The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

With the recent talk of the new edition of No Need To Lie I have been reminded of one of my cock ups (or it it cocks up?). Back in the day I had a collection of rods that was quite extensive. I had just about all of B James coarse rods, when I obtained a stepped up version of the Mk4. My story begins!

The rod was a minter but quite frankly I thought it was an awful rod, more akin to Fatima Whitbread's javelin than a useful fishing rod. The rod had writing on it that said Reg Cooke, Melbourne. I believe that this is the Derbyshire town that the famous illustrator/artist hailed from. I am pretty sure that it was his own rod and is possibly the one he used for his illustrations in NNTL. I was never able to get family confirmation, although I never tried very hard.

Despite the condition and the likely previous owner, I hated the rod with a passion. From memory I passed it on for around £100. Ah well, I guess we have all made some mistakes in the past. Well have you?

Bob - I think if I had done that only to realize later what I had done I would have drowned in my tears especially as NNTL was one of the first fishing books I ever owned being bought as a present for me by my Granny. I still have the original book complete with original tatty dust jacket and it is read in early June every year.

Mind you I now realize that as a lad on holiday on the Norfolk Broads my father's business partner loaned me his fishing tackle the rod being an Allcocks Wallis Wizard complete with Aerial centrepin but I never used it!! Instead I used my Uncle's Allcocks Viking and Aerialite centrepin reel with which I caught a fine roach so why was there any need to look at anything else.

Interesting tale Bob what with the new edition of 'No need to lie' out in a few day's, sure its the same Reg Cooke, would be even more strange if Dick Walker had made or even given the rod to him ! As for mistakes of my own...numerous ! snapping the top section of a ' Chapmans500' by catching it in a bush on the upper Welland 1973 in my diary, just had 3 chub in a flood and rushing back to my car in a good mood....compounded by never having a new tip made but discarding the bottom section somewhere and using a glass blank in the handle ! Then this was nicked along with other tackle whilst in Dublin. Next one letting my dad sell lots of my grandad's tackle and a cased large stuffed Perch, giving up my season ticket at Swithland Res just as it started to produce massive Bream and Tench...... Loads of other mistakes/regret's not all fishing related !

Tight lines
Dave