Classic Angling Magazine

29/06/2025

In our latest issue, No 152……

Imagine a water where the trout once AVERAGED more than 10lb, and were caught in their dozens. We investigate why the trout on New Zealand's Lake Taupo grew so big.

President Trump’s diktats on tariffs have caused confusion and dismay among the tackle trade, collectors and Chinese suppliers, source of most of the world's tackle.

The Junction Pool on Scotland’s river Tweed, arguably the world’s most famous salmon-fishing location, has been put up for sale.

Former Olympic skier Andy Mill, now one of the world’s foremost tarpon anglers, is one of six named for the IGFA’s Hall of Fame.

Mystery surrounds what happened to Dr Todd Larson, whose Whitefish Press was once the most prolific publisher of angling books.

Tuna and swordfish get much of their food from the ‘twilight zone’, a cold, dark region half a mile below the surface.

A new species of subterranean eel loach has been named after the four-year-old Indian girl who discovered it.

Predatory blue runners are hiding behind sharks to launch surprise attacks on their prey, research has found.
Joan Wulff has sold the iconic fly-casting school on the Beaverkill river that she ran with her husband Lee.

Neil Freeman rages at water companies blithely ignoring
complaints about pollution, despite fierce criticism.

Richard Hewitt meets the author Peter Wheat, who is now selling the many iconic items he has owned over the years.

Our books pages admire a great work on Alvey, how the Mersey came back to life, and a challenge on accepted fly imitation.

A Wilcox Wiggler lure was the star of the show, drawing bids to $33,000 at a Morphy’s auction selling the vast collection of Wayne and Lori Edens.

All our Yesterdays looks at the myth of apprentices having contracts that promised they would not have to eat salmon more than three times a week.

A lot of three old rods, sold at auction for just £22, contained a very rare 150-year-old split-cane rod by a master maker.

Our auction pages review the action online from sales at Mullock Jones and Angling Auctions.

John Essex finds that tracing the inventor of the plastic swim-feeder proves a lot harder than he had expected.

Pierre Affré relates the extraordinary tale of the aristocrat who died playing a salmon and had his body stored in a fish cold room.

Our letters pages reveal the story of a river and a rebel
major, while an author defends his account of a possible record salmon.

Keith Arthur recalls a memorable exploratory trip to assess
the potential for running fishing holidays to France.

John Bailey tells how his addiction to fishing for ferox trout on the Scottish lochs changed his life.

A black Record Ambassadeur 5000, which has just sold for £6200, is one of the most sought-after reels in the Abu range.

Mary Orvis Marbury, one of the greatest of all fly tyers and subject of a new book, was a stout defender of British methods and fly-tying.

We reveal what the 5-metre salmon fly monument to the great Scottish tyer Megan Boyd will look like at the entrance to her home village of Brora.

Keith Harwood takes a look at and fishing in Roman times, when angling was very much an upper-class pursuit.

And much more!

28/06/2025

22/04/2025

A superb range of collectable US lures are coming up for sale on May 17. It has been assembled by Wayne Edens, whose collection was described as "astonishing:" by Dan Morphy, who runs Morphy Auctions in Pennsylvania.
There are so many lures that Morphy's is selling them in three parts. The first auction took place in December, when an original Heddon “factory board” frog lure, hand-carved circa 1898 by James Heddon, founder of the Heddon Company, went for $30,750.
There are nearly 700 lots in the May sale, with exceptional lures by all the main makers. The December auction totalled more than $900,000 and it would be no surprise to see this one do just as well.
Typical are an 8in c1910 Heddon 757 in blended yellow estimated at $10,00-$10,000); a 6.5in c1903 6in Rhodes Musky Minnow ($6000-$12,000); a brown 3.5in Wilcox Wiggler with its box ($10,000-$20,000) and the first American wooden minnow, the link between rotary and cedar plugs of the late 1890s, put at $15,000-$30,000.
The full catalogue can be viewed at www.morphyauctions.com.

