Fishing with old tackle

Lord Paul of Sheffield

Lord Paul of Sheffield

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Would you consider, just for a day, fishing with and old rod (such as those mentioned in my Your first rod) thread, using an old reel with poor drag, sitting on an old wicker basket and using an old heavy landing net?

I'd have to buy a Black Prince reel to get the authentic feel of a how I used to fish as a lad
 
barbelboi

barbelboi

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$od that!!! my carp landing net in the 60's was a bicycle rim with an hessian sack roped on...................................:eek:
 
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Alan Tyler

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I have, and use, several very ordinary bottom rods that I use much of the time; my centre-pins - even the old bakelite and wooden ones - have as good a drag as I can get - my thumb - and the only reason I don't use my wicker basket much is that I can't attach a levelling system to it, so, broadly, yes, I would.

What I would never wish to use again are the godawful hooks of those days; as for the rest, it worked then and still does. The fact that I catch more with it now than then is largely down to the quality of the waters I can now reach, for which I am hugely grateful.
 
robtherake

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For a laugh, yes, and to feel all the memories flooding back as I handled the old stuff. I use older gear - some could almost be called vintage, like the 50s Mitchell 308s - but it's all good, usable kit that can be relied upon.:)
 
sam vimes

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I could use my very first rod and reel as I still have both. However, I'd really rather not. I'm quite sure that I'd still catch a few, but not as many. I'd definitely not enjoy myself as much.
 
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trotter2

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Black Prince my first reel also. Cant see the point is still using it sorry.
 
tigger

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robtherake said:
...and that peculiar itch that only wicker could generate. :)
Click to expand...

All that creaking and squeaking e very time I moved a musclereally annoyed me and even with a peice of sponge tied on the lid it still recked me ar$e...and me back! If it rained hard everything in the basket would get wet which was another grip I had with mine.
I sold mine on a boot sale many years ago but only several years ago my mrs bought me a minter from a boot sale for three notes. I like the looks of it but only use it to store tackle in.
 
robtherake

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tigger said:
All that creaking and squeaking e very time I moved a musclereally annoyed me and even with a peice of sponge tied on the lid it still recked me ar$e...and me back! If it rained hard everything in the basket would get wet which was another grip I had with mine.
I sold mine on a boot sale many years ago but only several years ago my mrs bought me a minter from a boot sale for three notes. I like the looks of it but only use it to store tackle in.
Click to expand...

When the woven cane hinges went on my first one they were replaced with leather straps which had a horrible tendency to slip at the most inconvenient times, with one corner falling inside and destablising the whole seating arrangement (which was often precarious enough to start with.) I had a piece of foam wrapped in a fertiliser bag for a cushion, but a sweaty arse was just as bad as a ribbed and itchy one, so it was debatable whether it was much of an improvement.:D
 
tigger

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robtherake said:
When the woven cane hinges went on my first one they were replaced with leather straps which had a horrible tendency to slip at the most inconvenient times, with one corner falling inside and destablising the whole seating arrangement (which was often precarious enough to start with.) I had a piece of foam wrapped in a fertiliser bag for a cushion, but a sweaty arse was just as bad as a ribbed and itchy one, so it was debatable whether it was much of an improvement.:D
Click to expand...


Jeez.....I don't like the sound of a sweaty itchy ass lol
 
rich4930

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Going through a midlife crisis as I am, yes any day!!! Anything to remind me of those carefree days of youth. Sore backside? Pah! I had a 4" wad of foam on top, and weighing 5 stone less than I do today, it was no problem. My biggest problem was folding the Penthouse and Mayfair magazines in such a way, that my Dad wouldn't see them through the wicker

Funnily enough, when I was last over in the UK I salvaged my first and second rod and brought them back over. As I speak they're in the tackle shop having some light repair work done. My first is a 5ft no-name "starter kit" rod and only really serves nostalgic value now (my son will be getting it), but the 2nd rod (a Shakespeare float rod) I absolutely loved and caught all sorts on it from minnows and gudgeon to decent sized tench, carp to 12lb and small pike. That is definitely going back into service as a tench rod!
 
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caferacer

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I have a 66 Triumph,it leaks a bit and rattles the bejaysus out of me and is hideously unreliable,I have a 99 Honda CBR 1000,it doesnt leak and is silky smooth.I love both.Hands up who knows what bike I instinctively go to when in the shed:).I use Hardy Richard Walker rods and my Bruce and Walker Avon when I can.Its just horses for courses....
 
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steve2

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What is the point in using old tackle when the modern tackle is so much better.
I can't think of any tackle be it rods reels, line etc. in the past, that were better than what I now use.
Just thought of one, lead split shot.
 
Keith M

Keith M

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I definitely wouldnt want to use the old small wooden reel or the old Tonkin Cane rod that my dad gave me to use when I fished with him on the canal in the late 1950's.

Neither would I want to use my Intrepid Extra or the 9ft Abu 403 solid glass spinning rod that I was bought a few years later when I was about 12 years old.

I still occasionally use an old Abu 506 when I am trotting for Roach & Dace on a river and an old Abu Cardinal 55 which I sometimes use for surface fishing for Carp and an old Mitchell Match when I'm waggler fishing on a Canal, and all 3 of these are still excellent reels from the 70's and 80's.

Plus I have an old B.James & Son MKIV Carp rod that still gets a very rare outing together with an old Mitchell 300 or a Centrepin when or if I feel a little nostalgic.

Keith
 
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Ray Daywalker Clarke

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barbelboi said:
$od that!!! my carp landing net in the 60's was a bicycle rim with an hessian sack roped on...................................:eek:
Click to expand...

What do you mean, you had that at the LIF fish in :D:D

I still use my Mitchell Match, it's never let me down, and I also use my Richard Walker MKIV split cane rod now and then, great fun floater fishing on top.
 
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