Hello from the heart of the Cambridgeshire Fens

[Bobthefloat]

Welcome back sir

[Marks7]

Hello and welcome. I’m also retired but still can’t find enough time for fishing!

[Mick G]

Hello John-A, and welcome back to the land of the sane !!

What sort of kit do you apply your restoration skills to. I've been turning bean sticks into fishing rods for over 20 years now, and as I live a few miles south of Cambridge, perhaps we could meet up over a pint to our mutual benefit ?

Regards,

Mick

[Thameside]

Welcome back, looking forward to your posts

[John-A]

Thanks to all for your kindness,

I'm loving catching up with reading so many interesting threads,

Best wishes

John

[John-A]

Hello John-A, and welcome back to the land of the sane !!

What sort of kit do you apply your restoration skills to. I've been turning bean sticks into fishing rods for over 20 years now, and as I live a few miles south of Cambridge, perhaps we could meet up over a pint to our mutual benefit ?

Regards,

Mick

Hi Mick,

My amateur refurbishments are mainly aimed at vintage cane including split cane that has not yet reached delamination through time failed animal glues. I have brought a few Greenheart rods back to life and have straightened a few set tips with reasonable success

Personally, I love pleasure fishing with some of the older match/river rods on the Fen drains and have just started repairing a 14 foot Allcock's 'Gloria' which will need a complete re-whipping and finish. The decals are all good and the reed is sound, but all the rings are rusted and most of the intermediate whippings need replacement so a full refit is in order and that's going to be a time consuming exercise. I have a 12ft 'Gloria', which I use from time to time and am looking forward to being able to use the longer model

I also enjoy making floats and float fishing for Tench using one or other of a couple of trusty Avons amongst other tools. I used to be a match angler and I'm sorry, 'cos I know that I'll probably upset someone, though I doubt it on here, but I cannot abide the mania for pole fishing in an overstocked unnatural hole in the ground. Rows of fishermen making a mad rush to 'hit 'n' hold' 150 lbs of 'middling carp' that look as if they've done 15 rounds with Mike Tyson and then believing that makes for 'great' angling is definitely not for me.

Many anglers today could learn a great deal from reading the accounts of the early Angling Times triple event involving Dick Walker and Tom Sails

A chat over a beer sounds like a great idea Mick, though I'm going to be away from home for much of the next few weeks. Nonetheless, I'll send you a PM with contact details

Best regards

John

[Liphook]

Well said John-A. I utterly concur with your thoughts. Skulldragging carp after carp out of a glorified stockpond using 20plus elastics isn't angling in my book!

[Barbellina]

Nice one! Welcome back

[Aitch]

Welcome back Sir

[Rutland Rod]

Welcome back John, I'm just reading From Punt to Plough a history of the fens, very interesting.
Dave