29/03/2025

This stunning display of some classic lures is the highlight of Angling Auctions' next online sale on April 5. The display was once on show in the Wyers Frères shop in Paris around the turn of the 19th century, and was sold at Christie’s in 1999 for £26,000 excluding commission.
This display was part of a set of 18 that had been on show at the shop. It centred on a papier-maché, glass-eyed half-fish model and included a Gregory Cleopatra white metal lure; three silk-bound Devil baits; two Warner stamped and two further faceted cut-glass baits; two Edkin hollow-glass lures and several others in a glazed oak frame.
This and other displays had been collected by Anissa Helou,
a Lebanese cookery writer who lived in Paris. She began collecting unusual pieces for her then-boyfriend, but liked them so much that she kept them for herself. Wise woman.
Times have changed, and auctioneer Neil Freeman has put a much lower estimate of £6000-£9000 on this display, though it would be no surprise to see it climb much higher.
However, it is far from the only highlight in the auction, which features some superb American split-cane rods, rare Hardy reels, outstanding carved and cased fish and many other scarce items among the 535 lots.
Those rods include superb examples by Hoagy Carmichael,
Pinky Gillum, Walt Carpenter and Hiram Hawes. Typical is an 8ft five-weight Lyle Dickerson inscribed “Dickerson 8014” and “Dr James Barron 1968”.
Among reels, three Hardy Fortunas include a c1926 31in Fortuna Fly in alumin, probably a transitional model, and a 5in sea centrepin, which has been catalogued as “a previously unseen model”. Other Hardy reels include a Barton, a Tuna, an 1894 41in brass salmon Perfect and a prototype Exalta.
Collectors of rare Abus will be drawn to a black Ambassadeur 5000 from 1953, while lovers of modern centrepins will be attracted by two reels by Chris Lythe: one of his very earliest Allcock-style models and a 43in wide-drum Grayling special.
Those chasing a Lawrence Waldron vice will find one here, along with an elegant Ari‘t Hart Trilogy, of which only a dozen were made, with just six in blue.
Carved fish include some fine Fochabers salmon: a 46lb Dee fish from 1934; an 1899 42lb Norwegian salmon and a brace of from the Reviot in 1908 bearing a Rowland Ward label.
The past few sales have some some exceptional cased fish, and they continue here with a 5lb Cooper barbel from 1921; a Cooper crucian carp, a Gibson case of five rudd and a 30lb Wye pike from 1905, mounted by Hardy Brothers. It was caught by the Rev Tom Seccombe Gray and is illustrated in Fred Buller’s classic book Pike and the Pike Angler.
The sale takes place online and the full catalogue can be viewed at www.anglingauctions.com

19/03/2025

Another massive sale is on the cards at Mullock Jones latest online auction this week (March 10 and 20), with 1530 lots being sold over two days.
It offers a wide selection of books, rods, reels and fly gear, with the star items including
* some very early Hardy catalogues, including 1903 and 1908 editions;
* a range of modern centrepins, including two Ray Walton Rolling Pins, an Allcock Aerial Match and a Coxon Aerial;
*an unused Hardy The Compleat Angler presentation set in its leather case;
* a collection of Hardy and Farlow tackle from the estate of the broadcaster Sir Ludovic Kennedy;
* a 34lb Irish pike and a 2lb Cooper roach, both in bow-fronted cases;
* a Hardy Zane Grey Titanium saltwater fly reel;
* a range of Penn multiplier and spinning reels;
* a Hardy The Club Reservoir fly box;
* A range of modern Sage and Thomas & Thomas rods.
You need to register in advance if you're going to bid.
Details and catalogues from www.mullockjones.co.uk, where you can watch the action live.

Looking to grow or sell your collection? We host multiple auctions per year. Contact us today for a free valuation or to view our current catalogues.

19/03/2025

In our latest issue, No151

The great crooner Bing Crosby freed himself from the constant pressures of show business by going fishing.

A 5-metre monument of a Blue Doctor fly is to be erected in the Scottish village of Brora to commemorate Megan Boyd, one of the world's great salmon fly tyers.

Ernest Hemingway's Bimini King big-game rod has been sold at a US auction for $47,500, while Zane Grey's own Hardy Zane Grey reel went for $13,000 at the same sale.

