EVOLUTION
My first proper float rod was a 13ft Hardy Matchmaker. It had a brown finish, orange whippings, metal line guides, old style aluminium reel collars, and was made from fibreglass. The blank was heavy by modern standards, but at the time it was state of the art for a budding young angler. It went everywhere with me, used as a trusty all-rounder on rivers, canals, reservoirs, lakes, gravel pits and drains. I never imagined that one day I would be designing rods for such an iconic tackle company like Hardy. But here I am on the River Wye, playing a fighting fit chub with a prototype 13ft super high modulus carbon float rod, which was originally destined to follow on from Marksmans. It didn’t happen because Pure Fishing purchased the brand and turned it back to game only. However, I continued to cherish this rod in the same manner as my original Hardy, hoping one day that other anglers might be able to share in the pleasure of using the design.
Thomas Turner Classic+ 13ft float rod in action
GREEN AGAIN
After the original Marksmans and the award winning second edition Supero range, I had planned for the next phase to have a natural carbon finish, with plush black whippings and gold tippets. But there was something I liked about distinctive green coloured rods, which to my mind made a statement. They didn’t need to show off match or specimen orientated cosmetics; they were simply going to be wonderful all-rounders. After a long journey, I finally had one of the new Thomas Turner Classic+ 13ft Float Rods rigged up with a traditional stick float and ready for action on the banks of a river. I couldn’t wait to see if this beautiful piece of equipment was going to rekindle the magical experiences previous rods have etched on my memory. I wasn’t about to be disappointed.
Fish caught with the Thomas Turner Classic+ 13ft float rod
LIGHTLY DOES IT
My match fishing career taught me about getting bites first and then worrying about whatever was hooked afterwards. This isn’t as cavalier as it sounds, because if you use quality rods and reels, in combination with balanced tackle, it’s possible to land just about anything that comes along. This tactic particularly applies to big chub, which can prove tricky to catch, especially in venues that see lots of angling pressure. Many years back I won the River Lee Championships with decent sized chub on the famous Crown Fishery, after scaling down to a ridiculously light 12oz trace and size 24 hook. I suddenly started getting bites, running a waggler down the far bank. It was heart-in-the-mouth stuff every time I connected with a fish, but I somehow coaxed them all in for top weight on the day. I don’t tend to go to such extremes these days, but still love scaling lumps like this, especially now I have Thomas Turner Classic+ float rods that can superbly manage fine lines.
Thomas Turner Classic+ 13ft float rod
THE FAR SIDE
I learnt my match fishing trade with a waggler and caster approach, fishing well beyond range of the longest of poles, often finding that’s where the bigger fish had retreated. I still enjoy using this technique to this day and of course it still works, although I do sometimes get odd looks on the occasional competitions I partake in. There wasn’t a rod to be seen on one of my favourite new venues, the Fossdyke Canal when I discovered the place a few years ago. But after some success in matches, suddenly local anglers are dusting down their old waggler models again. My new Thomas Turner Classic+ float rods cope admirably with stillwater waggler or river stick float tactics.
GOING OVER
This is the type of canal swim I would dream of drawing in a match. The water is being churned up by heavy boat traffic and the only sensible place I can see the bigger fish shoaling up in, is tight to the heavily bush and tree lined far bank. I quickly learnt during my River Lea Navigation apprenticeship that anglers who could put a hooked caster tight to any far bank cover caught the most. In those days it was mainly chub, while on the Fossdyke the method catches lots of species, including bream, quality roach and some cracking rudd. It didn’t take me long to get the old casting accuracy back, carefully inching a waggler closer and closer to the overhanging foliage. If you get the float in the right place, you almost know a bite is going to occur. My new green rods do this job perfectly.
Dave Coster with fish caught with Thomas Turner Classic+ 13ft float rod
A BIG SURPISE
I had a feeling some big surprises would be lurking under the overhanging far bank foliage and sure enough, this beautiful giant of a rudd tested my 13ft float rod and light tackle to its limits. If you wonder why I was using a 13ft rod on a canal, when shorter 11ft or 12ft blanks used to be so popular, it was simply to combat the constant water fluctuations caused by boat traffic. This canal can run like a river at times and a rod with greater reach helps to mend the line better, keeping a well-cast waggler where you want it for a tad longer, which often results in bonus fish like this one.
