These are the detailed pages designed to accompany items on show at Fly Fest Scotland 2018.
Allcock for Shakespeare “Fish Hawk”
This rod dates from the very last moments of cane rod manufacture by the big names of Redditch. By this time many of the Redditch operators had disappeared or been absorbed into larger concerns, and a great deal of fishing tackle was being imported from overseas. In a last-gasp attempt to consolidate the UK industry a consortium was formed. Allcock, Lee’s and Young’s became “Top Tackle”. “Top Tackle” was acquired by Shakespeare in 1965 and continued marketing products from Lee’s, Allcock’s and Young’s. This rod, from about 1968, was partnered by an ingenious multiplying fly reel made by Young’s, also called the “Fish Hawk”.