Got 2 of them handed down to me from my Grandpa. Not sure he ever "fly fished" with them, but they were both loaded with fly line, so .
All I know is he used them to do what he called "still fishing" (tied up to trees) with minnows (sinker/hook on 8# mono leader). I haven't/don't use them, they're just keepsakes (along with the rods they came on).