Mick Bell - Bloke (JOKE) Rod Course

I feel I need to enlighten anyone who has the mis fortune to be treated like a C*UNT by Mr Bell.

Below is extractions of PM's i sent to a Mate on Flyforums as I told him what was going on, and feel I should no longer keep it to myself.

22/07/07
I have just come back from Mick Bells house with a half built rod. To say I have been messed around is putting it lightly. I am completly gutted with the way he has messed me around. I have taken at least 4 days of work to finish the rod for him to let me down, and today was the last straw.

I took friday of work to finish my rod, tried to ring him on his mobile all Thursday and Friday and no answer. Got an email form him in the evenig asking if I was coming round (was sent at 11:00am). I phoned him and this time his phone was on but he was well pissed. We arranged to do it today and I would phone him Saturday evening to confirm a time. Guess what his phone was off and finally got an answer at 2:30 and I have now had enough and picked my rod up from his wife and he didn't even leave the eyes with her to finish it of with.

This has been going on for months like this, he is truly a remakable fisherman, but is a complete let down. I'm really easy going but could not handle it anymore. He seemed keen to take the £300 that I paid in January twice (as he lost the original cheques).

I am going to have to see if someone on the forum would be kind enough to help me finish it off, he didn't even leave it with a rod bag.

I think when the other people dropped out he lost interest and he should have refunded me the money there and then. He's all matey on the phone, and he has got a quality bit of kit, but in all my fishing career, I have never been messed around by anyone so much.

I'm going to delete all my posts about the trip to Scotland and not post any bad words, just I dont want to influenece anyone else to try a trip/course incase they get lumbered like me.

All in all, I must have wasted 6 days of annual leave that I could of spent better either fishing or with my family. No doubt I would have got it done eventually, but you can only have so much patience.

Just thought I would let you know in case you may still be thinking of a trip next year, go for it but keep your options open.

Sorry about the winge!

All the bestVince

24/07/07

Hiya ******,

I've calmed down a bit today!

I phoned Mick up yesterday and he's unblievable. He was all matey on the phone and talked me through the process of finishing the rod for a good 20 minutes. He said he would get the rings, some varnish and a rod case of to me in the post and he even took my address (I was waiting to see if he would ask for it!), so I'm hoping the gear shoud turn up today or tomorrow. I will have a go at finishing it myself hopefully soon, and am up for some Paternity leave any minute/day now.

I took 2 days leave for the original course (25-28/05/07) and emailed him from different accounts, pm'd him and he just never replied. Eventually I got hold of his mobile number from his website (I should have done it ages ago), and finally managed to talk to him. I was really angry with him and had a rant for a few minutes, I told him I wanted my money back, he then said that the 2 others had dropped and that he was of to Japan during the original date. He was very apologetic and I calmed down and gave him the benefit of the doubt. I suggested that we build the rod in Surrey where he normally lives and when it was convinient we could go to Scotland, as he visits there quite often with groups and clients.

Well we made a date (I think the first date was cancelled) and I started to build my rod, he really does know what he's talking about, and I learnt loads and we went of to a restruant and had lunch and quite a few beers. He wasn't able to carry on with the rod when we got back because he had drank a skinful and lost the steadiness in his hands.I left and he said he would be in touch with a date for the fishing. Well guess what? He never got back to me, and I phoned him and put pressure on him as Mel was getting near full term pregnancy. Eventually he made a date a couple of weeks ago, and we actually went. A fishing friend of his was also meant to be going, but he pulled out last minute, which was a shame.

Anyway, we made it there and fished as I posted on the forums. On the Sunday we went of to the loch early afternoon. While fishing I asked Mick what time were we leaving on the Monday and he said we're not, we're leaving in an hour because his wife could not get the Monday of work, it would have been good if I had known this before hand! To top it all, they were aware that there car had a flat tyre and I pointed out that it was partly bald as well. They pumped it up and we had a blowout going about 100 mph on the way home.

Paragraph deleted

There has now been a few days that I have taken leave and then not been able to get in touch with him eitherside of starting the rod or finishing it. Plus the first trip where I had taken 2 days off.

He is definately eccentric, a bit of an a****, a fishing genius and a charmer! If it wasn't for the quality of his fishing gear and his astounding knowledge I would have told him to **** off yonks ago.

One thing that I should have gave him a right hander for was on the Friday just gone. When I phoned him in the evening, it was around 10:00pm. he made excuses about his phone not working cos it had not switched from China back to UK since the Tuesday. He was pissed and came out with a question about whether Mel had dropped or not, and this is what he actaully said when I told him she hadn't: 'Tell the C*** to get on the floor an push the f***er out then'. I had walked in to the kitchen, and lucky enough Mel was out of ear shot and I supressed my temper and thought just tolerate this idiot as he was well oiled. If Mel had heard him she would of gone round and scratched his eyeballs out of his head.

