Was around 1981.
After leaving school my first lot of dole money went on a licence, cheap rod, reel, terminal bits and 2 pints of maggots which left me with around £2 to last 2 weeks until my next dole payment.
My thinking was to fish the local pond as I wouldn't really need any money to spend....
Luckily I paid no board until I eventually landed a job.
After leaving school my first lot of dole money went on a licence, cheap rod, reel, terminal bits and 2 pints of maggots which left me with around £2 to last 2 weeks until my next dole payment.
My thinking was to fish the local pond as I wouldn't really need any money to spend....
Luckily I paid no board until I eventually landed a job.
In reply to Post #1
I can clearly remember buying floats, weights and hooks from Woolworths with my pocket money at the age of five or six (1970-71). Oh the excitement.
I can clearly remember buying floats, weights and hooks from Woolworths with my pocket money at the age of five or six (1970-71). Oh the excitement.
In reply to Post #2
I remember saving up my money to buy a rod at about the same age, I bought it from the local toy shop and it was 7 ft long, I bought it to catch crucians from a little farm pond, it turned out to be a boat rod, suffice to say I was a little over gunned!
I remember saving up my money to buy a rod at about the same age, I bought it from the local toy shop and it was 7 ft long, I bought it to catch crucians from a little farm pond, it turned out to be a boat rod, suffice to say I was a little over gunned!
1971 outfit from woolies , wicker basket hand made from Hesketh bank west lancs cost £5 , 2 weeks paper round money aged 8 !!
In reply to Post #1
A six foot fibreglass rod with a plastic handle and a small reel, both by Shakespeare. Bought them from Oulton Broad Tackle in around 1986. Fishing over the side of a Hoseasons holiday boat and catching bugger all... Loved it!
A six foot fibreglass rod with a plastic handle and a small reel, both by Shakespeare. Bought them from Oulton Broad Tackle in around 1986. Fishing over the side of a Hoseasons holiday boat and catching bugger all... Loved it!
In reply to Post #1
Summer of 1989 got a telescopic rod and reel set whilst on holiday in the South of France. Came home and went to small tackle shop in town to get a pack of size 14 hooks, some weights and floats and my dad took me to a little farm pond on the edge of the Brecon Beacons and we caught a bunch of perch on luncheon meat. Happy memories
Summer of 1989 got a telescopic rod and reel set whilst on holiday in the South of France. Came home and went to small tackle shop in town to get a pack of size 14 hooks, some weights and floats and my dad took me to a little farm pond on the edge of the Brecon Beacons and we caught a bunch of perch on luncheon meat. Happy memories
Mine must be around 89 when I got a white daiwa 6 foot spinning rod and plastic reel, caught everything on that rod from wrasse to roach, and I've still got it reminds me of my childhood every time I see it 😁
Great reads which doesn't half delve deep into the memory bank.
Woolies for me too. Winfield branded floats with my pocket money about 1978....
Stop to look at the farrah fawcett posters for a bit.
And a cheeky handful of pick n mix pocketed on the way past...
Stop to look at the farrah fawcett posters for a bit.
And a cheeky handful of pick n mix pocketed on the way past...
In reply to Post #1
My first Reel was a Mitchell 300A
My first Reel was a Mitchell 300A
In reply to Post #9
3 of us finished school on Friday afternoon straight to Woolies get some hooks shot etc as we planned to go fishing Sat morning. One got caught robbing floats so the police came and took all 3 of to the local station. Get your parents up here or come back Saturday morning and mop the cells were our explained options. No fishing for us on the Saturday
3 of us finished school on Friday afternoon straight to Woolies get some hooks shot etc as we planned to go fishing Sat morning. One got caught robbing floats so the police came and took all 3 of to the local station. Get your parents up here or come back Saturday morning and mop the cells were our explained options. No fishing for us on the Saturday
In reply to Post #1
Like a lot of people, Woolworth's was my first tackle shop. I also remember getting stuff from the Green Shield Stamp shop. For those too young to remember, you used to get these stamps from most shops when you purchased so much and saved them up in a book and then redeemed them. Seems archaic now but in my short trouser days it was classed as "normal". Seemed to remember there was some sort of price war with the supermarkets and the Stamp bubble burst and was consigned to the history books.
