Quints fishing rod in Jaws?
- Thread starter bkachel
- Start date
Probe Droid
Master Member
Before the JAWS ride at Universal Orlando was dumped, film props (supposedly) were on display. Probably the real deal since they were in bad shape, but who knows.
Probe Droid
Master Member
Greener's come up for sale on occasion, but they go for scary money. So much of the stuff used in JAWS came from locals that who knows what brand the rod was. Asking on some fishing forums might yield the best results. Someone there might say, "I had one of those rods back then, it's a ...." Fingers crossed.
Here's an album of pix I shot at Universal Orlando a few days before the ride closed. Enjoy.
Here's an album of pix I shot at Universal Orlando a few days before the ride closed. Enjoy.
Broilermaker
Sr Member
Thanks for the album pics, good luck on the rod, the greeners would be great to have in these politically correct animal rights times we live in
Probe Droid
Master Member
Glad you liked the pix.
Hi all. I've just joined up because I saw this thread elsewhere and might be able to help. I'm a keen angler and certainly looked carefully at the angling scenes in the film.
The Jaws rod is a Fenwick Woodstream 130lb class. It was brown (painted) fibreglass and had a brown foam foregrip with Mildrum roller guides and a Varmac reel seat size RS6H. The rod used in Jaws was one of the earlier models and had a wooden butt. I have, after much searching, just bought an almost identical model; the only difference is that mine has the later stainless steel butt with everything else exactly the same (wooden butts had a habit of snapping on a savage strike when trolling so Fenwick developed a stainless steel butt which was replaced with the aluminium Aftco butt when Fenwick redesigned the rod to use white fibreglass and Aftco roller guides).
I believe the rod used in the film was used in charter fishing for some years after the film was shot and was recently sold after being refurbished. The wooden butt had been sanded and polished to remove the original brown paint job and the guides replaced with a different model, which I have not yet identified. Although it looks quite different now from the way it did in the film, it is not the rod shown in the photo from the Universal studio photo above.
I say this because the rod recently sold as THE rod still had some the brown paint on the blank between the new whippings for the guides whereas the one in the photo from Universal has been stripped to the blank or was not painted in the first place.
Further, though I can't be sure, I am not convinced the Universal rod has the Varmac RS6H reel fitting, though the picture is unclear and there is quite a bit of corrosion present.
Hope this is of help.
Of course, I'm looking to find a 16/0 Senator now. I have the hook!
The Jaws rod is a Fenwick Woodstream 130lb class. It was brown (painted) fibreglass and had a brown foam foregrip with Mildrum roller guides and a Varmac reel seat size RS6H. The rod used in Jaws was one of the earlier models and had a wooden butt. I have, after much searching, just bought an almost identical model; the only difference is that mine has the later stainless steel butt with everything else exactly the same (wooden butts had a habit of snapping on a savage strike when trolling so Fenwick developed a stainless steel butt which was replaced with the aluminium Aftco butt when Fenwick redesigned the rod to use white fibreglass and Aftco roller guides).
I believe the rod used in the film was used in charter fishing for some years after the film was shot and was recently sold after being refurbished. The wooden butt had been sanded and polished to remove the original brown paint job and the guides replaced with a different model, which I have not yet identified. Although it looks quite different now from the way it did in the film, it is not the rod shown in the photo from the Universal studio photo above.
I say this because the rod recently sold as THE rod still had some the brown paint on the blank between the new whippings for the guides whereas the one in the photo from Universal has been stripped to the blank or was not painted in the first place.
Further, though I can't be sure, I am not convinced the Universal rod has the Varmac RS6H reel fitting, though the picture is unclear and there is quite a bit of corrosion present.
Hope this is of help.
Of course, I'm looking to find a 16/0 Senator now. I have the hook!
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Probe Droid
Master Member
Wonderful info! Many thanks. Wouldn't surprise me at all if this wasn't screen-used stuff, despite Universal's claims. The tackle was really beat up. Some more pix.
bkachel
Active Member
Thanks a lot man. This helps tremendoulsy. I ended up talking to a vintage rod and reel owner and he told me the same thing. He was a real pro! He didn't have a rod but he has access to 16/0 senators. They will end up costing you anywhere from 400-1000 bucks depending on the condition. Do you have any idea where I would be able to get one of the Fenwick 130 class Rods? PM if you'd like.
-Brandon
Hi both. You might have guessed my interest is more in the fishing stuff than the film props but glad it was helpful.
Those extra photos show clearly that isn't a Varmac reel seat and the foregrip isn't off a Fenwick rod so the gear in that shot from the Universal studio 'cage' certainly isn't the Jaws original tackle. Thanks for the enlarged photos.
These rods are now quite old as they were built in the 1970s or earlier to the best of my recollection. I got mine from a fishing pal who wanted to strip it down and re-use the blank, so I bought it off of him so he could go and buy a new blank instead of destroying a 'classic'. This has happened a lot to older rods as those blanks were good and any flawed ones would have broken long ago! With new guides, grip and a bent butt reel seat, they are as good as new.
I think it would be a bit of luck to find one today, but who knows what turns up in 'antique' (i.e. junk) shops, garage, car boot and yard sales etc.
I do keep an eye on ebay for big game rods and similar stuff but I haven't seen one of these turn up on the UK site in all the years I've been looking, but it is possible one might appear on the US site as these are American rods.
