The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Just picked up another Young,s Of Harrow Otter Brand Rod this one called "Roach"
At 12ft. All split cane. Agate lined butt and tip ring,s. 25inch handle. Shaped at the front.

Lovely looking rod LJM.

I don't know if it's just the pictures but it looks more capable of other species than just roach.

More of a general purpose float rod I mean?

Kingfisher wrote:Lovely looking rod LJM.

I don't know if it's just the pictures but it looks more capable of other species than just roach.

More of a general purpose float rod I mean?

It,s a bit like the Chapman Fred J Taylor Roach Rod in terms of power.

As the rod needed a bit of whipping done i decided to do a full re-whip and varnish.

I have long been an admirer of "Otter Brand" rods, having met Clive Young some years ago, during a period when I used several of Young's rods. If the otter brand roach rod is anything like the Chapman's F.J.Taylor roach rod, it is indeed a powerful tool!

I think some of these builders had a different idea about a roach rod than we currently do. Rather than the light, stiff, tip-actioned rods we'd ask for now these older rods seem to be aimed at casting a fair old distance, presumably for big stillwaters. It does indeed remind me of Chapmans F J Taylor rod.

Perhaps that shaped handle is the clue.....a foregrip aimed at encouraging the full use of the handle length when casting?


Unusual to see a built cane butt on a roach rod too......perhaps it was hollow-built? ...just like the fjt, though that also had a huge compound taper change, whereas the Youngs rod doesn't appear to have one.

I used the Roach rod a couple of weeks ago , fishing for small stuff at Kings Weir on the Lea at Wormley. Using maggot as bait i caught Roach, Dace, small chub and Perch from the off, after about an hour a small pike took a fancy to the perch id hooked, it didn't let go until it was in the net.



The rod handled all the fish well and being hollow built is very light to fish with.

Great stuff Lee, I cant wait to fish kings weir on Nov 8.