I started fishing in 1964 and two tackle shops spring to mind. My local shop was Pedders in Dunstable which was primarily a mens hairdressers which had a small tackle store at the rear. It did not have a large range of tackle but was a superb shop for bait which specialised in liver and butter fed maggots. If I wanted something special the other shop was Anglers Corner in Leagrave Luton. This was a wonderful shop which stocked all of the high-end rods and reels of the day including the Richard Walker MK1V rods. My first decent rod was purchased from here for my birthday in 1966 it was a split cane Lee's MK1 which was a wonderful allround rod similar to the MK1V Avon. Once I started work I was earning £6 6s a week as an apprentice I blew 3 weeks wages on a Hardy Floatquest one snowy Saturday my mum thought I was mad.
First Tackle shop
- Thread starter steve2
- Start date
That reference to Edko Sports in Romford is nostalgic for me. I bought my first proper reel there. It was a Youngs Trudex centre pin. I spent £3.18s.6d on it representing 6 or 7 weeks paper round money. I still use it even though it is a bit wobbly.
I think that was about 1962 or 1963.
I think that was about 1962 or 1963.
xenon
Well-known member
First tackle shop was Townsends in Leicster-proper old school place. Are there any places like that still around? The only ones near me are Walton Tackle Exchange and Davies Angling (Staines) and these are more like Angling Direct type supermarkets.
flightliner
Well-known member
I suppose it was Bennets I n Sheffield, not his bigger shops in later years but perhaps his first on station Rd I n Darnall where I was born,
A cleverly thought out location as it was right in the way of a fish g max horde of anglers who passed the shop on their way to the station at weekends to get the 2 or three trains every saturday that went down to the Idle, Trent or Witham as far as Boston.
Like most here of a certain age I recall the smell of linseed oil, ammonia from the moakes (maggots up here lol), but most of all a small jack pike in a tank.
That pike drew me to the shop window for weeks when my parents went back home to see my grandparents every Sunday without fail in those far off days,
I would walk to the shop and tho it was closed on Sundays by that time in the afternoon I would stare at that pike for what seemed an age while at the same time staring back at me with an unwavering eye, it inspired me, it had me mesmerised so much I had to catch one!
If I had gone later in the afternoon, on the way back to my grandparents I would stop on the main Rd junction and see hundreds of anglers of anglers getting off dozens of coaches after there day long trips out to Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire.
Heady days for a young lad, I was hooked for life!!
A cleverly thought out location as it was right in the way of a fish g max horde of anglers who passed the shop on their way to the station at weekends to get the 2 or three trains every saturday that went down to the Idle, Trent or Witham as far as Boston.
Like most here of a certain age I recall the smell of linseed oil, ammonia from the moakes (maggots up here lol), but most of all a small jack pike in a tank.
That pike drew me to the shop window for weeks when my parents went back home to see my grandparents every Sunday without fail in those far off days,
I would walk to the shop and tho it was closed on Sundays by that time in the afternoon I would stare at that pike for what seemed an age while at the same time staring back at me with an unwavering eye, it inspired me, it had me mesmerised so much I had to catch one!
If I had gone later in the afternoon, on the way back to my grandparents I would stop on the main Rd junction and see hundreds of anglers of anglers getting off dozens of coaches after there day long trips out to Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire.
Heady days for a young lad, I was hooked for life!!
Roger Johnson 2
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Peddars was my first tackle shop too! A boys rod and black prince reel and a few bits was my birthday present around ‘68/‘69. I continued to use the shop through my teenage years for both tackle and haircuts although it eventually changed to just tackle, Mr Peddar (Stuart, though we never called him that as kids) was very encouraging to us as kids, a tanners worth of maggots being a very generous measure.
A peculiar mix, the scent of a traditional “something for the weekend” barbers, combined with the linseed varnish/ maggots of the tackle shops of the day.
I also became familiar with the Luton tackle shops when I started working in ‘77.
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Kingfishies
Was strange shop. With massive glass cabinets that had old wool sheets as backing paper. I must have been about 6 went in there 1st. He sold the shop to guy that always helped me out and sold me things that a bit cheap then he sold have but i cheeky teenager. He later tried to sell it on when he had terminol cancer of some kind
Was strange shop. With massive glass cabinets that had old wool sheets as backing paper. I must have been about 6 went in there 1st. He sold the shop to guy that always helped me out and sold me things that a bit cheap then he sold have but i cheeky teenager. He later tried to sell it on when he had terminol cancer of some kind
Yes Roger you are right I think Peddars closed the hairdressing section in the early seventies. I think Anglers Corner which had a big bow shaped front window closed around 1973 and became an estate agent. I loved that shop you could smell the varnish on the split cane rods. Another good Luton shop at that time was Wilds a guy called Harry Eddington was a good salesman but very encouraging to yound anglers they had a superb range of Camofloats I recall some I still have to this day
David Rogers 3
Well-known member
Raymond Thomas, next door to West Norwood railway station - Ray and his brother Gerald owned Outwood Mill near Godstone in Surrey at the time (1963), the oldest working windmill in the country. He sold guns and all manner of bric-a-brac as well as fishing tackle and was deaf as a post, which resulted in some interesting conversations when trying to buy items of tackle which, as a beginner, I wasn't always sure about the correct terminology for...
