Bespoke Fishing Rods

  • Thread starter Ron Troversial Clay
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Ron Troversial Clay

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I happened to be in our local the other day and in walked an aquaintance who recognised me from My Angling Star days. We chatted about fishing and the converastion led me to the really superb sports jacket he happened to be wearing.

"Where did you get that?" I asked.

"From that retired tailor in Scholes village". He answered. "It cost me ?600.00 but the fit and class of the clothes he makes is incredible and every stitch is by hand".

This made me think.

Are there anglers out there who would appreceate a truly hand finished bespoke fishing rod? Is there a demand. The rod would have course have to be built on the finest blanks available in the world. The angler would of course have to visit the builder several times before the rod is finished. The fittings, handle, reel seat and other things would have to be tailored exactly to suit the anglers every whim.

But more important the rod would bare no makers name, except perhaps for The initials of the angler and maker written where they could not be seen. After all it is traditional that a gentlemen never disclose the name of his tailor or doctor.

In these days of crap, decorated up with designer labels, would a return to supreme quality and great traditons be something the world is wanting. No more fashion statements, just superb craftsmanship that doesn't need to make any form of statement.

What do you think?
 
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Merv Harrison

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Amazing Ron, your friend paying ?600 for a sports jacket, a friend of mine bought a sports jacket from our local 'Slight Seconds' tailoring shop for ?20, superb fit, wonderful quality material, the only thing wrong with the jacket was, that one of the sleeves was slightly longer than the other two.





I'm really going to enjoy this.............





I'll get me coat !!!
 
E

ED (The ORIGINAL and REAL one)

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Terry Eustace used to build rods to your own requirements -- handle ,fittings .reel seat etc....with your own name on and nothing else ..
 
B

Baz

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There's a bloke in Leeds that still does it.
Built to your own requirements, arm measued from elbow to palm of the hand. The full monty, for relatively little cost.
 
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Wolfman Woody

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My sensei, Big Rik, has soem 2.75 carp rods custom built for him, very nice too.

Listen to Ron though, and he's the one who is saving up for a Sage fly rod. They're over ?600 OFF THE SHELF!

And another ?400-500 for a matching reel.
 
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Ron Troversial Clay

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Sage, I used to own two and they got pinched, maybe because of the designer lable on them.

And Sage are not bespoke rods, they are over-priced off the peg jobs. They are not over priced in the USA however, it's just that the rip off mob that are importing them are making a bloody mint and they are anglers daft enough to buy them just for the designer lable if you ask me.

The best fly rod I own these days is a Harrison 9 ft 6 weight which I bought from Dave Colclough at a very fair price. It's every bit as good, if not better than Sage, Loomis, Thomas & Thomas and other American manufacturers.

The next fly rod for me will be one I will build myself on a Harrison blank using the finest reel seat, cork and guides available in the world.

I spent several years making bespoke rods for people, some of them very famous fly fishers indeed. I might decide to do it again. The only problem I have is space and finding a small clean room for the varnishing. Ideally, you want a laminar flow cabinet. I will look no further than Harrison blanks. In SA I could get Sage, Fenwick, Snowbee and Conolon blanks at very good prices. I also could get stacks of Portugese specie cork and polished hardwood/titanium reel seats.

It was hard work and it took me a month to finish the rod. And it was no more expensive than than a top named non-bespoke rod.
 
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Ron Troversial Clay

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Seer Rods run by Andy Orme died a natural death. They used Harrison Blanks, which says something.

I have examined a couple of Seer rods and alway thought that the "partitioned" handle in cork and duplon looked silly. Also some of the guides were a bit sub- standard in my opinion.

If you are going to build a bespoke rod, the materials used HAVE to be the finest available anywhere in the world.
 
R

Ron Troversial Clay

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And whilst I am about it, WHY WHY WHY do poles have to be plastered with hideous makers labels and stupid manes such as "Beast Blaster" or even worse: "Armegeddon"

Come on chaps, we are supposed to be anglers, not competitors in some weird form of "Gladiator type competitions". Such decorations can only ever appeal to simple minded rabble like football followers for example.
 
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ED (The ORIGINAL and REAL one)

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"the next thing you know there will be anglers with their names on their rods"

Nothing new in that-- it was a trend and quite common in the 60s and 70s
 
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Wolfman Woody

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"WHY WHY WHY do poles have to be plastered with hideous makers labels and stupid manes such as "Beast Blaster" or even worse: "Armegeddon""

Bring it on - Carp Cruncher, Fast Carpin', Warrior, Adrenalin, Grim reaper, Moby ****, Deliverance (harken those banjos), Medusa, Assassin, Lump Hammer, and one specially for you Ron - Erextion!
 
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Wolfman Woody

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Can you juts imagine going up to another angler and asking "Have you seen my Erextion?"


Bump!
 
Graham Whatmore

Graham Whatmore

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Poles are like floats Ron, the flashier you make them the more anglers buy em! This years model is last years model in different colours with a different name, the more outrageous it is, the better they like it.
 
R

Ron Troversial Clay

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How long have you been using those rods Rik?

Oh and by the way the whipping colours are out of fashion. Can't have that. So you will have to change them. People might think you are a noddy!

Mind you I might buy them off you. Would make half decent pike rods.
 
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Baz

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At the end of the day, I think that in all aspects of fishing tackle/rods If you get that feel good factor about what you are using no matter what the cost, then why not.
 
A

Andy "the Dog" Nellist

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I have 14 rods custom built by Vic Gibson and they are far better than off the peg rods because:

1. They all have longer handles than off the peg rods which I prefer both for casting and playing fish

2. The handles are full duplon which i prefer for grip and also is better when cold

3. They are rung to my specification in terms of ring type, size and pattern for optimum casting and playing performance

4. They are finished with matt varnish on unpainted ground carbon and have plain black whippings to make them inconspicuous

5. They have my name painted on them which makes them a little less prone to being pinched

6. The sections were matched and the rods built correctly taking account of the spine

7. The sections are numbered so that i always use the rods as they were built to be used.

8. They cost less than many gaudy and far inferior rods.

9. All are built on Harrison blanks and all are superb rods that have performed wonderfully.

Custom built rods do not cost the earth often being less than off the peg rods.If you do your homework choose the right blank the right con figuration and the right rod builder you can get superb personalised rods at much the same price as off the peg models. Most anglers either don't realise this or can't be bothered.
 
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