Like a lot of people, Woolworth's was my first tackle shop. I also remember getting stuff from the Green Shield Stamp shop. For those too young to remember, you used to get these stamps from most shops when you purchased so much and saved them up in a book and then redeemed them. Seems archaic now but in my short trouser days it was classed as "normal". Seemed to remember there was some sort of price war with the supermarkets and the Stamp bubble burst and was consigned to the history books.
In reply to Post #12
Two weeks wages in 1975, £14.00 for a Mitchell 410. Bought from Robinson's tackle shop in the Hayemarket Newcastle upon Tyne.
Always remember going in and asking for a 410, only to be told there was a waiting list and an enquiry whether I was old enough ??? . Guy thought I was after a 410 shotgun 😂
Two weeks wages in 1975, £14.00 for a Mitchell 410. Bought from Robinson's tackle shop in the Hayemarket Newcastle upon Tyne.
Always remember going in and asking for a 410, only to be told there was a waiting list and an enquiry whether I was old enough ??? . Guy thought I was after a 410 shotgun 😂
Late 70's, green fibreglass 6 or 7 ft rod from Woolies, Intrepid Black Prince reel, dumpy topped perch bobber float. Those were the days...
In reply to Post #1
Another Woolworths buyer here too. Straight off to fish Passingford bridge for minnow and gudgeon 😄
Another Woolworths buyer here too. Straight off to fish Passingford bridge for minnow and gudgeon 😄
In reply to Post #15
Saved up for nearly a year on £5 a week from my paper round to buy my first proper reel (shimano 5010 aero gt) and first proper rod (dam 11 foot 2lb rod). Still have the reel now use it on my barbel rod nearly 25 years old. New reels won't last half as long.
Saved up for nearly a year on £5 a week from my paper round to buy my first proper reel (shimano 5010 aero gt) and first proper rod (dam 11 foot 2lb rod). Still have the reel now use it on my barbel rod nearly 25 years old. New reels won't last half as long.
In reply to Post #10
Strangely enough that would be my next reel.
Strangely enough that would be my next reel.
In reply to Post #17
They are very good reels i have 2 in very good condition
They are very good reels i have 2 in very good condition
In reply to Post #18
Agreed, they are very good reels and if memory serves me right they were the in thing.
Agreed, they are very good reels and if memory serves me right they were the in thing.
In reply to Post #9
In reply to Post #20
Yes you always knew if someone use to fish a mitchel 300 next to you when reeling in click click click click love that sound
Yes you always knew if someone use to fish a mitchel 300 next to you when reeling in click click click click love that sound
In reply to Post #14
That was the reel i had held about 50 yards of line my next were mitchell 300 which i thought were crap , the line was always behing the spool ! When i got my cardinals i thought i was the bees
That was the reel i had held about 50 yards of line my next were mitchell 300 which i thought were crap , the line was always behing the spool ! When i got my cardinals i thought i was the bees
In reply to Post #21
Started fishing with my dad's old tackle at the age of 7 cane salmon rod with a greenheart top section and a black prince reel, also a centre pin reel. Paper round at 13 saved up for a year and got an abu mk v float rod. First time out I was having a pee in the bushes and a couple of pikeys nicked it. I bloody cried. Bought a cheap rod from local tackle shop which I used for years until it literally blew up one day. First carp rod was a Tony Fordham 11ft 2 25lb su with a Mitchell 410. Caught my first 20 on that in 1975 on 8lb maxima size 2 hook with 11 grains of sweetcorn.
How times have changed. Except bloody tackle thieves Grrr.
How times have changed. Except bloody tackle thieves Grrr.
