Lesser known rods

[flightliner]

I was aware of tank aerials but more talking about purpose made metal rods ... yes good shout on the taper flash, come to think of it thats been mentioned on FM a few times too.

Where there others or was it a one off ?

Phillip, there were two models-- the taperflash and the taperflex.
I had the 'flash sold under the old Mordex brand.
The blanks were made by the tube investment group in Sheffield and Birmingham.
They were ok tools, better than cane jobs .

 

[john step]

My Grandad had one (a 12 footer) - it weighed a ton and felt very tip-heavy. They were also prone to breakage, due to rusting from the inside out...

I saw plenty of Apollo Taperfash rods. Good God Dave you just made me feel ancient referring to your grandadmg:

 

[nottskev]

Silstar! I'd forgotten about them. And I even had Silstar rods - they made a lovely canal special. Someone mentioned the Milbro Enterprise. There was a 14' in the window of a tackle shop when I was a kid. I used to gawp at it's awesome dimensions - so wide at the butt, the handle corks had to go on a thinner section spigotted in. Don't laugh, but I used to wonder how cork handles on fishing rods didn't snap. Nobody told me the rod blank ran through the middle......

 

[flightliner]

Silstar! I'd forgotten about them. And I even had Silstar rods - they made a lovely canal special. Someone mentioned the Milbro Enterprise. There was a 14' in the window of a tackle shop when I was a kid. I used to gawp at it's awesome dimensions - so wide at the butt, the handle corks had to go on a thinner section spigotted in. Don't laugh, but I used to wonder how cork handles on fishing rods didn't snap. Nobody told me the rod blank ran through the middle......

Kev, I have a Silstar Ian Heaps match team(or is it team match?- I forget).
I bought it second hand about five years ago in mint condition.
Only used it once with the pin on the Tidal Trent. Must use it more often.

 

[steve2]

I have a number of Silstar rods the Ian Heaps canal rods, also one called I think the rolling trolling rod one of the lightest slim blank feeder rods I have seen.

 

[108831]

I take it there are not many Cadence for owners on FM as we never hear any comments on how good or bad they are,shame really as if there were several positive comments they'd be worth a punt,especially for the prices quoted...

 

[mikench]

I'm a little surprised at that( lack of Cadence rod comments) as they have been available long enough for people to see and try them. I don't know anybody who has one.

 

[waldi]

I had untill recently a 1980's DAM quicksilver 2lb TC carp rod. Was nothing like a modern carp rod.
Definately not 2lb TC and bent all the way through to the handle.
used it for everything from estuary bass and flounder fishing when in the UK to chub, perch and roach when I came over here.

Only binned it when I found a Shimano beastmaster Trout and Zander rod over here.
BeastMaster CX Trout/Zander
Not perfect by any means, but certainly the most versatile rod I own. (the weight stated in the link is wrong, mine's 220grms)

Jon.

 

[108831]

I'm a little surprised at that( lack of Cadence rod comments) as they have been available long enough for people to see and try them. I don't know anybody who has one.

Not being able to see one is very off putting Mike,as you can get to see quite a few others,also sales have to be lower down to this and because of that you don't see anglers on the bank with one,I daresay if I was still into matches I would have seen a few by now,because that's where they're market is aimed at.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

The Taperflash was something of an iconic rod in its day, and there is one standing in the corner of my study as I write this.

There was 13 and a 14 feet models, if I remember correctly, and when a nipper my best friend who lived a few doors down from my grandparents had the 13' model with yellow whippings.

I have taken mine out for an airing a few times at Britford on the Hampshire Avon and taken roach, dace and the occasional chub on it too.

Nice rods in their day . . . . .

 

[flightliner]

The Taperflash was something of an iconic rod in its day, and there is one standing in the corner of my study as I write this.

There was 13 and a 14 feet models, if I remember correctly, and when a nipper my best friend who lived a few doors down from my grandparents had the 13' model with yellow whippings.

I have taken mine out for an airing a few times at Britford on the Hampshire Avon and taken roach, dace and the occasional chub on it too.

Nice rods in their day . . . . .

The blanks were made by Tube investment group in Birmingham and perhaps here in Sheffield.
I may have told this story before but will again---
TI had a big American competitor who once sent a tube they made with the smallest of internal diameters, attached to it was a note saying "Beat that". So T I made another even finer tube that was slipped inside the American one, sent it back to their opponents with a note that said "Beat that " .

 

[rob48]

I'm a little surprised at that( lack of Cadence rod comments) as they have been available long enough for people to see and try them. I don't know anybody who has one.

Hi. I've got three Cadence rods, 15'#1 float, 11' #1 feeder and 10' wand. They all seem well made, nicely balanced and excellent value for money.

 

[barbelboi]

Plus a split cane B.James & Son MKIV Carp rod which I bought from a mate for just £10.

You were done Keith - you could buy 'em for that new........................

 

[108831]

Thanks Rob.

 

[Molehill]

I have a very vague memory that as a kid I read somewhere, it may have been a ladybird book, about rods made from tubular metal.

This was pre-carbon days ad Fiberglass was the “new” material. I am sure I read it in this book about rod materials and it mentioned split cane and metal but then went on about fiberglass being far superior to either. I was just starting out in angling so I remember making a mental note to get a fiberglass rod and not a cane or metal one.

Thing is I can’t say I have ever come across a purpose made fishing rod made out of metal. Did anyone else recall reading it and is this true or am I hallucinating ?

I have a steel centre split cane rod. It was a salmon spinning rod which I totally stripped down and rebuilt to use for pike, it has a cracking action but weighs a bit! Never yet used it on pike but had a few carp on it for fun, but it's a bit of a brute.
We have a photo of my wife as a child with a pike she caught from the military canal near Iden, this was mid 50s and she caught it with a tank Ariel rod.

 

[barbelboi]

Yes, tank aerial rods were quite common at the time, even my local t/s B James and Son produced them...............

 

[flightliner]

Steadefast were in at the beginning of carbon rods, one of them, a spliced tip stickfloat rod was held in as high an esteem as the famous Shakespeare President .
I personally thought it was a far better rod !

 

[The Sogster]

I used to have a 13ft Shakespeare match aerial c.t.b. from th mid nineties. This was marketed for carp, tench and barbel and had a spliced in/ hollow glass tip. The blank was very thin for the time and it weighed only fraction more than my modern 13ft Drennan ultralight. I recall paying less than fifty quid from Calcotts.
A great trotting rod for big fish, had carp to 18lb on relatively light lines (6lb).
The only downside was sliding reel fittings and a very short handle.

If I ever catch the (expletive deleted) who stole it I'll be serving time

 

[mikench]

This unheard of combo might suit someone but I cannot imagine who!


Google Image Result for https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/zBEAAOxyhlJRbRjy/s-l300.jpg

Even the line is pink

 

[flightliner]

I watched an angler today using a Shakespeare Rubicon stickfloat rod for commy carp. He told me he boaght it 30 years ago.
If ever I see one for sale I may have a try for it, most impressive!