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How much are you prepared to spend…

Alan Rose

Alan Rose

Senior Member & Supporter
…on a single item of tackle?

My buddy showed me this Paul Witcher reel on EeBayGum.

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The mind boggles really. I can’t imagine ever breaking the £1k barrier on an item of tackle to be honest. I struggle when it’s more than a couple of hundred to tell you the truth.
 
Just because he’s asking that much, don’t mean he’ll get it though.

The Witcher reels are lovely and there’s a certain amount of cachet in the rarity. It’s a dealer sale, so inevitably there’s a fat lump of profit in that price. However, personally, I think it’s an absurd amount and anyone thinking of buying it must surely be willing to spread ‘em and take a pretty hard kick to the goolies if they ever need to re-sell it.

I think I could go to several hundred for a nice c’pin and if my numbers came up then I’d go looking for one of these - https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/...-and-valuers/catalogue-id-2796870/lot-9234048 - notwithstanding the fact that I’d probably be lining myself up for the same testicular punishment if I fell on hard times.
 
I had a a much nicer mkII model and sold it for 1600 a few years back.
I think the Bistern is the most sought after of the witcher reels and may go for near double the price of the one in Alans link.
Personally, i'm not impressed with witcher reels, hence me selling mine.....i'd much prefer a okuma aventa!

I have a nice Allcocks 1914/15 12 spoke 4 1/2inch caliper check in very good fettle that could be sprised from my hands for not too silly a price.

 
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Haydn Clarke said:
Just because he’s asking that much, don’t mean he’ll get it though.
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No, of course it doesn’t and I be surprised if it did. Judging by his other items he’s not exactly doing badly for nice fishing gear and can afford to put a hefty number on that reel and hope for a bite.

Haydn Clarke said:
I think I could go to several hundred for a nice c’pin
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Me too, but I’ve no idea what that reel might be. One of Chris Lythe’s creations I expect.
 
Alan Rose said:
No, of course it doesn’t and I be surprised if it did. Judging by his other items he’s not exactly doing badly for nice fishing gear and can afford to put a hefty number on that reel and hope for a bite.


Me too, but I’ve no idea what that reel might be. One of Chris Lythe’s creations I expect.
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Yes, a lythe would be lovely. I remember nearly pulling the trigger on buying one for my fortieth, thirteen years ago now. They were £325 at the time and I buckled. I look back upon this decision now as muppetry of the highest order.
 
Ian Woods said:
I had a a much nicer mkII model and sold it for 1600 a few years back.
I think the Bistern is the most sought after of the witcher reels and may go for near double the price of the one in Alans link.
Personally, i'm not impressed with witcher reels, hence me selling mine.....i'd much prefer a okuma aventa!

I have a nice Allcocks 1914/15 12 spoke 4 1/2inch caliper check in very good fettle that could be sprised from my hands for not too silly a price.

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I am not very impressed with Paul’s reel, much prefer Richard Carter’s work. And of course, for even modern one, Chris Lythe. Garry’s earlier work are great, but I have some bad experience with his recent reel, so maybe not buying from him again.
 
I
Huanzhou Zhu said:
I am not very impressed with Paul’s reel, much prefer Richard Carter’s work. And of course, for even modern one, Chris Lythe. Garry’s earlier work are great, but I have some bad experience with his recent reel, so maybe not buying from him again.
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Yea, RC's reels are brilliant, but for me personally, CL's reels are the best of the bunch, and by a country mile.
I also liked GM's earlier reels.
 
I spent 1800 on a pole and my carp rods and reels combined cost about 1300. When I look at some of the reels about now I think I got myself a bargain. Another centrepin, an old classic one, would be the only thing I’d let myself spend big on now, but I guess it’s all kind of relative as I’d also happily spend £30 on a hand made jerk bait and for what they are they are probably equally as pricey.
 
Nearly all my coarse gear is bought used and I'm not into handmade centrepins.

I have some fairly (circa £400) expensive fly reels for saltwater fly fishing - but they are a necessity.

I also have a couple of 6 piece double handed rods, expensive but not so bad if bought used or 'ex demo'.
 
