BRITAIN’S largest fishing tackle fair, the “national” will again be taking place in Britain’s fishing tackle spiritual home of Redditch on Sunday, May 16 at Abbey Stadium, on the Birmingham Road.

There will be up to 40 stands, almost twice the number of any other vintage fishing tackle fair in Britain, with both specialist dealers and private collectors buying and selling a range of tackle from rods to reels, creels to cased fish, nets to bags, lures, flies, boxes, books, ephemera and paintings.

A brisk trade is anticipated particularly involving local anglers or former employees of the various Redditch tackle makers.

Visitors will also have the opportunity to get their own tackle valued by leading auctioneer Neil Freeman of Angling Auctions. Local Redditch fishing reel expert Garry Mills of The Mill Tackle Company willl also have a large stall offering servicing, advice on all reels but especially those manufactured in Redditch by Allcock, and Youngs, the company where Garry was once the production manager.

Redditch anglers who want to sell any old tackle but do not want to take a stall are encouraged to bring any items into the fair and sell them directly to the dealers present.

Should anyone wish to take a stall to sell their own vintage tackle some stalls are still available on a first-come, first-served basis. For further information contact John Andrews on 07980 274 383 or email johneandrews@btinternet.com.

The event runs from 9am-3pm. Admission for the public is £2 and the venue will be signposted locally on the day, there is free parking in the stadium car park, wheelchair accesss and refreshments.

The National Vintage Fishing Tackle Fair is sponsored by Angling Auctions. For more details, visit www.angling-auctions.co.uk.