I've only just returned to fly fishing and angling in general after about 30-odd years and have found my enthusuiasm is no less now than it was when I was young and fished very often several days a week - it seems it never leaves you once you get the old urge!
With the exception of an old Hardy 8' 6", a small Wheatley fly box full of flies which I'd tied back then and a 1950's solid glass spinning rod and a couple of old Hardy Perfect reels and an Ambidex #4, all in need of some urgent TLC, I have virtually had to replace everything after all my gear was stolen over 30 years ago.

However, try as I might, I can't help going for second hand vintage gear, much of which was around when I was still in my fishing heyday, rather than new modern replacements and I sometimes wonder if I'm missing out by going for the old stuff which was familiar to me?

I must say that eBay has been my friend up to now and have picked up some great vintage and very useable gear at what I'd consider to be bargain prices - the modern new equivalents would have cost an arm and a leg by comparison and the old stuff for me still does the job just as well and will probably see me out.

Finally, last Sunday I went out for my first serious trout fly fishing session for 35 years ( on a well fished free stretch of water) armed with a Hardy Graphite 10' Stillwater from about 20-25 years ago and a J W Young's Condex reel from the 1950-60's both bought from eBay for the combined price of £80.00 and on my fouth cast in, landed a 19" trout and it was just like stepping back in time....absolutely wonderful!

I suppose my one eBay indulgence was to bid on an old leather cast wallet with a double sided "Wheatley" style leaf in the centre and parchment cast pockets etc - in absolutely perfect condition. I had one of those back when I fished regularly and found them invaluable - I was determined to get this one at all costs as it would give me a lifetime of use and all for the princely sum of £35.02.
I also opted for a BIN on an absolutely mint Ambidex #4 with two spools - well worth another £35.00 and on Tuesday, I did a little Pike fishing with it and landed a 32" fish so the gear I've bought up to now has certainly been worth it, even if it is old!

I just wonder if there are others out there like me who having come back into fishing after such a long break, gravitate to replacing their kit with gear from the era in which they last fished rather than modern equivalents?

I'm sure there must have been technological improvements over the years but as far as I can see, it really doesn't matter if the gear is 50 years old or brand new... the principles are just the same and most of the equipment still does the same job and from my perspective it's down to the individual to use whatever skills and equipment they have to hand to catch fish!

If you primarily use vintage gear for your fishing, what are your reasons for doing so and which bits of kit do you find indispensable?

Tony

Hi Tony

When I was little I used to go fishing with my dad... The only thing I remember him really treating as his prized possession was his reel - a Sharpes Gordon 3 1/2 inch.... As i grew up the reel was still kicking around, hardly used and boxed, I used it in my mid twenties for a little bit (still seeing it as dads prized possession - he grew up very poor without so much as shoes on his feet) I then forgot all about it.... I then returned to this country after a few years away to find that my brother had snaffled the reel off dad for his own fishing needs but had them moved on to something else...

Dad passed away in June aged 80, he was a bad fisherman... Lol... Couldn't catch a cold... he told me once that had visions / ideas of becoming a great salmon fisher after watching men on the River Teith as a small boy. Starving and homeless at the age of about 10 years he was taken in by sir Kay Muir (a very old man even then 70 years ago) to work as an 'under Valet' at Muir Hall, from where he would leave much better off for the opportunity that had befallen him. This is why dad took up fly fishing (well, for a couple of years anyway), and why he loved that little reel so much - just to own something nice for the sake of owning it was a privilege that took him many years to achieve.

The reel sits on my desk now hardly used and boxed... I got a right telling off when I was a little boy, for scribbling on the back of the box - the scribbles are still there, faded on the carboard. Inside the box, under the reel are some empty packets that the tapered casts came in along with one of dads old pipe cleaners. Every now and again I think of fishing with it; but then i think, no, it's a piece of heavy junk and if it was worth anything I would flog it tomorrow - but it isn't.


Long story but an honest answer to your question

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Time is a stream I go fishing in.

I'd say it depends on the kit, and indeed the angler. If using older kit is for you, or if it has personal or sentimental value as in DN's post, then do it - we all fish to enjoy ourselves.

For me, well looked after cane fly rods and centre pin reels in coarse fishing are almost timeless.

By contrast, you might find something like a hollow glass reservoir rod just shows its age. Similarly, because of happy memories of one from my twenties, I used a Mitchell Match fixed spool reel for light waggler coarse fishing for a couple of years up to this spring. But I concluded it was just a clunky piece of late '70s consumer hardware and got rid of it in favour of a new Preston reel. The analogy being that I wouldn't want to watch a 1977 vintage Sony Trinitron TV, use a 30 year old food mixer or drive a T-reg Austin Allegro in nice rusty orange either...

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"In wine there is wisdom. In beer there is strength. In water there is bacteria." - German proverb
JH based near Southampton

ppppppppppppppppp

Hey Tony;

If it brings you pleasure then that's what counts. RichardW on this forum is the fortunate owner and user of a bamboo rod dating back to the late 19th century and he airs it out a few times a year much to his pleasure and to ours when he posts his pictures. Before I gave up hunting I use to open every small game season with a 16 gauge side by side that had belonged to my Great-Grandfather, my Grandfather and then my Uncle. I had to hand load with black powder to make sure that birds and not I were going to end up on the game table but it was such a pleasure to take the first bird of the season on a shotgun that had been in the family and hunted with for over 120years. I no longer hunt but that shotgun is safely greased up and stored in its original leather case to be handed on to my daughter when she's old enough. Either that or I may get back into hunting and need it again!

Take care

Terry

__________________
"He either fears his fate too much,
Or his desserts are small,
Who dares not put it to the touch,
To win or lose it all!"

I am using an old leeda rimfly mini fly reel. I bought it off ebay stripped it down cleaned and greased it it was so simple to do hardly any moving parts. The reel is in great condition and works like new.
modern tiny fly reels cost the earth and I do not think they are worth the price, my rimfly does the same job at the fraction of the cost. It sounds great when a fish runs!!
My rod is a second hand Daiwa whisker 3/4 wt that works well too, which I bought from a friend.
Some pieces of kit may be old but work well, they were built to be used.
Leeda Rimfly simple classic engineering. The honda 90 of fly reels.

Nope. I get sentimental about my two sons, my wife and my two grandchildren; from time to time an Alsatian that grew up with me; but never cars, fishing tackle, hifi or music. It's progress, it's usually better left in the past, brought out for an occasional nostalgic trip; but best left there. So much wonderful stuff out there now.

pppppppppppppppppppppppp

I've fished for 54 years and still have most of the tackle I've used in my fishing life. I've gone through all the stages of improvement in fishing tackle and wouldn't look back.Modern rods are a delight to use along with reels, lines, and aids. My first cane fly rod was heavy and whippy. I look at it occassionally and wonder if I should confirm what I already know I have moved on and it is an obsolete piece of fishing memorabilia.

BK

Yes but have you ever tried a 21st century 'state-of-the-art' cane (bamboo) fly rod? In a pursuit such as river fly fishing, where 'feel' is everything, many such rods now being made in countries such as the USA, Japan, Italy and yes, the United Kingdom, to name but a few, continue to make carbon fibre a 'non-starter' in my opinion. It's all about performance - nostalgia has nothing to do with it (but can if you want it to).

Prices can, of course, be very prohibitive but here in the UK where many top builders don't yet have ridiculously long waiting lists, wonderful rods can still be had for a reasonable cost.

And that's just solid-build 'hex' rods - never mind the merits of 'quads', 'pentas' and hollow-builds...