rod most anglers have owned

[trotter2]

The old silstar rods were very good the diaflex range being superb.
I could take just the one rod and ledger, float fish, even fished a light feeder on it.
Must have caught 1000 of fish on that rod every thing from gudgeon to barbell it did the lot. Won a few match using it "happy memories".

It had a unique sliding band fitting what screwed tight to the cork, never seen one like it since.

 

[chub_on_the_block]

I suppose budget rods like the unlovely Shakespeare Strike (never owned one, but fished with one) would bear consideration for those of a certain age.

That was the one i had - Shakey Strike. Extra wide diameter fibreglass, shiny black finish with Darth Vader cool silver decals. Vintage 1977 when rod builders new how to make gear fit for stormtroopers.

The force was certainly strong with this one ... it was rubbish with fine lines

 

[robtherake]

The old silstar rods were very good the diaflex range being superb.
I could take just the one rod and ledger, float fish, even fished a light feeder on it.
Must have caught 1000 of fish on that rod every thing from gudgeon to barbell it did the lot. Won a few match using it "happy memories".

It had a unique sliding band fitting what screwed tight to the cork, never seen one like it since.

Still loving this Diaflex 12 footer. It's stashed in the van or I'd upload a pic of the reel fitting - a "twist to tighten" design that works fairly well.

 

[flightliner]

I reckon that most anglers in their formative years would have started out with a garden cane, a bent pin, some cotton and a couple of matchsticks.
Six foot long garden canes were the perfect job for my local pond when after sticklebacks.

 

[robtherake]

I reckon that most anglers in their formative years would have started out with a garden cane, a bent pin, some cotton and a couple of matchsticks.
Six foot long garden canes were the perfect job for my local pond when after sticklebacks.

My formative angling years were spent looking at ABU and Shakespeare catalogues listing the latest fibreglass dream rods (a dream for a thirteen year old boy, at least.) This was 1975, so not exactly yesterday: perhaps certain gentlemen of the forum are older than I thought

Interesting, though, to see the comparison between different generations of anglers.

 

[flightliner]

Rob, maybe I should have said " in the fifties" lol.

 

[trotter2]

My formative angling years were spent looking at ABU and Shakespeare catalogues listing the latest fibreglass dream rods (a dream for a thirteen year old boy, at least.) This was 1975, so not exactly yesterday: perhaps certain gentlemen of the forum are older than I thought

Interesting, though, to see the comparison between different generations of anglers.

4 years older than me Rob

 

[symonh2000]

The old silstar rods were very good the diaflex range being superb.
I could take just the one rod and ledger, float fish, even fished a light feeder on it.
Must have caught 1000 of fish on that rod every thing from gudgeon to barbell it did the lot. Won a few match using it "happy memories".

It had a unique sliding band fitting what screwed tight to the cork, never seen one like it since.

I have a Diaflex Carp rod here, it was the first thing I bought with my first wage packet nearly 20 years ago.

It is stil, a great rod to use.

I also have the JW Avon quiver, the version with single top and part cork, part EVH handle.

 

[robtherake]

4 years older than me Rob

You're nobbut a pup, then.

 

[maggot_dangler]

My favorite rod (that i picked up for a fiver ) is a Silstar 3545-300 3.0m just love it now i am continually looking for other Silstar rods going for silly money another one of these would be snapped up as well .

PG ...

 

[Nigel Hemmings]

That was the one thing that was baffling me greenie, I don't recall the Ian Heaps branding on mine either but I'm sure that's the rod I had especially with that almost flouro red, velvety feel bag.

Just stumbled across this link.
I still have the Ian Heaps Abu Quickstick 12ft with the ‘Red velvet rod bag’ in mint condition, love it. They don’t make rod bags like this anymore!

 

[Keith M]

I have a rod with a black velvet rod bag but I can’t remember which rod it is. I might be wrong but I think it might be either my old Drennan DRX River Feeder rod or my old Drennan Specialist rod but I can’t be sure.

Keith

 

[sam vimes]

I still have the Ian Heaps Abu Quickstick 12ft with the ‘Red velvet rod bag’ in mint condition, love it. They don’t make rod bags like this anymore!

