Could I have your opinions please?

[Rusty]

I’m hoping someone can help with this.

 

I’ve got my eye on a Match Aerial listed at £200 buy it now on Elton’s centrepin website. It doesn’t have the same crinkle finish as other Allcock Aerials so I asked the vendor for a bit more info, his reply;

 

“This is a reel that was made in the early 1970s by the famous barbel angler Fred Crouch, and is commonly known as the Crouch Aerial. Fred bought all the original Allcocks tooling when the firm closed and built this reel from start to finish completely by hand. It is identical in every way to the Allcocks version. These aerials are much much rarer than the Allcocks version and far superior to the recent modern mass produced models i.e. the Bob James you mentioned. This one is unused and has never been on a rod. You will not be disappointed as it is a snip at the price!”

 

Googling doesn’t produce much other than a few mentions on a couple of forums, one suggesting that these are (were?) available for about £140 new.

 

Do you think the vendor is gilding the lily a bit or is the Fred Crouch Aerial a highly regarded reel in its own right (rather than an inferior replica)?

 

I was quite tempted until googling suggested that the price might be too high.

[chavender]

you can buy one new cheaper ,of a mate of mine paul who sells them here http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/usnabbotts/fish_sales.htm in wide drum or match (narrow) drum versions and can come in a veriety of colours as well as the iconic black

 

Fred crouch do retail at a very respectable £125 ,so yes the vendor is guilding the lilly somewhat ,if you want a propper aerial centrepin (bushings instead of bearings) then the fred crouch reels are the best value and a damed good reel which i would class better than the modern youngs version (cl) and up there with the likes of Richard Carter's version .

Edited October 29, 2008 by chavender

[medwaygreen]

The Fred Crouch Match ariel is a highly regarded reel, you may be right about the price see Here

[Rusty]

Brilliant, thank you very much.

[Guest tigger]

Rusty, if you click this number 260306937713 into ebay it's quite a decent match aerial, although not an Allcocks it looks good.

[ayjay]

Rusty, if you click this number 260306937713 into ebay it's quite a decent match aerial, although not an Allcocks it looks good.

 

That's another Fred Crouch one.

 

Edit: ............and it's the wide drum version.

Edited October 29, 2008 by ayjay

[Guest tigger]

That's another Fred Crouch one.

 

Edit: ............and it's the wide drum version.

 

 

 

Ajay I don't think it's a Fred Crouch m8, it's an older reel altogether with the crinkle back plate. Unless my eyes arn't too god today.

[ayjay]

Ajay I don't think it's a Fred Crouch m8, it's an older reel altogether with the crinkle back plate. Unless my eyes arn't too god today.

 

The address on the case gives it away, unless it's the wrong case.

 

 

Edit: ...........and they do have crinkly backs - just been and had a look at one.

Edited October 29, 2008 by ayjay

[Dick Dastardly]

Sounds a bit OTT when you can pick up a good example for around the ton. Good reels apparently but Ive never had rthe need for a wide drummed model so have never owned one.

[Guest tigger]

The address on the case gives it away, unless it's the wrong case.

 

 

Edit: ...........and they do have crinkly backs - just been and had a look at one.

 

 

 

Nah I'm positive Fred Crouch's have a smooth back plate. Can anyone else verify whether Fred crouch pins have crinkle or smooth back plates ? ....................not that it really matters