Do you dislike any of your gear?

[thecrow]

A 2 wheeled barrow, it had a mind of its own that never did agree with mine on which direction to take.

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Another thing that struck me was all the tackle I paid for that somehow seemed to be distributed between 2 of my sons never to be returned.

 

[snooozer]

I only own 1 piece of Fishing equipment that i don't see eye to eye with.
A used once Korda Eazi Stik !

If i picked it up again my shoulder would'nt talk to me for about 3 weeks if the first time is an indication mg:

 

[john step]

A Fox Adjuster chair that is specifically designed for 1. midgets and 2. boosting osteopaths wages.

 

[Keith M]

A Fox Adjuster chair that is specifically designed for 1. midgets and 2. boosting osteopaths wages.

I bought a fox low chair in 1979 which was like that, " designed for midgets and for boosting osteopaths wages Lol.

Mine also had faulty welding on its front adjustable legs which came apart.

John Wilson Avon. The old green blank with sliding rings on a dodgy abbreviated duplon handle. Lots of folk seem to hold them in high regard, I hated mine.

The J.Wilson Avon/Quiver that I bought back in 1979 had a full length 'Cork' handle and in those days it was a great rod for Chub fishing on overgrown streams and rivers. It was also one of the first Avon/Quivers that came onto the market.
Unfortunately it's later models seemed to be nowhere near as good as the original and they started to bring out poorer quality rods.
There were also other makers who later started to bring out Avon/Quivers which were a lot better.

I still very occasionally bring out my original JW Avon/Quiver when I'm fishing a venue with particularly tight swims with overhanging branches as it can handle quite a lot of abuse but it doesn't get to see daylight very often as I have much better rods in my armoury today.

Keith

 

[Alan Tyler]

It's a bit of a "Desert Island Tackle" rod, isn't it?
It will do almost anything reasonably well, but nothing so well as to make it the "go to" rod.

 

[robtherake]

I bought a fox low chair in 1979 which was like that, " designed for midgets and for boosting osteopaths wages Lol.

Mine also had faulty welding on its front adjustable legs which came apart.

Keith

I bought one of the first Fox chairs (with canvas back and seat) and still have it and use it quite often, believe it or not; it's been through four sets of mud feet and the canvas is so faded it's hard to see what colour it used to be. All of the legs are adjustable on this one, by the way, if that helps with identity. Funny that you mention it was probably designed for midgets - it's probably why I find it so comfortable - but there's a good enough range of height adjustment for a short-legged chap. It was my first chair after years of seat boxes and was a revolution in terms of comfort. It was also the first chair I'd seen that had those nice wide mud feet, which made a world of difference on soft ground. It too fell victim to the dodgy weld problem, so I had a mate weld it up good and solid: not the prettiest job but the welding will probably be the last thing to go. I never bothered repainting it: it's like a badge of honour! Other, lesser chairs have come and go, but the Fox lives on forever.

 

[Alan Tyler]

Now, back to the question; I'm not too keen on many of my glass rods, but the Alan Brown "Chevin" stays, come what may,as do a couple of Shakeys I made up; most of my cane is dearly beloved, even if I do need a few days off afterwards, but I think the Lindop and the Sealey Nu-float could be re-homed without too many regrets; also a Tonbridge Wells Rod co. bottom rod with an ill-picked whole-cane middle that gives it an action like Rob describes with his Browning; and a Sundridge carbon, ditto, though it's such a pretty green I WANT it to be good.

Since I switched, on Tigger's advice, to loading fresh line onto a 'pin every trip, I've had this nagging suspicion that, given a calm day (remember those?) I could grow to love my Match Aerial again.

The big "Forgive", though, goes to a 3" Canute drum reel (i.e. looks a bit like a centre-pin, but the drum is held on by a nut, so the bearing is a plain axle), identical to the first reel I remember having.
I hated it; it wouldn't spin freely, I knew no-one who could teach me to cast with it - especially with the ash spar I had that was supposed to be a rod (and was sneakily covered in dark brown varnish, to make it look like greenheart) - and almost as soon as I was given a fixed spool (Intrepid regent) it was forgotten.

Decades later, someone invents ebay, and someone else had one of these to sell. He was absolutely raving about how well it spun, and I had a dark chuckle at the poor fellow who paid over thirty quid for it... but a nagging doubt set in, and a few years later, another one came along, with a more realistic description... well, it would have been rude not to, so here it came. This time, it was paired with a decent bit of cane, and I had a slight out-of-angler experience, seeing myself with a big cheesy grin all over my face as I played a very cross carplet on it.
If I'd known then what I know now...

