The thread on rod building caused me to want to ask the tackle tarts on here "how good is a David Norwich ?"

I've never seen one even, let alone cast one.

Charlie

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Sonik Sports Team Pitsford Pirates

I'm no spey casting guru (more close to a muppet actually), but the finest double hander I've ever tried was a david norwich 13fter. The reason I knew it was good was that it made me look competent.

Not cheap - but never heard anyone say anything but good things about them.

Bri

If you come to Elinor you are welcome to try my 9'6" 6/7 EV5. It's my main reservoir rod because it's very light and I can use it all day with my lousy casting technique and not suffer any ill effects.

I knew David Norwich when he had his wee tatty premisis in Queen St Glasgow.
He made me a 10ft Salmon Spinning Rod & a 9ft 3" staggered ferrule split cane rod. He was a first class rod builder & though I have not seen any of his
carbon rods I am sure knowing the man briefly that they would be of the first order.
Tight Lines

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"The Future's Bright The Future's Wet Fly"

Charlie,

I had a Norwich Ev2 9'6 6# 4Pce

One thing about these rods, they are absolutely superb to cast. The turn over on the leader is like a dream come true. The workmanship is pure quality, and the finish is a high standard.

One problem though! I snapped mine casting a Di5 line, just below the first ring. I was absolutely gutted. I sent back to David who said he had never seen one break there before, and he fixed it and sent it back with the three breaks warranty still intact. It took about 6wks to be returned and after that I never had the same faith in the rod.

Every time I cast I kept thinking it was going to break. So in the end I sold it on.

Not every Norwich rod is like that, but it may have been a bad experience.

Let me know how you get on, and if you require any further info drop me line.

Rgds

Kyp

Thanks for the replies.

Dave, all being well I will be at Elinor and would love to try it out so thank you. Clearly they are first class rods, I'm just interested in whether it can handle the range of lines and situations I would be looking for.

Charlie

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Sonik Sports Team Pitsford Pirates

Hi Kyp I have a couple of DAVID NORWICH rods. Both have broken. Not through any manufacturing fault. One broke because I sat on it the other time a gold head had penetrated the blank wall. The other Norwich rod broke through my own stupidity twice by catching the leader knot in the tip and the fish bolted and it jammed breaking the tip. All these repairs were done under his breakage warranty with no problem in around 3 weeks.
Why would you be worried about using the Norwich rod again because it broke? You allready said it was a good casting rod. It was returned repaired for free? with the breakage warranty intact!
Your break might have been similar to mine. Seems odd to discard something you like for that? Fly rods will allways break that's something you have to live with. They are pretty light fragile items.
Greys rods I had before the David Norwich ones broke like matchsticks during casting for NO reason!
My Norwich EV2 ones are the best casting rods I have ever used. I have owned Sage, Winston (what a hoo ha getting that one sorted after it broke!) and other makes. All sold on now the EV2 rods are so much better.

I have a David Norwich M400, 9ft, #6 beautiful rod, bought it new many years back, still in regular use, I prefer it to my Sage on rivers.......

I have an EV5 9' #5 4 piece and an EV2 9 #5 3 piece (the latter I picked up on eBay), both are superb rods to cast, not poker stiff, but nice to cast all day. After-sale service is very good, David has been extremely helpful. If you are ever up in Cheshire and visiting Westlow Mere, let me know and you can try both..

Mark

First new rod I bought was a Norwich M500 9' 4/6. Superb rod, I wish i still had it now.