Category Archives: News & Events

Collecting, Ephemera & Misc., News & Events, Rods, The Thomas Turner Collector's guide, Thomas Turner blog

The London Roach Pole – A Forgotten Piece of Angling History

Posted on by Matt Daymond
22
Jul

Long before carbon fibre poles became a familiar sight on match waters, anglers relied on beautifully crafted London roach poles to fish with remarkable precision. Designed for gently lowering a float into position rather than casting, these elegant poles were the tackle of choice for roach anglers on rivers such as the Thames and the […]

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General articles, News & Events, Thomas Turner blog

Looking After the Waters That Give Us So Much

Posted on by Matt Daymond
09
Jul

For many of us, a day spent by a river is about far more than catching fish. It’s the chance to enjoy wild places, watch kingfishers flash past, listen to the sound of flowing water, and escape the pace of everyday life. But our rivers face increasing pressure from pollution, habitat loss and climate change. […]

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General articles, News & Events, The Thomas Turner Collector's guide, Thomas Turner blog

The Glorious 16th – A Tradition Like No Other

Posted on by Matt Daymond
Glorious 16th June
04
Jun

For generations of coarse anglers, few dates have carried quite the same significance as the 16th of June. After three months of river (and some lakes) close season, the dawn of the 16th signals a welcome return to flowing water, mist-covered meadows, early starts, and the chance of that first river-caught roach, chub, bream, or […]

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Collecting, General articles, News & Events, The Thomas Turner Collector's guide, Thomas Turner blog

Abel by Name. Able by Nature.

Posted on by Matt Daymond
06
May

There are fly reels… and then there are Abel reels. For decades, Abel Reels have occupied a unique place in the world of fly fishing — combining exceptional engineering with distinctive American craftsmanship and some of the finest finishes ever applied to a reel. Built in California and admired worldwide, Abel reels have become as […]

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General articles, News & Events, Thomas Turner blog

We’re Shipping to the United States Again

Posted on by Matt Daymond
28
Apr

From the earliest days of transatlantic trade, British tackle has held a special place in American angling. Names like Hardy, Farlow’s, and Allcock have long been associated with craftsmanship, heritage, and a certain understated quality that continues to resonate today. It’s something we see daily—whether it’s a finely made split cane rod, a classic reel, […]

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Collecting, General articles, News & Events, Reels, Rods, The Thomas Turner Collector's guide, Thomas Turner blog

🎣 Introducing: Thomas Turner Tackle Tailoring™

Posted on by Matt Daymond
01
Apr

Following our annual stocktake (and a week spent rediscovering some truly exceptional pieces), one thing became clear — anglers don’t just want great tackle… they want their tackle. So, we’re pleased to introduce a new in-house service:   A bespoke finishing service designed to bring a new level of personalisation to rods, reels and accessories. […]

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Collecting, News & Events, Rods, The Thomas Turner Collector's guide

B. James Split Cane Rods – Timeless Classics, Ready to Fish Again

Posted on by Matt Daymond
18
Mar

We’ve recently listed a superb selection of B. James & Son split cane rods, including some particularly fine examples of the iconic Richard Walker MKIV and Avon models from the 1950s–60s. These rods represent a golden era of British angling—beautifully crafted from split cane, with a progressive action that still feels incredibly relevant on the bank […]

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General articles, News & Events, Rods, The Thomas Turner Collector's guide, Thomas Turner blog

In the Nymph of Time: Perfecting Your Drift

Posted on by Matt Daymond
T&T contact 2 rod image
11
Mar

Pick up any European fly-fishing magazine this month and there will be an article on nymph fishing. ‘Czech nymph’ fishing has become one of the most effective techniques in modern European-style fly fishing. Developed by competitive anglers in Central Europe, it focuses on presenting weighted nymphs close to the riverbed where trout and grayling feed most […]

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Collecting, General articles, News & Events, The Thomas Turner Collector's guide, Thomas Turner blog, Uncategorized, Wanted

Not Quite a Bonanza, but an Encouraging January for TT

Posted on by Richard Hewitt
04
Feb

January has been a remarkably encouraging month for us here at Thomas Turner. Despite the ongoing challenges of exporting to the USA—particularly tariffs affecting aluminium and steel—we’ve seen a sharp rise in trade. Our January Sale certainly helped, but there were also several exceptional individual sales. The standout highlight was the sale of a 2½” […]

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Collecting, Ephemera & Misc., News & Events, The Thomas Turner Collector's guide, Thomas Turner blog

Major Albert Smalley – inventor of the elder pith float?

Posted on by Matt Daymond
19
Dec

Within the remarkable Peter Wheat collection—much of which has yet to be catalogued—are a number of fascinating elder pith floats made by Major Albert Smalley. Peter Wheat has written extensively about both these floats and Smalley himself, in Angling magazine and in The Pelham Manual of River Coarse Fishing. The assertion that Major Smalley was the inventor of […]

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