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Mitchell Match 440A

I was just trying to lighten things up a bit Terry . As for breaking rods , well I haven't done that many . My most ' awkward' breaking incident was when I was demonstrating the flexibility of a cane rod to a prospective buyer . I had it all threaded up , the chap played the role of the fighting fish but he then let go of the end of the line when the rod was in it's full fighting curve , the tip whipped back , hit the washing line in my garden and snapped , cue awkward silence .... Broke 2 fibreglass rods when fishing the same swim under a bridge arch wacking the tip on the stonework as I struck over enthusiastically, slow learner . My latest cane busting was a nice Allcocks Carp rod which wacked back against a tree branch when striking in a snaggy hole on the Wye a couple of years a go , not my finest hour ... . On the same day I had 4 pints of maggots escape in the back of my van . Given these incidents you are probably wise not to lend me one of your rods Terry
 
Joe Winstanley said:
I've read about the use of tank aerials as fishing rods, I'd love to get my hands on one just out of curiosity and to see if they were as bad as they sound!
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After the 2nd world war there were thousands of rods , mainly fly rods made out of tank aerials . They weren't that bad , it was just metals tendency to sink that scuppered me . I was fishing away , got snagged in the weeds , yanked away , the rod sections came undone ,the top section slid down the line knocked the float off and plopped in to the abyss never to be seen again . Tank aerial rods do still come up on e bay now and again , they have what I would call a lazy action but pretty durable , not surprising given their original purpose !
 
The back winding question, Is very device
Joe Winstanley said:
I've read about the use of tank aerials as fishing rods, I'd love to get my hands on one just out of curiosity and to see if they were as bad as they sound!
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They were horrendous, so wnippy. I used to make my rods as a kid from fibre glass blanks, many hours sanding down to fit the ferries, but then they would stick fast and had to cycle home with the thing extended.
My Uncle Doug was my hero, he made rods from split cane, and still have some of his rods. Back then you could buy split cane kits, fix the handles and whip the guide's, I have one that he left me, a 11ft Avon, really is a lovely bit of kit.
 
I also started with a tank aerial.

I will never forget it was matched with those bakelight centreline.

As I stood on the railway bridge over Malahide Estuary nr Dublin and watched the two other anglers cast out 50 yards to the bass shoals smashing into the fry, for a split second I considered NOT leaning into the railings as the next train came.

Those bass averaged over 7lb and the guys had 3 each before they moved away.

I could reach the mullet cruising under my feet, near the stantions but had no idea how to catch them.
 
Mike Hodgkiss said:
I was just trying to lighten things up a bit Terry . As for breaking rods , well I haven't done that many . My most ' awkward' breaking incident was when I was demonstrating the flexibility of a cane rod to a prospective buyer . I had it all threaded up , the chap played the role of the fighting fish but he then let go of the end of the line when the rod was in it's full fighting curve , the tip whipped back , hit the washing line in my garden and snapped , cue awkward silence .... Broke 2 fibreglass rods when fishing the same swim under a bridge arch wacking the tip on the stonework as I struck over enthusiastically, slow learner . My latest cane busting was a nice Allcocks Carp rod which wacked back against a tree branch when striking in a snaggy hole on the Wye a couple of years a go , not my finest hour ... . On the same day I had 4 pints of maggots escape in the back of my van . Given these incidents you are probably wise not to lend me one of your rods Terry
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I'll loan you my Marco Silver Monarch and you can do a destruction test on it. You won't break the rod, but you might bring down a few branches, trees and destroy any bridges you strike into. It is double built on a steel liner and can lift over 4lbs off the ground without approaching its test curve. You'll need a punka walla to carry it.

I'll need it back for the catfish season in May though.
 
If anybody is in need of any replacement rod bags - bought a few from this guy and they are superb quality - reminds me of the Berkley/Abu ones back from the early to mid 2000's

www.ebay.co.uk

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Yes I had a Tank Aerial rod as my first rod too. The top section was a screw in piece of solid fibreglass. Great Tip action, actually only tip action, it bent to the ferrule only. I do wonder if the screw in ferrule was original and the original aerial for the tank was two piece metal . Would anyone on here know ? . My Grandad was in North Africa during the war so I suspect he brought it home. It was a horrible brown colour again possibly Army paint.
 
Graham Elliott said:
I also started with a tank aerial.

I will never forget it was matched with those bakelight centreline.

As I stood on the railway bridge over Malahide Estuary nr Dublin and watched the two other anglers cast out 50 yards to the bass shoals smashing into the fry, for a split second I considered NOT leaning into the railings as the next train came.

Those bass averaged over 7lb and the guys had 3 each before they moved away.

