The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Pandafodder wrote:

Greentura wrote:very nice Pandafodder, when i was looking for a longer cane rod i was given a FJT to waggle in the back garden of a rod builder friend and knew it was one for me. it took a while to find the first one but now i have a couple myself, one being a Barder restored one and the other two have been rebuilt from very poor examples, only the middle section was used in reality, with hardlon lined lowbells right through to be used as barbel, tench and bream rods. I added a short mid section, uprated the tip sections to Mk4 tips and had short handels made as well. I also have an original handle that was damaged and cut down by a previous owner that i have had refurbished for my Barder rod which makes it easier to use in confined swims. Are you the Pandafodder at Maidstone by the way?

Hi Greentura! I replied to your post earlier but it doesn't seem to have sent??.....I like what you have done to the FJ's Nice mods.....If you want to change your hardlon rings for aqualite Hopkins&Holloway are doing them again...
I'm Pandafodder from widnes....Didn't know there was another....are they on here....
Phil.

Hi PF, there was one selling on eBay, I thought he was in Maidstone Kent but may have been wrong, not uncommon . The hardlon's are just fine, the right balance of old and new without being too modern looking, I like aqualites but, first, they weren't around when these were built, and second, the hardlons can be used with braid if needed. The modified ones with the mk4 tip on are a match for most things found in rivers and carp to high doubles although i have not had one as of yet. used as a pair with the shorter handles on rests they are perfect longer range rods and with 4lb line on a Mitchell 300 can comfortably send a 2oz loaded feeder 60m+, and with the FJT tip and long handle are perfect heavy float/avon rods.

If you like the FJT as a float rod then try and have a waggle with a Chapmans Hunter 12', again i have a couple, an unrestored one in useable but tatty condition, a very sad one awaiting a new tip section and a fully restored one that I have been using for nearly a year, well a dozen times anyway and was until I finished my Swimversa my float rod of choice for roach. they have the benefit of having 3 equal length sections with the butt and middle being hollow built which stiffens them up greatly while also reducing weight, they have ample power to control fish to doubles or more on float gear while the tip is soft enough to protect the hookhold and not bump too many. i was told before getting my first one that 'if i was to get only one cane float rod, make it a Hunter', didn't have the heart to tell the guy how many rods i already had

Beresford wrote:Its a very nice looking rod but I hadn't appreciated just how thick the butt section is on the FJT taper. It really does look very powerful.

Becaude they have a long handle and it is hollow built in the mid section it doesn't feel over heavy or thick. i nearly made a 10' two piece from one that i got with damaged ferules due to the cost of propper new oned but decided to use non standard ones to build a second of my modified rods instead. i did fish it short with a reel taped to the mid section and no handle to see what it may have been like but it needed an extra foot and wondered if chapmans could have made a 5'6" tip section to add to a FJT mid section and i could add a length od duralloy tube under the cork to make up the length. Instead i opted for short handles and standard 60" tip and middles to keep cost down in the end. Making one off specials gets too expensive when you start getting parts made instead if using what's in the parts bin, which is pretty much what Fred J did when he put the FJT roach together at Chapmans, a bit from this rod and bit, from that rod, a handle this long, agate tip and butt guides a few intermediate guide and a bit of whipping, slap on some varnish and there it is, an all time classic made from bits laying around the factory :thumb: he knew a bit about what he wanted did Fred J

Certainly an all time classic and I regret not buying one I saw for sale last year for £150, not a Chapmans but still a nice lightly used example.

Permission Granted for the unavailing of Colonel's refurbished Fred J Taylor Roach Rod.Whipped in Japanese ruby red silk.We have used black high bells guides which match the reel bands.

A J Davis.

That's a lovely rod Andrew, very nice indeed.

Thanks Mark .The Colonel is picking it up on Monday. Must google "How to salute a Colonel".

James wrote:Thanks Mark .The Colonel is picking it up on Monday. Must google "How to salute a Colonel".

And very much looking forward to meeting you, Corporal Rodmaker .............a couple of restless nights sleep coming up, with the excitement of laying my grubby mitts upon that beauty.

Colonelgsc wrote:

James wrote:Thanks Mark .The Colonel is picking it up on Monday. Must google "How to salute a Colonel".

And very much looking forward to meeting you, Corporal Rodmaker .............a couple of restless nights sleep coming up, with the excitement of laying my grubby mitts upon that beauty.

I've seen it Colonel ( when I collected my Roach Perfection ) and I have to say that Andrew has done an absolutely superb job in refurbing it ... Tight Lines ..

CWK wrote:

Colonelgsc wrote:

James wrote:Thanks Mark .The Colonel is picking it up on Monday. Must google "How to salute a Colonel".

And very much looking forward to meeting you, Corporal Rodmaker .............a couple of restless nights sleep coming up, with the excitement of laying my grubby mitts upon that beauty.

I've seen it Colonel ( when I collected my Roach Perfection ) and I have to say that Andrew has done an absolutely superb job in refurbing it ... Tight Lines ..

I shan't sleep at all now
Looks like I just missed out on a glimpse at your Roach Perfection, my friend; hope you enjoy it in good health.........guess I'll just have to start saving my pocket money

James wrote:Permission Granted for the unavailing of Colonel's refurbished Fred J Taylor Roach Rod.Whipped in Japanese ruby red silk.We have used black high bells guides which match the reel bands.

A J Davis.

That's a very nice piece of kit.....I've just restored an early FJ to go with my new one.....The old and the new.....