ANOTHER ASPINDALE FOR THE COLLECTION

[John Harding]

Good evening all,

I have managed to add another Aspindale rod to my collection of their rods, the rod is called The Uskdale, I would be pleased to receive your comments on what you think the rod was intended for. It was advertised as a "split cane salmon fly rod", well, from the photo I could see that it was definitely not a fly rod. I also sent the seller a question asking if the tip section was split cane or fibre glass, he replied that the rod was fully split cane, I arranged to collect the rod as it was only about twenty minuets from home and when I arrived there his wife handed it to me in a cardboard tube and asked if I wanted to look at it. As I had bought it anyway and handed over the £20 that it cost, I didn't bother until I arrived home. What a job I had getting it out of the tube, the inside of the tube was only about one inch in diameter and the rod was also wrapped in bubble rap and it was so tight inside I ended up having to cut the tube away to get it out !

Anyway once the rod was out I could see that my suspicion was correct, the tip section is actually fibre glass, this doesn't bother me as I am 99.99% sure that that is how it was built in the first place, all of the whippings are matching and the male ends of the joints are both the same with the bayonet type ends. The butt and middle sections are both 50 inches in length and the tip section is 48 inches, which gives a total length of 12ft 2", the cork handle including the rubber button is 21", it has sliding reel fittings, the rings are low bells chrome with a lined tip ring. The script on the butt section reads :- Dalesman Reg. No. 682315, The Uskdale, By Jas. Aspindale & Son, Redditch Eng.

My thought is that it was intended to be a spinning rod ? I would welcome your opinions on that. I think though that I will be happy to use it as a general all round rod.

A couple of pictures of the rod, sorry about the one attempting to show the script, it is very difficult to take a good picture as it has a very dark varnish and the black writing does not show up that well.

Hope it is of interest.





Regards,
John

[AshbyCut]

An 'Uskdale' with a split cane tip was sold as a 'fly rod' at Cheffins Auctions in 2010 :-

https://www.invaluable.co.uk/auction-lo ... 00e6be7b02

... but there's also an 'Eskdale' which was definitely a fly rod :-

https://www.mullocksauctions.co.uk/lot- ... ml?p=14-40

Not much help, I know ... but the best I can come up with on a short search.

[Wallys-Cast]

I think it is probably a worming or shrimping rod for Sea Trout but I'll bet it would be a nice Grayling trotting rod too.
I am not certain if the glass tip is original but being lighter than built cane it would give it a quick action for lifting line at long range.
A very nice find and a genuine bargain at £20.00..


Wal.

[John Harding]

Thanks Mal & Wal,

I agree with your suggestions Wal' and I am going to have a go trotting with it, no matter what it was meant to be used for it is a nice rod will get a run out every so often.

John

[MaggotDrowner]

Would 12 ft not be a bit long for a spinning rod? Whatever it is Aspindales are beautiful rods. I have two and one of them is perhaps my favourite rod in my collection.

[John Harding]

M.D.

Yes 12ft is probably a bit long for a spinning rod, but as it was described as a fly rod it doesn't fit the bill for that either. If you have a look at the photo of the rod with the same name that A.C. has found, you will see that rod has the normal fly rod handle and it is also split cane in all three sections.

I am fairly confident that the fibre glass tip section on my rod is not a later addition, perhaps it was made in response to a special request, who knows ? and we will probably never know unless another one turns up. I am going to regard it as an "all rounder", I will be quite happy to float fish with it, a bit of light legering on a river and throwing out a small Mepps or similar lure.

Thanks for the interest.

Regards,
John