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Mitchell Match 440A

David Craine said:
I manage admirably with a pair of original ‘ 300’s and what some would call bean poles = Built cane Rods, they are as capable now as when they were first made,some 60 years ago ,they have had their share of doubles in the last few years with no problems at all .
I also use carbon rods and modern Shimanos, neither is better than the other , its all down to what you are comfortable with and matching your equipment to the prevailing conditions.

I do know that being able to fish comfortably and successfully with either discipline makes me feel a more complete angler , but it is a personal thing at the end of the day.Knowing your gear and having confidence in it is paramount.
Nostalgia does not come into it , I prefer modern foul weather gear to the old stuff that soaked you through after a shower.
Soft unhooking mats are a big improvement on a stony gravel bank to unhook fish .


David
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David are you seriously trying to convince us that built cane rods are up to most Barbel situations? Personally I would never feel confident about using a wooden rod of so many decades old that would have deteriorated over the year's.
But credit to you for doing so, like your style, but I would always worry about snapping the thing.
 
Neil Smart said:
David are you seriously trying to convince us that built cane rods are up to most Barbel situations? Personally I would never feel confident about using a wooden rod of so many decades old that would have deteriorated over the year's.
But credit to you for doing so, like your style, but I would always worry about snapping the thing.
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Hi Neil, thanks for the vote of confidence .😋

Obviously you did not read my post fully or just missed a bit , I also said its a case of matching your tackle to the prevailing conditions .
I have had a good number of double figure barbel on cane , and the rods performed impeccably .
I would not dream of using a cane rod in a snag ridden river, or a river in spate, that needed 5 or 6 oz of lead to hold bottom, but otherwise I see no problems nor have experienced any.

Unless you have actually used cane rods for Barbel , its hard to believe I know , but they are easily capable , plus, cane rod building is alive and well , although a built cane Barbel rod new built will cost you three times plus the cost of any off the shelf or custom built carbon fibre rod .

For myself , I will make do with my 50/60 year old cane rods as I know they work as well as any comparable carbon rod , in the right conditions.
I always have my carbon rods to fall back on if things change. 👍

David
 
As David says , it's horses for courses . A lot of folks are a little scared of using cane rods thinking that they break easily . I remember one evening a couple of summers a go fishing for tench in a little gap in the lilies on my local pond using a MK1V Cane Avon rod . A fellow angler emerged from his bivvy and wandered around to pass the time of day [ left his rods in on alarms !] One seeing my cane and mitchell 300 set up he remarked '' aye up it's Jack Hargreaves '' and advised that I had absolutely no chance of landing anything big with a set up like that . I told him I had managed in the past to land many good sized tench and a few carp with no dramas , he nodded knowingly and wandered off chuckling to himself . A couple of hours later I hooked in to a good fish and after a lively tussle for 4 or 5 mins landed a 17lb mirror carp , he trotted round to have a look catching his jaw periodically on the floor as he did . His only comment was -, '' fluke'' . You just can't win with some folk .......
 
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Neil Smart said:
David are you seriously trying to convince us that built cane rods are up to most Barbel situations? Personally I would never feel confident about using a wooden rod of so many decades old that would have deteriorated over the year's.
But credit to you for doing so, like your style, but I would always worry about snapping the thing.
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Neil , there not made of wood , cane is basically tempered Grass !
 
I still love using Mitchell Match 440A reels for float fishing on rivers. I don't think they are strong enough for feeder fishing though and there is no roller on the bail arm.
 
Ian Lovett said:
I still love using Mitchell Match 440A reels for float fishing on rivers. I don't think they are strong enough for feeder fishing though and there is no roller on the bail arm.
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Dear Ian,
They are certainly strong enough for feeder fishing !!!
Have used them since the 70's and bagged many Barbel and Chub on them.
As everybody says "Each to their own" ;)
 
Ian Lovett said:
I still love using Mitchell Match 440A reels for float fishing on rivers. I don't think they are strong enough for feeder fishing though and there is no roller on the bail arm.
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Dear Ian,
Just thought I'd let you know that there is a roller on the bail arm of A MATCH 440A - THE PART NUMBER IS 82372

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Hope this helps ;)
Craig
 
Dear Ian,
I did not state in rolled - You were the one who stated "there is no roller on the bail arm" when there is

as many people seem to say here "Each to their own" LOL
 
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Ian Lovett said:
The roller is tightened to the bail arm with the screw. It does not and will not roll. Just checked!
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Ian Lovett said:
The roller is tightened to the bail arm with the screw. It does not and will not roll. Just checked!
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Dear Ian,
If you look at the screw that goes from the outside of the bail arm then through the roller and into the other side of the bail arm,
you will see it is only threaded so far (a greater unthreaded area would have been better in design) - then there is no thread this to allow movement of the roller on the shaft of the unthreaded section of the screw.

If you tighten the screw up very tight you will jam the roller fully between both sides of the bail arm and not allow any movement in it.
Remove the roller - grease the roller both ends and thru the centre and the screw, and tighten up the screw gently careful not to over tighten.

You will then see play/movement in the roller - admittedly not like a bait runner roller but it does allow a degree of movement round.

Over years of use these rollers get mucked up and the reel not being serviced can cause the roller to stick solid.

Alternatively you could source a screw with a smaller threaded area on it to ensure the roller covers the whole unthreaded area of the screw thus allowing greater movement

I hope this helps

Craig
 
None of my Mitchell Match "rollers" have ever rolled, when new or now. They were not designed to roll, unlike the Mitchell 300 or 410 rollers which are very free running. If you leave the bail screw slightly loose, there is a real danger that it will slowly undo and suddenly you will end up with a falling apart bail arm. Not ideal!
 
Ian Lovett said:
None of my Mitchell Match "rollers" have ever rolled, when new or now. They were not designed to roll, unlike the Mitchell 300 or 410 rollers which are very free running. If you leave the bail screw slightly loose, there is a real danger that it will slowly undo and suddenly you will end up with a falling apart bail arm. Not ideal!
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Dear Ian,
I agree not Ideal !!!
 
I can never get used to the rotor going the `wrong way`!
I have a couple sitting in a drawer & I take them out to have a go now & then but it's a lot of unlearning to do!
 
Neil Smart said:
David are you seriously trying to convince us that built cane rods are up to most Barbel situations? Personally I would never feel confident about using a wooden rod of so many decades old that would have deteriorated over the year's.
But credit to you for doing so, like your style, but I would always worry about snapping the thing.
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Have you got any evidence to back up your opinion of cane rods deteriorating. Or is this another one of your imaginary facts?

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That 1.5lb tc rod is about 60 years old.

Carp Rochehouart.jpg


Another 1960's rod, this time 1lb tc. Still intact.

Mullet Web.jpg


I've had carp to almost 20lb, barbel to over 8lb and this near 6lb mullet on the old Chapmans 500. I wonder how many carbon rods will make their 60th anniversary?
 
Other than organic natural material will over time weaken and deteriorate , whereas fibre glass and moreso carbon will not at a rate would be a start I suppose.
However let's not make it an issue, and no need to get personal eh?
 
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