Old tackle still in use?

Mart Smith · May 9, 2012

With a few different threads about good / bad tackle, I wonder what's the oldest piece of kit you have that you use frequently? I'm still using a pair of original optonic bite alarms (1 hi and 1 low). They must be 30 years old, but still going strong!

Lord Paul of Sheffield · May 9, 2012

Since I only returned to fishing about 10 yeares ago I've bought new kit - the old stuff had either been sold, given away or rotted

peter crabtree · May 9, 2012

Still use my 30 year old ABU 501 for trotting a stick when it's too windy
to use a pin....

Peter Jacobs · May 9, 2012

I still use my Aby 501's and my Aerial centrepins (and Aerial match reels)together with my Wallis Wizard, MkIV Avons and MkIV Carp rods and many more besides.

I have, and use, floats that are 30 t o40 years old too.

That said, I am just as happy sat behind 16m of pole or a trio of modern Carp or Tench rods sat atop of Delkim alarms.

Its grand to use old/vintage/veteran rods, reels and tackle every now and then to fully appreciate today's 'modern' kit.

barbelboi · May 9, 2012

A 20 something year old Normark that I regularly use for trotting, a 1957 MK4 Avon that I still use occasionally. The Mitchells and Abu 55's were sent to the loft in the 70's
Jerry

John Howard · May 9, 2012

Still using a fibre glass landing net handle that was a prize from the AT. The arms are from the same date to circa late 70's. The make being Polynet. Anyone remember them? They produced the first knitted net.

I also still have an Efgeeco Midland seat box and one of their folding landing net heads dating from the 60's.

The more I think about it the worse it gets, Bread punch 4 heads that screw into alloy barrel. Plastic sliding lid, hook boxes. Aquarian landing net handle, 60's. Home made pike floats dating from mid 70's although these have been modified some what.

simon dunbar · May 9, 2012

I 've got an old two piece landing net handle about 25 years old , years ago the thread went and my dad made a new threaded top for it at work.I still use it now , that handle has helped me land double figure barbel , 20 lbs+ pike and catfish to around 40 lbs !!

A bit like 'Triggers' broom on fools and horses it has seen lots of different nets attached to it . It looks a bit **** , but I still like to use it....

chub_on_the_block · May 9, 2012

As another returning angler about 3yrs back after a break of 20 years most of my kit is about 25-30 yrs old!. Gradually replacing bits and pieces as i go, but in general my attitude is if it aint broke dont fix it and so long as it is up to task its good enough for now.

I am still using the old Mitchells and ABU 500 series, Normark rods (mostly) that vhandle well enough for me and and obviously the floats are as good now as they ever were. To start replacing reels, rods etc with mid-range gear would cost a fortune - and i dont know how long my rediscovered interest will last. Also, despite all i hear and read about Shimano and most other modern reels reels i just find them really ugly looking. Just cos the handle can spin like a turntable doesnt impress me at all.

If i wanted to take up serious carping or pike fishing i would have to invest in new gear. I cant rule that out but at the moment i am not interested.

agamemnon · May 9, 2012

every trip out i take my trusted optonics and my bruce and walker landing net handle.
for the odd trip down a local lake with a good stock of doubles and low 20s i use my bruce and walker 2lbs test rods with mitchel 300 reels
a lot of my tackle though is between 10-18 years old and i brought the best i could afford at the time i dont really see the need to change perfectly good tackle for the sake of it

S-Kippy · May 9, 2012

peter crabtree said:
Still use my 30 year old ABU 501 for trotting a stick when it's too windy
to use a pin....

