It has been sometime that I posted on here, sadly I have had a very difficult few years for many reasons which I do not want to bore you with...
Getting out and going Fishing for me is now very difficult having lost most of my mobility, I did not manage to get out once last year as it is now (2023) ....
Making my lures has also very much taken a back step.
I have spent so much time bed ridden but used that time to think, research and search worldwide adding to my collection of vintage fishing tackle.
I say vintage in the broadest of terms, as my pieces range from antique (100 years old plus) to the latest technology, but the majority is at least 50 years old..
Somehow, as if by magic, I seem to have amassed over 400 reels now, thousands of lures and flies, many rods and also a fair few accessories and nice oddments, carvings, art etc etc etc..
I do not stick to or prefer any one maker, instead I choose reels by design, build quality, unusual features (I love levers), aesthetics and of course how they are in use. I have many of the classics as well as quite a few rare pieces, one-offs, limited editions etc and reels of all types, fly, spinning, centrepin, baitcaster....
The list is endless, it is my out & out passion.... an addict I am I guess....
During the past few years, I have also been very lucky in effect that I have designed and commissioned to be made several reels. Both centrepin reels, one entirely of titanium build and the other something quite special even though I say so myself...
As well as that, I designed and made a set of 10 very unique one-off lures in conjuction with a friend of mine in Greece who is a very talented designer and Jeweller by trade. Each one of the 10 lures is totally individual and unique.
Contemporary handmade folk lures, that are in the style of a classic from the 1930's
An Ode and beautifully elegant re-imagining of the Hudik-draget from Axel Sjoholm of Hudiksvall, Sweden.
A few of you may remember I live in France, in an old stone farmhouse parts of which date back to the 1600's in the Dordogne countryside 3km outside a town called Sarlat-la-Caneda..
I have now dedicated my entire office space to what I refer to as my "little museum of fishing"...
I have slowly built this up and now it really is full of everything piscatorial from yesteryear, it is my haven, where I sit to forget about the madness that surrounds us in this world we live in and shortly will also be the place in which I tie my flies on one of the many vises in my collection....
Well, I hope I have not bored you to tears with this post and that you are still awake as I am going to post a few pictures here of my collection, one of the centrepin reels I designed which was made by The Watermole in the UK (a four year process including tracking him down, joining the waiting list and then an eight month build, with many conversations back and to across the British Channel) and also some of the lures I spoke of...
It really is lovely to be back....
Goodbye for now
Fondest regards
Giles
