The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

I've just bought a Rodrill of a pattern I hadn't seen or heard of before, so it may be of interest.
It's a two-splice "Thames" style rod, with a "dolly" section which can (after hours of persuasion) be removed, so it's fishable at 11' or 13'



The ring on the dolly is a cunning little split device, so the section can be added or removed without breaking the tackle down:



The lowest ring on the middle section is lined, so it looks as though the design brief was for an eleven-footer which could be extended, at a pinch, to cope with marginal reeds and such.

The handle is about 28" long, and the reel bands are bronzed (anodized aluminium, I think). I only spotted the rod because the seller also had a Milward Floatcraft, the brown Rapidex, for sale; I bid(-ded?) succesfully for it, then saw the rod. They go together well, I feel:



It carries the golden leaping fish and crown badge, but only on the dolly:



There's rather a lot of power fibres on show there, isn't there? It doesn't look like Spanish reed, and I've no idea what sort of cane it is!

Does anyone know of any other whole+built cane rods from this maker?

Love the ring idea...

What an interesting rod. How does the extra piece affect the balance of the rod ?
Oh, and the reel looks just about perfect on that rod

Very natty

Fasinating and thanks for posting.
So John Wilson didn't do it first and the Rodrill has a ring that lets you add the extension when already fishing too.

Dies the reel say its a Rapidex, as so far I've only seen Milward's Floatcraft variant in brown crackle-finish paint?

I really like that rod Vole it is so versatile, and that split butt ring on the exension is a super idea. I look forward to hearing how it performs at both lengths. Thanks for showing it. all the best, Reedling.

Was that the recent ebay Rodrill, Vole?

I watched it and have Rodrill as a saved item so I always see them when they come up. I didn't quite fancy it myself on account of its thirteen foot length, but then I didn't pay enough attention to the listing to realize that it could be used at eleven foot. I did notice that spliced middle section though. First time I've seen such a rod from the maker. Looks nice though.

How does the extra piece affect the balance of the rod ?

To be frank, it's a bit of a handful! Even at eleven feet, it's no featherweight. It's 12.6 oz (358g) at 11'; the "dolly" weighs another 4.7 oz (134g). I suspect it's Tonkin throughout, though the lower part of the middle may well be another type of reed/cane. (Carolina reed?)

Nobby, the reel is brown, crackle/crinkle finish on the drum, smooth on the back (which is smooth, not "leather-look", with a concave band around the outer edge); no badge or recess for one, but stamped ' "Floatcraft" Milward Made in England ' above the pin and "Regd. Design No. 843417", upside-down, in a cartouche below the pin. Oldie, but spins really sweetly.

Haydn, yes, it was only a couple of days ago, Chingford way. I don't think the butt had ever been separated, so the listing wouldn't have known or mentioned it.

There's 3 version of the Floatcraft, that's the middle one then, the first to have the new design of centrepin and the new taller boss.

Strangely, all Floatcrafts I've seen, even late ones with an embossed badge on them have still used the un-knobbly reel back with the sculptured concave shape around the edge, long after J W Youngs dropped it. They must have kept some back, or cast them specially for Milwards.

Thanks, Nobby!

Here we are:





Tall boss and all. What is the new design of pin, though? Just the obvious, to use the taller boss?