The ATO is about collecting, preserving and recording the history of fishing tackle.
It is a dedicated online resource for antique fishing tackle. It provides information, resources, and a possibility for collectors and enthusiasts of vintage and antique fishing tackle to buy or sell. The website includes articles, guides, historical information, images, and potentially a platform for buying or selling antique fishing tackle.
We are always interested in buying examples of fishing tackle for research. However we seldom if ever find anything as the collection is very specific but we also have contacts with collectors who will pay a fair price if an item is not for us. Contact details on the contact page.
The Antique Tackle Observer started as a “Fanzine DTP (Desktop Publishing) concept in March 1994, intending to collect the vast amount of snippets of tackle-collecting information that I was acquiring during my research for my first book, Men of Trent.
When the magazine started, the internet was in its infancy. I had yet to learn about how the World Wide Web would expand. I was unaware that a short snappy title would be significant. A few years later, it did highlight some of the problems with the name, especially when trying to spell out the site name over the phone. I did attempt to change the title before eventually abandoning the idea.
It was one of the world’s first sites to have Java which attracted the internet “nerds & geeks” but no tackle collectors. Tackle collectors were usually involved in auctions, tackle meets, and local get-togethers.
The magazine ended at issue 45 as a hard copy with hundreds of articles. I want to publish most of the articles on this site that are still relevant today.
I also will advise on auctions, tackle meets etc., on a News/Events page. Facebook and Instagram pages are associated with the site, usually with just one picture.

Details are below.