Hardy "Sheffield Style"

[Vole]

Do be careful with it in transit, A.C.; the cane of the second section is awfully thin walled - as I noticed when I had to mend a crack in mine (bought a short-tipped one decades ago. Says it all about the thinness of the tip, too!).
I suspect rod-rings from the other sections may have pressed on it. Postcard thin, it was; I've seen thicker-walled Norfolk reed!

[AshbyCut]

There's an interesting chapter on the Sheffield style of angling in a B V book - British Sports past and present - complete with an ink sketch by the great man himself. I'm not sure I'm at liberty to show an extract here. I'll lend it to you if you win!

"if" ??? Sounds like fighting talk !!!

[AshbyCut]

Do be careful with it in transit

Thanks for that Vole, Sir. Duly noted ... and I'll inspect thoroughly when it arrives.

[AllRounder]

That sounds very much like the gauntlet has been thrown down! We must discuss details at some point.

I think you threw it, Sir ... I simply picked it up.

It may be that others may pick it up also ... we'll see !

(There's a section from Snarestone to Carlton Bridge, just above Market Bosworth, which is covered by an SSSI ... and north of that is on a Snarestone AC ticket, I believe ... but something based around the Sutton Cheney Wharf could be a possible venue.)

Sounds like a plan.I know the Sutton Cheney area reasonably well although I rarely fish the Ashby nowadays.
We'll wait for the weather to improve and see if there's any more interest.

[AshbyCut]

We'll wait for the weather to improve and see if there's any more interest.

I've blanked the few times I've tried it ((at least on the southern stretches near the Bedworth Junction) since the EA electro-fished it a few years ago in an attempt to remove the zander ... but I've been told some bream and roach are returning to the middle sections ... hence the Sutton Cheney suggestion (oh ... and they do a good lunch there too !)

[AshbyCut]

That looks like a very nice one Mal, do you know what year it was made?

I had one from 1934, but I sold it as it was so fine in the tip I didn't use it for fear of breaking it.

I won't be collecting the rod for another 3 weeks, Sir ... but I'm told that the number stamped is G30901, which I'm assuming makes it slightly younger than the 'Allround' which you dated to 1955.

[AshbyCut]

I collected the rod, and what a beauty it is !!! Immaculate condition with original bag, and straight as the proberbial.

It turns out to be a Hardy "Surestrike" in the Sheffield style, with a the 'tippier' action than the more 'through' action offered on the 'Thames' model.

[Crucian]

Lovely rod.

[Vole]

Oh, Lawdy, you're going to just luuuuurve that!