed lost some tip, but the whole rod has been refurbished, and the rings moved around on the tip, to compensate for this. The colour of the silk is pretty close to the original, but I think it's a tad too thick.

I'd reckon it would make a lovely roach rod for stillwater or trotting not too wide a stream......it won't mend line too well at that length, but you'll be able to hold it all day......

Nobby, mine is completely stripped, how can i tell if its Spanish reed or cane. I have held a sealey match and this rod feels much stronger.

As for what it can be used for, well i cant really answer as i don't know the size of fish in your local water, how hard they fight and your style of playing a fish. The answer really is be prepared to lose the hook link or fish not the rod tip.

My current rod for trotting is my 11ft floatcaster and I managed well enough on the rivers that I fish with that. This is only 3 inches short of that so it will do for me.

Would a Floatcaster (whole cane/ whole cane/ split cane) handle bigger fish than this as it is, are are they very much the same?

Ive not handled a floatcaster so i have no idea of how similar they are. Didn't yates use a floatcaster for barbel. But..... As i understand it split cane all through will bend to the corks... Whole cane or reed will not so most of the pressure is absorbed mostly through the top section only.