I can only suggest having a search there or in any tackle shops you know; perhaps they could be asked to let you know if they get a customer in wanting to part with an old rod.
These rods were made in two heavy 'strengths' for 80lb and for 130lb line. The 80lb rod is lighter of course and has a slightly smaller reel seat (an RS5H). I am not certain but it is possible this rod was also made in the '180-unlimited' class too but I can't remember ever seeing one. I bought a Harnell 'unlimited' for the collection some years a go too. What a beast - I can't bend it!
I have seen some 16/0 Senators but the UK ones were very expensive.
Whilst talking Jaws, when I first saw the film there was a scene on the boat where, having lost a shark that Quint dismissed as a blue shark, he baits his new hook with what I think was a small porpoise from a bucket and that is what gets eaten by the white. But, every time I've seen the film since, including the so-called uncut version on CD, that scene is missing. I didn't imagine it, did I?
Those extra photos show clearly that isn't a Varmac reel seat and the foregrip isn't off a Fenwick rod so the gear in that shot from the Universal studio 'cage' certainly isn't the Jaws original tackle. Thanks for the enlarged photos.
These rods are now quite old as they were built in the 1970s or earlier to the best of my recollection. I got mine from a fishing pal who wanted to strip it down and re-use the blank, so I bought it off of him so he could go and buy a new blank instead of destroying a 'classic'. This has happened a lot to older rods as those blanks were good and any flawed ones would have broken long ago! With new guides, grip and a bent butt reel seat, they are as good as new.
I think it would be a bit of luck to find one today, but who knows what turns up in 'antique' (i.e. junk) shops, garage, car boot and yard sales etc.
I do keep an eye on ebay for big game rods and similar stuff but I haven't seen one of these turn up on the UK site in all the years I've been looking, but it is possible one might appear on the US site as these are American rods.
I can only suggest having a search there or in any tackle shops you know; perhaps they could be asked to let you know if they get a customer in wanting to part with an old rod.
These rods were made in two heavy 'strengths' for 80lb and for 130lb line. The 80lb rod is lighter of course and has a slightly smaller reel seat (an RS5H). I am not certain but it is possible this rod was also made in the '180-unlimited' class too but I can't remember ever seeing one. I bought a Harnell 'unlimited' for the collection some years a go too. What a beast - I can't bend it!
I have seen some 16/0 Senators but the UK ones were very expensive.
Whilst talking Jaws, when I first saw the film there was a scene on the boat where, having lost a shark that Quint dismissed as a blue shark, he baits his new hook with what I think was a small porpoise from a bucket and that is what gets eaten by the white. But, every time I've seen the film since, including the so-called uncut version on CD, that scene is missing. I didn't imagine it, did I?
Probe Droid
Master Member
The porpoise thing is in the book, not the film.
Thanks again for the info.
Thanks again for the info.
Broilermaker
Sr Member
I remember the porpoise fetus, but think it was in the book, interesting note; my daughters teacher was telling me there is a cut scene where Jaws opens with Quint busting up watching Moby Dick in the theater. It was apparently cut because they couldn't get the rights to do that, I will look for it soon
quintmundus
New Member
Hello, Late to the thread, but wanted to chime in. The wood butt on quint's rod is a common misconception. It was actually steel, covered with matching hypalon as the foregrip, which gave it a wood-like appearance. A qucik freeze frame will show it. I will try to get a pic. Fenwick had moved past the wood butts and pioneered the steel. When deeper rod holders became common, they stopped with the foam covering as it would easily tear.
This raises an interesting question. The actual rod was updated after the movie by the fisherman who owned it. Later it sold for 25k, but with a wood butt. I don't understand why, if they are adding new guides, grips etc, why would they go backwards in time with wood-butt technology? OK taking tin hat off now.
This raises an interesting question. The actual rod was updated after the movie by the fisherman who owned it. Later it sold for 25k, but with a wood butt. I don't understand why, if they are adding new guides, grips etc, why would they go backwards in time with wood-butt technology? OK taking tin hat off now.
danzig
Active Member
True..It was steel and later converted to wood (from what Ive heard) for reasons unknown to me..The rod was sold to Peter S. a few years ago.In the photo below you can see him and 2 other gentlemen holding the rod..It looks like the rod in the above photos on display at Universal,except the rod in the Universal photos has tape where the foam grip should be.So may not be the same rod..The rod Peter bought was sold through Profiles in History auction,which is a very reputable auction house in L.A.. .Peter also owns the fighting chair.
I myself also own a rod and reel identical to the Jaw rod before it was modified (except for wood butt) .May sell it for the right price..See pics below
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quintmundus
New Member
The Universal rod is greeted with skepticism by some, myself included. Much the same unanswered question as the backwards-to-wood-butt head-scratcher, the Universal reel also has replaced a Yellow torpedo knob with a black torpedo knob, when newer cranks were barrel-shaped, like the knob shown on your rod.
danzig
Active Member
Well if the Universal rod was a fake,then the gentlemen in my photo got ripped off big time from the PIH auction..I do agree though,it doesnt look the same and the reversion back to wood wouldnt make any sense..The torpedo knob difference I could overlook,as I had to redo mine as well.Got to find a new torpedo knob someday.But some of the other changes just dont make alot of sense.Also if Im not mistaken,the very first photo in this thread of the rod,was from the Chris Kiska collection,whom Ive heard owns/owned alot of authentic props from Jaws.That rod looks correct,whereas the Universal rod does not