Tim Marks said:
Nearly all my coarse gear is bought used and I'm not into handmade centrepins.

I have some fairly (circa £400) expensive fly reels for saltwater fly fishing - but they are a necessity.

I also have a couple of 6 piece double handed rods, expensive but not so bad if bought used or 'ex demo'.
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Pretty much the same regarding second hand gear. I've had a few custom rods from Dave Lumb but 90% of my tackle is 2nd hand used bargains.

My Chimera's 3's were bought 2nd hand from Tackle Fanatics, custom built by Tony Parker. I had to laugh when I read comments from the angler who had them built (his name were on the rods) extolling the virtues of how good the rods were and about all the fish he had had on them....I'm pretty sure the rods had never seen the bank. They cost me £90 each!
 
Hi men ,

If I had the money , or any money 🤣 , I can only think of two items of tackle that I would pay out big time on 🤔.

A top of the range bait boat , well perhaps not even top of the range , but one with a quality GPS and return to home etc .

The other which would save my old bones would be a electric carp porter barrow , with the swivel wheel system. Iv seen one in action , like all barrows the ground / path can restrict them but they have really come on now , and seeing one in action it was impressive 👍🏻

Hatter
 
Haydn Clarke said:
Yes, a lythe would be lovely. I remember nearly pulling the trigger on buying one for my fortieth, thirteen years ago now. They were £325 at the time and I buckled. I look back upon this decision now as muppetry of the highest order.
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Many, many years ago I purchased a three year old Mk1 Lotus Cortina for £325. Hate to think what that would be worth now !
 
I couldn’t justify spending that amount of dosh on a single angling item tbh, although fishing gear is cheap compared with my other love ( photography).
I do have a Richard Carter Aerial Perfection cp ,.. but that was a gift from back in ‘97 from my old club,.. lovely reel but I wouldn’t pay current auction prices for one. My most expensive outlay was a torrix twin tip built by Bob which I love and use a lot ,.. but my favourite rod is a budget Giant MB Ouse barbel which set me back about £80 back in the day.
All very subjective really, depending on the individual and how much spare cash you can afford to spend on your favourite hobby.
 
Haydn Clarke said:
Yes, a lythe would be lovely. I remember nearly pulling the trigger on buying one for my fortieth, thirteen years ago now. They were £325 at the time and I buckled. I look back upon this decision now as muppetry of the highest order.
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You'd have just about got it by now as well ;)
 
If I had a few £1000 quid spare I would buy an Edward Barder split Cane Barbel rod . I reckon they would hold their price if times got hard and you needed to flog it on . Then of course you would need a fancy reel to go with it . I have used a few high end pins and the best one I have ever tried was a Kenny Kendall centre pin, I got lucky and found one for £80 on E bay .
 
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Most expensive 'single' item I've purchased is a bait-boat with Sonar/GPS/Autopilot - £3k . . .

However don't even ask me about my rod & reel collection / bivvy collection / bedchair & sleeping bag collection / pimped power barrow with lithium batteries and swivelling rear wheels. . .

Fishing is a disease . . .however for me, spending my hard earned on a hobby I love is part of the pleasure - shiny new things create a satisfactory dopamine response - especially now that the missus seems distinctly less interested in performing this function . . . .;-P
 
I ‘fish for everything’ so limit myself to a point as i have “far too much gear” (my wifes words). I spend £100-200 on rods & up to £150 on reels and dont feel as i am missing out on anything quality wise. I looked around a new carp water the other week trying to find out about it’s Perch potential. Most folks were helpful as i wasn’t a threat (a few sniggered and thought i would be hogging swims for ‘proper’ anglers???) One guy had the greatest pleasure in bragging about his gear and how much everything cost (reels £500+ etc) and had 3 on sticks with only 2 out (2 rod limit) 🤦🏼he also had a bait brolly set up covering his reels as it was lashing down! Couldn’t help feeling he’d be better off with gear he wasn’t scared of using!
Not even sure if i’d spend much more if i decided to be a one species specialist tbh but can see the thrill & pleasure in using high end tackle but only if it did something my rods/reels couldn’t achieve so getting me more fish on the bank.
 
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