Shouldn't

[Stuart Linton]

I spent a lovely last day of the season romping and chucking a float about. On the slow muddy walk back, I came across a couple of dapper chaps who were fishing with vintage tackle. Whilst I stopped to pass the time of day, one of the guys rod burst into life. I was spell bound by the lovely battle curve of the rod, it almost seemed alive. I commented on the battle curve and the gent said "It's a Wizard". I haven't stopped thinking about that bent cane all weekend.

I'm not a total stranger to cane. As well as being a sometimes naughty child at school one of my first rods was a cane Sealy match rod even though I started fishing in the 80s. It was given to me and used it just like my other rods. I was quite fond of it at the time.

It's a phase and I need your help on why I really shouldn't buy a cane rod and if you really want to put the boot in, which cane rod shouldn't I buy. For the record I probably won't be fishing for Barbel and Carp with it on the Hampshire Avon and stillwaters.

Help.

 

[Phil Nixon]

Stuart

I can make an educated guess as to who the dapper chaps were (one of them a club bailiff), cane not for me but each to their own. Like the original mini great car but would I prefer to drive around in it or my wifes new countryman , sure you can guess the answer.

 

[Jim Brook]

I spent a lovely last day of the season romping and chucking a float about. On the slow muddy walk back, I came across a couple of dapper chaps who were fishing with vintage tackle. Whilst I stopped to pass the time of day, one of the guys rod burst into life. I was spell bound by the lovely battle curve of the rod, it almost seemed alive. I commented on the battle curve and the gent said "It's a Wizard". I haven't stopped thinking about that bent cane all weekend.

I'm not a total stranger to cane. As well as being a sometimes naughty child at school one of my first rods was a cane Sealy match rod even though I started fishing in the 80s. It was given to me and used it just like my other rods. I was quite fond of it at the time.

It's a phase and I need your help on why I really shouldn't buy a cane rod and if you really want to put the boot in, which cane rod shouldn't I buy. For the record I probably won't be fishing for Barbel and Carp with it on the Hampshire Avon and stillwaters.

Help.

It’s a shame that you’re not local to me because you really shouldn’t be buying my B James and son Kennet perfection with green silk thread whippings etc, that I bought on the spur of the moment to cheer myself up when I was feeling a little down, that I’m going to sell to fund some tackle that I’ll actually use.

 

[Stuart Linton]

Stuart

I can make an educated guess as to who the dapper chaps were (one of them a club bailiff), cane not for me but each to their own. Like the original mini great car but would I prefer to drive around in it or my wifes new countryman , sure you can guess the answer.

That is inline with my practical side. Wasn't on the Ringwood club waters.

It’s a shame that you’re not local to me because you really shouldn’t be buying my B James and son Kennet perfection with green silk thread whippings etc, that I bought on the spur of the moment to cheer myself up when I was feeling a little down, that I’m going to sell to fund some tackle that I’ll actually use.

Nutshelled

 

[Graham Elliott]

I spent a lovely last day of the season romping and chucking a float about. On the slow muddy walk back, I came across a couple of dapper chaps who were fishing with vintage tackle. Whilst I stopped to pass the time of day, one of the guys rod burst into life. I was spell bound by the lovely battle curve of the rod, it almost seemed alive. I commented on the battle curve and the gent said "It's a Wizard". I haven't stopped thinking about that bent cane all weekend.

I'm not a total stranger to cane. As well as being a sometimes naughty child at school one of my first rods was a cane Sealy match rod even though I started fishing in the 80s. It was given to me and used it just like my other rods. I was quite fond of it at the time.

It's a phase and I need your help on why I really shouldn't buy a cane rod and if you really want to put the boot in, which cane rod shouldn't I buy. For the record I probably won't be fishing for Barbel and Carp with it on the Hampshire Avon and stillwaters.

Help.

Was it near Hogwarts?
Sounds like they may have put a spell on you

 

[Huanzhou Zhu]

I was into the came rods and really wanted to get one, you need to look after them with extra care, bamboo is natural material, if stored incorrectly, they could bend etc…

 

[Stuart Linton]

Was it near Hogwarts?
Sounds like they may have put a spell on you

Maybe they mysteriously weren't there at all which to be fair would have been handy as I
genuinely wanted to run the float through that swim.

I was into the came rods and really wanted to get one, you need to look after them with extra care, bamboo is natural material, if stored incorrectly, they could bend etc…

It is on my mind that I am not overly careful with tackle. The drying and storying is extra hassle.

 

[Jim Brook]

Maybe they mysteriously weren't there at all which to be fair would have been handy as I
genuinely wanted to run the float through that swim.


It is on my mind that I am not overly careful with tackle. The drying and storying is extra hassle.

I think you’d struggle to find one that’s truly straight? With a 60 to 70 year old rod, that hasn’t been straightened out? A little bend here and there adds to the character of the rod, that’s what I’m going to tell people anyway!

I was into the came rods and really wanted to get one, you need to look after them with extra care, bamboo is natural material, if stored incorrectly, they could bend etc…

 

[Jim Brook]

Maybe they mysteriously weren't there at all which to be fair would have been handy as I
genuinely wanted to run the float through that swim.


It is on my mind that I am not overly careful with tackle. The drying and storying is extra hassle.

It takes only a few minutes to clean and dry a rod, as I do with my expensive carbon rods anyway, honest that’ll be my sales mantra anyway

 

[Jim Brook]

In all seriousness I was going to use the Kennet perfection with a Center pin for a bit of close season tench fishing on a small under fished pool, but it’s now gone to a carp syndicate I wouldn’t mind but I’ve never seen evidence of the carp? £300 would buy it if anyone would be interested and lives local to the selby (n. Yorks) area, I’ll probably post it in the for sale section on here, when I get round to taking some photos.

