Old vs. New

My recent pike fishing has been done with modern rods, baitrunners and bite alarms which are good to use and efficient. However, there is a certain sense of achievement when you use vintage, collectable items to catch fish. It also proves that all you need is rod, line and luck to catch. Which is why this weekend, i will be using my original john wilson signature avon quiver and mitchell reel to try and tempt chub & barbel.

Both these items are built to last and with a bit of maintenance can give a lifetime of success. Reels should be rinsed after each outing with warm water and with an annual clean, oil and grease (watch out for my step-by-step guide).

Line should be changed regurlarly, at least once and perhaps twice a season depending on usage. The last section should also be checked on each cast for any damage.

My rod comes with a selection of tips, one of which snapped at the end due to my clumsiness. Cutting this back has provided an excellent tip to use when fishing fast flows for barbel.

You can pick a good condition vintage Mitchell Reel for £30 or so, and i would recommend it to anyone.

Old

New