In reply to Post #1
As a 6 year old in 1976 I got given my first rod/reel and some peacock floats by my grandads pal.. (cane rod & centre pin reel)Unfortunately that was the year of the drought and I had to wait till the following year to use it lol 😂
First bought my own kit with my own money in 1980 for my tenth birthday and that was a Woolworths all in one kit 👍
First carp set up was Christmas 1984 which was 2 Daiwa powermesh 11' 1.75 with Mitchell reels and no buzzers! Fairy bottle tops and reels on backwind... Happy times indeed
As a 6 year old in 1976 I got given my first rod/reel and some peacock floats by my grandads pal.. (cane rod & centre pin reel)Unfortunately that was the year of the drought and I had to wait till the following year to use it lol 😂
First bought my own kit with my own money in 1980 for my tenth birthday and that was a Woolworths all in one kit 👍
First carp set up was Christmas 1984 which was 2 Daiwa powermesh 11' 1.75 with Mitchell reels and no buzzers! Fairy bottle tops and reels on backwind... Happy times indeed
In reply to Post #21
1986 summer holidays from college: purchased 2 x ss5 blanks from north western and built them by following an article in the Angling Times.
Not sure of the year but I remember that I was proud to be using a ten shilling note so it must have been before the end of 1970. I got three porcupine quills, shot, hooks plummet and a disgorger. The disgorged cost 6d I recall. I had the plummet until last year.
In reply to Post #22
Yes, the same, after the Black Prince saved up for the Mitchell 300a. Loved that reel apart from the line behind the spool thing. Still have it now, just need to fix the anti reverse and service it and it would still work fine.
Yes, the same, after the Black Prince saved up for the Mitchell 300a. Loved that reel apart from the line behind the spool thing. Still have it now, just need to fix the anti reverse and service it and it would still work fine.
In reply to Post #29
Ive got 2 in very good condition love them
Ive got 2 in very good condition love them
In reply to Post #29
I went from Grandad's old Intrepid Envoy to a Mitchell 320.
Still got the Envoy
Around 1974 - Winfield (Woolworths) tackle supplied pretty much everything until I plucked up the courage to go into a real tackle shop. My local Woolies had half an aisle of fishing stuff. My first rod came from there 6ft green, solid glass spinning rod.
Charlie's - the real tackle shop used to sell kids portions of maggots in tobacco tins! Huge stack of Golden Virginia tins behind the counter just for that, gods knows where he got them all from.
All terminal tackle in little divided up display cases under the glass counter to goggle at.
Half the time he wouldn't even charge kids for bits & pieces.
He used to very generously sponsor kids matches at the local park lake, so everyone got a prize of some sort.
Despite a bit of a reputation he really did have a heart of gold.
My first proper carp rod was a Craddock 2 piece fibreglass 10ft from there, maybe around '77? it was dark blue - wish to god I still had that, but stupidly sold it donkeys years ago.
I went from Grandad's old Intrepid Envoy to a Mitchell 320.
Still got the Envoy
Around 1974 - Winfield (Woolworths) tackle supplied pretty much everything until I plucked up the courage to go into a real tackle shop. My local Woolies had half an aisle of fishing stuff. My first rod came from there 6ft green, solid glass spinning rod.
Charlie's - the real tackle shop used to sell kids portions of maggots in tobacco tins! Huge stack of Golden Virginia tins behind the counter just for that, gods knows where he got them all from.
All terminal tackle in little divided up display cases under the glass counter to goggle at.
Half the time he wouldn't even charge kids for bits & pieces.
He used to very generously sponsor kids matches at the local park lake, so everyone got a prize of some sort.
Despite a bit of a reputation he really did have a heart of gold.
My first proper carp rod was a Craddock 2 piece fibreglass 10ft from there, maybe around '77? it was dark blue - wish to god I still had that, but stupidly sold it donkeys years ago.
In reply to Post #15
There's a few of us out there. First proper fishing rod was a Woolworths six foot red fibre glass spinning rod . Got it safely up in the roof . Over 50 years old now.
Wow this brings back some good old memories 👍
There's a few of us out there. First proper fishing rod was a Woolworths six foot red fibre glass spinning rod . Got it safely up in the roof . Over 50 years old now.
Wow this brings back some good old memories 👍
Got given a wicker creel and fibreglass rod in about 1983 aged 9. Been fishing to this day, albeit with better kit!
First carp rods were age 16 from Roy Marlow's shop Marks and Marlow in Leicester circa 1990. Daiwa Whisker Kevlar. Proud to say I still have them. Leicestershire wasn't exactly a hot bed of carp fishing but it helped light a fire that still burns to this day.
