The Gentle Art of Slooping.

It’s fascinating how many of the terms or names given to fishing tackle 100 years ago have changed.

OK so rod, reel and line hasn’t changed but many accessories have.

We think nothing of nipping into our local tackle shop and buying a plastic bait box and a pint of maggots or tub of worms and off we go.

Not so 100 + years ago!

The bait tin shown here is often referred to as a gentle chute, but it not, it’s a SLOOP.

It hangs from the belt by the little hinged wire loop, is filled with gentles (maggots), or worms and when required its tipped up, the hinged perforated lid opens and the contents shook from the main body into the pan to be picked out by the angler.

Ingenious, especially if wading, stalking or wandering the banks.

Hand-made from zinc or tin, this example is 8” tall, most are 5” and some painted, others not.

Very collectable with the gadget collectors, and most were advertised by Wm Bartleet and Allcock’s of Redditch along with others in London, the Midlands and north but rarely found in game fishing Scotland.

Values, perhaps £50-100 but what a great story and still useable today.


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