Alan Whitty
Well-known member
Philistine in fact, yes I am Hugh, lol...
Best looking rods
- Thread starter Philip
- Start date
chrisjpainter
Well-known member
I think it's hard to call a rod beautiful without a reel attached. But I'd find it hard to beat my heavy pike rod. It's a Daiwa Prorex AGS Classic. Modern, for sure, but understated. Subtle purple detailing with a cork handle and stunning carbon fibre rings. It looks and feels amazing. Just wish that guaranteed big fish!
The bad one
Well-known member
One with a bloody good bend in it. The rest are bean poles in a pair of rests.
IMO the fish playing attributes of a good cane rod is superior to either glass or carbon. However their use is limited. Several of the guys on the small stream where I fish use them for Barbel and Chub for which rods such Mark 4 Avons are ideal.
@Clive
Well-known member
I have Mk. 4 Avon & Carp from JB Walker, a Chapmans 500 restored by Peter Dawson, an Allcocks Wallis Wizard restored by Tim Watson, a JJS Walker, Bampton & Co 3 piece pike rod, a JA Walker, Alnwick trout spinning rod, a Pezon et Michel two-piece 9' 6" salmon spinning rod and MARCO Silver Monarch two-piece 10' double-built, steel lined rod with a 4.5lb test curve.
I grow a lot of beans
Keith M
Well-known member
I caught my very first Barbel using a Richard Walker split cane B.James & Son MkIV Carp rod back in 1975 (See below).
I still have this rod and still very occasionally get it out if I’m feeling a bit nostalgic, but my modern carbon barbel rods are a bit better.
But I must admit it is a good looking rod though.
Keith
Last edited:
@Clive
Well-known member
They still work.....
steve2
Well-known member
I used cane rods back in the 60's and still have 2 cane fly rods, a Allcocks Wizard and Allcocks light caster. Used the light caster for small stream fishing. The fly rods and Wizard I have never used. Bought them to use but never got round to it. All lovely looking rods.
flightliner
Well-known member
Clive, you mention Peter Dawson, was it same PD who had the tackle shop on Holme Lane Hillsboro Sheffield?I have Mk. 4 Avon & Carp from JB Walker, a Chapmans 500 restored by Peter Dawson, an Allcocks Wallis Wizard restored by Tim Watson, a JJS Walker, Bampton & Co 3 piece pike rod, a JA Walker, Alnwick trout spinning rod, a Pezon et Michel two-piece 9' 6" salmon spinning rod and MARCO Silver Monarch two-piece 10' double-built, steel lined rod with a 4.5lb test curve.
I grow a lot of beans
flightliner
Well-known member
I'm sort of with the "Bad One" with one variation thats dependant on the specie of fish I'm after at any given time.
Then the rod I'll be using for them is what I consider to be the best looking.
Then the rod I'll be using for them is what I consider to be the best looking.
@Clive
Well-known member
Yes. My friend had some fly rods that he had made for him. When I was having a brief visit to visit friends & family I brought the Chapmans 500 over for a new guide fitting and a re-varnish. Peter did the job in three days. It turns out that he used to make the Peter Wheat Ledger rods for Chapmans in the 1960s.
This is the rod with your favourite type of reel
Butcherboy
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2004
- Messages
- 76
- Reaction score
- 68
I have a set of these in 2.75lb, very nice rods all round.
flightliner
Well-known member
Clive, the last time I saw Peter Dawson was at the Pennine Fishery at Littleboro in Lancashire.Yes. My friend had some fly rods that he had made for him. When I was having a brief visit to visit friends & family I brought the Chapmans 500 over for a new guide fitting and a re-varnish. Peter did the job in three days. It turns out that he used to make the Peter Wheat Ledger rods for Chapmans in the 1960s.
This is the rod with your favourite type of reel
View attachment 31823
He's a very accomplished fly angler with plenty of big Trout from the venue.
If you google the the Pennine fishery there are lots of anglers shown with pics of their catches.
Ps, is the mullet shown in the picture one of your Lincolnshire fish?
The bad one
Well-known member
All this talk of cane rods, you'll have that bloke coming back plugging his cane rod evaluation book.
