Homer's (Remembering Gudgeon Jim)

The Other Traditional Rods forum.
User avatar
Bumble
Rainbow Trout
Posts: 3212
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2012 7:49 am
12
Location: Berkshire

Homer's (Remembering Gudgeon Jim)

Post by Bumble »

It was a very cold January afternoon in 2017 when Mal and yours truly attended Jim’s funeral to pay our last respects. As with any funeral it’s a sad and sombre affair made worse by the young family he left behind to fish the great lake in the sky.
 The service was held against a background of music from “The Who, Kate Bush, and the Style Council" in typical Jim style - always something a little different.
 Jim and I had become firm friends over a number of years.  This started with several messages on TFF before realising we both fished the Kennet on the Wasing estate and as members of Newbury Angling Association plus we lived barely 4 miles from each other.
 Following this discovery we spent many hours together on the Kennet, Barton Court and drinking coffee together in our respective homes.
 Two things went mainly unnoticed unless you knew Jim well:
  1.    He was a superb angler who loved cane and pins; along with Martin James I would consider him the best Chub angler I have ever had the privilege to be friends with, and fish with.  His PB was 7-2. Jim was more than just a Chub angler - he had other PBs that most would give their right arm for; he also loved his Perch and Roach fishing. His best Perch was 4-6 , his Roach 3-3 and his Gudgeon were of course legendary . Like I said, he was a superb angler.
 2. Jim also had the finest collection of Homer's rods I have ever seen and although he would always deny it, he was an expert in the whole history of that great company from Forest Gate, London.
 I will never forget an afternoon during the spring of 2016 Jim called me and said “Fancy a coffee at my place and take look at some rods especially as I value your opinion.”  Three hours and three coffees later I left with an amazing twin tip Homer Roach rod which Jim had the full history of, including relatives of the match secretary who had previously owned the rod. “It will be much better in your hands Bumble,” such was the man.
 Bringing the story quickly up to date before I bore you all with my ramblings, but in November 2017 my great friend, fellow member and amazing restorer Cane&Able called me:  “I have found this superb Homer whole cane butt. Are you interested?”  Memories of Jim came flooding back and almost without hesitation I said yes. Restoration has been under way now for a couple of months and I get more excited every time I get the next batch of pictures from Cane&Able.
 The rod is 11’ in length, with a three piece whole cane butt, split cane middle and tip section.  It has a 21” handle with a convex cone end which is blued alloy with an aged patina as have the reel bands and butt cap.
 The action is best described as classic Avon, soft slow progression throughout the taper. It’s definitely not a rod for a big flow nor big Barbel . Homer’s were geared for Match and general course fishing, particularly Roach fishing with their rods and poles so a whole cane butt from circa 1950 possibly was based on a Wizard from a rival camp. To back up this supposition the tip section of this rod has an identical taper to a very early Wallis Wizard that I am very proud to have in my thicket.
The Homer rod is dressed with black whips tipped with red with a single very fine red whip either side of the whips with black inters - classic Homers simplicity. Sometimes less is more.
 Hopefully I will get to fish with the rod when I meet up with great friends Cane&Able and Martin James to the fish for Cucians and Tench during June. If you’re looking down on us Jim and keeping up with TFF, let’s hope I catch something, anything, with this beautiful old piece of cane to put a smile on your face.
Seldom has any piece of cane touched me so much and many emotions have kicked in so please excuse my reasons to post, Jim, loved TFF so I say without fear of contestation he would have approved. The really good stuff is out tonight my friend raising a glass to you as I post.
Bumble.
Image  
ImageImageImageImageImageImage

User avatar
LuckyLuca
Barbel
Posts: 4792
Joined: Mon Jul 02, 2012 10:20 am
11
Location: Oxfordshire

Re: Homer's (Remembering Gudgeon Jim)

Post by LuckyLuca »

What a lovely post and an equally lovely rod.
Jim I feel would have approved.
I walked across an empty land
I knew the pathway like the back of my hand
I felt the earth beneath my feet
Sat by the river and it made me complete.

User avatar
Lea Dweller
Pike
Posts: 6007
Joined: Thu Nov 07, 2013 1:58 am
10

Re: Homer's (Remembering Gudgeon Jim)

Post by Lea Dweller »

A lovely story Colin, I can understand why you rate Cane&Able so highly, that is a superb job of restoration! I hope that you get much pleasure from using it while thinking of your friend Gudgeon Jim!
Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall!
Confucius

User avatar
Harry H
Tench
Posts: 2990
Joined: Sat Sep 01, 2012 10:04 pm
11
Location: Rayne, Essex

Re: Homer's (Remembering Gudgeon Jim)

Post by Harry H »

Lovely looking rod and good luck with it's christening
:Hat:
There are three things that improve with age: wine, friendship and water sense, and there's no short cut.
Anthony Shepherdson

User avatar
PershoreHarrier
Rainbow Trout
Posts: 3270
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2013 5:13 pm
11
Location: North Worcestershire

Re: Homer's (Remembering Gudgeon Jim)

Post by PershoreHarrier »

Always very important - the memories we have of others whom we had the pleasure to know. You will sit by the water with that rod and you will not sit alone.

Jeremy Croxall
Zander
Posts: 3741
Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2015 8:05 am
8
Location: Matlock Derbyshire

Re: Homer's (Remembering Gudgeon Jim)

Post by Jeremy Croxall »

Oh my goodness, what a gorgeous rod!
What a lovely way to remember an absent friend :Hat:
"Oh for want of rod and line I'd fish this stream serene, sublime".

User avatar
AshbyCut
Honorary President
Posts: 10142
Joined: Sun May 06, 2012 1:27 am
11
Location: North Warwickshire

Re: Homer's (Remembering Gudgeon Jim)

Post by AshbyCut »

Such memories of a unique and special character !!! We shared our surname ... and so called each other 'cousin.' I'll always treasure the landing net head Jim made for me.

Looks a fabulous rod, Bumble, Sir ... and I'm sure you'll make Jim smile with your efforts with it ! :Hat:
"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.

User avatar
Mark
Head Bailiff
Posts: 21142
Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2011 4:55 pm
12
Location: Leicestershire
Contact:

Re: Homer's (Remembering Gudgeon Jim)

Post by Mark »

Wonderful write up Colin and god bless Gudgeon Jim. :Hat:
Mark (Administrator)

The most precious places in the English landscape are those secretive corners,
where you find only elder trees, nettles and dreams. (BB - Denys Watkins-Pitchford).

User avatar
CaneAndAble
Ruffe
Posts: 54
Joined: Tue May 01, 2012 2:34 pm
11

Re: Homer's (Remembering Gudgeon Jim)

Post by CaneAndAble »

Thanks Colin for the kind words , but more importantly the sentiment this rod represents for you and your friendship you had with Jim .
Let’s crack on with Jim’s roach rod this autumn eh ? Cracking post Colin and a emotional read

Lee

User avatar
Bumble
Rainbow Trout
Posts: 3212
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2012 7:49 am
12
Location: Berkshire

Re: Homer's (Remembering Gudgeon Jim)

Post by Bumble »

oh yes please Lee

Post Reply

Return to “Other Traditional Cane Rods”