ON THE MONEY
Whether using a 13ft float rod for waggler or stick float fishing, my favourite tactic is to feed small amounts of bait very regularly, which quickly stirs fish into feeding and competing. Normally smaller samples respond first, but it doesn’t take long for bigger species to muscle in. I find casters better than maggots because they attract less small fish attention, finding bigger bream, roach and chub. Using a through action rod like the Thomas Turner Classic+ 13ft float, allows me to scale down to light lines and small hooks, tackle that pulls loads of bites. When fishing across to the far side of venues, I gradually work my waggler closer and closer into the bank, because that’s where larger fish tend to be lurking.
Dave Coster fishing with Thomas Turner Classic+ float rod
EDGING IT
On this lake there was an overgrown bay to my left, so I approached it in similar fashion to how I might attack the far bank on narrow waterways, only this time feeding down the nearside reedy margins. It worked a treat with quality roach, rudd and the odd bream putting in an appearance. I had a feeling something big and interesting might be holed up in that secluded area, having plenty of confidence my original prototype 13ft float rod and its forgiving action could deal with whatever turned up. Rods classed as having through actions used to be on the soft side, but this modern version with its more advanced high modulus carbons and special resin, is far from that. It’s crisp on the cast and when striking, initially feeling like it has a progressive action, but with bigger fish it metamorphosises into something completely different. The blank seems incapable of locking up.
SECRET FISH
My adventures with prototype and finished Thomas Turner Classic+ rods have unearthed some amazing fish. In this instance the secluded reed lined bay on a deep lake suddenly started to produce cracking hybrids that fought like demons. They had obviously never been in a landing net before, performing more like river chub than a cross between stillwater roach and bream. John Bailey and his mates used early Thomas Turner sample float rods for targeting wild carp, just to see how they would cope. The 13-footer landed some remarkable and very lively double figure fish.
A NICE BALANCE
There’s a big trend towards bigger reels at the moment, but for a 13ft float rod I find a small fixed spool with a front drag is ideal. I don’t use the drag feature and this type of design tends to put the front spool closer to your rod hand fingers, making line control a lot easier. Rear drag reels often push the spool further forward, so you need to stretch to feather or stop the line. I tighten front drags right down and forget about them, playing big fish with the anti-reverse switched off, backwinding when I need to give line. I get a better feel for what’s going on that way, similar to a centrepin, which I wouldn’t be averse to using for trotting rivers.
THE STORY SO FAR
I’ve been using the early Thomas Turner Classic+ prototype rods for a year now. I made a few tweaks for the first production run and feel 100% happy about the way they turned out, already field-testing possible additions to the range. A few people ask me if they are made in the Far East, like the Hardy Marksmans were. They are, although we did consider the UK, but the logistics and target retail prices just didn’t work. I don’t have a problem using rods from the other side of the world. They’ve been inspected and used by respected top anglers who haven’t been able to fault them in any way, especially regarding their actions and incredible finish. I’ve visited the rod factory that makes the new rods many times and they produce top end blanks for big tackle companies all over the world. I’m good friends with the owner, otherwise a small family run company might not have got this far.
Thomas Turner Classic+ 13ft float rod
LAST CAST
On my latest outing it was suddenly autumn, after a cooler night and with leaves scattered all over the surface of my favourite local lakes. The fishing turned harder and I had to scale down to get some interest, using the Thomas Turner Classic+ 13ft float rod again. It’s always the first thing out of my holdall when I’m not sure what to expect. I caught some nice skimmers to begin with but they quickly tailed off. I dropped down a hook size and switched to a 0.12mm fluorocarbon trace, which strength wise is probably the equivalent of 0.10mm normal rig line. It’s fragile but gets you bites when the going is tough. I started catching some nice roach, but on my very last cast hooked into a proper rod bender, which tried it’s best to get into the roots of the bushes to the left and right of my peg. The rod was arched from tip to handle, but amazingly the small hook and fine line withstood the punishment. I let this chunky tench have a rest in my landing net for a couple of minutes while I dismantled my rod, quickly taking a photo of it on my unhooking mat, next to the butt section.
The post THE ENDURING MAGIC OF A 13ft FLOAT ROD appeared first on Thomas Turner Fishing Antiques.