Pike are travelling through brackish water in Alaska and expanding their reach to feast on the state's salmon-rich ecosystem.

Three salmon carp, an ultra-rare fish can grow to 30kg and was thought to be extinct, have been caught on the Mekong river in Cambodia.

Professional bass angler and YouTube star Ben Milliken has been arrested for fraud for allegedly falsifying a tournament entry form.

A woman who was fishing on a Queensland beach has been fined $A2580 for feeding a dingo.

A popular fishing inn that has been at the heart of the river Wye barbel revival is up for sale for just £595,000.

Water temperatures across the British Isles will be too warm to support brown trout by 2080, a survey predicts.
The escape of 80,000 farmed salmon from a tank on a ship has only just come to light because of a loophole in reporting laws.

We pay tribute to former US President Jimmy Carter; master Catskills angler Ed Van Put; Janet Messineo, the Martha's Vineyard taxidermist, and Gail Morchower, the mastermind behind the IGFA library, who have all just died.

Angling celebrated the 1951 Festival of Britain by holding a fishing match that proved a forerunner for international contests.

Neil Freeman explains why he has not been tempted to add an extra date to his Angling Auctions calendar.

John Bailey reviews the best bits of his life, from catching giant roach on the river Wensum with john Wilson to landing a giant mahseer on India's river Cauvery.

Tackle expert Richard Hewitt gives some valuable advice on how you can enhance the value of your collectable tackle.

Our books pages include a collection of Chris Yates columns, the travel adventures of Charles Thacher, a bibliography of fly-tying books and the salmon flies of Major John Popkin Traherne.

Our auction reports cover what's hot and what's not from the sales of Mullock Jones and Lang's.

London almost had THREE public aquariums in the early 2000s. Whatever happened to plans for the world's first aquarium designed entirely with conservation in mind?

We reprint the winning entry in the 2024 Robert Traver Fly Fishing Award, an emotional tale of Paradise lost.

Pierre Affré has some doubts about the size of an Atlantic salmon from the Kola Peninsula that could have been a world record.

Steve Woit finds that the elegant trade cards of fishmongers from the late 19th century have become hugely collectable.

Our letters pages ask for help on Piscatorial Society medals, a signed copy of Angling magazine, ask why there have been no more books from James Babb, answer a query about the Robuste trademark and reveal more about the giant New Zealand eels.

Keith Arthur wishes he had found out earlier about the spectacular roach and bream fishing on offer in Northern Ireland's Lakeland district.

And much more!

21/12/2024

Classic Angling celebrates its 150th issue. In it, you'll find...

James Babb pens a heartfelt tribute to his close friend John Gierach, the wonderful writer whose books encapsulate the essence of true fishing.

A seemingly ordinary selection of badges stunned the
audience at Angling Auctions by climbing to a price of £3000. We explain the appeal.

Michael Daunt, who has just died, taught Jeremy Paxman, Chris Tarrant and Eric Clapton to cast a salmon fly. He was affectionately known as known as The Bounder – and lived up to his scandalous reputation.

John Bailey mourns the death of Batsokh, his Mongolian guide and friend, whose camp was the place where many anglers caught their first taimen.

There's a flourishing collector interest in tobacco-related items, especially in old cigar boxes decorated with some fine angling art, writes Steve Woit.

Lang's latest auction saw some fine lures sell for his prices – but this was the first sale in the auction house's history that did not feature a single reel.

One of the greatest books on salmon flies has just been sold for £8000 – and Chares Phair's 1937 classic was written by a man who never penned another book or article.

All our Yesterdays from a 1932 edition of The Fishing Gazette complains about the Bolsheviks spoiling the chance to catch a 160lb taimen in Siberia
Wallace Carney, the greatest authority on Mitchell reels, has died aged 73. He created the Mitchell Reel Museum and the Mitchell Mates website.

Hardy is still riding the wave of its most famous reel by creating a limited edition of its 1912 Perfect.

The elite Flyfishers Club of London has finally voted to admit female members into its august halls. A vote by members saw 75% vote in favour of the move.

Jason Lewis discovers a wonderful gamebook from 1912, listing 30 years of fishing and shooting adventures by a captain of the Irish Guards.