 

[David Craine]

I spent a lovely last day of the season romping and chucking a float about. On the slow muddy walk back, I came across a couple of dapper chaps who were fishing with vintage tackle. Whilst I stopped to pass the time of day, one of the guys rod burst into life. I was spell bound by the lovely battle curve of the rod, it almost seemed alive. I commented on the battle curve and the gent said "It's a Wizard". I haven't stopped thinking about that bent cane all weekend.

I'm not a total stranger to cane. As well as being a sometimes naughty child at school one of my first rods was a cane Sealy match rod even though I started fishing in the 80s. It was given to me and used it just like my other rods. I was quite fond of it at the time.

It's a phase and I need your help on why I really shouldn't buy a cane rod and if you really want to put the boot in, which cane rod shouldn't I buy. For the record I probably won't be fishing for Barbel and Carp with it on the Hampshire Avon and stillwaters.

Help.

Hi Stuart , I almost exclusively use cane for most of my freshwater fishing . Cane rods are nowhere near as fragile and delicate as some would think ., but if you do take the plunge and buy, do not store them near any radiators or other heat source, that is a kiss of death for them unless you like a rod with a set in it .
Best to hang thrm up in a rod bag , dont lean them against a wall as that can cause problems as well .
Cane is well able to handle Barbel .

For general stillwaters would probably go for a bog standard Octofloat , cheap enough and fairly easy to find . If you decide you like cane then look around on here .

The Traditional Fisherman's Forum - Index page

Lots of information from like minded cane benders .

David

 

[Clive Shipman]

Dabbled with cane to go along with my multitude of centrepins but how many rods can a man get away with .

 

[Jim Brook]

Hi Stuart , I almost exclusively use cane for most of my freshwater fishing . Cane rods are nowhere near as fragile and delicate as some would think ., but if you do take the plunge and buy, do not store them near any radiators or other heat source, that is a kiss of death for them unless you like a rod with a set in it .
Best to hang thrm up in a rod bag , dont lean them against a wall as that can cause problems as well .
Cane is well able to handle Barbel .
View attachment 34313

For general stillwaters would probably go for a bog standard Octofloat , cheap enough and fairly easy to find . If you decide you like cane then look around on here .

The Traditional Fisherman's Forum - Index page

Lots of information from like minded cane benders .

David

Hi David, I don’t want to hijack someone else’s post but where would you recommend I try sell my b James Kennet perfection? I may have paid over the odds at £360.00 posted, as it has a slight bend to tip section. Otherwise I think? It’s in really good condition for its age, but I really don’t know much about cane rods to be honest. Tia

 

[David Craine]

Hi David, I don’t want to hijack someone else’s post but where would you recommend I try sell my b James Kennet perfection? I may have paid over the odds at £360.00 posted, as it has a slight bend to tip section. Otherwise I think? It’s in really good condition for its age, but I really don’t know much about cane rods to be honest. Tia

Pm incoming .

David

 

[David Rogers]

I own 14 cane rods of various makes, but haven't used them for a while (mainly due to suffering from tennis elbow, although that wouldn't be an issue for the carp/leger rods). The problem with the Allcocks Wizard is that they can vary significantly from each other, to the point where no two examples feel the same in the hand. For a start, I always found the handle too short, making the whole rod feel top-heavy. I suspect this was due to most of the original users fishing with centre pin reels mounted half-way along on the handle and holding the rod several inches above. I once owned a Super Wizard and the extra weight of all the rings being lined just made the balance feel even worse. As there's no substitute for handling before buying, I'd make a point of getting to one of the vintage tackle shows, where a wide range of cane rods are usually up for sale. Just spotted the OP is based in Hampshire, so this would be the one to go for: https://www.traditionalfisherman.com/viewtopic.php?t=41409 BTW, Nobby is a personal friend of mine and all his stuff for sale is first class!

 

[David Will 2]

These two photos are roughly 40 years apart . Fred Crouch Barbel perfection that's get an outing once a year . It's nice to have but once a year is enough.

 

[David Will 2]

These two photos are roughly 40 years apart . Fred Crouch Barbel perfection that's get an outing once a year . It's nice to have but once a year is enough.

 

[Mike Hodgkiss]

As Mr Craine has said , cane rods are nowhere near as fragile as people imagine , if looked after they are durable and very useable , however they have limitations . A cane rod would not be the right tool to cast a 6 oz feeder across the tidal trent , similary unless you are popeye , trotting a float all day with a cane rod , even a posh one is very tiring , compared to carbon they are heavy rods . I use cane rods whenever possible simply because I enjoy the way they feel particularly when playing a good size fish , they seem somehow more alive as a fish playing tool . Recently a fellow angler watched me play a large Barbel on a cane rod , as John Wilson used to say , I was giving it a bit of ' teddy ' , i.e. playing it hard , , the chap was absolutely convinced my rod was going to snap under the strain as it had a healthy bend in it , and he was forced to admit he couldn't have landed it any quicker using a modern carbon rod . Using the inherent' bendiness' of cane [ is that a word ?] to tire a fish out works very well , you just have to trust the rod and not be scared of using it as intended .Returning to the question in the post , what cane rod should I buy ? I would second Davids suggestion of the Edgar Sealey Octofloat , a great all rounder , or perhaps a Marco Test , or a Sealey Floatcaster ? None of these rods are expensive to buy and are great fun to use accepting the general limitations of cane rods that I outlined earlier

 

[Stuart Linton]

Thanks for the replies, I do appreciate the advice. I will go to the Romsey fair and see if I can't resist something. I have been before and bought my last centerpin from there and almost got bankrupted by a beautiful Barder rod, although looking at todays prices it would have doubled in value. Fortunately my wife was with me offer financial advice