Fishing enthusiasts are in for some spectacularly good catches at Addisons of Barnard Castle’s annual sporting sale on Thursday 3 April.

Amongst the lots are a large number of quality fishing rods and reels, including around sixty pieces by the renowned Northumberland-based rod makers Hardy Bros.

One of the star items is a rare Hardy’s ‘Perfect’ reel with a 1912 check, which is estimated to reach between £400-£500. The legendary ‘Perfect’ was first launched in 1891 and became the firm’s most famous product – still in production today and highly prized by collectors.

There is also a 12.5 ft. salmon rod that belonged to John Gibson – the celebrated Hardy’s split cane rod maker. Hand-made by Gibson, the rod is expected to reach around £300-£400.

Another prized possession is an Ambassador 5000DL 24 carat gold mounted reel made by ABU and still in its original presentation box. This was owned by Joseph W M Dixon who worked for Hardy and is valued between £800-£1,200.

William McNab, Auctioneer at Addisons, is confident that there will be a great deal of interest in these items from collectors and fishing enthusiasts alike. “Hardy has been making high-quality fishing equipment for over 140 years and has earned a world-wide reputation for excellence in this field. The fact that some of the items offered for auction have their own personal history or rarity value will only add to their general appeal.”

As well as fishing memorabilia, the sale also features a wide range of items connected to angling, shooting, hunting and other traditional country pursuits.

Addisons introduced this dedicated sporting sale in 2010 to meet local demand for items like fishing rods, guns, sporting prints and hunting memorabilia, and the sale has now become a key fixture in the auction calendar.

All of these items are illustrated in the sale catalogue, which can be viewed online at www.addisons-auctioneers.co.uk. The sale itself starts at 10am on Thursday 3 April and bidding can be made in person, online or via the telephone. The contents of the sale can be viewed the day before the sale from 10am-7pm, as well as from 8am on the morning of the sale.

For further details, please contact Addisons on 01833 690545 or email enquiries@addisons-auctioneers.co.uk

PHOTO CAPTION: A rare Hardy’s ‘Perfect’ reel is one of a large collection of fishing rods and reels that will be part of Addisons’ specialist Sporting Sale on Thursday 3 April.