Here are a list of the rods that are now on display.
1. F.J. Halford – 1844-1914
He was regarded as the father of dry fly fishing. Halford’s bamboo sea fishing rod. The rod has a lancewood top.
2. F.J. Halford’s coarse fishing rod. Bamboo with a lancewood top.
3. Frank Sawyer – 1906-1979. Sawyer was the river keeper on the Hampshire Avon and was responsible for the development of major improvements in nymph fishing. The rod on display belonged to Sawyer and is a Pezon et Michel parabolic Sawyer reservoir rod.
4. Captain Tommy Edwards. He was an All-round sportsman representing Devon at rugby, winning the 1913 Russian Grand Prix and represented England in flycasting and shooting. Capt. Edwards was the leading exponent of most forms of casting and became a leading instructor for Hardy. The rod on display is a very powerful Hardy 1960 salmon distance split cane rod used by Edwards for tournament casting.
5. Captain Tommy Edwards. The rod on display is Edwards’s Hardy fibreglass trout distance rod.
6. Hardy Halford Knockabout. The rod on display is a Hardy pattern rod used as a reference for all other Hardy rods of that model.
7. B. James Richard Walker Mark IV Signature Rod. This rod was from the first batch made by B. James before the Walker transfer was made. It carries the diamond logo and the name: ‘Richard Walker’ was inscribed vertically on the road by Bruce James.
8. Chris Yates – this B. James Richard Walker Mark IV belonged to Chris Yates and is a later model bearing the Richard Walker signature transfer. This rod was purchased by Chris on the banks of Redmire Pool in Herefordshire.
9. Chris Yates – this rod belonged to Chris Yates and is an Allcocks’ Light Caster.
10. Chris Yates – this rod belonged to Chris Yates and is a split cane Hardy Perfection Roach Rod.
11. Chris Yates - this rod belonged to Chris and is the prototype Barbus Maximus which Edward Barder made in three sections. This rod was used in the Hugh Miles’ series, A Passion for Angling.
12. Fred Buller MBE – WORLD’S FIRST CARBON FIBRE ROD developed by Hardy/Richard Walker/RAE Farnborough. It was designed as a carbon spinning rod but was so powerful, Fred used it for deadbaiting.
Fred donated this rod to Angling Heritage (UK).
13. Peter Stone – this rod belonged to Peter and is a Modern Arms Pinfire carbon fibre flyrod.
14 & 15 Fred J. Taylor MBE - These rods were owned by Fred J and are two variants of the development rods for the Hardy Touch Leger Rod. One is 9ft. and the other 9ft.6ins. Fred used to say that these were his favourite rods because of their all-round versatility.
16. Fred J. Taylor MBE – this rod belonged to Fred and is an Alan Brown Chevin. Only two of these rods were ever made, one for Fred and the other for his son-in-law, Ian Howcroft, who writes under the pen-name of Chevin.
17. Ken Taylor – Fred J. Taylor’s brother – this rod belonged to Ken and is a Fibatube fly rod.
18. Derrick Davenport – this rod belonged to Derrick of Davenport & Fordham rod manufacturing fame. It is a 15ft. salmon rod which he painted grey. Derrick was aware that the fish might see the light reflected off a varnished rod and its dark profile against the sky; he thought that if he painted the rod grey, it would act as camouflage.
19. Gerry Savage – this rod belonged to radio presenter and winter carp fishing pioneer, Gerry Savage and is his two piece carp rod, fitted with his Shimano baitrunner reel. Alongside this rod is his landing net
handle.
These two items were donated to Angling Heritage (UK) by his family.
Unless otherwise specified, the rods in the cabinet are the personal property of Keith & Sandra Armishaw and are on loan to Angling Heritage (UK) for display purposes.
3.9.2011