A new box of a dozen salmon flies has just sold for £7000. Its appeal? The Farlow box was one of only two, and the other was given to King Charles III.

We look back on the days when maggot breeders were prolific advertisers in the fishing magazines of the day, doing a roaring trade in mail-order bait.

Recreational angling plays a crucial role in providing food for many nations, a worldwide study covering 81 countries has shown.

The world's largest freshwater eels are found in Australia and New Zealand, where fish as large as 50lb are caught. And their pursuit is a lot older than you might think.

The ancient Egyptians were pioneers of angling for pleasure, as distinct from catching fish just to eat them, writes Keith Harwood.

Neil Freeman questions whether a UK march for cleaner water that attracted 15,000 people will really result in any changes from the water industry.

Dave Townsend, fresh from admiring a large quantity of Aerials that he had just been consigned, takes a closer look at the iconic reel and its many faces.

Our book reviews include works on chalkstream chronicler Dr Edwin Barton, a fine work by Bob Roberts on Nottingham's river Trent, the rough life of fly-tyer Rube Cross and how one man built a prized fishery.

The rarest family of Mitchell reels in the 500 series, with its unique forked foot. Dries Hanzens reveals more about a fixed-spool that few collectors have ever seen.

Two competitions between the French and British
Angling promoted the entente cordiale well before any official signing with a pair of friendly international contests between England and France in the early 1900s.

A wood reel that has just sold with five others at auction for £375 turned out to be an ultra-rare model, one of just two known

How many lives might have been saved if the French frigate Medusa, which sank in 1816, had carried sets of survival fishing kits, now a standard article for seagoers?

Keith Arthur mourns the end of the Talksport radio programme Fisherman's Blues that he pioneered, and recalls how it nearly foundered on the very first broadcast.

and lots more.

16/09/2024

*In the latest issue (149)........Carlsberg has issued a pike lure called DrunkenBait, which features an apparently drowned man. It's designed to warn anglers about the dangers of drinking and fishing.

16/09/2024

In the latest issue of Classic Angling

* We reveal why an Atlantic salmon that could have weighed over 80lb cannot be claimed as a fly-caught record, although its captor has a model of the huge fish.
* The august London Flyfishers’ Club looks likely to allow women to become members for the first time since its foundation in 1884.
* Carlsberg has issued a pike lure called DrunkenBait, which features an apparently drowned man. It's designed to warn anglers about the dangers of drinking and fishing.
* Wildfish's online auction has some spectacular lots that include a week's fishing for two in the Seychelles and a trip for golden dorado in Argentina.
* The hugely popular Bob Roberts has written the definitive book on the river Trent, which includes the story of how the river saved his life after a series of personal tragedies.
* Soaring demand for wild fish to feed salmon on Norwegian farms is causing huge problems for several small African nations.
* A commercial fisherman has captured the world's rarest shark off Penzance in Cornwall – only it's made of...Lego.
* Jason Lewis looks at the very earliest days of tackle catalogues, going right back to the 17th century, and how they played a key role in publicising a company's wares.
* Migratory fish populations worldwide have shown a sharp decline, with falls of more than 90% in some areas.
* Some very rare cased fish like a gudgeon, a burbot and a quartet of golden tench will be offered at Angling Auctions' next sale.
* A small salmon has been caught by a fly angler from a Thames tributary in the heart of London, but researchers say spending money to bring back the species is a waste of money.
* The International Game Fish Association has named bass pioneer James Henshall and four times Bassmaster Classic winner Kevin VanDam among inductees for its Hall of Fame.
* A desperate plea has been issued for anglers to rescue a unique strain of wild carp under threat from pollution by chicken farms.
* Neil Freeman fears that move by Norway to close rivers in a bid to protect dwindling stocks may be the end of the golden years of the country's salmon fishing.
* John Bailey is horrified to find that some of angling's great names like John Wilson, Chris Yates and Hugh Falkus are relatively unknown by a modern generation of fishermen.
* A very rare copy of Sarah Bowdich’s stunning 1837 book on British freshwater fish has just sold at auction in Philadelphia for $37,500.
* A new 500-page book covering the century-long history of Alvey, the iconic Australian reel company, is due to be published shortly.
* Dave Townsend takes a close look at the most popular and collectable tackle catalogues of all – the Angler's Guides produced by Hardy's over the past 140 years.
* Richard Walker's record 44lb carp may not have sold at auction but was bought privately later, and will be on display less than an hour's drive from Redmire Pool, where it was caught in 1952.
* Some very rare cased fish as well as very early Hardy Angler’s Guides are among the highlights at Angling Auctions.
* Our books pages cover whimsical works to shortfin mako off the British coast, while a reviewer highlights one work on the the seas that lie beyond national borders as a must-read.
* The seemingly unstoppable spread through the US and into Canada of flathead catfish, a voracious predator that can grow to over 100lb, is perturbing fishery officials and scientists.
* Mullock Jones’ latest auction had plenty to offer among its 1347 lots such as rods and reels owned by former world champion Billy Lane.
* Our letters pages set readers an intriguing puzzle, discuss keeping an eagle eye out for pollution and polluters, and highlight the benefits of classic tackle.
* Keith Arthur tells how the stars aligned to make him the presenter of Tight Lines, the UK’s most important TV fishing programme.
* Keith Harwood admires the watercolour skills of Ernest Briggs, whose talent for bringing Scottish waters to life make his works still appealing today, although he died more than 100 years ago.
* John Drewett takes a look at the very earliest reels that used a revolutionary new lightweight material called... aluminium.
* Richard Hewitt looks back on the talent of the Russian guide Nick Podolsky, who created a series of very fine carved fish before his murder.
* Steve Woit is captivated by the elegance and design (never mind the value) of permits to fish, some dating right back to the 1850s.