I could be wrong but I suspect it'll be a DAM rod rather than an Abu.

I have a few more recent rods with velvety bags. However, a long time ago I had a Shimano Stradic quiver rod that came in a nice red velvet type bag. It was really nice until it eventually started to break down. Bits of it went brittle and some went gooey. I've been a bit wary of velvety rod bags since then. I've long had a soft spot for the old Daiwa blue and white logo rod bags. The most elegantly and simply functional are probably the Shimano cotton twill bags with velcro. On the more expensive rods they were often embroidered and the rods were also supplied with a zipped hard tube. Without getting into the realms of the daft ready rod bags that some supply these days, the poshest take on a standard rod bag that I've ever seen are those supplied with Browning Spheres.

 

[mikench]

Being a sad b****** i too like a quality rod bag. I agree that the Sphere bag is excellent and just nice to put your rod pieces in and take them out. The Sphere 2 rod hold-all is an excellent piece of kit too and keeps my Browning rods together. The Hardy rod bags are class. The Normarks i have all have velvet bags as does the Shimano Antares. Why spoil the rod with a cheap bag' i have a couple of Daiwa rods in the coarse blue bags which still look new. The replacement bags i have had made are top quality.

 

[Nigel Hemmings]

Yes, you can’t beat a nice quality rod bag, I must be a sad ‘bar steward’ as well.
Tight lines!

 

[mikench]

I like a classy bag or tube like the Antares, Hardy and even Shakespeare rods come in. I'm sure they improve the rod.

 

[Nigel Hemmings]

Yes, you can’t beat a nice quality rod bag, I must be a sad ‘bar steward’ as well.
Tight lines.

I could be wrong but I suspect it'll be a DAM rod rather than an Abu.

I have a few more recent rods with velvety bags. However, a long time ago I had a Shimano Stradic quiver rod that came in a nice red velvet type bag. It was really nice until it eventually started to break down. Bits of it went brittle and some went gooey. I've been a bit wary of velvety rod bags since then. I've long had a soft spot for the old Daiwa blue and white logo rod bags. The most elegantly and simply functional are probably the Shimano cotton twill bags with velcro. On the more expensive rods they were often embroidered and the rods were also supplied with a zipped hard tube. Without getting into the realms of the daft ready rod bags that some supply these days, the poshest take on a standard rod bag that I've ever seen are those supplied with Browning Spheres.

Yes you’re correct, it’s a DAM, too many red wines last night!
Was toying with taking the sliding reel rings off it and having it converted to Fuji FPS winch fittings. Thoughts on that?

 

[Nigel Hemmings]

I like a classy bag or tube like the Antares, Hardy and even Shakespeare rods come in. I'm sure they improve the rod.

I’ve seen an old link about you changing the reel rings and was thinking of doing the same to my Ian Heaps rod, how did you get on when you did yours?

 

[mikench]

I've never done that but quite a few have including Bracket and Flightliner. Bracket in particular has vast experience and I'm sure would give you guidance if you asked. Send him a PM. I'm sure this old thread contains a video on how to do it.

I have two Amorphous Whisker rods with sliding reel seats but the rubber kind and not metal. I decided I would keep them original and it's not as though I only have a few rods. In any event they work well enough and allow me to indulge in a little nostalgia occasionally.

 

[Nigel Hemmings]

I've never done that but quite a few have including Bracket and Flightliner. Bracket in particular has vast experience and I'm sure would give you guidance if you asked. Send him a PM. I'm sure this old thread contains a video on how to do it.

I have two Amorphous Whisker rods with sliding reel seats but the rubber kind and not metal. I decided I would keep them original and it's not as though I only have a few rods. In any event they work well enough and allow me to indulge in a little nostalgia occasionally.

As you say, it’s nostalgia, might just keep them as they are.
I mainly Barbel fish the river with a couple of other rods but have had this Ian Heaps since my teens and I fish it with the classic Mitchell Match 440 on the local pools and as the river season is over soon the Heaps will be making an appearance again. Thanks for the advice/chat. Tight lines.?