Also, I dropped a bunch of flowers of to him on the Monday after the trip to give to his wife for doing the cooking. When I picked up the rod she never mentioned them and never even said hello or goodbye to me, just said OK.

I just have to put it all down to experience, and if I order or buy anything from him again, I will go around to his door and pass the cash over when/if I get the goods.

I'm sorry to throw all this crap your way, but I could post this on the forum and it could get in to a slagging match and I would hate to have that. I've been a member of the forum for about a year and have gained so much from it, there is no way I would want to stir up anything. Plus Mick has an alligence of support and agents on it, I would be wasting my time, but who know's there may have been people in a similar posistion as me?

If I do mess my rod up, I'm sure he will help me, but I wouldn't arrange a date with, just phone him on spec. I think I should be Ok though.

26/07/07

Hiya ****,

Thanks for reading, I know it does sound like a carry on film!

I did receive a package from Mick yesterday, and eagerly opened it..... rod rings, varnish, decal, rod bag.

First, checked the rod rings.... bollocks, the tip ring is missing.

Second, checked the decal..... 'Bloke XL 9' #6', shit he's sent me the wrong one, I was making a 4 piece 10' #7.

Third, rod bad.... Big gold letters 'Bloke XL 9' #6'.Unbelievable, when I spoke to Mick originally, I told him which rod I would like to make, and f*** me I have been making the wrong rod all of this time!

My next buy or make was going to be a 10' #5 or #6, so this rod will sort of fit the purpose, but I wanted 10' #7 as I already have a 3 piece one and wanted the same but in 4 pieces for travelling on the tube.

Just saw a post from Riverboy, saying he was retiring from the forum, and one of the reasons is an argument he had with a well know rod manufacturer on the forum, I done a search to see whom the problem was with. Mick shows his true colours in this post: Post #57 onwards http://www.flyforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=10371&page=6

I think I may paste some of these PM's on my blog without all the personal bits in them.

Anyway to move on I have phoned up a rod building company. I found out I also need another snake ring as I was 1 short, and have to order a couple of tip rings because I cannot be accurate in the tip size, so have to order a range to be sure.

Cheers

Vince

Walthamstow - Mid July

11/07/07

Had 2, one on a CDC Buzzer, other on a yellow Invicta. Wind was blowing from the West. Odd fish showing now and then.

2-2-1

16/07/07

Caught one early on, CDC Buzzer. Wind in same direction.

1-1-1

18/07/07

Again all 3 came to CDC Buzzer, wind still coming from the West. Fish were showing along the causeway, I was fishing in to #4. In the end there was a huge hatch of green buzzers, around a size 12 hook. Hatch started around 8:00pm and you had very little chance of a fish taken your pattern when it was surrounded by 1000's of the real thing. Only saw 1 fish caught unitl fishing ended. Covering plenty of fish, never got a tug. Unblievable hatch!

3-3-1

23/07/07

Wind had swung roung to the NE and there was alight rain. Fish were showing along the railway bank on #4. Suddenly the wind swung to the N and a heavy (cold) persistent shower appeared. the fish switched off, I got soaked through and gave up after a few hours!

0-0-0

25/07/07

Wind was back in the South and very breezy. Went to the water works end on #5. A few people fishing and a few fish having a gander at CDC Buzzers but not confident enough to take them. I fished towards the tower and I'm sure ther was no fish in front of me. Conditions were not favourable for trying somewhere else so stayed put.

Saw 4 fish caught all in 5 minutes and nothing eles. That was it, I never had an offer.

0-0-0

Mick Bell - Waste of time

I have had a shocking experience with Mick Bell after spending £300 on a rod building course.

On the positive side he is a fishing genius. I landed my first salmon and had a pleasent time in Scotland, and ended up with a half finished fly rod.

Other than that I have wasted at least 6 days of annual leave or weekends that could have been better spent either fishing or time with my family. He took the money then ignored my emails and PM's, I later found out that I was the only one on the course, therefore Mick should have cancelled it completly and refunded my money, rather than put me through all this turmoil.

We made dates to do the rod and fish in Scotland that have all been broken on numerous occasions. In the end I went to his house this weekend and picked up my rod up to finish it myself.

He is a charmer and quickly calm you down, as he knows how to play the game, but beware!

Wild Brownies - Loch Talla - Scottish Borders 8/07/07

While staying with Mick, we managed to get a short afternoon on Loch Talla.

A view looking down Talla, with spawning stream in the foreground and the Dam at the far end

The Loch was truly stunning and had been dammed off over a 100 years ago, for water supply to Edinburgh.

We used one of the boats and drifted along the shore towards the south bay. I had a 3 fly cast with a Doobry on the top, yellow invicta in the middle and a black pennel on the point.Fish came fast and furious and my first 8 came to the invicta!

In the end I probably had over a dozen with my first fish being the largest which was over a pound.

The fish were real beauties with lovely warm brown colours and some had big large red spots towards there bellies. Mick had said that they were probably feeding on sedge the evening before, hence the fondness of the invicta.

