Enjoyable Sunday

 I'd rung my youngest brother, Sye, on Saturday in order to arrange a meet up to collect some very special items of "retro" fishing gear. Mick Shaw, a family friend since our school days during the 1970's, is moving to America and kindly thought that I'd appreciate the kit involved. How right he was. I have been looking for a pair of glass fibre ABU Legerlite's for ages purely because they were the rods I used at the very beginning of my Tring adventure. Now whilst Mick didn't have a pair of "Legerlite's" he did have a couple of ABU Carbon Specimen rods, from the early 1990's which would be a very suitable alternative?  

Still in their original rod bags - absolute retro treasure

Our drive from Ramsgate to Aston Clinton was relatively stress free and we arrived at Sye & Yve's house little more than two hours after leaving home.  Sye and me were quickly deep in conversation about the tackle involved and how our angling seasons are progressing. The girls were supping tea and talking all things family and shopping!!!! Along side the rods, Mick had given me a pair of ABU Cardinal 5 reels. These are Japanese manufactured copies of the original Cardinal 55's and, although very impressive, nowhere close to the standard of engineering involved with the Swedish originals.

I had driven up in the van due to Mick also having some Catfish gear which Benno had acquired, thus wouldn't fit in Bev's Mazda CX3 - the prefered comfortable option when driving long distances. Once we'd got the tackle sorted out it was time for a short drive, in Sye's Audi SUV, to The Five Bells, in Weston Turville, for a spot of lunch. What a superb venue, with a brilliant atmosphere and the food's not bad either! The staff couldn't do enough to ensure our experience was pleasurable, so I can do nothing more than recommend a visit if ever you're in the vicinity.  It was around 16.30 hrs as we said our good-byes and began the drive back to darkest Thanet. Once again a relatively trouble free journey saw us back indoors before 19.00 hrs - job done!

Original Fuji rod rings and reel seat - memories are made of such things

Having now had time to take a closer look at the rods, I'm looking forward to taking them for a session down at the syndicate tomorrow. In reality they are not a million miles away from the Duncan Kay's which are my mainstay rods of choice. I'll have more of an idea once I've actually had time to put them through their paces. With a bit of luck, work issues being flexible, Benno will also be able to spend the day on the bank tomorrow, as we seek further insight into the pottential of this fantastic fishery.