The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

I also have a lovely"Vortex"branded Avon Supreme (11 foot 2 piece) by E.T Barlow and Sons of Thames Ditton, a rod with a lovely action, delicate yet powerful and with a beautiful finish (green with orangey black whippings) - even after all these years.

I usually team this rod with either my Mitchell Match or 300 - sometimes my"Crack".

Does anyone have a rod from this fine maker?

John.

DrJohn wrote:I also have a lovely"Vortex"branded Avon Supreme (11 foot 2 piece) by E.T Barlow and Sons of Thames Ditton, a rod with a lovely action, delicate yet powerful and with a beautiful finish (green with orangey black whippings) - even after all these years.

I usually team this rod with either my Mitchell Match or 300 - sometimes my"Crack".

Does anyone have a rod from this fine maker?

John.

Hello John.
I have a Vortex Supreme by E.T Barlow and Sons of Thames Ditton
10ft 2in in length, i think you will find that the vortex are built on Sportex blanks.
I am converting the tip section of a sportex that i have to take quiver tips as it fit,s the vortex butt section perfectly,
it will then give me a standard vortex supreme float rod and a vortex feeder rod at 11ft 6in, just got to whip some ring,s on

Makers badge on the supreme



Modification finished, just waiting for the varnish to dry

I'm fairly certain that all the Barlow range of rods were called Vortex, as a trade name, each model having another name unique to it.


First rod I ever bought was a Barlow. I wanted a float rod, but didn't actually say so and replied that I liked perch when the shopkeeper asked.


He sold me a beast of a spinning rod that is surely a 1.25 lb Avon rod with a foor chopped off the butt!


I never did get it to cast a float rig and as a child couldn't understand why.


I re-ringed it 7 years ago and caught a 7lb pike on it...I haven't touched it since. Too many bad memories.

I've just received a Vortex Royal bought off ebay, a 12 ft float rod. I was hoping it was going to be identical to my first proper rod bought for my eleventh birthday in 1981. Matched to a Mitchell 300 I spent many happy hours trotting on the tidal Thames and catching tench from a local pond. I suspect that one ended up at a car boot sale like a lot of my early tackle, although my brother denies any responsibility!

It's just not quite the same rod so my search continues but it's a very usable rod that will probably get an airing sometime soon.

Standard Vortex with a modified tip section

All E T Barlow rods were called Vortex, it was their trade name, along with a leaping perch logo.

I bought a Vortex Sovereign 9' spinning rod in 1975. I suspect it's a 1.25 lb Avon with the handle cut down.


I can find absolutely nothing about them on the net, apart from the Thames Ditton address.

Ljm183 wrote:Makers badge on the supreme



Modification finished, just waiting for the varnish to dry

Apologies for the old thread resurrection!

Interested to see this, my Avon Supreme has the name written in marker pen(!) rather than a decal like yours...the only criticism I would make of this rod is the varnish appears a little thin: unlike my Vortex Stylist match rod - that looks like it has been dipped in glass by comparison!

What varnish have you used?

John.

I well remember these rods. Mr Barlow used to turn up at the shop in a transit van that was loaded to the roof with these rods. I often joked with him that if he hit anything he would be skewered. The rods were a nightmare, I lost count of the number that were returned broken. The quality was very poor.

SofaSurfer wrote:I well remember these rods. Mr Barlow used to turn up at the shop in a transit van that was loaded to the roof with these rods. I often joked with him that if he hit anything he would be skewered. The rods were a nightmare, I lost count of the number that were returned broken. The quality was very poor.

I wouldn't agree that the quality is poor, but there is not much"finish"on the Avon Supreme compared to my Stylist match rod. The cork is good quality, the whippings are fine and even and the rings are of a good quality.

I've had both from new and they look new(ish) still, poor quality wouldn't have fared so well in 30 years, I don't think.

If I was being really critical, they're probably not quite as good as my Hardy rods (although the quality of the Richard Walker Carp is not quite as good as the spinning rods) or indeed my Farstrikes - Quite being the key word.

John.