The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

James, you have seen me fish, and so know there's not much chance of me catching anything, never mind a double-figure carp And if I ever did find mself in such a position, I'd just hand the rod to Bumble, as he has a previous conviction for Craftversa abuse - sorry, I meant he has extensive experience of playing huge fish on fragile cane rods

I say ... what rods !!! Excellent work, Sir.

Lovely work indeed Andrew.

James wrote:Hope you all dont mind me sharing a picture of two Ledgestrikes i have just restored for the Colonel and what terrific rods they are,There light crisp with a lovely fast action and bite detection that is so sensitive.I think Peter Stone should of been very proud of his entry into rod design helped by Chapmans years of knowledge.
Whippen in vintage British wine silk. Hope you like them Colonel Sir!!

Andrew J Davis

Hi Andrew, might I ask where you got those lovely Sealey-style winding checks? I've been trying to source one for a month!


I decided, in the end, to try and turn one up myself, only for my lather to develop a nasty attack of the wobbles.....


If you do know of a source, I want one just over 11mm...quite small, I know....for a long handled Mark IV Avon.


The lads tell me your order books are full these days......I suppose that's a good thing? I'm sure they are only telling me so they can keep mentioning Craftversas, the swines!

Hope to see you again at Redditch,



Nobby.

Morning Nobby,Well one was original and the other is a new one and i have just had a rummage in my most untidy workshop and have found one for you,just give me a pm with your address and i will send it on for you.

Very busy making and restoring, i think i have around 20 new rods to make and 10 refurbs,probably equates to 7-8 months waiting time ,always room for improvement on the orders ,i think i might try my hand at making more fly rods, i made one for David Hartington Preece recently and i must say he was well pleased.

Oh yes i look forward to Redditch show next month,Of course i will have a Craftversa with me ,they have become one of my most popular rods,i also hope to have a Avon Perfection whipped to perfection.ok i will try.

Is that the fly rod that I waggled James? If so, then I can well believe he was pleased, it was magnificent, and has got me thinking (and saving...). There you go Nobby, I didn't mention Craftversas at all. OOPS, sorry

With luck, and a following wind, and my getting up sufficiently early, I might well see you at the Redditch show (I should be on my way back up north after a couple of days in the south).

Oops....I meant that to be a PM....I'm getting more senile by the minute. I'd better make a start on that rod before I think it's meant for next years runners........






Nurse!

GarryProcter wrote:Is that the fly rod that I waggled James? If so, then I can well believe he was pleased, it was magnificent, and has got me thinking (and saving...). There you go Nobby, I didn't mention Craftversas at all. OOPS, sorry

With luck, and a following wind, and my getting up sufficiently early, I might well see you at the Redditch show (I should be on my way back up north after a couple of days in the south).

Yes Garry that was the rod,got talking to another rod maker about translucent whippings, they came out ok. Look forward to see you at Redditch.

James wrote: Yes Garry that was the rod,got talking to another rod maker about translucent whippings,they came out ok.
Look forward to see you at Redditch .

They came out better than OK! Looking forward to seeing you again too.

As a lad in the 1960s living in Birmingham much of the close season was spent riding my bicycle from one fishing tackle shop to another where hours would be devoted to looking at the range of rods displayed in military style ranks at the back of the shop window with incremental wooden shelves in front upon which were displayed reels to match the rods.

I recall it took me the best part of a year to save the 90shillings for my first Mitchell 308 (reduced in the sale from £5/12/6 thank goodness).

However, I never forgot the names of those rods and reels that absorbed so much of my interest at the time and some 15 years ago or so I made a list of the key rods and reels that I recalled from those days and set myself the target of trying to acquire one of those rods each year. I also set myself the target of not only buying a rod per year but ensuring that if necessary it was restored and of course then used for the purpose it had been made for.

It is an interesting way of ensuring more trips every year as well as I try to ensure that each rod I have has at least one or two outings per year.

As the years have gone by the list has become shorter but in so doing finding the next rod off the list has become more difficult.

For 2014 I have set myself the objective of try to locate a Chapmans built cane Peter Stone Ledgerstrike rod but have become a little confused over some details I have discovered and the mists of time (50years) of looking through those tackle shop windows remains a little cloudy.

So I thought a post on here might clear those mists and enable me to properly focus my attention on the 2014 objective. Your guidance fellow TFFers would be appreciated.

Was the first version of the Peter Stone Ledgerstrike made by Chapmans a 3 piece rod refered to just as the 600?

Were the later versions of the Peter Stone Ledgerstrike made by Chapmans a 2 piece rod bearing the Peter Stone Ledgerstrike wording?

I am sure that in those Birmingham tackle shop windows the white label hanging from the butt ring said Peter Stone Ledgerstrike and not Chapmans 600.

Now to the important bit if both were in fact Peter Stone Ledgerstrike rods how did they compare. I would imagine that there would be quite a difference between the performance of a 3 piece rod and a 2 piece version and I am sure that someone out there has had the opportunity to road test both versions. Views would be greatly appreciated.

As to use when I find the rod - I have in mind using it as a ledgering rod for chub and barbel.

Thanks in anticipation.