What's all the fuss about?!

[St.John]

I've never seen one of these in the flesh, yet alone used one. They look wonderful. There are lots of different versions, and i see them going for all sorts of prices. One for the wish list. Who owns one and uses one? And to them I ask..... What's all the fuss about?!!

[Mark]

I've never seen one if the flesh either ST but I would like to hear the view of someone who has.

[St.John]

I've always been told they are one of the greatest rods ever made, and they come highly recommended!

[GloucesterOldSpot]

I had an early (1954) Ealing-label trumpet-flare version for a while (type two on JOC's list of Avocet versions). Cost a fair bit, and needed all the rings replacing, so all in it cost me quite a lot. See the wildie photo in 'Favourite Places'.

Never got on with it; felt clumsy and awkward compared to my Wizard. I've handled a few other Avocets, mostly all-built cane late versions, and these are pleasant enough, but no better than any number of other mass-produced split cane eleven footers by makers such as Edgar Sealey, Chapmans, Aspindales and so forth.

The moral of the story is this; read all you want to read about vintage rods and reels (it stops you going mad in the winter) and will furnish you with some useful pointers when it comes to buying a rod or reel, but for heaven's sake don't be bound by what other people have said about this or that rod (or reel). Try it for yourself. If you like it, use it and apologise to no-one.

This principle holds true for most things fishing related (and therefore holds true for life in general). Just because something is repeated often doesn't make it true; ask a hundred people a tricky question and it's odds on most will get it wrong, yet popular opinion is used to formulate everything from fashion advice to policy guidance.

[Mike Wilson]

Agree with you GOS. I was given one by a well known angler many years ago. Wish I'd kept it for my collection but gave it away as I found it top heavy and not a patch on that new fangled hollow glass stuff.........I must be very old !!

Mike

[Mark]

Agree with you GOS. I was given one by a well known angler many years ago. Wish I'd kept it for my collection but gave it away as I found it top heavy and not a patch on that new fangled hollow glass stuff.........I must be very old !!

Mike

So long's your young at heart Mike, that's what it's all about.

[Nobby]

Bob Southwell had a machine that baked the cane as it pressed the nodes, I think I once had an image of it, but I can't find it anymore. It was this giant 'iron' that baked the cane a dark colour, though some people say this cane could be a bit fragile.

When you speak of a 'type 4' Avocet, I'm assuming you are thinking of those old internet pages created by John Ollif-Cooper some years ago. John always writes so enthusiastically about early rods of many types, so much so that you might be drawn into concluding that later versions of any rod are poorer relations.
This might be true from time to time, but a discerning public would surely have spotted it if the whole lot were tat?

Rods of 50 and 60 years ago were often soft to use, described as an 'easy' action, they were designed to protect some pretty awful gut hooklengths and they can take some getting used to. I often wonder how useful a 'steely' rod really was in those days?

[SeanM]

I don't own an Avocet, but I've had occasion to waggle a beatifully restored one which belongs to a good friend of mine. I must say it felt better than his Wizard, but I suspect that that was mainly due to the longer handle. The problem with cane rods is that they varied a lot when new and 50 years of neglect and abuse will probably change the feel still further to the extent that it's almost impossible to make generalised statements about action and feel. Having done a bit of research into the properties of cane it does worry me when I read words like "carefully re-tempered" in the description of a rod. We've got to remember that cane is a natural material that isn't grown under controlled conditions and that there will be considerable variation from batch to batch.

[Champ]

I had an all split cane Avocet which was a lovely rod to fish with.I sold it on with some other B James rods when we moved into the house before our current one as i was short of space.This would have been in 2000 or 2001.

This rod was sold to me as almost new.I guess that it had been fished with, but only a couple of times.It certainly looked as new.It was a good un.I used it for grayling and tench fishing.Small rudd and roach came its way too.Float or ledger the rod was superb.

A friend has refurbished a whole cane butt Avocet and ive seen him catch various species on it.He likes using it for fun carp fishing.I have had a play with it, though not had a fish on it.He has handled a few Avocets in his time and seems to think this particular one is a keeper.

The point i am trying to get at is that even early Avocets differ and some though very valuable might not be as good as others for actual fishing.Another friend always likes to have a waggle with any rods he can get his hands on to see if they have the Feel.This is sometimes not enough to tell if it will be a good fishing rod or not i find.

I have recently swapped two rods that were by all accounts crackers.One was an Allcocks Eclipse the other a R Sealeys Festival.I just couldnt get on with either of them.The new owner seems happy.He does a fair bit of barbel fishing mind!.

What did i receive as part of the trade.A lovely all split cane Avocet :D .I havent used it yet :shock: .....

[Rich]

For me an Avocet was my first rod. As such it will always be special, but it just happened to be a nice rod as well! Mine is a built cane version and not a true thoroughbred but it allows you to fish very light lines for quite large fish yet will also cope with heavy tackle taking on a most alarming battle curve bending well under the corks!!
So you have a rod that is to soft to reliably hit those lightning fast roach bites and lacks the power to control a large fish! It has to be my best rod as it will have a go at everything you can throw at it. Go out and buy one if you can they cost a fraction of a new rod from most makers and have a character of there own!
As for being the same as many other mass produced rods They are. And they may have been made in the same workshops on many occasions they do however have quality fittings and a great finish not as important as action i know but nice non the less.