Stepped up Mk4/Reg Cooke

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Bob Brookes
Zander
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Stepped up Mk4/Reg Cooke

Post by Bob Brookes »

With the recent talk of the new edition of No Need To Lie I have been reminded of one of my cock ups (or it it cocks up?). Back in the day I had a collection of rods that was quite extensive. I had just about all of B James coarse rods, when I obtained a stepped up version of the Mk4. My story begins!

The rod was a minter but quite frankly I thought it was an awful rod, more akin to Fatima Whitbread's javelin than a useful fishing rod. The rod had writing on it that said Reg Cooke, Melbourne. I believe that this is the Derbyshire town that the famous illustrator/artist hailed from. I am pretty sure that it was his own rod and is possibly the one he used for his illustrations in NNTL. I was never able to get family confirmation, although I never tried very hard.

Despite the condition and the likely previous owner, I hated the rod with a passion. From memory I passed it on for around £100. Ah well, I guess we have all made some mistakes in the past. Well have you?
"You do not cease to fish because you get old, you get old because you cease to fish"

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PershoreHarrier
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Re: Stepped up Mk4/Reg Cooke

Post by PershoreHarrier »

Bob - I think if I had done that only to realize later what I had done I would have drowned in my tears especially as NNTL was one of the first fishing books I ever owned being bought as a present for me by my Granny. I still have the original book complete with original tatty dust jacket and it is read in early June every year.

Mind you I now realize that as a lad on holiday on the Norfolk Broads my father's business partner loaned me his fishing tackle the rod being an Allcocks Wallis Wizard complete with Aerial centrepin but I never used it!! Instead I used my Uncle's Allcocks Viking and Aerialite centrepin reel with which I caught a fine roach so why was there any need to look at anything else.

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Rutland Rod
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Re: Stepped up Mk4/Reg Cooke

Post by Rutland Rod »

Interesting tale Bob what with the new edition of 'No need to lie' out in a few day's, sure its the same Reg Cooke, would be even more strange if Dick Walker had made or even given the rod to him ! As for mistakes of my own...numerous ! snapping the top section of a ' Chapmans500' by catching it in a bush on the upper Welland 1973 in my diary, just had 3 chub in a flood and rushing back to my car in a good mood....compounded by never having a new tip made but discarding the bottom section somewhere and using a glass blank in the handle ! Then this was nicked along with other tackle whilst in Dublin. Next one letting my dad sell lots of my grandad's tackle and a cased large stuffed Perch, giving up my season ticket at Swithland Res just as it started to produce massive Bream and Tench...... Loads of other mistakes/regret's not all fishing related !

Tight lines
Dave

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