First carp rods were age 16 from Roy Marlow's shop Marks and Marlow in Leicester circa 1990. Daiwa Whisker Kevlar. Proud to say I still have them. Leicestershire wasn't exactly a hot bed of carp fishing but it helped light a fire that still burns to this day.
In reply to Post #27
I built a pair of those in 84 and still have them.
I built a pair of those in 84 and still have them.
I started first with dads old gear around 1965. My first gear of my own was a walkers of hythe cane and glass rod and an intrepid black prince purchased around 1970 aged 10. Floats hooks and weights were mostly pinched from Woolworths around that time. Aged 14 I built my own carp rod from a green glass 1 1/4 tc blank and made my first net in metalwork at school it weighte a tonne but was ok strapped to the crossbar for my trips to Horton Kirby, dart ford, and cray lakes. I wish I had kept my childhood gear. I still have some rods And a Mitchell 300 from my teens but not the stuff I started with.
In reply to Post #35
Baza,
My first Real Rod was also a cane and fiberglass JB Walkers Rod! Probably built by Ernie Wood.
With an Intrepid reel (can't remember the model. Well, it was 1963.
Baza,
My first Real Rod was also a cane and fiberglass JB Walkers Rod! Probably built by Ernie Wood.
With an Intrepid reel (can't remember the model. Well, it was 1963.
In reply to Post #2
Remember going into a local tackle shop (Camden Ironmongers) and buying split shot in these small tins that slid open from either end. Nasty horrible things that would never be sold today. The times we nearly sliced the top of our fingers/thumbs off trying to slide those open!!
My first rod was a split cane jobbie. It was my older brothers and I loved that rod. My mum bought it off of him for me for Christmas one year, must have been mid 60's. I couldn't wait to get out and use it.
I set out on Boxing day, walked miles over fields to get to a lovely lake we used to fish that was nicknamed "The Lilly". It didn't dawn on me at that tender age that the white, crunchy grass and frozen puddles meant that the whole lake was covered in ice about a foot thick! Needless to say I didn't fish that day......
Remember going into a local tackle shop (Camden Ironmongers) and buying split shot in these small tins that slid open from either end. Nasty horrible things that would never be sold today. The times we nearly sliced the top of our fingers/thumbs off trying to slide those open!!
My first rod was a split cane jobbie. It was my older brothers and I loved that rod. My mum bought it off of him for me for Christmas one year, must have been mid 60's. I couldn't wait to get out and use it.
I set out on Boxing day, walked miles over fields to get to a lovely lake we used to fish that was nicknamed "The Lilly". It didn't dawn on me at that tender age that the white, crunchy grass and frozen puddles meant that the whole lake was covered in ice about a foot thick! Needless to say I didn't fish that day......
In reply to Post #25
Same age as me.
My grandma bought me my first rod and reel, along with floats, shot and hooks.
A Czech rod, with metal joints, and a Ryobi reel.
We used to have a post bus that went from the village to the nearby town of Diss, which had both a proper tackle shop, Catch22 and Woolworths.
Catch22 was right on the outskirts, around a mile and a half from where the bus stopped, so we often used Woolworths as it was closer, plus obviously sold records, posters and sweets, a proper kids shop...
Catch22 if we walked down there, we'd buy wagglers, the round tubs of shot and maggots if we could afford them. If we couldn't afford maggots we'd be digging up in our compost heap for worms.
My first fish was a rudd from a farm pond.
Same age as me.
My grandma bought me my first rod and reel, along with floats, shot and hooks.
A Czech rod, with metal joints, and a Ryobi reel.
We used to have a post bus that went from the village to the nearby town of Diss, which had both a proper tackle shop, Catch22 and Woolworths.
Catch22 was right on the outskirts, around a mile and a half from where the bus stopped, so we often used Woolworths as it was closer, plus obviously sold records, posters and sweets, a proper kids shop...
Catch22 if we walked down there, we'd buy wagglers, the round tubs of shot and maggots if we could afford them. If we couldn't afford maggots we'd be digging up in our compost heap for worms.
My first fish was a rudd from a farm pond.