04/06/2024

The latest issue of Classic Angling magazine, No 148, is now available to buy on our website (though it is far better value to subscribe). Included in this issue:

The most historic cased fish of all, Richard Walker's 44lb record carp, is expected to set a new record for fish taxidermy.
comes up for auction in July.

The grand old firm of Bruce & Walker famous for the Mark IV Carp rod, has brought an end to its rod-making. after more than 70 years.

Florida sea fish, including the vey rare sawfish, are dying from a mysterious whirling disease. Scientists are baffled as to the cause.

David Petty, the UK's greatest collector, is selling his vast range of more than 170 mint split-cane coarse rods as well as much more.

John Drewett sheds light the Hardy reels few know about: the company's experimental reels that never saw the light of day.

The Hammersmith Open on the lower Thames was once London's biggest competition. We chart its rise and fall,

We pay tribute to some famous names who have died: Sage founder Don Green, Oscar winner David Seidler and Roy Marlow, the multi-talented fishery owner.

A Stan Bodgan reel that sold for £9000 and a cased perch for £5000 were among highlights at Angling Auctions' latest sale.

Rowers have been warned to keep out of the Thames in the heart of London because of high levels of E coli. So much for cleaning up the river...
Steve Woit looks at a largely unnoticed area of angling art: the ornate bookplates of bibliophiles and famous anglers.

We reveal a wealth of previously unknown information about the Birmingham jeweller James Gregory, famed for his elegant lures.

Keith Arthur remembers the time from his Tight Lines days when a cameraman thought that fishing looked easy.

Neil Freeman finds the competitive nature of tackle dealing has resulted in erroneous claims about the disadvantages of selling at auction.

John Bailey, who has spent much of his life battling against
bureaucracy on behalf of angling, fears his efforts have been largely wasted.

Our books reviews are ambivalent on the 'fish feel pain' issue, but admire a book on fishing vicars and a starter book for young anglers

And on the subject of vicars, the Rev Charles Overton relates what it's like to own a prolific lake holding 16 species in your back garden.

Richard Hewitt of Thomas Turner discovers more about Robert Marrs, a little-known Scottish rod builder, and his family.

The hotelier Charles Ritz was a key part of the success enjoyed by the renowned French firm of Pezon et Michel.

Our All Our Yesterdays spot from 1931 tells of the day when Zane Grey's crew mutinied and brought a halt to his South Seas expedition.

A proposed law in New Zealand could mean that taking part in any fishing competition could incur huge fines.

