The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Since being forced to 'honourably retire' my "Surestrike ... Sheffield Style,' I've been looking for something to fill the gap as a crucian rod from this iconic maker ... and I think I may have found it.

I don't have photos to share yet ... but arriving with me tomorrow (I hope) is a Hardy's "The Match Roach" ... a 3 piece rod listed in the catalogues from 1924 to 1953. It's a whole cane butt, whole cane centre, and whole cane spliced to split cane tip. With a 'G' letter prefix (for a 'composite' rod) it would be hard to date ... but the writing looks pre-WW2 (though I could be entirely wrong ... again !!!)

Thought I'd lost the pics ... but I found them !!!

Mal,

I was lucky enough to purchase one of these rods in an auction a couple of years ago and I placed a post on here asking if anyone could say how old it was. I received a great reply from one of the members, this is it :-

Regarding the 10'-6" Hardy "Match Roach", here are some pics that might help. The number G3492 dates it to 1928 (1928 range G1445-3680 from book "The House The Hardy Brothers Built"). Catalogue dates in order - 1925, 1933, 1935, 1939. Click to enlarge. The rod was shown again in some 50's catalogue but not in the lengths or form of yours.
Hope this helps,
Regards,
Dok

I hope it helps you dating your rod which looks in great condition, sadly mine requires quite a bit of restoration which hopefully I will get around to at some stage.

This is a copy of a page from a Hardy's catologue :-





Hope this is of interest to you.

Regards,
John

Mal,

Sorry I forgot to put the number that is on my Match Roach Rod, it is G3492 and on the bag it say Makers to His Majesty The King.

Regards,
John

John Harding wrote: ↑Thu May 10, 2018 11:11 pm Mal,Hope this is of interest to you. Regards, John

Not 'of interest,' Sir ... indispensable !!! Thank you so much !!!

What I find so interesting here would be the thought ... let's go back to 1932/5 and see the chap using this to catch Roach, where? How? Bait? Who the Fellow was.. wouldn't it be great to know

The rod arrived this morning ... and I just realised that I'd missed the length out of my original post.

I can confirm that it's an 11ft. rod, and with a really light, fast tip action. My scales also record it as 10.35oz. (293 grms).

Tench Dreamer wrote: ↑Fri May 11, 2018 7:28 amWhat I find so interesting here would be the thought ... let's go back to 1932/5 and see the chap using this to catch Roach, where? How? Bait? Who the Fellow was.. wouldn't it be great to know

TD, Sir ... my answer would be to imagine it in the hands of "The Skipper" (Captain L. A. Parker) easing bread crust below an antenna float down a swim under the willows of the Hampshire Avon on a late summer's evening.

"" Faddist"" was in fact Edward Ensom - not Capt L A Parker!

Olly wrote: ↑Fri May 11, 2018 11:53 am "" Faddist"" was in fact Edward Ensom - not Capt L A Parker!

!!! Mind on two things at once. My Fair Lady always said I was useless at multi-tasking !!!
Error corrected ... thanks Olly, Sir.

Parker was called "Skipper"!

For those seeking dates of Hardy "G" Serial numbers:- http://classicflyrodforum.com/forum/vie ... 69&t=21112

Olly wrote: ↑Fri May 11, 2018 12:01 pm Parker was called "Skipper"!

For those seeking dates of Hardy "G" Serial numbers:- http://classicflyrodforum.com/forum/vie ... 69&t=21112

a) It's my age, I tell you !!! I was actually looking at the cover of "This Fishing, or Angling Arts and Artifices" and still got it wrong !!!

b) Never seen that list before ... so thanks indeed for that !!! It makes my rod 1937, apparently.