The same sense of wondering whether it was my gear that was hopeless, or just me, prompted me to buy another Intrepid Regent. It made me remember why the first decent reel I bought with my own money was a Rapidex rather than a Mitchell.mg:

 

[john step]

I bought one of the first Fox chairs (with canvas back and seat) and still have it and use it quite often, believe it or not; it's been through four sets of mud feet and the canvas is so faded it's hard to see what colour it used to be. All of the legs are adjustable on this one, by the way, ! Other, lesser chairs have come and go, but the Fox lives on forever.

Rob, the one I mention has no adjustable legs. Just 2 frame sort of things.
One folds out for the back and the other the front. I think it was marketed for roving and I recall Matt Hayes using one in a video..........Like I said made for midgets:wh

 

[greenie62]

As Alan says:

...It will do almost anything reasonably well, but nothing so well as to make it the "go to" rod.

the John Wilson Avon/Quiver was the rod of it's day - and subsequent modifications in it's manufacture have devalued its utility and reputation imho.
It can be seen as a 'standard' for all subsequent iconic rods from which they can be compared - as in: "a bit longer than ...", "a bit beefier than....", "a bit lighter than...", etc.
When I bought one of the originals 30-odd(?) years ago I thought it was going to be the only rod I was going to need for life! - 5 rods later I realise that that was a wildly optimistic thought! mg:

 

[terry m]

A Gardener Scorpion throwing stick. Despite trying to get the hang of it for years I still struggle.

Also the Fox PS drop arm indicators. Dreadful, but still using them as I am too tight to buy another set!!

 

[bullet]

Another vote for the reuben Heaton lightweight scales.Not cheap, very cheap feel, almost impossible to zero, and when done so weighed inaccurately when tested.
Youngs trotter rod, very heavy.

 

[Ray Daywalker Clarke]

Fox Digital scales, the worst on the market.

They have long gone.

New battery, they weigh fine, once the battery is a little worn, the weight goe's T$TS Up. A club i was in used two sets of the same. Not once did they weigh the same weight, when we checked them. New battery fine, two weeks later, wrong weight again.

I have had my spring balance scales checked by weights and measures a few times now, and they have always stayed the same. Both pairs, one are the Avon's and the other Reuben heatons 60lb x 1 oz. So much so, that the guy who checked them was very impressed.

Digitals, Nah, dodgy battery, dodgy weight.

 

[Jim Crosskey 2]

I currently have four centrepin reels. A very old Mordex Major, bought on ebay for very little (£20?); a recent Marco Cortesi - the black one with a line guard, £39; an Okuma Adventa Pro 1002, bought s/h on ebay for about £70; and a TFG classic, cost £54 including the line guard.

And the one I don't like? The supposed best-of-the-bunch the Okuma. It runs freely enough but somehow everytime I actually try to fish with it I have a nightmare. Lack of a line guard is probably the issue, however ultimately that's the one I'm most likely to get rid of.

The tfg is the best of the bunch. The cortesi is the back up to the TFG, whereas the mordex is spooled with heavier line and used for barbell or margin carp.

 

[robtherake]

Another vote for the reuben Heaton lightweight scales.Not cheap, very cheap feel, almost impossible to zero, and when done so weighed inaccurately when tested.
Youngs trotter rod, very heavy.

It really is time I binned mine. I've tested them with known weights, so I know they're accurate, but they're a real pain to zero. The Avons I used to own were twice as big and heavy but they were also trouble-free.

Edit - Mine are the Flyweight Mk 2s, is the Lightweight the same model?

This one: http://www.reubenheaton.co.uk/disprod1.asp?prod_id=61&title=300 Series Flyweight

 

[Keith M]

It really is time I binned mine. I've tested them with known weights, so I know they're accurate, but they're a real pain to zero. The Avons I used to own were twice as big and heavy but they were also trouble-free.

The Avons still fit nicely into the side pockets and/or the lid pocket of all of my small roving shoulder bags, so they are not really that huge LOL.

I don't think there's much to compare between the Reuben Heaton Flyweights and the slightly larger and much better quality Avons.
It's a great pity they stopped selling the Avons, although you can still occasionally find them being sold on eBay (where I bought my latest ones for £25 complete with a case and a weigh sling).

NB: The Avons also fit nicely into the back pocket of my fishing waistcoat for when I'm fishing without a bag.

Keith.

