Gary Howells Bamboo Fly Rod 8' 2/2 #5

A very nice Gary Howells bamboo fly rod, 8', 2-pieces, 2-tips, built for a #5 line. Serial #4538 (which I believe puts the manufacture date at 1979). 3.75 ounces listed weight though my scale has it closer to 4.1. Medium speed semi full flexing action. The rod is mint, with plastic and tape still on the grip. The cane is oven tempered and dark wheat straw in color, done in a three up node configuration. Carbide stripper and chrome snake guides and tip tops, wrapped brown with gold edges and one band of red at the keeper. The grip is 6" long and done in a western profile, with the original plastic still on it, as mentioned. The reel seat is an uplocking screw lock with a finely varnished zebra wood spacer. The rod packs in the original red cloth bag and the aluminum tube is mint with the Howells data sticker on it.