Harrington / Harnell Rods - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

Tattoo · 01-16-2003, 07:26 AM

Looking for input on the 540. Good bad or just a wise a$$ comment.

Plan on using it for bucktailing bridges and breachways.

Fishpart · 01-16-2003, 08:18 AM

Looks like you could use it to load cargo on ships during the off season as long as your back holds out.

Thanks for the opportunity to make a smart a$$ comment. I'm sure someone else will have some more constructive input.

HESH2 · 01-16-2003, 08:52 AM

HAVE 3 HARNELL RODS 1 A FRESH WATER 2 PIECE ABOUT 50 YEARS OLD.3 SALT SPINNING 10' 1 PIECE ABOUT 32 YEARS OLD.I DID'NT REALIZE HARNELL WAS STILL IN ROD BUILDING OR SOMEELSE IS USEING NAME.ALL ABOVE ROD WERE SOME OF THE BEST I EVER OWNED.I KNOW THIS DOEN'NT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION BUT IS JUST A CABIN FEVER REFLECTION ON MY PART.

JohnR · 01-16-2003, 08:58 AM

Certainly looks like enough backbone to help move a big bass off a bridge abuttment

- guess that's what you'd want, eh?

DaveS · 01-16-2003, 12:06 PM

The 540 Harnell is a "Club". I have 4 of em, and thats what I fish on the bridges here in NJ. It was also my goto rod for throwing rigged eels and plugs off the jetties, and with some 65# PowerPro you can lift 15 pounders Tatto. If you are looking for a rod that can take a beating and rip there lips off, the 540 is the stick you want.

Mike P · 01-16-2003, 12:57 PM

It's not a bad jigging/skinning rod for the Ditch either, especially for fishing in tight quarters at high tide. Years ago, most of the sharpies jigged or skinned with that rod.

Hesh, Jean Harrington has been quietly turning out rod blanks on her late husband's mandrels since he died, and he never stopped making rod blanks even after he sold the Harnell (short for "Harrington and Renell") name to South Bend. The rods were sold for years under the "Harrington" label, but within the past couple of years, she re-acquired the rights to the Harnell name, and new blanks now carry the Harnell label again.

HESH2 · 01-16-2003, 01:41 PM

THANKS MIKE I NEVER KNEW THAT.MY OLDEST SON USES ONE OF THE 10, FOR THROWING EELS FOR STRIPERS.HE CALLS THEM FAMILY HEIRLOOMS.WITH ALL THE RODS MY 3 SONS AND MYSELF OWN THE HARNELLS ARE HIS FAVORITES.

Tattoo · 01-17-2003, 07:22 AM

Thanks for the input guys.

What else is out there in glass that in the same class?

Mike P · 01-17-2003, 01:47 PM

A Lami 121 3M cut 12" to 18" from the butt.

You can get it in both honey and black.

DaveS · 01-17-2003, 06:27 PM

St Croix 90M, cut 4 inches from the tip, add a 12" piece to the butt.

SeaWolf · 01-17-2003, 09:31 PM

the harnell is a nice blank for what you want. i agree on the 1213m as well.

can't be glass when it comes to a bridge rod.