In reply to Post #1
Post 13. Split up with my first wife when Shimano released the baitrunners. Was out of work at the time so had a social security grant for pots and pans, bedding etc. Wasn't much of a cook back then so splashed out on the baitrunners ( after a very short spell with the Abu baitrunners which failed me after a couple of trips ). When I gravitated to a proper carp rod, AC6, glass. Described as a carp/barbel rod. Still have it. Then NW through actions, which I also still have and still use occasionally.
Post 13. Split up with my first wife when Shimano released the baitrunners. Was out of work at the time so had a social security grant for pots and pans, bedding etc. Wasn't much of a cook back then so splashed out on the baitrunners ( after a very short spell with the Abu baitrunners which failed me after a couple of trips ). When I gravitated to a proper carp rod, AC6, glass. Described as a carp/barbel rod. Still have it. Then NW through actions, which I also still have and still use occasionally.
My uncle left me a 10" spinning rod and an Intrepid Black Prince in about 1965, when i would have been about 6. Thought i was the dogs do-das at Gillingham Pier.
A bit later i got a 5 in 1 rod and Gallion 12R off the John England catalogue as i had progressed to fishing Allington Locks.
When i was a teenager i progressed to a 440 Mitchel Match with a fancy rod that i can't remember the name of - and then came Tench and Carp. Still got an old Pegley-Davis rod, my first 300, and Heron. I probably bought these from the Angler's Den in Gillingham.
A bit later i got a 5 in 1 rod and Gallion 12R off the John England catalogue as i had progressed to fishing Allington Locks.
When i was a teenager i progressed to a 440 Mitchel Match with a fancy rod that i can't remember the name of - and then came Tench and Carp. Still got an old Pegley-Davis rod, my first 300, and Heron. I probably bought these from the Angler's Den in Gillingham.
In reply to Post #40
'Gallion 12R' that rang a bell, googled it and, yup, used to have one of those!
'Gallion 12R' that rang a bell, googled it and, yup, used to have one of those!
In reply to Post #41
Me two I bought a pair of them in France on a school day trip to Boulogne. Used them for float fishing for years.
Me two I bought a pair of them in France on a school day trip to Boulogne. Used them for float fishing for years.
I used to love getting the Bennett's of Sheffield catalogue through the post as a youngster, circling all the things I wanted. My first carp rod, reel and optonic were purchased from there.
Mail order back in them days, send off your order form and hope they get it in the post
Mail order back in them days, send off your order form and hope they get it in the post
In reply to Post #36
A bit earlier than my one then. I loved that shop in a little side road off the high street if memory serves me correctly. We used to holiday in hythe and I spent a lot of time on the canal and on the Romney marsh great memories and some great fishing.
A bit earlier than my one then. I loved that shop in a little side road off the high street if memory serves me correctly. We used to holiday in hythe and I spent a lot of time on the canal and on the Romney marsh great memories and some great fishing.
In reply to Post #43
I used to love that mag. Bought so much stuff from them over the years as my local tackle shops were almost all attached to pet stores and had very limited stock of anything and were good for maggots, floats and weights but not much else (which covered most of our fishing which was mainly in small farm ponds)
I used to love that mag. Bought so much stuff from them over the years as my local tackle shops were almost all attached to pet stores and had very limited stock of anything and were good for maggots, floats and weights but not much else (which covered most of our fishing which was mainly in small farm ponds)
In reply to Post #40
Similar to me, my grandad gave me his gear, basket, Prince royal reels and split cane rod with fibreglass tip. Broke the rod at the handle and still continued to use it, looked like and extra long fly rod, happy days
Similar to me, my grandad gave me his gear, basket, Prince royal reels and split cane rod with fibreglass tip. Broke the rod at the handle and still continued to use it, looked like and extra long fly rod, happy days
In reply to Post #43
Expensive but a good shop though, had some gear from there
Expensive but a good shop though, had some gear from there
Same as some on here, at 7 got my first fishing kit as a job lot off what was then smoking vouchers that came with cigarettes, my whole family parents and grand parents smoked. It was a pike spinning kit i didn't know better but gave it ago at Clapham Common. Some random old boy who was fishing had a look at my kit and said get rid of the spinner and set me up with a float some weights and a size 16 hook and some maggots. Spent the rest of the day and caught a small roach.