Should remember, I damn near lived there as a kid!
Russell Hillsdon in Chichester, Sussex. They were a general sports shop, tennis rackets and hockey sticks downstairs and upstairs were guns and fishing, they were best known for their shotguns which were marketed under their name.
A great family run shop and knowledgeable staff who were friends with everyone, especially Tony Poucher who looked after us youngsters and sold us 3d of maggots for the day.
I found this from his obituary in 2017, old school but a delightful man, the like of which I doubt we shall ever see again in these modern times. RIP to a gentleman that was part of my childhood.
A few lines sent in a recent email from Tony talking of a planned fishing trip:
...a small libation and gently to kip with an early start are what I enjoy. Quietness in the early doors with birds rattling on and the sun rising is pure magic. I'm looking forward very much to the 16th June when the fishing starts on the river. The tent goes up on the 14th so we'll be all set. The lovely smell of the mist rolling down with the tide and the constant plopping of the rolling fish and the first brew of the day- watching a bright red tip of a goose quill quivering with line bites and then !!!
Tony was a fisherman and gentleman collector of the old school with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the Artists Rifles Regimental history. It was his greatest wish that one day the Regimental Collection would be on permanent public display and used to educate and inspire future generations . He shared his interests and his life with his wife Joan. My thoughts go out to her at this time.
Russell Hillsdon in Chichester, Sussex. They were a general sports shop, tennis rackets and hockey sticks downstairs and upstairs were guns and fishing, they were best known for their shotguns which were marketed under their name.
A great family run shop and knowledgeable staff who were friends with everyone, especially Tony Poucher who looked after us youngsters and sold us 3d of maggots for the day.
I found this from his obituary in 2017, old school but a delightful man, the like of which I doubt we shall ever see again in these modern times. RIP to a gentleman that was part of my childhood.
A few lines sent in a recent email from Tony talking of a planned fishing trip:
...a small libation and gently to kip with an early start are what I enjoy. Quietness in the early doors with birds rattling on and the sun rising is pure magic. I'm looking forward very much to the 16th June when the fishing starts on the river. The tent goes up on the 14th so we'll be all set. The lovely smell of the mist rolling down with the tide and the constant plopping of the rolling fish and the first brew of the day- watching a bright red tip of a goose quill quivering with line bites and then !!!
Tony was a fisherman and gentleman collector of the old school with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the Artists Rifles Regimental history. It was his greatest wish that one day the Regimental Collection would be on permanent public display and used to educate and inspire future generations . He shared his interests and his life with his wife Joan. My thoughts go out to her at this time.
Sharps in Kentish Town for me in the mid to late 70s.
I have clearer memories of when family moved to Bedfordshire in 1980 I cycled the ten miles in to Bedord to Dixon Bros of Tavistock street.
rod rack on the left wall, display cabinets for floats and reels on the right hand side.
ken Dixon did great casters, actually it was an exiled Scot called Fred Moore who did the bait.
I have clearer memories of when family moved to Bedfordshire in 1980 I cycled the ten miles in to Bedord to Dixon Bros of Tavistock street.
rod rack on the left wall, display cabinets for floats and reels on the right hand side.
ken Dixon did great casters, actually it was an exiled Scot called Fred Moore who did the bait.
The bad one
Well-known member
Pools, Brown Cow, Failsworth. Shop's still there but its a Barbers these days. I remember well the first tub of mixed maggots (6Ds worth) in a Birds Custard tin me and Squeaker Ford bought. Then Pools Closed down and we had to go to Squires at the bottom end of Failsworth. He was a canny old salesman was Squires, if you wanted the good tackle, you had to ask him to get the good stuff out from under the counter. He only ever had the "catch the eye" rubbish on display.
Then Guilders opened and took the Failsworth and surrounding area by storm for the next 40 years. It closed 4 years ago and I miss it every day, I really do!
Every big fish I've ever caught up and until it closed had a link to the shop, be that hooks, leads, feeder you name it the link was there!
Then Guilders opened and took the Failsworth and surrounding area by storm for the next 40 years. It closed 4 years ago and I miss it every day, I really do!
Every big fish I've ever caught up and until it closed had a link to the shop, be that hooks, leads, feeder you name it the link was there!