As we had to pack up early for the drive home, we had a look further up the loch and noticed some olives in numbers leaving the woods and descending on the water and some nice trout making the most of them. What a shame we had to leave!! Would love to get back there!

Salmon - Ettrick Valley - Scottish Borders 6-7/07/07

No longer a Salmon Virgin!!

As part of my course on building a rod with Mick Bell of Bloke fly rods, I had a chance to fish the weekend at his cottage in the Scottish Borders, just below Selkirk. It was touch and go whether I could make it as Mel could drop anytime soon.

We left early Friday morning and was in the Borders for around 10:00 AM. The rain seemed persistent but was forecasted to ease and Mick checked the water levels on the Fish Tweed website. The prospects looked good!!

Mick showed me around and took me to the Salmon ladder to view Sea trout and Salmon attempting to jump the wier. We then procedded to Buccleau Estates to buy are fishing permits to fish the River Ettrick. As the weather and water conditions looked ideal, we bought permits for Beats 1 and 2 for Friday and Saturday, for the bargin price of £25 each rod.

The weir at Selkirk

Mick was a wealth of information and described the pools and runs of the river in great passion and detail, and knew every stone and fishey location within the 5 beats that cover approxiamatley 13 miles. We were told at the Estate that fishermen from the Tweed had headed up River to the Etrrick and the Yarrow as the Tweed was brown and the fishing had suffered. They were'nt getting much luck, and that if we were to have any chance of a fish, we should try on Beat 5.

We started fishing just below Micks cottage, and I had to learn to cast and wade. We spent alot of time looking around and fishing the pools quite quickly. After a few hours, Mick hooked in to a Salmon. At last I had seen my first wild Salmon. it was caugh on a Shrimp Fly that had been tyed by one of Micks Mates.

Mick's first salmon on the Friday

We turned in for the evening and enjoyed a lovely meal made by Micks wife Anna, and I had a bit too much of a good bevvy.

After a slow start to the morning and in desperate need of fresh air to clear my head, we made our way down to Beat 2 and fished Brock Scar. Mick kindly spent around an hour trying to teach me how to spey cast using a single handed rod, but my brain was still a little bit soft from the booze and I found it hard going!

Mick directed me to the start of the pool, and pointed to a large rock on the cliff side of the river. He told me to cast on the far side of it where the water ran slower than the rest, and that there should be fish lying there and I may be able to coax one out. He would follow me down the river fishing behind me.

Me, trying to spey cast

Unfortunately, my casting wasn't up to it (I blame the booze and my sudden attack of hay fever). As Mick followed me down, fair enough as he predicted, wallop, a fish took.

Mick giving the rod some tension

Good shot of the scar in the background

Me with Micks fish

We then went back to Beat 1 had a go there and Mick had another two! One from the same spot as the day before! All the fish Mick caught were returned.

Another one to the Shrimp Fly

I still hadn't had a touch. Mick left with Anna to get the Dinner sorted and I decided to fish on for a while. Mick pointed out some worthwhile spots. About half an hour later I was starting to get the hang of the casting and was putting my fly out nicely and was soaking in the sounds and the atmosphere of such of a beautiful place without a care in the world.

I was fishing a shrimp fly and felt a pluck and saw a swirl as my fly bowed half way around the arc, I paused a couple of seconds, gradually raised the rod, and all went solid as if I snagged, and then to my total relief I felt the rod bob up and down. I put some gentle pressure on the fish and soon had it close enough to see that my Salmon Virginity was soon to be un-cherried. After a 10-15 minute fight, that was both methodical and heart beatingly scary I was able to grab the Salmon by the wrist. I then sent it to sleep and took a few pictures, maybe just under 10lbs and cant wait to eat it!

What a Beauty!!!

I would like to thank Mick and Anna for the warmest of hospitality and the help of fullfilling my childhood ambition of catching a salmon at last.

Walthamstow - 24/06/07

Started at the inlet on #4 and found casting in to the wind hard going, so moved up to the causeway with thewind coming from behind (southerly).

It had been stocked 15/06/07 and managed to spot a couple of casulties in the margins.

Had a fish foul hook itself on an orange booby on the drop, which somehow came of leaving scales on the hook. Then cast my team of buzzers out and had a nother one on that came off!

Walked around to the windward bank on #5 as the wind was awful and was looking for some shelter. Met Deo there and he was landing a fish on a buzzer (I think). Fished away and never had a pull.

Moved back to #4 to get near the shelter as a storm was approaching. Fished on and off to avoid the storms and never had anymore action.

Met Frank who had been fishing the WFF competition and he had a few that night and on Sunday, using cdc emerging buzzers. I will need to tie a few of these beasts up in sizes 10 - 14 and green seemed to be the winning colours!!

Walthamstow - 24/06/07

Got a Sunday afternoon / evening in.

Found it really hard going and never had a pull up until about 19:00 when the rain just lashed down for a round an hour. Therefore called it a day.