BRUCE & WALKER POWERLITE MATCH

[barbelbarmy]

Hi,

 

Does anybody know anything about the Bruce & Walker 13ft Powerlite match rods? I have the opportunity of obtaining one but have no knowledge of them.

 

[Mark Wintle]

I was very much a big fan of B&W match rods back in the day but don't ever recall a Powerlite model; Carbon models included John Dean, XLE, XLT, MM, Boron, Geoff Bibby; glass rods included CTM, Flyer, Severn Special, XLS.

 

Edit: Done some more checking - Powerlite models seem to be fly/trout/salmon rods.

Edited January 24, 2017 by Mark Wintle

[barbelbarmy]

Mark,

 

Thanks for that, I found the fly rods, is it possible that this is a fly rod made up like a float rod?

[chesters1]

Got a 2004 catalogue and theres a breif mention of a powerlite avon but its brown so i presume cane (small picture),the càrbon hexagraphs are stunning looking ,i was lucky enough to find one at a boot sale and pass it on to a dealer at the same place for a HEFTY profit

The definately carbon powerlites are salmon and trout rods but the salmon could be taken for a course rod as its designed for spey casting therefore uses both hands to cast

Fixed screw reel fittings in the middle of the handle blue finish on blank but distinctive snake rings except for butt and tip

 

No mention of match rods at all so i presume post (or pre) 2004 theres a powerlight kennet in a price list from about the same time

 

in a undated sheet it mentions XL carbon rods but not powerlight

The only other catalogue lists the lovely CTM's

Worth an email to b&w they do respond i sent copies of my b&w stuff to them unfortunately their archive isnt up to much for such a prestigious company

Edited January 24, 2017 by chesters1

[barbelbarmy]

Thanks Chester, this looks to have 16 single leg guides and two three leg. Full cork handle with sliding graphite reel fittings.

[Mark Wintle]

It seems to me that B&W went from relatively high volumes of coarse rods in the 70s and 80s to much lower volumes in the 90s and onwards with their British-build, hand-crafted rods commanding high prices struggling to compete with the higher volume rods from Normark and Daiwa at the top end. For instance the Geoff Bibby rod is very rare and a very fine rod - I've only ever seen one - and it may be that B&W produced a very small number of Powerlite match rods sometime in the late 90s or early 2000s without many anglers being aware of their existence.

Edited January 25, 2017 by Mark Wintle

[barbelbarmy]

I have contacted B&W and am awaiting details. Went to look at the rod and came away with it. It is probably the best balanced rod I have ever picked up. Only 160g and 11mm at the butt. Has a tip action even though a hollow tip but if you increase pressure the action comes like through into the butt. Took it out today and had some lovely Grayling and a 4lb chub.

[barbelbarmy]

Got a reply from Bruce and walker about this rod:

 

"Hello and good afternoon to you.

Thank you for your email.

The Powerlite Match 13’ rod is modern equivalent of a rod we first made in the 1990s. We started making them in 1990. Not very many have been made. As you describe it, they had 19 rings in total with a full cork handle and two slide bands. However, as you may know, everything we make is individually handmade, so they are made according to the customer’s personal requirements. The blank we made with a mixture of two High Modulus carbons, some were made with a hollow rolled tip, or a spliced in tip – according to the customer’s preference.

In terms of value, if we were to make a Powerlite Match 13’ rod for someone today, it would be £600.00 inc VAT. In terms of second hand value, that is entirely another matter. As with all things second hand, it’s whatever the buyer is prepared to pay for it. Certainly, it is a good time to be a buyer, rather than a seller, as the second hand fishing tackle market has been very depressed since the recession began in 2008. And has not really picked up."

 

At that price no wonder not many about.

[Tigger]

BB, have you had a look at the Hardy marksman rods, ok they arn't made any more but you can still pick them up unused. I have a few and they really are a quality rod.

[barbelbarmy]

Yes, they are lovely rods, well the first version was, I have the marksman specialist 14ft which I picked up at the House of Hardy, when up there on holiday, for £150, I picked up the Grey's Prodigy 13-15 at the same time for £50 both new. They were selling them off as the second versions had come out. When I went up last year I managed to get a Marksman holdall for half price.

 

Used to be a real good trip but now when they are having a sale someone goes in and buys the lot to put on ebay.

 

Tigger, I am a bit collecting mad, at the moment it is rods, in the past it has been, cane rods, model trains and plank on frame sailing ship kits. Drives the wife mad.

 

Will be selling some cane rods if anyone interested.