About Us

You might recognise the name from our eBay store, where we operated for 5 years and built a reputation as a trustworthy and reliable seller: 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/prototypetackle

I'm Nick, a Senior Mechanical Engineering Consultant (my LinkedIn is at the bottom of the page). As well as designing fishing equipment, I lead the design of life-saving medical devices at one of the UK's leading and longest established design consultancies. My passion for engineering and design is as genuine as my passion for fishing. Speaking of which, I've been obsessed with fishing for 20 years. From fishing harsh northern winters for a single carp to bagging up perch on the canal, fishing is a part of life for me. I'm happiest when I'm on a sleepy old estate lake catching pretty carp. 

You'll also see my partner, Ella, and her captures on our social media. Ella is an outstanding multi-species angler and is equally comfortable whether she is trotting on the river, fly fishing for trout, lure fishing the canal, dead baiting, or carp fishing.

Prototype Tackle started many years ago when I couldn't afford snag ears for my second-hand Steve Neville bite alarms. I designed my own snag ears and made them on my industrial 3D printer, which I had recently designed and built. I thought, maybe if I sell them at cost I can help others who can't afford snag ears, and the original eBay Store was formed (initially under my mother's name!).

Those original snag ears, the Steve Neville Classics, are still sold at cost price, to serve anglers and to remind me why I'm doing this.

Since starting Prototype Tackle, I have reinvested heavily into manufacturing so that I can produce ultra robust, high-quality parts here in the UK at a low cost. A mix that most would have you believe is impossible.

I am here to serve you. Primarily with great products, but I'm also incredibly responsive on social media, and it's never a bot or AI, it's me, and I'm genuinely interested in helping you. Don't be afraid to ask for something custom either. I love an engineering challenge and  I've fulfilled many custom orders over the years - so if you can't see what you're after in the catalogue, drop me a message on Instagram!

Check me out on LinkedIn to see my engineering credentials, posts about engineering topics and career history:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-brown-engineering/

 

P.S - Here's another amazing capture by Ella