Hello from Scarborough

[BOROSMITH]

How do all

I've not done much fishing in quite some time but, today we collected my wife's grand dad's rod bag. I was asked by my mother inlaw if I would like them if not they'd be put in her garage or auctioned off or sold.

I knew the chap was BIG into fishing years ago. I meet him once for 20 minutes. My wife have been married a 18 months. He passed at 64 like. I was hesitant to accept my mother laws offer, I didnt want to look ungrateful, didnt want to acknowledge the situation. Just proper bad situation ain't it.

My wife and I said we will have a ride though, stay the night do a few jobs have look around the town and check out the fishing tackle like.

We where told the gear was in a storage lock up. Because he was planning on moving. And just to get the keys of the neighbour who lived across the road.

With years of my self not fishing, not knowing what fishing the chap was into, condition of the gear. Felt like it could be like opening Pandoras box. The only fishing I've done was carp and Sea fishing. What if its corse fishing, I wouldn't know where to start. Or fly fishing, wouldnt know where to start. Already Got fly gear that has never been used ever by me. Me cousin left in my shed and its stayed there to be used or not.

We arrived after 2.5 hours drive. The neighbour was a bit surprised and we asked for the storage key, turns out that she and her husband had already collected them and had them in ther own garage. Saved us a bit of a drive. She took us over and opened up and proceeded to enlighten us.

The neighbour over the road has appraised them. The rods are worth this, the reels are worth that. Here is alot of other stuff we been sorting threw. It's just all bits of old rubbish that could be binned. I felt a bit offended on behalf of my inlaws But apparently she is alright like.

When I seen the bag, looked like it had been packed on a rainy day and not open for 10 years. Mono Line everywhere. Mice have ate a little here and little there. Hooks are rusty that are attached to the lines. Swivels are going green.

But remarkably some absolutely stunning pike gear. Only looked inside of the bad for 5 minutes. But A pair of Mick Brown Waterwolf predator rods with shimano 6500 bait runner reels. 6 rods in total. Another pair of rods with a pair of reels. A Cork handle Hardy rod with a vintage reel.

My wife and I to start fishing together, nearby lakes hopefully, once held a beast of a pike I belive. So yeah proper in love with the fact my wife and I going to go fishing with the gear she inherited.

I already have a unhooking matt, need a landing net. Got millions if rods reels now. Plus a box of takel for the pike
Wire tracers lures bit alarms. Bank sticks. Think we have everything we need to get going.

Maybe change the lines on the reels? Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Yeah perhaps a unusual introduction

Regards

Smithy

[Ben]

Welcome to the forum Smithy and thanks for the detailed introduction, not many people go to that level of effort!

I’m sure someone will be along to advise you, keep hold of that gear pal, some decent stuff there

[Ben]

100% change the line on the reels before you do any fishing

Get 15lb breaking strain, lots of threads already on here about what make people like.

Personally I’m a fan of Shimano Technium because that’s a hybrid monofilament with not much stretch to it. Although I much prefer using PowerPro braid for 90% of my fishing.

[BOROSMITH]

Hi Ben

Thanks for your reply. I'm surprised. Its early morning. I'll buy the line. I think your right. Was thinking should I chance it but probably ending doing some damage if its deteriorated. Probably risky. I'll looking at the threads and your recommendations

[Happy Hayes]

Welcome to the pit
Regards
Tom

[barnsy]

Welcome BOROSMITH!
It's great that something nice, like getting to do some piking with your wife, can come from a sad situation!
I'd definitely second the suggestion to change the lines. If money is an issue big spools of diawa sensor are great value, but as mentioned there's whole discussions on which line is best for which situation. Mono does definitely deteriorate though, and with piking it's extra important to avoid a break, as treble hooks can be so dangerous to a fish if left in.
I'd also seriously consider some new traces too, for exactly the same reasons. If you have any lures/ spinners it's likely worth replacing rusty hooks/rings, but probably everything else you can just use as-is.
Tight lines!