Barder Rod Co Chris Yates ‘The Bishop’ 11’ carp rod c2000.

Some notable features of this rod.

It is in mint condition.

Perfectly straight precision built blank made from flame-tempered hand-split Tonkin bamboo, with pressed knots throughout.

Nickel silver ferrules.

Finely knurled nickel silver sliding reel bands and a matching butt cap engraved with the maker’s details.

Closely spaced Pearsall’s Gossamer silk graduated intermediate whippings.

A superbly elegant cork handle –its top feature made from ¼” corks.

Amberfin butt ring, Agate & nickel silver tip ring and lightweight hard chrome plated Sapphrite Laurels intermediate bridge rings.

Everything about this rod is especially elegant, classical and fine.

A little of its history.

One Saturday morning in the early years of this century, I acted on a strong hunch that there might be some really big pike in a neglected stretch of canal near here. I got to the water just after dawn. It was a horrid shock to the system, but so is getting up at lunchtime, knowing that one has wasted half a day’s fishing.

Moments after casting out my dead bait, I heard the irritating burble of an outboard motor and an ugly little fibreglass boat came round the bend. The captain of this ship was yakking on to his young passenger about something that I think had to do with his dislike of anglers. As he passed me he swerved about in his boat and banged his feet against its hull.

It seemed to me that this attempt to scare the fish had probably been successful but rather than mope, I packed up and left. Until quite late in the afternoon, I fished fruitlessly elsewhere. I wondered if perhaps the fish in the canal would have recovered their composure. It was only a short journey so back there I went.

I’d never seen anyone else fishing this pound, so I was quite surprised to see our friend Clive sitting quietly next to a stunted willow. The sun was low but bright and he looked unusually content. His reply to my enquiry after his luck was unforgettable. He’d arrived just after I’d departed in the morning and caught a pike of over twenty pounds, first cast. He showed me its picture on his new-fangled digital camera. It was a beautiful fish.

He’d caught it with this very rod. He was a gentle person who didn’t fish all that much but he loved fine tackle and cared for it well. We kept in touch and I’m not sure that another fish stretched this rod’s fibres.

To find out about this rod’s technical specification, please navigate your way to Rods, then Carp, Barbel & Avon Rods then Models. Click on the red Full details button for the Bishop and all will be revealed.