Our letter pages pay tribute to the London tackle dealer Len Ashpole and clear up confusion over the Hardy Barton.

A coveted Haskell Minnow went for $37,000 at Lang's latest auction that saw some spectacular prices paid for lures.

Questions have arisen over an 11lb golden trout record from 75 years ago that appears to have little evidence apart from the captor's name.

An angler who claimed a tiger trout record has ended up with a fine after it was revealed that he didn't own a fishing licence.

and much more!

04/02/2024

The latest issue of Classic Angling magazine, No 147, is now available to buy on our website (though it is far better value to subscribe).

Included in this issue:* Man v swimmer events were once hugely popular, especially in the UK, with tackle makers keen to show off their skills and their latest rods by landing expert swimmers.
* A Cascapedia forerunner that is arguably the rarest of all Hardy reels looks likely to attract big bids. But it turns out that the New Brunswick has a companion reel...
* The Angling Trust has sorted out the vexed issue of transsexuals being allowed to compete as part of an international women’s team.
*Hardy’s has created a set of two limited edition Perfect reels to commemorate the death of Queen Elizabeth II and the ascension of King Charles III.
* A mere six out of 931 reported incidents of pollution were attended by the UK’s Environment Agency, a BBC programme has revealed.
* A huge pair of carved salmon caught on the same stretch of river by an Irish nobleman has sold for £25,000 at auction.
* All Our Yesterdays reveals that Norway wasn’t always a mecca for giant salmon. In fact, fishing was very poor back in 1928.
* Neil Freeman has announced that he is giving up the famous Broadlands fishery on the river Test at Romsey that he has managed for the past 15 years.
* The wels catfish has been readmitted to the British record fish lists because it has now been accepted as a naturalised species.
* Fishermen casting a line in the heart of Paris inspired some of the greatest artists like Vincent van Gogh and Claude Monet.
* Rods and reels owned by the late Chris Ball are among lots that are included in Angling Auctions’ net sale in April.
* If it happened to your pet goldfish, you’d be worried. But some species have benefitted from swimming upside-down.
* John Bailey, who has a spectacular record with huge grayling, finds a new book on the fish inspires some rich memories.
* A historic Farlow cabinet has been rescued from ignominy by the company’s former chairman Richard Hewitt.
* Our books pages assess a two-volume history of Red Spinner AS and others on advanced fly-fishing and running a Scottish fishing guest house.
* A 171ft luxury vessel, set to launch this year, is the world’s largest big-game boat, designed to fish all the world’s oceans.
* The invasive round goby is spreading rapidly throughout Europe and North America, and there are fears that it could soon appear in UK waters.
* Was Henry Jenkins, a keen fisher who died at the alleged age of 169 in 1670, truly the oldest man who ever lived, or were his claims to longevity just another fisherman’s tale?
* Keith Arthur recalls the travel problems that he encountered en route when he headed for big-game fishing off Kenya.
* Steve Woit discovers a mid-1800s leather fly box that is the earliest American fishing item that he has ever found.
* Will your collection continue to appreciate? Jeff Della Mura says it’s time to protect values by taking account of some big changes.
* We uncover a fascinating account of what was like to move a mass of fish more than 100 years ago by horse-drawn cart.
* The notable lots from Mullock Jones and Lang’s sales, like a $6000 ice decoy and a Hardy Zane Grey reel, are highlighted our auction pages.
* Freshwater fishing could become a thing of the past in the next 70 years because of rapidly warming rivers and declining oxygen levels, scientists have warned.
* The Wild Trout Trust’s annual online auction in March will offer more than 300 lots, with guideline prices ranging from just £8 to £1500.
* Almost half the world’s rivers are contaminated with drugs, according to a study. The contamination ranges from antibiotics to tranquillisers.
* Arguably he most sought-after of all US lures, a Haskell Minnow, will be among the lots at Lang’s next online sale on April 26.
* A total ban has been introduced to stop anglers from catching the endangered Macquarie perch in Australia. It was once a dinner staple until the 1950s.
* Grayling are now flourishing throughout Michigan – but not so long ago, the fish was extinct from the state.