Recent content by Steve Lewis

It's up in the loft packed away, but I'll see if I can dig it out sometime in the week.

Already confirmed by others, but 100% definitely North Western - I have two which are identical to that, right down to the lettering and lack of brand name, one 12ft and one 11ft. I also have a 11.5ft rod with exactly the same blank and absolutely no writing on there at all - a totally blank...

Heh, I've just clocked that I asked exactly the same question on here a few years ago, and the subsequent discussion followed pretty much the same as it has here. So I'm definitely losing my marbles!

Yeah, the original is the old Arnold Kingpin and the Relum is, I believe, identical in every way except it was made in Eastern Europe or something and didn't have any involvement from BJ himself. I have the Relum and it's built like a tank. By far the heaviest and solidest centrepin I own for...

Thanks both. So I'm obviously going mad. I was SO sure though. The human brain is weird.

Hi all I've been doing a bit of research into some of my centrepins today, purely out of interest, and I got to my Youngs Bob James centrepin (Y2080, with the closed back) and remembered that they also did an open backed lightweight version (Y2084SL). I THEN remembered Fox later released...

ISO 2 on my backup list if the Dunlops don't work out, but yeah as you say pricy and funds don't stretch quite that far at the mo.

Advice taken Neil - after a bit more digging there's lots of photos of Muckmasters basically falling apart. Had a WhatsApp conversation earlier with a work mate who is a construction site manager, a senior in the local emergency response group and also has quite a sizeable small holding, and...

Good point about summer use that I had not considered Peter. I've also since read a few comments that mention the soles being susceptible to cracking and also wearing through to the cardboard after not much use, although those could just be manufacturing errors on those pairs alone. Any other...

Morning all. I'm sadly still out of the fishing game for the time being, but I find myself needing some sage advice from the BFW experts. After 30+ years of loyal service through all sorts of weathers and terrains, my trusty Dunlop wellies have finally given up the ghost. Although I'm not...

Huanzhou, I have both the Young and the Allerton and, personally, I much prefer the Young out of the two, although I agree with you it isn't the most pleasant over long periods and it's far from the best trotting rod. I'm generally a fan of Tri-Cast stuff but I never clicked with the Allerton...

Hi Tim I know and speak to a lot of people who fish Chew, and many of them have done so for decades and a fair few of them have been doing the pike trials ever since they started (although many of them are finding it harder and harder to get tickets as each year comes around) - my best mate and...

Oh it's definitely a good thing, I just know what it means for cost and ability of the average person to get tickets. Apologies for the negativity, but Bristol Water have pulled this before with some of their other waters (now mostly sold on) when big fish (trout) have been caught they've made...

I don't Gerry. I only "keep tabs" on notable Chew captures from friends and acquaintances and the local fishing grapevine. I haven't kept myself in the loop with anything else as I've been out of the loop for a while and will be for the foreseeable future (not through choice I hasten to add).

Fantastic catch, and what a quality looking specimen! Living locally (it's about 15mins drive) I know several people who have been fishing Chew - for both trout and pike - for years and there have been lots of reliable reports of fish being spotted at well over 50lb, rumours of several fish...