romsey tackle fair

[Dave Burr]

I was going to make the long trek but circumstances changed and I went to the Midlands Fishing Show at the Ricoh Stadium - who was the first person I bumped into but our own Shaun Harrison

It was all carbon and wheel barrows of course but I picked up a few bits and bobs for my carp quest over the next few months. I sat in on part of a Q&A Shaun was doing and 'won' a dvd for asking a question - which os a polite term for arguing with the co-presenter

Redditch soon

[Nobby]

It's always good to meet up with a few pals and have my once yearly cup of tea and bacon roll ( Doctor's orders ) and this year I went fishing nearby afterwards, as I didn't have a table to clear away, which was most pleasant...though not exactly prolific fish-wise.


A few glaring sellers missing and the gate was surely the lowest for years....only half the chairs in the restaurant needed to be put out...other years the place was full of chairs and you were lucky to get a seat!



I think there's two main reasons for the drop in visitors;

1/. People are getting fed up with the Fair being on the last day the rivers are 'open' for fishing. The gate drops, so the dealers do badly takings-wise and stay away next time....a viscious circle. As for those that pack up and leave by Noon......I used to do all my 'deals' after they were half way home!


2/. The prices are too high...to ask £1000 for a rod the whole world knows you got last week for £450 is just daft....we do all have the internet, you know. £60 for a very clean Mitchell 300, that sounds like a food-mixer ?? £750 for an Andrew Davies rod that he charges £700 for???



I used to see some dealers take practically nothing in money and have to load it all up again at the end of the day. Price it to sell fellers....and it just might!



That said, I'm not really sure what the traditional angling public actually want anymore.....floats don't sell even at £10 for three, which is ridiculously low when they take on average 5 hours to make. Restored rods don't sell .... and I flog my work off for a fraction that others do ( because it's a fraction as good as theirs! ) Old rods that are ready to restore don't sell...£40 for a top notch Marco Test and I can't sell it in 6 Fairs???


Then there's the reels I used to offer, fully blueprinted and tweaked Mitchell 300 and 410 variants, as good as this old spanner-monkey can manage to make them, on average a minimum of £10 worth of 'new-old stock' parts in them and two full days in the workshop polishing gear teeth and I can't get £35 for them...I can't get £25 for them.....and that's what they cost me......


So now I only do the reels to order.



I used to buy stuff and do stuff up just to fill my table. And I'd sell it at a loss rather than take it home again.




I'm not moaning....i just don't know quite what people want from the Fair.

[CWK]

Nobby , this was my first Romsey Tackle Fair and to say I was somewhat disappointed would be a massive understatement . Yes , there were a few bargains to be had but also some of the prices for nothing but old " tat " were eyewatering ... I looked at the Andrew Davis rod you mention and the " original " version which was priced at £1200 ! . This , whilst rare , is a ludicrous price for a rod with a slight set in its top joint .. In my humble opinion the Davis version was far superior .... I think there needs to be some recalibration of values for some of the " vintage " tackle we see advertised today ..

[Nobby]

The £1200 'original' rod had been restored, yet it hadn't been 'turned' and had a droop and the ferrule knocked......I wouldn't have paid £200 for it.
It needed stripping down and starting all over again.

Nice to see Coch-y-bonddu books had come all the way from Machynlleth, I hope they found it worth the trip and it's always worth visiting John Andrews stall....the man just finds stuff. Robert Fox had some proper fluted avon floats, not just something knocked up with a router and there were plenty of other good dealers there too.

[CWK]

Yes , there were a few good interesting stalls but many were not .. The chap trying to sell the " droopy " ( as I christened it ) had the charisma and interpersonal skills of a dead sheep . I was , at one point , tempted by the " Davis " but was so put off that I thought S-d It !!.. I've since spoken to Andrew about another rod instead..

I'm curious to know how Romsey will compare to the Redditch fair....

[Dave Burr]

Well I hope Redditch is better. That's two years running Romsey has had a bad press whereas I've enjoyed the Redditch get together. Mind you, I don't have an expert eye so I could be way off the mark.

I really don't understand why Romsey and the Ricoh event I went to are booked for the one weekend a season that's as important to anglers as opening day. It shows an extreme lack of planning and is bound to effect interest in the event and money taken. Also, there's not much money about at the moment, I think there's a lot of us that spend more time watching than buying.

[Barney]

Good luck Merlot,hope all goes well for you,
Barney