When i was packing up he said take your kit to Dells at Clapham Junction and say Barry told you to bring it in and get them to have a look at it. Next day jumped on the 77 bus with my kit, you were safer in those days and the bus fare was 3p one way, walked into Dells and was in awe at all the shiny stuff. Was greeted by a member of staff and I said Barry said to pop in. They took my rod, reel and float and hook. Laughed then respoolled the reel with right line put a selection of floats, weights and a packet of hooks in a maggot box and gave them back to me. I said i didn't have any money to pay for this. He just laughed and said I now have a customer for life, don't worry about it.
He was right used to shop there regularly for the next 20 years, spent loads and he more than made back the cost of the few bits he gave me!
Brought my first optonics there, high and low, first carp rods and first Mitchell reels. And everything else, boy did he make his money back
When i was packing up he said take your kit to Dells at Clapham Junction and say Barry told you to bring it in and get them to have a look at it. Next day jumped on the 77 bus with my kit, you were safer in those days and the bus fare was 3p one way, walked into Dells and was in awe at all the shiny stuff. Was greeted by a member of staff and I said Barry said to pop in. They took my rod, reel and float and hook. Laughed then respoolled the reel with right line put a selection of floats, weights and a packet of hooks in a maggot box and gave them back to me. I said i didn't have any money to pay for this. He just laughed and said I now have a customer for life, don't worry about it.
He was right used to shop there regularly for the next 20 years, spent loads and he more than made back the cost of the few bits he gave me!
Brought my first optonics there, high and low, first carp rods and first Mitchell reels. And everything else, boy did he make his money back
In reply to Post #48
Great story......
Great story......
In reply to Post #49
My Father was a fanatical Thames angler and as soon as I was old enough to hold a rod I went with him every weekend no matter if I wanted to or not in the winter we switched to lakes where he fished for pike I had to fish for the live baits and freeze my arse off ! the first rod and reel I remember properly was a tank aerial made into a rod and a half bail arm Mitchell reel when I got to around 10 years old my Dad got bitten by the Match fishing scene we would all go in a coach I won the Christmas match one year and got the top prize a 14ft Apollo Taperflash steel rod I loved that rod lol
My Father was a fanatical Thames angler and as soon as I was old enough to hold a rod I went with him every weekend no matter if I wanted to or not in the winter we switched to lakes where he fished for pike I had to fish for the live baits and freeze my arse off ! the first rod and reel I remember properly was a tank aerial made into a rod and a half bail arm Mitchell reel when I got to around 10 years old my Dad got bitten by the Match fishing scene we would all go in a coach I won the Christmas match one year and got the top prize a 14ft Apollo Taperflash steel rod I loved that rod lol
6ft rod, one of them steely ones, black prince, and my dad nicked me a wicker basket, creel? From outside the local tackle shop, on hes way home from the pub....pissed, he didnt tell me until i was an adult though 🤣 1960s.
In reply to Post #48
That's a lovely story.
That's a lovely story.
In reply to Post #48
Lovely!
You'll remember Barry and Dells forever.👍🏻😀
Lovely!
You'll remember Barry and Dells forever.👍🏻😀
In reply to Post #53
Mine was a bit if a sob story really lol as my mum and dad would never buy me anything fishing related no matter how much i begged so i used to save my pocket money for months till i had enough to get on the bus to southend and visit going brothers. I didn't have enough for proper rods but they used to have a bin of odd rod bits at the entrance so my first rod was probably about 5 ft with a brown glass butt, a bamboo mid section that slid like the modern day scopes and a red glass tip section. I put brown foams on for grips and sandwiched between them were some sliding coasters, all odd rings out of the pennies box held on with insulation tape and my reel was a cheap bakelite centrepin, unsurprisingly i didnt catch much but i was hooked for life.