The bad one
Well-known member
The only claim to fame rod wise I can make is having a pair of Daiwa Specialist Mk 2, 11 and half ft 1.5 lb test curve. These are fantastic rods and I use them when the circumstance require them.
And 4 of Mr Harrisons finest. 13 ft GTI match, a Torrex 1.75lb barbel rod (Built by Dave Lumb), and two Interceptors 12 ft 1.75 lb. One of which is the final prototype before they launched the model on the market. I did have two, but I broke one on the Fens. The original prototypes were bought off Graham Marsden who designed and developed them with Mr H for bream and tench fishing. Mr H replaced the broken one with a production model at no cost to me.
You wouldn't know the difference between the prototype and the production model.
And 4 of Mr Harrisons finest. 13 ft GTI match, a Torrex 1.75lb barbel rod (Built by Dave Lumb), and two Interceptors 12 ft 1.75 lb. One of which is the final prototype before they launched the model on the market. I did have two, but I broke one on the Fens. The original prototypes were bought off Graham Marsden who designed and developed them with Mr H for bream and tench fishing. Mr H replaced the broken one with a production model at no cost to me.
You wouldn't know the difference between the prototype and the production model.
Aknib
Well-known member
My natural choice would be Hardy Marksmans with their olive green blanks and champagne coloured Fuji reel seats which blend in perfectly with their rather sublime cork handles but the one thing that lets them down for me is that horrible, imo, block font writing on the butt section, why oh why they didn't go for something more along the lines of a stylish scroll type font i'll never know. It just doesn't align with the spirit of the range imo but then that's just me.
Did they alter it on the later Supero?
I've got both so i'll check the next time I go in the garage.
To which end I award my own aesthetic gold medal to...
Bruce & Walker Hexagraph Avons and the one desirable rod which still eludes me.
Carbon which looks like cane, understated and stylish graphics and an overall finish, often dictated by a purchaser of impeccable taste, which is second to none.
I know they've gone which will only drive the second hand prices higher but my choice would be the stainless steel reel fitting on a honey toned butt and blank section along with matching butt cap and deep burgundy whippings.
Did they alter it on the later Supero?
I've got both so i'll check the next time I go in the garage.
To which end I award my own aesthetic gold medal to...
Bruce & Walker Hexagraph Avons and the one desirable rod which still eludes me.
Carbon which looks like cane, understated and stylish graphics and an overall finish, often dictated by a purchaser of impeccable taste, which is second to none.
I know they've gone which will only drive the second hand prices higher but my choice would be the stainless steel reel fitting on a honey toned butt and blank section along with matching butt cap and deep burgundy whippings.
@Clive
Well-known member
Yes, they are 'at home' from May to October. Best time to get there is around 4 hours before LW at Hull. You'll get an hour or so fishing the ebb for roach then two or three hours at the mullet. The mullet may have left by now. They go up t'Umber into the old docks for the winter months. The roach will be still there all winter. Some near 2lb fish amongst them.
My friend 'Barnsley Bill' is a friend of Peter. He used to get all his tackle from him. We never fished that venue, but I have heard of it. Bill had a ticket for the Waltonians stretch of the Derwent and I had a DRAC ticket for an adjoining stretch so we spent a lot of time down there.
@Clive
Well-known member
I too was after a Hexagraph Avon, #2. The cheapest new one was £1300 and s/h rods were over a ton. Luckily for me I dropped on a mint Allcocks Wallis Wizard that had been fully restored then never used. That took away the desire for a Hexagraph.
The special MK 4 Carp Rods Barder commissioned for Farlows of Pall.Mall are simply stunning and works of art. One which belonged to the late John Mason who run the Wooton syndicate for years is available for a cool £2000.
markcw
Exiled Northerner
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2017
- Messages
- 13,335
- Reaction score
- 11,991
It's a shame they didn't carry on producing poles, I had two Century Excalibur poles , they were brilliant . It was in the early/mid 80's.
One of the flick tip top pieces had external eyes on it , brilliant for changing elastic .
Used to remove from bottom eye and pull it through the eyes , then put new piece in reverse order to fit .
Had lengths of different strength elastic in seat box ready to change .
Other topkits fitted internally as normal .
A mate had a colmic pole and nothing but trouble with it .the finish internally was rubbish