Pictures of Craftversa's
- Tench Dreamer
- Crucian Carp
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Re: Pictures of Craftversa's
Reading the advert we seem to have a fine example of the 11ft 2 piece GP rod used from trotting to ledgering. Small fish to big fish. I love the photo in the first thread....any background on it ?
Not wishing to spoil the thread , but my mind does wonder to the question of later equivalents .....
Thanks for the thread ....
Not wishing to spoil the thread , but my mind does wonder to the question of later equivalents .....
Thanks for the thread ....
- Lucky Strike
- Perch
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Re: Pictures of Craftversa's
Hi, that photo came from the Haig Coarse Fishing in Britain book.Tench Dreamer wrote:Reading the advert we seem to have a fine example of the 11ft 2 piece GP rod used from trotting to ledgering. Small fish to big fish. I love the photo in the first thread....any background on it ?
Not wishing to spoil the thread , but my mind does wonder to the question of later equivalents .....
Thanks for the thread ....
Notice how low the reel is on the handle, to me the angler is a
fly fisherman who has turned his hand to trotting for grayling.
Venables also seemed to fix the reel low on the handle, the rod was
supposed to give a slower striking action in this position.
In fact, in my research of the craftversa's short life it seems that the
rod was favoured by game anglers that also wanted a general coarse
rod 'with plenty of action' for their occasional trotting and light ledgering.
If you look at the creel magazines and watch Anglers corner you will
see anglers like Herbert Normington use the rod for their grayling fishing
and declare it the best on the market for that purpose.
In it's brief hour of fame it seemed to lend itself to the gentlemanly angler
who fished mostly for trout but also wanted a top quality avon rod.
Then again this could be all rubbish..
Venables 'Mr Willow's cartoons featured the craftversa lovingly drawn
with it's reverse taper handle.
- Tench Dreamer
- Crucian Carp
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Re: Pictures of Craftversa's
Hour of Fame.... What dates are we talking about here and how much would you have paid for one of em new at the time ?Lucky Strike wrote:Hi, that photo came from the Haig Coarse Fishing in Britain book.Tench Dreamer wrote:Reading the advert we seem to have a fine example of the 11ft 2 piece GP rod used from trotting to ledgering. Small fish to big fish. I love the photo in the first thread....any background on it ?
Not wishing to spoil the thread , but my mind does wonder to the question of later equivalents .....
Thanks for the thread ....
Notice how low the reel is on the handle, to me the angler is a
fly fisherman who has turned his hand to trotting for grayling.
Venables also seemed to fix the reel low on the handle, the rod was
supposed to give a slower striking action in this position.
In fact, in my research of the craftversa's short life it seems that the
rod was favoured by game anglers that also wanted a general coarse
rod 'with plenty of action' for their occasional trotting and light ledgering.
If you look at the creel magazines and watch Anglers corner you will
see anglers like Herbert Normington use the rod for their grayling fishing
and declare it the best on the market for that purpose.
In it's brief hour of fame it seemed to lend itself to the gentlemanly angler
who fished mostly for trout but also wanted a top quality avon rod.
Then again this could be all rubbish..
Venables 'Mr Willow's cartoons featured the craftversa lovingly drawn
with it's reverse taper handle.
- Lucky Strike
- Perch
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Re: Pictures of Craftversa's
Not sure, I'll have to dig out my catalogues but early 60's I reckon.
It was the 'Master' series of rods, not the 'versa' series that were the top
of Milwards range and their Swimmaster was the most expensive.
Mr S Weeks once told me this and the catalogues' proved him right.
It was the 'Master' series of rods, not the 'versa' series that were the top
of Milwards range and their Swimmaster was the most expensive.
Mr S Weeks once told me this and the catalogues' proved him right.
- Nobby
- Wild Carp
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Re: Pictures of Craftversa's
Without getting the books out, from memory, they were only made from '65 to '67 when Milwards shut down the tackle side of the business. It was actually the Spanish reed Featherlite series that were Milwards most expensive rods, not the Versas as people often presume.
- Lucky Strike
- Perch
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Re: Pictures of Craftversa's
I stand correctedNobby wrote:Without getting the books out, from memory, they were only made from '65 to '67 when Milwards shut down the tackle side of the business. It was actually the Spanish reed Featherlite series that were Milwards most expensive rods, not the Versas as people often presume.
- AshbyCut
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Re: Pictures of Craftversa's
Sadly, as someone who has all three versions of the 'Featherlite (10 1/2 ft., 12 ft., an 14ft) ... the cash values are not proportionately similar today ... but I love mine.
"Beside the water I discovered (or maybe rediscovered) the quiet. The sort of quiet that allows one to be woven into the tapestry of nature instead of merely standing next to it." Estaban.
- AshbyCut
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Re: Pictures of Craftversa's
What a lovely illustration !
"Beside the water I discovered (or maybe rediscovered) the quiet. The sort of quiet that allows one to be woven into the tapestry of nature instead of merely standing next to it." Estaban.
- Swythyn Troutbeck
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Re: Pictures of Craftversa's
What a lovely quote !!AshbyCut wrote:What a lovely illustration !
Troutbeck
When I'm not fishin' I'm fettlin'