Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC)
Senior Member
I've got a John Wilson Avon too, as well as the TP Connoisseur rod. The first one is dark green and the second one is a sort of burgundy colour.
rod most anglers have owned
- Thread starter Lord Paul of Sheffield
- Start date
sam vimes
Well-known member
I believe the Wilson Avon I had was one of the first type. Dark (bottle) green blank, cheap rod rings, ridiculous abreviated EVA handle and black metal sliding reel rings. The EVA compressed quite rapidly, which lead to slack rings and insecure reels. One of the very few rods I've damaged (accidentally stood on) and not cared a jot.
nei, hvordan kan en god norsk gutt skal sitere en dansk dikter?
Whereabouts do you fish for Tench Harvey?
We used to take trips to a couple of great lakes out by Arendal - Jovann if I remeber correctly as well as Totjern (?)
Last edited:
It's a great quote, especially if you know anything about Kirkegaard and his times. He wasn't excatly known for his sense of humour, but here and there he did let it shine through.
Whenever I attend a wedding, this quote comes to mind, and I have to make an effort not to laught out loud.
There are quite a few venues where you can find good quality tench in Norway. My personal best (2540 g) is from late june this year:
02:35 in the morning, the alarm started screaming, and I stumbled down the steep slope to the riverbank and my rods. First fish I ever caught using the method feeder.
Last edited:
soft plastic
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2014
- Messages
- 289
- Reaction score
- 1
Hardy Match Maker, 14' version. Around in the late 70's, if I remember correctly.
S-Kippy
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2006
- Messages
- 14,535
- Reaction score
- 5,904
I think the EVA handled version was actually an upgrade from the original.
I bought one of the MK1's from the man himself when he had his shop in Norwich but he had to get about 6 out before I found one that had a straight tip. In its quiver configuration,for its day, it wasn't a bad rod but the avon top was just horrible. Cork handle,rubbish rings and utterly horrible sliding reel fittings. I loved that rod....then !As you say its changed so much over the years the current version is a million miles away from the original but I still think there are far better rods of that ilk out there now...and have been for some years.
chub_on_the_block
Well-known member
The rod(s) that stick in my mind are the first ones i owned or my mates had, back in the mid-late 70s fibreglass era. We are talking entry-level rather than high-end as there is only so far a paper round income can stretch to, but it was generally Shakespeare or Milbro (i think - if they were the blue-grey ones) with paper-thin cork wrapping handles. The shakey ones included the luxurious red finish of the "Alpha" and jet black "darth Vader" cool of the other one which i had (cant remember name though!). We are talking low end gear here - and certainly not likely to be used by any well known angler in public.
The main thing with the JW avon is the fact that it is still in production in various guises after around 25 years so its not surprising that it is the biggest selling rod.The original concept was very good and very versatile.
Very few rods have a shelf life of 5 years these days.
This situation is unlikely to occur again because the days of "everybody has" a ABU mk 5 or a Shakey Match International or a Daiwa Harrier etc etc. are finished because of the huge variety of rods and manufacturers contributing to the oversupply situation the tackle trade has found itself with.
Very few rods have a shelf life of 5 years these days.
This situation is unlikely to occur again because the days of "everybody has" a ABU mk 5 or a Shakey Match International or a Daiwa Harrier etc etc. are finished because of the huge variety of rods and manufacturers contributing to the oversupply situation the tackle trade has found itself with.
dorsetandchub
Well-known member
I have to nominate a staple from my childhood, the Sealey Blue Match, teamed with an Intrepid, a Black Prince....
It were up there wi' Rickets, Hitler, etc but one could catch fish on it.
It were up there wi' Rickets, Hitler, etc but one could catch fish on it.
Some very popular rods from yesteryear are the Shakespeare Alpha, and the B&W, XL and XLT.
And a lovely rod was the Century Excalibur in its day.
Don't forget back in the 70,80s and before, it was very popular to make up a kit rod or a blank. I bet those were good sellers in the days when coin was short.
You can always look back with rose tinted glasses but I bet if you had them now how many would use them, things move on lads.
The biggest down fall of these old rods is the sliding band reel seats, horrendous things.
And a lovely rod was the Century Excalibur in its day.
Don't forget back in the 70,80s and before, it was very popular to make up a kit rod or a blank. I bet those were good sellers in the days when coin was short.
You can always look back with rose tinted glasses but I bet if you had them now how many would use them, things move on lads.
The biggest down fall of these old rods is the sliding band reel seats, horrendous things.
steve2
Well-known member
Does any one still use these old glass rods? Tried some of mine a while ago, won't be in a rush to try again. Can't believe how bad even some of the good ones are when compared to modern ones.
Ray Roberts
Well-known member
I had a go of a mates Bruce and Walker fibreglass match rod I think it was a CTMa. Bloody awful compared to a modern rod, floppy and heavy, yet in its day it was regarded as the dogs dodahs
I have a Drennan Floatmaster and that knocks it into a cocked hat, I have just taken delivery if an Acolyte Plus, incredibly it weighs just 5oz and that's the stepped up model.
I have a Drennan Floatmaster and that knocks it into a cocked hat, I have just taken delivery if an Acolyte Plus, incredibly it weighs just 5oz and that's the stepped up model.
sam vimes
Well-known member
I think the EVA handled version was actually an upgrade from the original.
As you say its changed so much over the years the current version is a million miles away from the original but I still think there are far better rods of that ilk out there now...and have been for some years.
I'd love to see something definitive on all the different versions. I always understood that there were two versions of the original, but may be wrong. You had the posh version with a cork handle, I had the cheap(er) and even more nasty version with about six inches of duplon rather than anything approaching a proper handle. Unlike you, I hated the damned thing from the very start. I don't recall it having a wonky tip though.
There's no doubt it was on its own in the early days. However, I don't think it was too long before similar but far superior rods appeared on the market (I've got the Daiwa Powermesh Avons in mind, amongst others). Same goes now, far more alternatives in a similar vein. Then as now though, trying to be fair to the JW Avon, the superior alternatives often come in at a much higher price point.
S-Kippy
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2006
- Messages
- 14,535
- Reaction score
- 5,904
I may be wrong but were they not the first "twin tip" rod ? Great idea and still going but [as I've said before] I've never yet found a twin tip that was "good" in both configurations. Usually the quiver tops are by far the better. I can honestly say I've never used the "avon" top on any of my so-called twin tips....and I've got a few !
Ray Roberts
Well-known member
The Shimano Specialist was a cracking rod that is a twin tip. I have a pair and they are very versatile.
Your right Ray
but if you think those were bad try a solid glass rod or even worse a 14ft split cane match rod. Who remembers those tank aerial rods? Compare one of those with what we have today LOL