Me too...except I am a very poor judge of "too windy" so the 501 doesn't get out as often as it should. Brilliant reel.

flightliner · May 9, 2012

I too still have and use my original optonics which I had conerted "Bamford style" back in the early/mid eighties. Great items that have never let me down(£19-99p each if I remember correctly).When not using my Rukkie I still take my old trusty fishing box that I made back in the early seventies from plywood and adjustable legs, earlier this year I bought a new one with drawers and stuff but couldnt get on with it so got rid after one use only and got the old box out.
Wont be without my old Mitchells, especially the match,es that are invaluable when i,m on the river stick floating, had em since about 1974/5.
Not much paint on em anymore but hey! who cares.
Also one very sentimental item-- a float that I made when not much older than eleven or so, not used it since god were a lad but it just goes averywhere in my float box.

sma · May 9, 2012

Still use my Mitchell match reels, and have a few carbonyte floats from he same era.

Michael Hastings · May 9, 2012

Still using a Tricast 11ft carp rod from 1983. My newest Pike rod for bank fishing is late 80's. Baitrunner from 87/88 sill going strong. Landing net from mid 80's.
Yes, I look like a tramp.

Neil Maidment · May 9, 2012

Mart Smith said:
... I wonder what's the oldest piece of kit you have that you use frequently?

My brain, but not frequently enough!

peterjg · May 10, 2012

Still using converted Optonics, I have a pair of ABU 66 reels which I still use for pike fishing, a pair of Aerial reels still used very regularly. I have a bait dropper still in use which I bought as a kid in the sixties. My dad died in 1962 and I still have two of his floats but I can't bring myself to use them in case they are lost.

---------- Post added at 23:47 ---------- Previous post was at 23:42 ----------

Another thought. I still have my dad's old rod - it's 10ft 6inches, 3 piece made of whole cane with a solid glass top section. A few years ago I used it with an old bakelite Alcocks Aeralite centrepin on the Aylesbury Arm and caught a few small roach and perch - I'm sure I received some funny looks from other anglers!

Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC) · May 10, 2012

ABU 501 around 25 years old.

3 Daiwa rods.

A RIVA Seat box (like the Shakespeare Box).

A Silstar 11m Competition Pole.

watatoad · May 10, 2012

Whoops, where do I start? I still use the cane rod I first had in 1955 and even the reel though the reel has taken a fair pounding. ...hehehe... Then there is the ABU Mk 5 Match tip 13' rod, a couple of Mitchell 308's which were bought when they were first released in the early 1960's. I have got rid of a lot of the other old tackle a few years ago although I might still have the odd galvanised live bait carrier laying about and some aluminium maggot tins and even one of the old lesney bread punches. ...hehehe... A lot of the so called great modern reels and even many of the modern rods are not going to last even a quarter of that time and have seen so many thrown away as they have worn out or snapped.

maceo · May 10, 2012

Just loaded up my 1960s canvas rod holdall ready for tomorrow.

It's solid, strong, doesn't blow away in the wind like the cloth ones and has got extra pockets for the reels and spools.

My (only) landing net handle is a two piece extendable one that I was handed down from my father - must be at least 30 years old but works fine. I can't see any reason to replace it.

My brolly is a 'Steadfast' brand one which again was handed down and must be about the same sort of age. Admittedly it is a bit of a beast and often bites your fingers when you're putting it up or down, but apart from that it works just fine.

red creel · May 11, 2012

I still have an old Efgeeco tackle box that is used.Ok fair enough it does not accompany me to the bankside but rather it acts as a base camp for all my terminal tackle.I decant what i need into 2 or 3 soft ESP soft pouches the night before.Up until a few years ago i also still used the old Efgeeco ajustable chair,had the material redone twice before the frame itself gave up the ghost.

BarryC · May 11, 2012

When sorting through my fathers shed after he passed away a few years back I came across the first proper rod I ever had.
I bought it when I was around 18 about 45 years ago.
The rod is an Edgar sealy ultralight an 11ft float rod.
It was in a poor state but after stripping down, fitting new rings and a pair of ferules it turned out fine.
Have used it several times this season coupled with my speedia pin and it feels wonderfull. I used to catch mainly crucians on it in my youth so imagine how elated I felt to get one of just over 2lb on it a couple of weeks ago.
Will be out with it tommorrow trying for the rods first ever tench.

Thanks for keeping it for me dad.

Old tackle still in use?

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