The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

For fishing bags of all sizes check out:

http://www.billingham.co.uk

Sold as camera bags they look exactly the same as traditional fishing bags and I can confirm the quality is every bit as good as Brady. The range is extensive and if you want a traditional looking bag that can take rather more kit than the classic looking Hardy or Brady bag look no further.

I think I'd rate almost all my tackle as 'fine things', my reel boxes, especially the one my father made for me with proper dovetailed corners especially falls under that description, as does my creel. The latter was bought about 20 years ago for a few quid is still going strong. Even my old Woolworth rod is now a fine thing to me since we've spent 32 years together and have had some serious battles. I'd argue that being elevated to the status of a fine thing is purely a sentimental value.

Mine came as an extra along with I rod I bought on Ebay. Its not a Hardy but its a lovely thing and I use it when I can but it does mean thinning out my tackle, something I'm not very good at.

Here are a pair of new Hardy Splint End 'Suction' Joints, ferrules to you and me. They were hand made of Duralumin and are very light. The fit is exceptional with no need for lapping. A very rare find for this rod- maker; they surfaced from a reel repair shop in the west end of Toronto where they had lain undisturbed since the 1950's. The page featured is from Hardy's 1957 catalogue.

I use a Shakespeare rucksack as the size is ideal for me and is very comfortable to carry,it also allows me to have both hands free to carry a lightweight chair and a rod sleeve which has long mesh pocket for my landing net handle and rod rest.I live in walking distance of the Trent so my kit is kept to essentials for the day.

MHC
I bet your eyes nearly popped out when you found those – very lovely.

Blimey! Ally ferrules..I hadn't heard of those before....now you'll have to make a rod to use them on, Malcolm!


That's your Winter evenings sorted then.......

"My new fishing bag. I've had one bag for decades and then 2 more come along !It was a present from Fuller's brewery and it came full of beer ! Result :-)"
In my youth I worked for Fullers, known then as Fuller Turner Smith, in the maintenance section, working in their pubs, and talking of special things, one of the directors, used the basement of the brewery to make working model steam engines, which we then mounted on the walls of the said pubs, in glass cases, I wonder what happened to all that craftsmanship, as they were amazing, and would now be worth a fair bit.

Rod,

You may have known Her Ladyship's father, Philip Eliot (mother was Joyce Fuller, daughter of Henry Fuller, the founder) who was responsible for quality control. What a fantastic job ! Great company to work for.

Rod - you may have known my late father-in-law who was adept at climbing in the boilers! Eric Shilletto was his name.

I used to love that job, we would make the cases and brackets, out of oak, and they were works of art in their own right, but I being one of the lowly minions, never got to mix with the directors, not like my father who worked for Whitbread, and was on talking terms, with as he put it, the "old man", as for remembering names, this was over 50 years ago, and my memory just wont stretch that far back, but funny enough, I remember I used to get to work on a moped registration number NYP44E, weird that I can remember that and not names. Maybe it was because it was the very first brand new vehicle I ever owned, and it was fitted with clips for my fishing tackle. Back then a lot of breweries were family run, and working for them was like belonging to the family, the wages were good, and conditions were on a par with the best of today, you worked hard but were treated well, not like a lot of companies today.