Tradition Versus Technology

I've always been something of a technophile and early innovator (translated that means I'm a mug for gadgets, especially those with plugs or batteries, and anything with a 'new' label), so it's even harder for me to understand.

But why do some anglers love old gear?

I can understand, to some extent, why anglers who lived through Walker's era enjoy fishing with a cane MK IV rod, if only for the feeling of nostalgia they enjoy. But why do some younger anglers buy cane rods and want to fish with Mitchell 300's, for instance?

There is just no comparison between cane rods and modern carbon rods, yesteryears reels and todays reels.

Modern tackle is lighter, stronger, cheaper and does the job much, much better.

So, other than to conjure up nostalgia, can a traditionalist explain why he loves old gear?

not really a technocrate myself Graham, but for me old tackle (most being Junk) is very nostalgic, takes me back to my youth

a merry England of the trent otter, Mr Crabtree and the like, long hot summer school hoildays, no responsibility, mysteries, whats in the pond, timeless days

I was happy in those days, before my life was ruined with women, kids, lack of money and work

growing up sort of took the edge off things

history and nostalga every time

life was much slower and quieter

designed for humanistic living really in a time before western capitalisation turned us all in to economically driven parts of a huge machine which will eventually dissapear up its own offerice

Karl Marks did have a point?

(and he liked his split cane)

how would you rate a quality top end pin against say an Abu 501 for trotting?
both do the same thing, and one is easier to use, but is the absolute presentation the same with a stickfloat?

I prefer a pin, but there are times when its windy, long trotting etc, when I sometimes think the Abu would be better....

I like trotting with a 'pin but would prefer a really well-designed closed face reel if there was such a beast.

have Shimano ever ventured into the closed face market?

cant ever recall anything,,,, but you are older than me.......

No, don't think so, young 'un.

dont suppose it fits with the business model.....

I was looking in a tackle shop's window the other day and there was a Bruce and Walker rod that had 1 3/4lb test curve. The price tag showed it was for sale for ?399. It looked so old that it should have read ?3.99. And next to it was one of the latest from the Fox, same test curve for ?99. Why on earth anyone would spend 400 quid on an old cane that looks like it'd struggle to land a gudgeon is beyond me.

why would you buy a secondhand 'E' type when you could have a new 'Kia'......?

Bruce and Walker rod = E Type? more like Austin Allegro

YEAH, SUPPOSE SO.....

Stuart,it is more likely that it was a Hexagraph (carbon) at that price than a cane rod.

I don't go out of my way to use old tackle but only replace it when I feel I need something better.

Still using a couple of Mitchell 300s,not many modern fixed spool reels have a full contact rotor,if someone produces a good one I might be tempted.

I have a couple of Harrison rods for legering,but my favourite float rod for anything except barbel/carp is 20 years old,a perfect through action,and weighs 5.5 oz.

My oldish pins work as well as any new equivalents.

Maybe I'm just tight-fisted.

From a Fly fishing point of view a number of game anglers still use split cane because they prefer the slower action sich rods giv on the cast. One of the best dry fly fishing authors and fishermen in the world (John Gierarch) uses exclusively cane for his river trout fishing.

Going back to Graham's question, I personally think its one of those "unanswerable" questions.....or more like everyone has a different answer!

Why do some people love travelling the country to see Steam Trains?

Why do some people love collecting old stamps?

Why did I spend three nights last week, in knee deep mud catching sod all? (Actually, there is probably an answer to this one, as much as it pains me to admit).

Why do some people support Man United when they have probably never even been to the city?

I guess it just comes down to what gives you the most pleasure at the end of the day (which in terms of West Ham isn't very much!).

Bruce and Walker may not make the best course fishing rod but they do make some of the best fly rods. Shimano can only dream of making fly rods in the same class. Bruce and Walker - E-Types to me! Shimano fly rods - Nissan Micra second hand.

There are any number of reasons
1. the 'nostalgia' thing
2 an element of deliberately making things
just a little harder to see if you can
still 'do it'
3 a rebellion against things modern and
a return to simple reels,simple rigs.
4 for me it's just about the pleasure of
handling old reels that still work.

Gerry
Good answer matey the only thing to add is that some fishing demands modern tackle but I for one would always rather use a pin wherever possible, just more fun.
Now cane rods - don't get me started, nice on the wall but that's about all, not to my taste at all.
In some respects it's a pity I do so much lure fishing these days as modern tackle really is required for most of that.
Regards
Jeremy

Graham,
You are correct, obviously, when you note that traditional tackle does not measure up to today's modern materials etc.
For me, however, it is not a case of one or the other, but I try to mix and match my tackle and techniques to my whim.
I live and work in the USA but keep a fishing cottage on the Avon just outside of Salisbury. I usually manage 5 or 6 trips "home" per year where I do nothing but fish, fish and then fish some more.
Typically, I will spend 2 or 3 of my 8 days fishing with Cane and 'Pin using 40 year old floats and thoroughly enjoying myself, even in the knowledge that if I spent that time with "modern" tackle then my catch rates would probably be much higher. For the other days of my trips I fish with modern rods, reels, tackle and baits.
Developing my thoughts further as I write, I am wondering if I tend to rely on my rivercraft and experience far more on my cane and 'pin days than I do on my modern tackle days. First thoughts are that I probably do.
As to the reasons that I spend time with the Cane and 'pin well, the Monk has described this better than I could.

Maybe I am reliving those early days when I would walk the mile or so to old Ma'Bennett's tackle shop in Tooting, buy my 6 pennyworth of maggot and Silvercloud ground-bait, then trudge to the Station to take the train to Hampton Court where I would spend a day fishing for dace, roach and bleak.
By the way, that old tackle shop had a special smell that today's shops have lost, that indescribable mixture of maggot saw dust and the stuff that they used to 'proof keepnets and landing nets with.

It took me almost 18 months of working on Saturday's to save enough to buy my first Mk.IV Avon, and yes, I still have it and I really do still use it. I still use my Mitchell 300's, my Trudex, my Rapidex and my Match Aerial too.

In the end, for me, you just can't beat the nostalgia.

There was a chap on a antique show who was fly fishing with a old split cane rod,horse hair line,and he had a pair of waders than looked like false legs,but he didnt wear the waders,if he had, he may of drowned.

Who was it who said, "There's more to fishing than just catching fish".

Whoever it was is quite right. We all go fishing to enjoy ourselves and if that enjoyment can be enhanced by using antique tackle, then that's fine.

Some may think that there is an element of snobbery surrounding people who use such tackle, especially if they wear 'traditional' gentlemens country attire like tweed jackets, felt hats, waxed cotton etc.

This would be a false impression of course, these anglers are just doing what makes them happy and are basically a very down to earth bunch.

Any Sheringham Society members on here I wonder?