John Stephenson is on a fishing holiday commencing 31st October travelling up the M6 from Stoke on Trent to Cumbria, onto M74, and north to Stirling, Scotland returning Friday 4th November back to Stoke. Whilst its officially a fishing holiday, it can be an opportunity to see and perhaps buy tackle on the way up […]
General articles, Reels, Thomas Turner blog, Thomas Turner Classic+ blogs
Introducing Vladimir Rachenko – the CEO of VR reels
19
Oct
Oct
Vlad was born in Kharkiv, Ukraine, and started fishing in his childhood with the help of his Uncle and Grandpa. He started VR DESIGN Mechanical Design and Manufacturing back in August 2000. Prior to this, he has an impressive CV of skills and experience in the fields of mechanical engineering and helicopter design. He has […]
Dave Coster's feature articles, Thomas Turner blog, Thomas Turner Classic+ blogs
A DIFFERENT KIND OF AVON
18
Oct
Oct
THE BEGINNINGS When I first met John Bailey we were working on Hardy Marksman rods and I remember he was particularly passionate about Avon designs, which he uses a lot, particularly on his favourite River Wye. Many years later I joined John on the Wye near Hereford at the famous Red Lion Hotel. The plan […]
11
Oct
Oct
Friday 28th October 12 noon – 8pm Horncastle Angling Superstore, Boston Road, Horncastle, LN9 6AU John Stephenson has been invited back to the Horncastle store to take part in their ‘Fin’Tastic Social Evening! The event is running 6-8pm but John will be at the store from 12 noon to offer our free valuation service. As usual, […]
Dave Coster's feature articles, Thomas Turner blog, Thomas Turner Classic+ blogs
THE ENDURING MAGIC OF A 13ft FLOAT ROD
06
Oct
Oct
EVOLUTION My first proper float rod was a 13ft Hardy Matchmaker. It had a brown finish, orange whippings, metal line guides, old style aluminium reel collars, and was made from fibreglass. The blank was heavy by modern standards, but at the time it was state of the art for a budding young angler. It went […]
01
Oct
Oct
To many anglers who remember the 60’s and 70’s, you will have owned or seen an Intrepid reel. Famed for their diecast metal technology and the budget price they were a true English phenomenon. K.P. Morritt produced an ever-popular and diverse range of reels. There was a reel for any occasion from The Boyo first […]
General articles, Reels, Rods, Thomas Turner blog, Thomas Turner Classic+ blogs
Introducing the brand new ‘Thomas Turner Classic+’ range: High performance rods and reels
30
Sep
Sep
Introduction: Thomas Turner originally a prestigious gunsmith founded in 1838, is a brand now recognised for their expertise and great service in the world of collectable rods and reels. The team at Thomas Turner are only too aware that much sought-after items are often hard to find, to the extent there are not always enough […]
29
Sep
Sep
If there was ever a great time to pick up a tackle bargain this, is it, but it will not last long! The UK Pound (£) has slipped in value, making the US Dollar ($) strong. Now is the time to treat yourself to a bargain whilst the market remains uncertain. The iconic Hardy Perfect, […]
Dave Coster's feature articles, General articles, Thomas Turner blog, Thomas Turner Classic+ blogs
Favourite fishing places
23
Sep
Sep
A NEW ERA After leaving Hardy and Greys in the chilly northeast, I quickly discovered lots of great fishing when I moved to the East Midlands. The rivers Trent and Witham were close by, also a couple of canals, along with many drains and lakes to explore. But after just a few weeks in Lincolnshire, […]
15
Sep
Sep
With only 77 reels produced by Hardy between 1924 and 1930, this is one of the rarest fly reels produced in 2 variant models. The word “Fortuna” is registered under N 5909 in the Irish Free State and made under license “Andreas Patent No 12340”. The 3.5” model started life in 1924 following the launch […]