I could reach the mullet cruising under my feet, near the stantions but had no idea how to catch them.
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Eeeeh Graham, I've had some fish from the rocky beach under/next to that bridge. Conger to over 20lbs (on sprats from Skerries) and big bass. The locals showed me how to get my baits out to 50m+ by floating it out on the outgoing flow on pieces flotsam. I was there stalking mullet when a guy up on the railway line with a shotgun shot into the shoal. Scared the life outa me! He smiled and doffed his cap as his labrador plunged into the water and retrieved the fish he'd just shot :eek: A magic place.
 
Terry Simner said:
Eeeeh Graham, I've had some fish from the rocky beach under/next to that bridge. Conger to over 20lbs (on sprats from Skerries) and big bass. The locals showed me how to get my baits out to 50m+ by floating it out on the outgoing flow on pieces flotsam. I was there stalking mullet when a guy up on the railway line with a shotgun shot into the shoal. Scared the life outa me! He smiled and doffed his cap as his labrador plunged into the water and retrieved the fish he'd just shot :eek: A magic place.
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Certainly was Terry
I think I was 15 at the time. My Uncle worked nearby so I went with my Granddad who spent every minute in the Bars.

Just beyond Blackrock swimming pool I would peg out two long canes with hooks in between.
Just before the tide raced in. Back as soon as it ebbed. Dinner.

Kiliney beach great for Flatties.

Small World Tel
 
Clive Kenyon said:
Have you got any evidence to back up your opinion of cane rods deteriorating. Or is this another one of your imaginary facts?

View attachment 14364

That 1.5lb tc rod is about 60 years old.

View attachment 14365

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

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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?
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Dear Clive,
I do have a vintage Pateke Morton Tony Scott NT 13FT carbon fibre Match Rod coming up for it's 41st birthday. LOL :)
It was one of the first carbons ever built for the commercial market back in 1980 - great blank !!
It was £80.00 back then - a fortune ! - in todays money it would cost about £345!

"Tight LInes"

Craig
 
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Perhaps the most bizarre rod I have ever owned was a Charles and Diana cemmorative wedding stick trotting rod I bought at an auction in Cirencester, never used the thing.
 
Craig Thomas said:
Dear Clive,
I do have a vintage Pateke Morton Tony Scott NT 13FT carbon fibre Match Rod coming up for it's 41st birthday. LOL :)
It was one of the first carbons ever built for the commercial market back in 1980 - great blank !!
It was £80.00 back then - a fortune ! - in todays money it would cost about £345!

"Tight LInes"

Craig
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Keep it safe and don't lend it to Mike Hodgkiss! Could be worth as much as ten quid in twenty years time :p
 
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Clive Kenyon said:
I'll loan you my Marco Silver Monarch and you can do a destruction test on it. You won't break the rod, but you might bring down a few branches, trees and destroy any bridges you strike into. It is double built on a steel liner and can lift over 4lbs off the ground without approaching its test curve. You'll need a punka walla to carry it.

I'll need it back for the catfish season in May though.
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Theres a Silver Monarch on E bay at the moment Clive if you fancy a matching pair !
 
Ooooh! That looks lovely. And at £5.50 it is half the price that I paid for mine. Ideal rod for the retro-catfish angler or those wanting to do a sixty on a French carp lake.

I think that they were intended, or at least best suited, to rock fishing for conger where you needed to be able to haul the eel out of its hole. The names of Marco rods can be very misleading. The Nymph suggests a small fly rod, but it is nothing like that. And one of my rods is named Capella Deluxe which sounds like some vulgar American car. They also do a Silver King which is similar to the Silver Monarch, but without the steel lining as far as I know.

I am on the lookout for a Marco Test, sometimes mis-advertised as 'Jest' because of the style of the writing, with the spare tip, and also a Standard Carp, as and when deliveries from and to UK - EU normalise.
 
Just sold a standard Carp to a chap in Germany , he got a bargain . I have restored a few Tests but never had one with the spare tip . That Silver Monarch looks an absolute beast of a thing . I think they did the Tests in 2 different lengths , the last one I sold was a 12 footer , which model you after Clive I will keep my eye open for you
 
Just had a look at the Silver Monarch, looks ideal for the Trent in flood. It is a bit beefy. I can raise you on the “beefy “stakes though with another Marco.. One of my collection of vintage Sea angling rods, I have a few of various configurations, this one is as spotless as the day it left the manufacturers, I dont think it has ever had a reel attached, and despite my love of Cane, it will stay that way , I cannot ever see me going the full hog and using a vintage and pristine cane beach rod with a big Oil Bath Centrepin. Sometimes a nice slim carbon Continental beach rod and either a new Multi or big surf Fixed Spool cannot be bettered .

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😋

Dave
 
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