Thomas Turner
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- Joined
- Mar 22, 2017
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It is always a pleasure to hear from our customers about how they get on with their purchases from Thomas Turner. One customer in particular, Steve Adams, recently purchased a rod, reel and creel from the Gary Brooker collection. He contacted us to let us know the background to his purchases and why they are extra special to him.
I was fishing the river Tillingbourne at Vale End Fishery, Chilworth, which is part of the Albury Estate Fishery where I am a season rod holder. I got there just after 7.30 am, put the Midge rod and flyweight reel together, the sun was already getting warm. I tried the stream below the mill pond first but no matter how careful I tried to keep my shadow to the minimum, the fish were easily spooked, but nevertheless it was a good exercise to get used to the rod. By now a few more anglers had arrived and started to fish the main lake.
Walking slowly upstream I noticed fish rising in front of me, this part of the river was in the shade so shadows weren’t an issue. I tried my favourite olive buzzer as I couldn’t actually see a fly on the water, a couple of fish swirled at it but didn’t take. I then spotted a solitary fish in the middle of the stream, I tied on another favourite that seems to work well there, a ginger cruncher, and now I was getting used to the rod, I managed to cast with some precision. The fish took the fly vigorously, the rod bending as it did, then leapt out of the water and landed on the bank!!!! With a bit of flopping around it was back in the water again putting up a good fight, the rod bending with confidence as I tried to keep the fish away from the tree roots and weed, eventually a cracking rainbow coming to the net weighing in at 2 and half pounds. Similar tactics were used again taking another rainbow much the same size.
The rod was a dream to use, light, responsive and certainly gave me the confidence in handling such a beautiful rod along with its history, I hope Gary enjoyed using it as much as I did yesterday.
I’m not really a rod and reel collector, however after many years absence from the fly fishing scene I started fishing again last year, and after a disastrous trip to Clatworthy reservoir I realised how bad my tackle had become. Having just received an inheritance I decided to replace things, not with new modern tackle, but with good quality secondhand, mostly Hardy. A trip to the Rod Box just outside Winchester saw me come away with a Marquis # 8/9, and spare spool, both fitted with Hardy lines. Collections of flies in Fox boxes were sourced on eBay, along with a Hardy Sovereign 9ft # 7/8, a rod I could only dream of owning when they first hit the scene. The Marquis was then substituted for a Princess which is more balanced for the rod. Then I discovered Thomas Turner, a three piece Richard Walker Farnborough rod was my first purchase. I was very pleased with your service, shortly after, adding a Hardy Sovereign gold reel and spool to use on my 60th, and then some of the Gary Brooker collection. As Gary was one of the local celebs from around my home of Cranleigh, along with Eric Clapton, and others, that makes it even more special.
If you would like to tell us about your catches from your purchases with us – please email us at office@thomasturner.com – we would love to hear from you!
The post Feedback from a happy customer, taking his Gary Brooker purchases out to the river. appeared first on Thomas Turner Fishing Antiques.
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I was fishing the river Tillingbourne at Vale End Fishery, Chilworth, which is part of the Albury Estate Fishery where I am a season rod holder. I got there just after 7.30 am, put the Midge rod and flyweight reel together, the sun was already getting warm. I tried the stream below the mill pond first but no matter how careful I tried to keep my shadow to the minimum, the fish were easily spooked, but nevertheless it was a good exercise to get used to the rod. By now a few more anglers had arrived and started to fish the main lake.
Walking slowly upstream I noticed fish rising in front of me, this part of the river was in the shade so shadows weren’t an issue. I tried my favourite olive buzzer as I couldn’t actually see a fly on the water, a couple of fish swirled at it but didn’t take. I then spotted a solitary fish in the middle of the stream, I tied on another favourite that seems to work well there, a ginger cruncher, and now I was getting used to the rod, I managed to cast with some precision. The fish took the fly vigorously, the rod bending as it did, then leapt out of the water and landed on the bank!!!! With a bit of flopping around it was back in the water again putting up a good fight, the rod bending with confidence as I tried to keep the fish away from the tree roots and weed, eventually a cracking rainbow coming to the net weighing in at 2 and half pounds. Similar tactics were used again taking another rainbow much the same size.
The rod was a dream to use, light, responsive and certainly gave me the confidence in handling such a beautiful rod along with its history, I hope Gary enjoyed using it as much as I did yesterday.
I’m not really a rod and reel collector, however after many years absence from the fly fishing scene I started fishing again last year, and after a disastrous trip to Clatworthy reservoir I realised how bad my tackle had become. Having just received an inheritance I decided to replace things, not with new modern tackle, but with good quality secondhand, mostly Hardy. A trip to the Rod Box just outside Winchester saw me come away with a Marquis # 8/9, and spare spool, both fitted with Hardy lines. Collections of flies in Fox boxes were sourced on eBay, along with a Hardy Sovereign 9ft # 7/8, a rod I could only dream of owning when they first hit the scene. The Marquis was then substituted for a Princess which is more balanced for the rod. Then I discovered Thomas Turner, a three piece Richard Walker Farnborough rod was my first purchase. I was very pleased with your service, shortly after, adding a Hardy Sovereign gold reel and spool to use on my 60th, and then some of the Gary Brooker collection. As Gary was one of the local celebs from around my home of Cranleigh, along with Eric Clapton, and others, that makes it even more special.
If you would like to tell us about your catches from your purchases with us – please email us at office@thomasturner.com – we would love to hear from you!
The post Feedback from a happy customer, taking his Gary Brooker purchases out to the river. appeared first on Thomas Turner Fishing Antiques.
Continue reading...