Continue reading...
My first proper float rod was a 13ft Hardy Matchmaker. It had a brown finish, orange whippings, metal line guides, old style aluminium reel collars, and was made from fibreglass. The blank was heavy by modern standards, but at the time it was state of the art for a budding young angler. It went everywhere with me, used as a trusty all-rounder on rivers, canals, reservoirs, lakes, gravel pits and drains. I never imagined that one day I would be designing rods for such an iconic tackle company like Hardy. But here I am on the River Wye, playing a fighting fit chub with a prototype 13ft super high modulus carbon float rod, which was originally destined to follow on from Marksmans. It didn’t happen because Pure Fishing purchased the brand and turned it back to game only. However, I continued to cherish this rod in the same manner as my original Hardy, hoping one day that other anglers might be able to share in the pleasure of using the design.
Thomas Turner Classic+ 13ft float rod in action
GREEN AGAIN
After the original Marksmans and the award winning second edition Supero range, I had planned for the next phase to have a natural carbon finish, with plush black whippings and gold tippets. But there was something I liked about distinctive green coloured rods, which to my mind made a statement. They didn’t need to show off match or specimen orientated cosmetics; they were simply going to be wonderful all-rounders. After a long journey, I finally had one of the new Thomas Turner Classic+ 13ft Float Rods rigged up with a traditional stick float and ready for action on the banks of a river. I couldn’t wait to see if this beautiful piece of equipment was going to rekindle the magical experiences previous rods have etched on my memory. I wasn’t about to be disappointed.
Fish caught with the Thomas Turner Classic+ 13ft float rod
LIGHTLY DOES IT
My match fishing career taught me about getting bites first and then worrying about whatever was hooked afterwards. This isn’t as cavalier as it sounds, because if you use quality rods and reels, in combination with balanced tackle, it’s possible to land just about anything that comes along. This tactic particularly applies to big chub, which can prove tricky to catch, especially in venues that see lots of angling pressure. Many years back I won the River Lee Championships with decent sized chub on the famous Crown Fishery, after scaling down to a ridiculously light 12oz trace and size 24 hook. I suddenly started getting bites, running a waggler down the far bank. It was heart-in-the-mouth stuff every time I connected with a fish, but I somehow coaxed them all in for top weight on the day. I don’t tend to go to such extremes these days, but still love scaling lumps like this, especially now I have Thomas Turner Classic+ float rods that can superbly manage fine lines.
Thomas Turner Classic+ 13ft float rod
THE FAR SIDE
I learnt my match fishing trade with a waggler and caster approach, fishing well beyond range of the longest of poles, often finding that’s where the bigger fish had retreated. I still enjoy using this technique to this day and of course it still works, although I do sometimes get odd looks on the occasional competitions I partake in. There wasn’t a rod to be seen on one of my favourite new venues, the Fossdyke Canal when I discovered the place a few years ago. But after some success in matches, suddenly local anglers are dusting down their old waggler models again. My new Thomas Turner Classic+ float rods cope admirably with stillwater waggler or river stick float tactics.
GOING OVER
This is the type of canal swim I would dream of drawing in a match. The water is being churned up by heavy boat traffic and the only sensible place I can see the bigger fish shoaling up in, is tight to the heavily bush and tree lined far bank. I quickly learnt during my River Lea Navigation apprenticeship that anglers who could put a hooked caster tight to any far bank cover caught the most. In those days it was mainly chub, while on the Fossdyke the method catches lots of species, including bream, quality roach and some cracking rudd. It didn’t take me long to get the old casting accuracy back, carefully inching a waggler closer and closer to the overhanging foliage. If you get the float in the right place, you almost know a bite is going to occur. My new green rods do this job perfectly.
Dave Coster with fish caught with Thomas Turner Classic+ 13ft float rod
A BIG SURPISE
I had a feeling some big surprises would be lurking under the overhanging far bank foliage and sure enough, this beautiful giant of a rudd tested my 13ft float rod and light tackle to its limits. If you wonder why I was using a 13ft rod on a canal, when shorter 11ft or 12ft blanks used to be so popular, it was simply to combat the constant water fluctuations caused by boat traffic. This canal can run like a river at times and a rod with greater reach helps to mend the line better, keeping a well-cast waggler where you want it for a tad longer, which often results in bonus fish like this one.
