The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Very interesting Gentlemen, I have four 'standard ' Mk IV's, and three similar dated (later) ones are of similar diameter, but slightly bizarrely, a slightly earlier one ('London England) is thicker with a corresponding higher test curve that I'd estimate at around 1.75lb ish. Regards Cat

I think that i may have seen a B James pamphlet that mentioned that the S/U version was also a good bass rod .

I'm sure I'd concur with that, and may get a chance to give it a go at bass in the coming season. Not that I'd ever try it, but I wonder if they made half decent Salmon spinners, or were just too much!

I mentioned the process of stepping up, or down, for that matter in a post in the Cane Rod Building and Restoration section. I gave an example of both 10% reduction and 10% increase to a rods test curve and used the MKIV and MKIV SU as the working example. Of course this was in the belief that the SU had only a 10% increase, not 20% as is being discussed here That is one hell of a step up!

It’s a bit of a dry subject but if anyone suffers from insomnia it can be found here:

http://www.traditionalfisherman.com/vie ... hp?t=28578

CAUTION: Does contain references to carp!

That's a great link, and as I seem to wake up at 4.30ish every morning at the moment (the call of the middle aged bladder, followed by BBC World Service), I'll save that! I'm also sure Mrs Dragon will appreciate my nudging her so she too may appreciate the finer points of an extra 10% on a MkIV.

I have a B James SU MK1V England, and by the look and feel of it I think I could (tongue in cheek) cast a 6oz lead when shore fishing. It is much thicker than the two other SU MK1V Carp rods I have. These other two are J B Walker Kit rods. Both of which I have completely refurbished. As a matter of interest, I checked at the time of purchase the provenance of these two rods and the seller told me he worked in the shop that sold the blanks. They were Bob Southwell blanks When the original buyer who he new died, he purchased them back from the family.

My two SU's get a few outings a year in late summer and Autumn when weed becomes a problem on the tench waters I fish.. I wouldn't call them broomsticks they are quite well balanced really and for a purpose. Ted Oliver made some longer tench rods and again they have some strength to them.
Years ago weed was very common before the introduction of the mud pigs to our precious pools..