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Tag Archives: luke

The joy of engineering – The Hardy Altex

21 Thursday Feb 2013

Posted by The tuesday swim in Tackle

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Tags

altex, british, fishing, Hardy, jack, luke, mark, no2, reel, v

Continuing on with the theme of  British craftsmanship in angling,  I move from artisan float builders to Jack Luke, the engineer.

Jack Luke was an employee of Hardy’s of Alnwick from 1936-1987, a man dedicated to his job and the reels that he made. Why am I interested in Jack Luke? Well, he built my Altex Mark V No2 fishing reel over fifty years ago, having his initials stamped on the reel would have added a sense of pride to the makers at Hardy, no mass manufactured reel could adhere to this level of craftsmanship.

Why do I like these Hardy reels over more popular reels like the Mitchell 300 or the Young’s Ambidex, although both still excellent reels? The Altex is an engineers reel, the spokes on the clutch control adjuster and the tiny anti-tangle wire bar that is fixed in the bail arm are all finished by hand using soldered parts. Every reel seems to have a ‘signature’ that you don’t get with the mass produced reels. Some find the Altex to be the ugly sister compared to the french curves of the Mitchell but I like the deco looks with its combination of burnished metals.

The question now, is it any good to fish with? Yes, its excellent, despite the spool being quite narrow the Altex can cast a long way with little effort and the line lay is extremely even. The bail arm is automatically closed from an internal pawl, this makes for a very smooth action as it is triggered close to the reels central spindle, needing less inertia to trip the bail arm. And talking of smooth, the Altex clutch is exquisite compared to the Mitchell 300, it is a pleasure to turn using the front four spoked brass adjuster.

Designed originally as a spinning reel for salmon (it was probably considered too expensive for the lowly coarse angler) but it has now become popular with traditional carp anglers mainly due to the fine clutch. I shall be using it with lines from 5lb to 12lb and for a wide range of fish including chub, tench, barbel, carp and pike. This year I’m keeping my angling more simple than ever before using just one fixed spool reel, the Altex and a few centre pins where suitable.

Hardy Altex Mark V No 2
Hardy Altex Mark V No 2

Hardy Altex Mark V No 2
Hardy Altex Mark V No 2

Hardy Altex Mark V No 2
Hardy Altex Mark V No 2

Hardy Altex Mark V No 2

Last night…

05 Wednesday Oct 2011

Posted by The tuesday swim in Reading

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Tags

andrews, caught, charles, chris, evening, jennings, john, luke, rangeley, river, stag, wilson, yates

Last night, Caught by the River held an evening with John Andrews, Luke Jennings, Charles Rangeley-Wilson and Chris Yates at the Stag in Hampstead. As John said “welcome to the CBTR lounge” and that’s exactly what it was, friendly, funny and at times quite moving. The ‘four’ all distinct in their style of writing and delivery created an atmosphere similar to that of a fireside chat after a day on the river, reading favourite passages and telling tales of monsters, lost and found.

Luke, you better finish that book…

A Word on Water…

23 Friday Sep 2011

Posted by The tuesday swim in Reading

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andrews, by, caught, charles, chris, club, dennis, hampstead, jennings, john, luke, pye, rangeley, river, social, stag, water, wilson, word, yates

For those in the area of Hampstead, four days into the traditional pike season, may want to ditch the floppy hat and instead stroll proudly, Dennis Pye cap set at a jaunty angle, into The Stag to hear John Andrews, Luke Jennings, Charles Rangeley-Wilson and Chris Yates, all in conversation. So put down your Chapman’s 700, detach your pike bung and gimp trace, roll up your shirt sleeves and enjoy a pint or two in some marvellous victorian surroundings…

The Thames Festival.

11 Sunday Sep 2011

Posted by The tuesday swim in Reading

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2011, andrews, arcadia, berry, bridge, caught, festival, jennings, john, jon, luke, museum, river, southwark, thames

Yesterday The Tuesday Swim put on hold a planned trip to catch a Lea Navigation pike and instead joined a celebration of Old Father Thames on Southwark bridge.

Friends of the tuesday swim were in attendants, Caught by the River and Andrews of Arcadia. The Caught by the River stage had fish related tunes spun by Richard Norris while contributions came from Jon Berry, Luke Jennings and the rather aptly dressed John Andrews…

Luke and John both read tales of London pike as darkened grey clouds blew in to the Thames basin adding to the darkened mood of large Serpentine monsters, gazette floats and characters stalking the towpaths of London. John also read out a marvellous piece on the London roach pole, an example of which was on display in the Miniature Museum of Thames Angling. The Arcadia van was suitably dressed in Efgeeco canvas, possibly the first bespoke tailored van in history, the fine work that could have come from the London area of St James.

Luke Jennings, Jon Berry and John Andrews standing on Southwark bridge.

Plenty of familiar faces appeared throughout the afternoon, some good Horsham Ale and welsh cider was drunk while a few loose plans were made for some forthcoming autumnal fishing trips. Lets hope they become a reality…

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Quiet
I find it difficult writing about the process of catching a fish, but this story had another layer worth sharing. Fallons Angler issue 26 out now - in the company of Britains finest angling writers #fallonsangler #tench #tenchfishing #sevenpoundtench
Pond Life
Back to the hammock
Oh joy! Seeing an old friend is great but after Adam just discovered he won Best Show Garden at RHS Chelsea 2022 was priceless. Adam looked down at the artificial stream in the Rewilding British Landscape Garden and said ‘so good, you could cast a fly into it.’ It was. Adam I hope we cast a fly soon, lovely to see an old Sussex boy.
Can never pass Ditchling Beacon without taking a stroll. #ditchlingbeacon
Another film done - Gritstone and Galena link in bio
Fallons’s Angler have promised to do a film up north, delayed over the last two years we finally met up with Graham Vasey on the Tees and soaked up the atmosphere while Graham trotted for the grayling. @will_memotone dropped the perfect notes over the top. The film will be out tomorrow at 4.00pm (25th march) on the Fallons’s Angler YouTube channel
Another Fallon’s Angler trip done, the epic Tees, a unique pub with the atmosphere of a forgotten front room and good fishing. Our new northern adventure coming soon… #kirkhead #teesgrayling #fishingfilm #fallonsangler #teesdale #canonc100 #trottingthefloat #traditionalangling #wadingtheriver #durhamfishing
Finally made it to the Tees, filming starts in an hour #fallonsangler #fishingfilms #grayling
Packing the camera kit for the Pennines - A Fallon’s Angler film coming next month. Waterproofs, waders and binoculars at the ready. #anglingfilms #fallonsangler #graylingfishing #rivertees #pennines #fishingfilms
It’s hard clearing the last few items from my parents house, some items I’m familiar with like the tobacco tin full of drills, others are not so, like the stamped coat hangers found in my father’s wardrobe, coat hangers ‘pinched’ over a lifetime, London, Bristol, Scotland - stories now lost.
Goodbye 2021, it has been one to remember #neighbourhood
The sun did return in spectacular fashion #wintersolstice
Snuck out Friday for a pre lockdown chub, the healing qualities of a fish is fathomless #chubfishing #mentalhealth

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