Alpha match

[Tim Kelly]

I was looking at some of the posts about Intrepid reels and a review where the reviewer refered to an old Shakespeare Sigma match rod and it got me thinking. When I was much younger I aspired to own a Shakespeare Alpha match rod. This rod was a sort of burnt umber colour with a bit of black plastic stuff on the cork handle for wiping the groundbait off your hand with. I remember they came out with a special spliced tip which you could put on instead of the standard one, which was black rather peculiarly!

Just wondering if anyone else remembered these rods, or perhaps a bit of tackle you always aspired to own but could never quite afford them. Cardinal 55's spring to mind as well!

[Nugg]

Phew.

I was relieved to see that you were not one of our new posters being ignored.

I have admired lots of takle throughout my life, nothing that I can put a name to though. Having said that, I have been more than happy with what I have had, even when it meant making do, which I found, and still do find that this is some of the enjoyment one gets from angling.

[Bluey]

Hi Tim,

 

Do you mean the Sigma Wand rods that Shakespeare brought out way back in 1992?

If I remember rightly they were 10' long and had three different tips available small, medium, and large.

they sold for appx £50 and as you say they were black in colour.

The ones I remember were ledger rods though, I suppose you could use them as match rods at a push.

I always wanted a 13' match rod made of Kevlar but I never did get one, another rod I fancied was an 11' Sywell tench rod by Bob Church, again I was never lucky(?) or rich enough to buy one.

[davidP]

When I started the thing I lusted after the most was a Shakespeare Riva Seatbox with the tackle box that fitted inside the top. Fortunately Father Christmas obliged and 20 years on I still have and use them

[Paul_D]

My favourite combo from the early eighties was an ABU Counterstrike with the Cardinal 54. I absolutely loved this rod and clouded memories would have me believe it's as good as todays kit. I've still got the reel but unbeknowns to me my mate lent the rod to his mate who subsequently broke it......To be fair he had it professionaly repaired, but they never do feel the same do they?

[bushwacker]

Hiya all, I've got a Sealey Black Arrow 2 10ft(glass)2 pc float rod, cork handle and is it agate rings?, original rod bag etc. I had the 12ft 3pc version as well but didn't like it so sold it shortly after finishing paying for them. I think that it was about 1968/69 when I got them out my aunties club book.

 

I still take this rod with me when I go on all my float fishing trips, it's a pleasure to use, and you get a few of the older anglers who say that they remember Edgar Sealey tackle.

At about that time I bought 4 garcia mitchell 320 reels, as that was the best that I could afford on a lowley apprentice fitters wage.

 

For some reason I don't know what happened to those reels :confused: but still have an Intrepid Truespin reel in the attic some where, and a bamboo landing net handle of some 4ft long in there as well.

[Tim Kelly]

Bluey, the alpha match rod would have preceeded your sigma rod by about 10 years, it was glass and I wanted one!

Bushwhacker, I had a couple of those Sealy rods too. One had the botttom two sections made of cane and a fibreglass tip section, the other one was all glass. They were old rods when I had them as I inherited them from an old chap I used to go and talk fishing with.

I wonder why Shakespeare have become so much of a low budget company these days, they certainly used to have some top flight tackle a few years ago?

[Mike_pk_Waters]

Blimey, this takes me back, I managed to get and alpha, and the sliped tip. What a rod, Now I have to go look in the loft, cause I bet its still there. About this time Shakespear also brought out a canal match rod, had hugh no of rings on it, anyone remmber these

[coarsefish-torbay]

Yes, I'm another who wanted an Alpha. I also always wanted and ended up with Mitchell Matches, at the time, they were the business and I used them throughout my transition from young lad to non-fishing teenager and back to almost grown-up 30+ match angler. Ten years ago, however, I bought a Shimano Aero and very soon all my beloved Mitchells were sold. I have never looked back and regretted this as the Shimanos are way above the old Mitchells and the moral is:

Things move on and usually improve, yes I always wanted an Alpha, but I know it would be very disappointing to use now against my Normark Titan 2000.

Happy thoughts and reminicences, does this mean I'm getting old?

Steve

[Alan Pearce]

Edgar Sealy Black Arrow, the first proper float rod I ever owned, used it with a Norman fixed spool reel. Anyone remember the Norman, what a mangle but only 7/6p, memories.

 

Alan.