 

[Philip]

For anyone looking for some lightwieight scales for roving take a look at the weighmasters if they still make them. i have a 12lb pair that weighs in half ounze divisons that are light and accurate. I think they made a 30lb version too. Avons are great but i also find them a bit heavy for short sessions although i am probably a whimp

in terms of tackle regrets...i brought a Drennen match reel. ..talked into it by the tackle shop...first issue is that its one of those reels where the bale arm has to be in a certain position for it to flip over and close on the turn of the reel handle...else it jams solid and you have to flip it over manually. The worst thing howver is that .the handle actually bends when you reel in under pressure. dont get me wrong...i dont mean becomes loose...i mean the actual metal bends and distorts! ....never had a reel do that before, even the cheapest coffee grinders dont have bendy handles...crikey, even the infamous woolworth black fixed spool reel they sold with thier 6 foot starter rod....a real icon of naffness managed to keep a straight handle! What Drennen were thinking i have no idea but i was very disapointed.

 

[robtherake]

For anyone looking for some lightwieight scales for roving take a look at the weighmasters if they still make them. i have a 12lb pair that weighs in half ounze divisons that are light and accurate. I think they made a 30lb version too. Avons are great but i also find them a bit heavy for short sessions although i am probably a whimp

in terms of tackle regrets...i brought a Drennen match reel. ..talked into it by the tackle shop...first issue is that its one of those reels where the bale arm has to be in a certain position for it to flip over and close on the turn of the reel handle...else it jams solid and you have to flip it over manually. The worst thing howver is that .the handle actually bends when you reel in under pressure. dont get me wrong...i dont mean becomes loose...i mean the actual metal bends and distorts! ....never had a reel do that before, even the cheapest coffee grinders dont have bendy handles...crikey, even the infamous woolworth black fixed spool reel they sold with thier 6 foot starter rod....a real icon of naffness managed to keep a straight handle! What Drennen were thinking i have no idea but i was very disapointed.

They're the ones we're all bashing for being troublesome to zero, Philip, although it seems easier if you zero them on something with a bit of weight to it, like your landing net head.
I've heard good things about Drennan reels but the latest models look cheap and nasty, so I'm not surprised if they actually are.

 

[daniel121]

I do unfortunately.....

I had a Shakespeare Boron Match rod 13foot from about 85 time, it felt a lovely rod but I never got on with it. I never sold it either, several times I have tried to love it but it now just sits upstairs - unloved - awwwwww!

Of resent if I get something I don't like iget my lad to fleebay it for me. Like the last Shimano reel I had, top of the range I should coco!!!hno:mg:

 

[Philip]

They're the ones we're all bashing for being troublesome to zero, Philip, although it seems easier if you zero them on something with a bit of weight to it, like your landing net head.
I've heard good things about Drennan reels but the latest models look cheap and nasty, so I'm not surprised if they actually are.

I didnt actually realise mine were RH ones ! ..LOL ...however I did a quick google image search and yes your right ...they do appear to be the same ! ....although mine dont have RB or flyweight or anything else written on them. I have had them absolutly yonks so I wonder if they are an early model and later ones were worse ? ...its true mine tend to drift off zero when in the bag but I always zero them to a sling or plastic bag and then as I am getting the fish ready I lay them down with little zeroing wheel facing up (so scales face down) so the wheel does not turn agaisnt anything and unzero. What I like about them is they are very light and having checked them periodically they have stayed really accurate. Mind you I also take allot of trouble to make sure they dont get wet or full of dirt. It does make me wince when I see some anglers hang their scales outside their bivvies all night. All I can think of is how rusty the spring must get !

The Drennen reel is the newer ones...I really was disapointed as I expected more from Drennen. I really thought they would nail it when it comes to reels. Sadly I was wrong !

---------- Post added at 19:13 ---------- Previous post was at 19:10 ----------

I had a Shakespeare Boron Match rod 13foot from about 85 time

I used to drool over that rod when I saw it in the Shakespere catalogue but could not afford it and got the 14 Alpha match instead...which I liked allot ...orange blank that the light shone through ! ....I still have it in the shed somewhere....sounds like I got a lucky break there !

 

[binka]

I used to drool over that rod when I saw it in the Shakespere catalogue but could not afford it and got the 14 Alpha match instead...which I liked allot ...orange blank that the light shone through ! ....I still have it in the shed somewhere....sounds like I got a lucky break there !

Likewise on the boron Rob and my mate had one of those Shakespeare Alphas, he was a proper ginger nut too and we always took the micky and said he'd bought the rod to match his hair!

I hope I've not incurred the wrath of Gingers for Justice...