ON THE MONEY
Whether using a 13ft float rod for waggler or stick float fishing, my favourite tactic is to feed small amounts of bait very regularly, which quickly stirs fish into feeding and competing. Normally smaller samples respond first, but it doesn’t take long for bigger species to muscle in. I find casters better than maggots because they attract less small fish attention, finding bigger bream, roach and chub. Using a through action rod like the Thomas Turner Classic+ 13ft float, allows me to scale down to light lines and small hooks, tackle that pulls loads of bites. When fishing across to the far side of venues, I gradually work my waggler closer and closer into the bank, because that’s where larger fish tend to be lurking.
Dave Coster fishing with Thomas Turner Classic+ float rod
EDGING IT
On this lake there was an overgrown bay to my left, so I approached it in similar fashion to how I might attack the far bank on narrow waterways, only this time feeding down the nearside reedy margins. It worked a treat with quality roach, rudd and the odd bream putting in an appearance. I had a feeling something big and interesting might be holed up in that secluded area, having plenty of confidence my original prototype 13ft float rod and its forgiving action could deal with whatever turned up. Rods classed as having through actions used to be on the soft side, but this modern version with its more advanced high modulus carbons and special resin, is far from that. It’s crisp on the cast and when striking, initially feeling like it has a progressive action, but with bigger fish it metamorphosises into something completely different. The blank seems incapable of locking up.
SECRET FISH
My adventures with prototype and finished Thomas Turner Classic+ rods have unearthed some amazing fish. In this instance the secluded reed lined bay on a deep lake suddenly started to produce cracking hybrids that fought like demons. They had obviously never been in a landing net before, performing more like river chub than a cross between stillwater roach and bream. John Bailey and his mates used early Thomas Turner sample float rods for targeting wild carp, just to see how they would cope. The 13-footer landed some remarkable and very lively double figure fish.
A NICE BALANCE
There’s a big trend towards bigger reels at the moment, but for a 13ft float rod I find a small fixed spool with a front drag is ideal. I don’t use the drag feature and this type of design tends to put the front spool closer to your rod hand fingers, making line control a lot easier. Rear drag reels often push the spool further forward, so you need to stretch to feather or stop the line. I tighten front drags right down and forget about them, playing big fish with the anti-reverse switched off, backwinding when I need to give line. I get a better feel for what’s going on that way, similar to a centrepin, which I wouldn’t be averse to using for trotting rivers.
THE STORY SO FAR
I’ve been using the early Thomas Turner Classic+ prototype rods for a year now. I made a few tweaks for the first production run and feel 100% happy about the way they turned out, already field-testing possible additions to the range. A few people ask me if they are made in the Far East, like the Hardy Marksmans were. They are, although we did consider the UK, but the logistics and target retail prices just didn’t work. I don’t have a problem using rods from the other side of the world. They’ve been inspected and used by respected top anglers who haven’t been able to fault them in any way, especially regarding their actions and incredible finish. I’ve visited the rod factory that makes the new rods many times and they produce top end blanks for big tackle companies all over the world. I’m good friends with the owner, otherwise a small family run company might not have got this far.
Thomas Turner Classic+ 13ft float rod
LAST CAST
On my latest outing it was suddenly autumn, after a cooler night and with leaves scattered all over the surface of my favourite local lakes. The fishing turned harder and I had to scale down to get some interest, using the Thomas Turner Classic+ 13ft float rod again. It’s always the first thing out of my holdall when I’m not sure what to expect. I caught some nice skimmers to begin with but they quickly tailed off. I dropped down a hook size and switched to a 0.12mm fluorocarbon trace, which strength wise is probably the equivalent of 0.10mm normal rig line. It’s fragile but gets you bites when the going is tough. I started catching some nice roach, but on my very last cast hooked into a proper rod bender, which tried it’s best to get into the roots of the bushes to the left and right of my peg. The rod was arched from tip to handle, but amazingly the small hook and fine line withstood the punishment. I let this chunky tench have a rest in my landing net for a couple of minutes while I dismantled my rod, quickly taking a photo of it on my unhooking mat, next to the butt section.
The post THE ENDURING MAGIC OF A 13ft FLOAT ROD appeared first on Thomas Turner Fishing Antiques.
Continue reading...