Sapper - Fly rod

[Marc]

At a recent car boot I bought an Allcock sapper fly rod for a tenner. Other than the ring whippings needing changing (water ingress, probably would have been fine but it bugged me), which I’m part way through doing, the rod is in perfect condition. My question is do any of you have a description from an Allcock catalogue you could share? It’s a three piece and is a later rod with the Lees style black, green and yellow label.

Thank you for any help given, I just wondered if it mentions line sizes or any pertinent details.

[Catfish.017]

I don't have a catalogue description but I do have the actual rod (10'6") to compare notes. Curiously, despite being the later labelled rod, it has brass handle fittings?

[Marc]

Mine has a screw reel seat operated by turning the but end cap, which is a bit of a pain, because you can turn the reel seat if you want to put the rings on another face of the blank in order to compensate a set. The rod doesn't have a set, but that was my thought when I was changing it.

Mines quite a fine tipped rod, which makes me think, or hope to honest, that its suited to maybe 5# or even 4# lines.

[Scott]

How long is it Marc? If it's 10'6" I doubt it'll be a #5 but I might be wrong. Any chance of some photos?

[Marc]

I’ll sort some pictures this evening. Luckily the whippings are the same forest green as on the Rover I did a few years back, so I had some in. I started with the worst ring, then thought “that ones a bit naff to” and so on and so on until I though the who,e rod might as well get fresh rings.

[Wallys-Cast]

Hi Marc,
the Sapper in my 1963 catalogue says "High Grade 3JT. Built Cane" A336. The Sapper is an ideal rod for the majority of rivers in northern England, Wales and the West country. For fishing both the wet and the dry fly. Action- 9, 9 1/2 ft . Medium Dry Fly, AFTM 4&5. 10ft Midway AFTM 5&6.

The reel fitting is called the "Holdwell" screw winch I have only seen one before and it was on an Allcocks Aristocrat Fly Rod.

The description goes on to say.
FITTINGS.
Solid cork handle, reinforced suction ferrules, steel bridge rings, agatine butt and end rings, Allcocks "Holdwell" patent screw winch fitting.
FINISH.
Closely whipped in dark green silk on natural hardened cane surface. Each rod is supplied in a high grade partitioned bag.
9, 9 1/2, 10 ft 202/6 ea + P Tax.
I know you are only a whipper snapper so that's £10.12 1/2p in new money. It must have been a lot of money in 1963, probably a weeks wages.

Wal.

[Marc]

Thanks, Wal, that’s better than I was hoping. Mines the 9’ version. For some reason tiny pic doesn’t work on iPads anymore, so I’ll upload pictures from my laptop tomorrow.

[Penninelad]

Here is my Sapper:-

[Marc]

That’s the same reel seat as mine, but yours has red whippings whereas mine are green.



It worked!