Mine was a bit if a sob story really lol as my mum and dad would never buy me anything fishing related no matter how much i begged so i used to save my pocket money for months till i had enough to get on the bus to southend and visit going brothers. I didn't have enough for proper rods but they used to have a bin of odd rod bits at the entrance so my first rod was probably about 5 ft with a brown glass butt, a bamboo mid section that slid like the modern day scopes and a red glass tip section. I put brown foams on for grips and sandwiched between them were some sliding coasters, all odd rings out of the pennies box held on with insulation tape and my reel was a cheap bakelite centrepin, unsurprisingly i didnt catch much but i was hooked for life.
In reply to Post #50
In reply to Post #48
Thats a great memory to have .
Thats a great memory to have .
ahh Winfield
In reply to Post #43
Bennett's, that's a blast from the past. Bought a nash wideboy from them which I still use to this day also bought 3 TXI+'s got the lot on interest free. When did it go bust about ten years ago?
Bennett's, that's a blast from the past. Bought a nash wideboy from them which I still use to this day also bought 3 TXI+'s got the lot on interest free. When did it go bust about ten years ago?
Bought my 1st rod from Woolworths (think the fishing range was called Winfields) about 1973 ... My parents bought it as i was 7!!
And it was about 9 ft, bright green and i could bend it in half .... Id completely forgotten about until 2002 when my father passed away and i found it when clearing his house
whipping on the rings was falling apart and the cork handle had fallen apart ... So i spent a small fortune on getting it completely rebuilt and on the 7 July ( day he died on) I go with the rod and go fishing for a few hours down the local harbour where it all started
Sentimental crap I know but its i nice way to remember the old man and reflect a little bit
And it was about 9 ft, bright green and i could bend it in half .... Id completely forgotten about until 2002 when my father passed away and i found it when clearing his house
whipping on the rings was falling apart and the cork handle had fallen apart ... So i spent a small fortune on getting it completely rebuilt and on the 7 July ( day he died on) I go with the rod and go fishing for a few hours down the local harbour where it all started
Sentimental crap I know but its i nice way to remember the old man and reflect a little bit
In reply to Post #1
Like many on here I also started with a visit to Woolies with my dad who bought me my first rod in the form of a starter kit. He wasn't an angler himself but on that first trip to Brooklands in ‘77 I caught my first fish - a stripey tiger fish he called it as he made the perch sound more exciting. Bless the old man he spent most of the day untangling my birds nests and freeing line and floats from the nearby willows. I've still got that 6ft glass rod and introduced my own lads to fishing years later. Happy memories!
Like many on here I also started with a visit to Woolies with my dad who bought me my first rod in the form of a starter kit. He wasn't an angler himself but on that first trip to Brooklands in ‘77 I caught my first fish - a stripey tiger fish he called it as he made the perch sound more exciting. Bless the old man he spent most of the day untangling my birds nests and freeing line and floats from the nearby willows. I've still got that 6ft glass rod and introduced my own lads to fishing years later. Happy memories!
In reply to Post #59
A lovely gesture and a warming story
A lovely gesture and a warming story
In reply to Post #59
Every time I fish I'm with my dad - and I'd bet I'm not the only one on here.
Great post
Here's to all our dads and father figures who taught us to fish before heading to the swim in the sky eh?
Every time I fish I'm with my dad - and I'd bet I'm not the only one on here.
Great post
Here's to all our dads and father figures who taught us to fish before heading to the swim in the sky eh?
In reply to Post #62
I got my first fishing rod from an offer my parents got from the sun newspaper
it was a green float rod.....oh how I loved that rod
I used to fish the meon in Hampshire and one day I didn't have my rod for some reason and handlined a worm using a stone and caught a 2lb trout....I was addicted from therin
I got my first fishing rod from an offer my parents got from the sun newspaper
it was a green float rod.....oh how I loved that rod
I used to fish the meon in Hampshire and one day I didn't have my rod for some reason and handlined a worm using a stone and caught a 2lb trout....I was addicted from therin
First rod and reel was Woolworths 6ft solid fibreglass rod with a green reel it was 3.99 for the kit.
Loved that rod would be a great stalking rod today.
Loved that rod would be a great stalking rod today.
In reply to Post #48
That was a great read 👍
That was a great read 👍
Shakespeare Alpha 12 float rod abu 501 reel and my Shakespeare blue fishing basket. 10 yrs later I brought my first carp rods northwestern by rod craft.
