Barbel Landing Net Endorsement

I would say that one of the best endorsements of any angling product would be from someone with no connection to the company whatsoever, who angles a lot and has used the product for over a 12 month period which is ample testing time to encounter lots of differing situations. Then due to losing the said product (don’t ask) the angler goes out the very next day to replace with exactly the same product.

Well, that is me and the Gardner Specialist Pan Net. I have always had a bit of a soft spot for Gardner Tackle. I remember well them starting up and the telephone call when I was still working at the shop, to see if they could interest me with anything. They were a young, new and ‘ultra cult’ company offering the first bank sticks I ever saw in matt black that hadn’t been self painted but more importantly with steel points, They had matching bars, the lot! It may sounds strange in this day and age of virtually indestructible sticks, but back then hardly anything was offered other than pressed flat points that didn’t last five minutes. In fact as an even greater endorsement I still have some of the originals bank sticks.

The Gardner product range was small back then as any new companies range would be. I remember the One Arm and Two Arm Bandits. The  Pike Drop Offs, the revolutionary screw in solid Umbrella Spike and so on. It was very much the day of innovation rather than copy (or try and convince you are further developing someone else’s idea). Shortly after we had the Rollaball Bait Makers, what an incredible invention they were for the home bait roller.

Like I say I have always had a soft spot for Gardener Tackle who now seem to have been there forever, but then that starts to make me feel old as I remember the first adverts clearly, but the history of Gardner Tackle is not what this is about. If you want a good rigid landing net with a sensible mesh that is deep enough to rest a good fish but not so deep that it becomes a hindrance. A landing net that will land the largest barbel in the land as well as coping with a huge carp should it decide to come and join in your fun, then I can whole heartedly recommend the Gardner Specialist Pan Net. I have used one for over a year and because of my stupidity of leaving my original in a car park, I have not hesitated to replace with exactly the same.

Best fishes
Shaun Harrison

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