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Do it yourself?


gozzer

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A couple of recent threads on here have got me thinking.

 

As most of you will know my feet are stuck in the past. I have the occasional(?) gripe about the direction anglings taking.

With this in mind, I was surprised to see the threads about float making, and whipping on a line guide, (they were known as rod rings in my day).

 

I'm not knocking anyone with this, but I was wondering why so many anglers are reluctant to make/repair anything these days?

Could it be because tackle is relatively cheap, and it's not worth the effort?

Is it just a sign of todays 'throw away' society?

Or does it go deeper than that, and, newcomers are 'conditioned' to accepting that the 'celebs'/ 'experts' are using X method/product and there's no need to look any further?

 

I know that the choice was limited years ago, but then we used to adapt existing, or make new gadgets, to suit specific situations.

We had to replace rod rings, because the old chrome 'high bells' used to wear, and were prone to damage, so we learned how to whip them on.

Floats were made from just about anything buoyant. Quills, balsa, drinking straws, cork, cane, and even the old elderberry 'pith' were all used at some time to make floats. Some worked, some didn't, but it was a learning process, and you got to know how different floats 'worked'. I made my self some weighted 'avon' type floats for 'stret pegging' in a certain swim, much better than anything i could have bought.

The same with rods. I still have a small collection of old rod tips in my shed, that were used for various bite indicators, (swing tips, quivertips, butt indicators etc).

Anything that you thought could be adapted to use in angling was kept.

Spools of copper wire from old electric motors, welding wire, old 35mm film canisters, any bird feathers you found, old corks, the list is endless. All these were put to use in one way or another.

 

There was/is a feeling of satisfaction in catching, using something that you made yourself, especially if it's unique to you.

 

John.

Angling is more than just catching fish, if it wasn't it would just be called 'catching'......... John

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I remember when rod rests were a forked twig cut from a hedge.

These days the fishery owner would probably have you arrested for criminal damage to the hedge and anyway, where do you get three matching twigs to go with the matching rods, let alone somewhere to attach the bite alarms and bobbins. :rolleyes:

Let's agree to respect each others views, no matter how wrong yours may be.

 

 

Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity

 

 

 

http://www.safetypublishing.co.uk/
http://www.safetypublishing.ie/

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I'm not knocking anyone with this, but I was wondering why so many anglers are reluctant to make/repair anything these days?

Could it be because tackle is relatively cheap, and it's not worth the effort?

Is it just a sign of todays 'throw away' society?

Or does it go deeper than that, and, newcomers are 'conditioned' to accepting that the 'celebs'/ 'experts' are using X method/product and there's no need to look any further?

 

I think it's at least as likely that most people simply don't know how and there are fewer people around these days who can show them.

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I think it's at least as likely that most people simply don't know how and there are fewer people around these days who can show them.

 

 

and less need to just pop on the net and buy what you want

pesonaly im still collecting bits of wire wood etc. latest thing to pass some time when i cant fish is making lures

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I think it's at least as likely that most people simply don't know how and there are fewer people around these days who can show them.

 

Spot on!

 

A lot of the old Knowledge is being lost, remember old Jack Hardgreives he could make somthing from nothing,My old Grandad was a mine of Knowledge I was a bit young to benifit from it all before we lost him shame :(

Someone once said to me "Dont worry It could be worse." So I didn't, and It was!

 

 

 

 

انا آكل كل الفطائر

 

I made a vow today, to never again argue with an Idiot they have more expieriance at it than I so I always seem to lose!

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Spot on!

 

A lot of the old Knowledge is being lost, remember old Jack Hardgreives he could make somthing from nothing,My old Grandad was a mine of Knowledge I was a bit young to benifit from it all before we lost him shame :(

 

Bloody Hell! I'm not that old. :o

 

I'm talking about 30 yrs ago, not the 1800s. :D

 

Can it really be that in the last 30yrs, anglers have lost the ability and imagination to do small repairs, and make a few floats?

I don't think so.

 

I think it's more to do with wanting 'instant' solutions to problems, and the number of 'experts' making money by providing them.

 

John.

Angling is more than just catching fish, if it wasn't it would just be called 'catching'......... John

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I was surprised to see the threads about float making, and whipping on a line guide,

I'm not knocking anyone with this, but I was wondering why so many anglers are reluctant to make/repair anything these days?

 

In my case it's the same for all DIY, I fall back on the usual repost of the affluent middle class male, time poor in a service economy - "thats why I work, so I pay someone to do it and spend the weekends doing over things".

 

In the specific case of the rod ring for the Technium the £10 its going to cost me to get Shimano to properly whip and laquer, is worth it for a £70 rod that I stand a very real risk of ruining by trying it myself.

Tony

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... I stand a very real risk of ruining by trying it myself.

 

That's the main reason I don't try and fix stuff myself - I'm afraid of making it worse. And all the time there's a better alternative available - i.e. paying someone else to do it "properly" - I'll take it.

 

Wouldn't mind learning to make my own floats though....

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In my case it's the same for all DIY, I fall back on the usual repost of the affluent middle class male, time poor in a service economy - "thats why I work, so I pay someone to do it and spend the weekends doing over things".

 

In the specific case of the rod ring for the Technium the £10 its going to cost me to get Shimano to properly whip and laquer, is worth it for a £70 rod that I stand a very real risk of ruining by trying it myself.

 

Aaah! That's what it is then?

Having never been either affluent or middle class, I wouldn't know about these circumstances. ;)

 

I suppose during the last 25-30yrs, there has been a steady decline in skilled manual workers, so that might be the answer.

 

To me messing about with fishing tackle has always been part of the fun.

On those days when you can't make it to the waterside, or during the (self imposed) close season, or even on the odd evening, it is a way to still be involved in angling.

 

I was kind of hoping that one or two of the 'older' generation of AN members might have joined in on the thread. They could have told of the things they had made/adapted, and if it had been an improvement or a disaster. ( I've had more than my share of the latter) :D .

 

John.

Angling is more than just catching fish, if it wasn't it would just be called 'catching'......... John

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