In reply to Post #59
Lovely.
Lovely.
In reply to Post #59
Great story.
Great story.
In reply to Post #1
1996. I believe we went to Argos in Woolwich and my dad got me a DAM match rod and reel combo. The reel fell apart whilst unboxing, so he got refund and bought me a 11ft Shakespeare Mustang ledger rod & reel instead, the rod had a swing time attachment option, although my old man has already been told about Gardner Monkey Climbers, and they were less fiddly. These worked a treat one my first trip, travelling from London to Wylands Farm, sitting there waiting for the bobbin to rise, and to reel in my first fish, a 8oz Roach, of which I still have the picture of.
Around 1998 and my Dad got five numbers on the lottery, and with his winnings he bought a pair of Daiwa Strikeforce Rods. My newly acquired club ticket didn't let juniors fish seperate swims, so we shared his rods most of the time.
A year later, I was given two unbranded 11ft carp rods, which I paired up with two Daiwa Regal 4550 baitrunners. These were lightweight, as demonstrated by myself "testing the test curve" by placing two hands a foot apart from one another and SNAP, that was the end of that. My dad stood there laughing, and told me about an advert for "Badger Tackle" he saw in a magazine. Oh how that company brings back stories, only the other day my old man recited the time I sat on the bedchair inside the Outbound Camping tent, only for the headrest to come flying up and bury itself in the side of my temple. The Rods, however, done a superb job. Landing countless doubles over a three year period.
My first set up with my own wages was in 2003 when I was 13. I had spent the six weeks holiday in Ireland, and my uncle got fed up of dropping me off to go Perch fishing in the Grand Canal outside of Dublin, so he offered me some work within a warehouse opening shipments of seeds ready for packing. I couldn't believe my luck. 300 quid for 3 weeks work. I was absolutely rolling in it! Once I got back to blighty I purchased 3 Abu Garcia 'Agenda' 12ft 2.5lb rods, and 3 Daiwa Emcast Evos. With my MK1 Micron M's and my red solar bobbins on a Fox Warrior Pod, I thought I was the nuts. That set up lasted me til I was 18 years old, and was the longest I've kept any item of tackle.
1996. I believe we went to Argos in Woolwich and my dad got me a DAM match rod and reel combo. The reel fell apart whilst unboxing, so he got refund and bought me a 11ft Shakespeare Mustang ledger rod & reel instead, the rod had a swing time attachment option, although my old man has already been told about Gardner Monkey Climbers, and they were less fiddly. These worked a treat one my first trip, travelling from London to Wylands Farm, sitting there waiting for the bobbin to rise, and to reel in my first fish, a 8oz Roach, of which I still have the picture of.
Around 1998 and my Dad got five numbers on the lottery, and with his winnings he bought a pair of Daiwa Strikeforce Rods. My newly acquired club ticket didn't let juniors fish seperate swims, so we shared his rods most of the time.
A year later, I was given two unbranded 11ft carp rods, which I paired up with two Daiwa Regal 4550 baitrunners. These were lightweight, as demonstrated by myself "testing the test curve" by placing two hands a foot apart from one another and SNAP, that was the end of that. My dad stood there laughing, and told me about an advert for "Badger Tackle" he saw in a magazine. Oh how that company brings back stories, only the other day my old man recited the time I sat on the bedchair inside the Outbound Camping tent, only for the headrest to come flying up and bury itself in the side of my temple. The Rods, however, done a superb job. Landing countless doubles over a three year period.
My first set up with my own wages was in 2003 when I was 13. I had spent the six weeks holiday in Ireland, and my uncle got fed up of dropping me off to go Perch fishing in the Grand Canal outside of Dublin, so he offered me some work within a warehouse opening shipments of seeds ready for packing. I couldn't believe my luck. 300 quid for 3 weeks work. I was absolutely rolling in it! Once I got back to blighty I purchased 3 Abu Garcia 'Agenda' 12ft 2.5lb rods, and 3 Daiwa Emcast Evos. With my MK1 Micron M's and my red solar bobbins on a Fox Warrior Pod, I thought I was the nuts. That set up lasted me til I was 18 years old, and was the longest I've kept any item of tackle.
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