There has been a little discussion/discovery on another thread about Steve. This is the first time I have come accross him but what a character.

It is absolutely worth reading through his web site and his various comments. He makes his own rods and has few amusing things to say about fly tying lessons.

Great fun and I would love to get some opinions on his rods.

Correction Made Mr 3lbGrayling

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Carl

http://www.wandlepiscators.net/
http://teiseangling.co.uk/index.htm

TOMORROW THE TRENT COULD BE YOUR FISHERY! When are YOU going to JOIN THE ANGLING TRUST?

As you say Steve is quite a character and well worth listening to.

He offers one or two rods that are not listed in his catalogue, having consulted him I bought a 10 foot 8/9 weight for south of England reservoir lure fishing. Very nicely hand-built on a brown Harrison blank. I'm delighted with it.

He sells some other nice kit as well such as fly lines, boat seats and bass bags, always worth a look at his catalogue when buying.

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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

His name is Steve Parton. his company is called Sparton.

Jim

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The Fishermans Friend is the Flirty Fly,Fickle Food for Fleeting Fish.

I live quite close to Steve's cave (if you've been you'll know what I mean) and can thoroughly recommend him.
He has built 2 stillwater rods for me, and anything else I have ever bought off him has always been top quality.

My boat partner has an interesting habit of smashing the top ends of his rods (only trashed 2 last season....must be slipping) - Steve regularly replaces them, usually charging about about a tenner if he has a spare top kicking about.

Steve is full of common sense, hard-won experience and totally honest and I would recommend him to anyone - but, yes, he is (more than) a little eccentric.

And you also bump into other interesting people in there - some of whom I always think just popped in for a few flies about 20 years ago and never left.

Recommended.

As this thread is such an unashamed plug for Steve here are some links:

Steve's ebay shop
his own site
Steve's shop

if you want to look at 1 page that sums him up have a look at
Says it all

He also has an eBay shop and I have found him very helpful. A great source of flexifloss in lots of colours.

Charlie

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Sonik Sports Team Pitsford Pirates

I have been dealing with Steve Parton for several years. In that time he has supplied me with two rods, two reels, numerous bits of fly tying materials and even a landing net.

Mr. Parton does not pull any punches, in fact he has no need to, having vast experience on many English still waters. He also knew and fished with some of the pioneers of English reservoir trouting such as TC Ivens, Arthur Cove, Dick Walker, Bob Church, Geoff Bucknall and many others too numerous to mention.

Steve (Marmite) Parton to the locals . His Alladins cave proves very difficult to walk away from and seems to creat a strange pull, he always comes up with something and says things like they are - no wonder I like him, perhaps its a local thing .

Mick

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"I will give him seven feet of English ground, or as much more as he may be taller than other men"
http://derbyshireonthefly.blogspot.com/

Steve Parton is a real character and hugely knowledgeable and totally dismissive of hype.

I've got two of his rods a 10ft 11/13 and a 7.5 ft 5 piece 3/4. Both are excellent rods.

My wife phones him up when she is stuck for a present for me at birthday or Christmas and when she eventually comes off the phone she has bought something I'll use!

Hi' I never met Steve Parton, but I did once have brief correspondence with him about a rod that I ordered, away back. I used to read his articles in the angling press, and he reminds me a bit of Stan Headley. I don't think either of those lads would suffer fools gladly, they don't pull their punches, but I admire and respect them both, because they 'tell it how it is.' 'Honest and forthright', I wouldn't mind being remembered for those qualities. Maybe, they are as good as me at acting!! Only joking lads. Honest. TC
PS And they both know a great deal more about angling than most people you are likely to meet.

I recall some 20 years or so ago, Steve was a guest speaker at one of the club evenings. It was an evening to remember, the first float tube demonstration I'd ever seen and the magical but sometimes colourful way he described a trip to Alaska was simply superb. If you get the chance, well worth listening to.

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Duncan