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I bought three bamboo flyrods at an auction for $125 with rod cases. All three rods are like new but they have no markings on them as to manufacture or builder. Is there anything I can do to get an estimate on them? The one rod still has a plastic wrap on the cork handle. Two of the rods have extra tips with them and are housed in a cloth bags that say southbend on them. Two of the rod cases are aluminum.

do they mention weight? 5, 6, 7wt?

Some photos would help.

I think that South Bend made bamboo fly rods years ago, but the plastic wrapped grip seems odd.

There are a lot of low-grade post-WW2 Japanese bamboo fly and spinning rods out there waiting to catch somebody who thinks that he is getting Orvis quality for 1/10th the price. Your rods "sound" better, but no markings would be a concern. That said, if they work for the intended purpose, I say go4it!

1 of my good friends from high school is 1 of the best, or luckiest, trout and smallmouth fisherman who I know. He uses an old "Butterfly" brand Japanese bamboo rod and regularly catches the biggest brook, brown, and rainbow trout that live where he is fishing. About 8 years ago, I saw him catch land-locked salmon or brook trout on the Rapid River in western ME on nearly every cast with a #12 Adams dry. A crappy rod and a generic fly, I guess that presentation really is everything.

Jeff