Barder Rod Co Kennet Perfection 11’3″ 2-piece + handle c1999.

This might well have been my rod, briefly. We made a batch of two or three, all pretty well identical, just before heading off to the big angling show at the NEC, where I had a stand. I travelled up with Chris Yates, who was to be my ace salesman for the duration.

On the Saturday, I needed the loo and asked Chris to mind the stand. When I got back, he was thrilled to tell me that he’d sold the Kennet Perfection we’d displayed. He was a bit surprised by my muted reaction. I’d made the rod for myself and the plan was to use it for display only. I’d forgotten to tell Chris.

The other rod in the batch was made for a customer who can no longer fish so I bought it from him last year, to replace the one I briefly owned in 1999.

The rod I am offering you here may or may not be the one Chris sold. I can’t be sure but I have my suspicions. Anyway, it’s got a mysterious and possibly interesting history -‘As sold by Chris Yates’ it’ll say in the history books.

This example is in mint condition and has quite possibly not been used. It is a very useful rod indeed for today’s adventurous angler.  It will handle reel lines from 4 – 8 lbs breaking strain, and swing out modest swim feeders with authority.  It would be a super rod for tench fishing, and just the tool for fishing with a large Avon float above perch or chub tackle.  I would have no hesitation in recommending it for barbel fishing on the Wye –in fact, this would make a superb all round rod for that river, which is now the finest mixed fishery in the land.

The first coarse fishing rods I made commercially, in the mid-1980s, were Kennet Perfections, and it is a model very close to my heart. Ours have always been accurate and faithful renditions of the pattern, as developed by B. James & Son and continued by Oliver’s of Knebworth. In the 1980s I purchased the original ex-Southwell planing block from Ted Oliver and it had the correct dimensions marked on it at six inch stations. I have not deviated from the original taper profile and our Kennet Perfections bear no relation to some of the gutless and floppy things made in the 1960s.

The tip, middle and handle are made from flame tempered split cane of exceptional quality.  The knots were pressed (rather than filed) in the Southwell manner. The snug-fitting blued & lacquered nickel silver splint end suction ferrules are our own make.  They are fitted with traditionally shaped hand turned hard wood and cork stoppers.

The 27” cork handle has a subtle onion shaped top and our finely knurled nickel silver sliding reel bands.  The matching nickel silver butt cap has a black rubber button.

The rings are hard chrome plated stainless steel stand-off.  The butt & tip rings are classic Amberfins.

The Pearsall’s silk whippings are varnish impregnated bottle green, tipped with Pearsall’s Gossamer burnt orange (shade № 19).  There is hook keeper above the male ferrule on the mid-section.

The rod comes in its tailored bag, which has a pocket in the flap for the ferrule stoppers and bronzed brass press stud closure.

Test curve: 1¼ pounds.

Reel lines: 4 – 8 pounds breaking strain.

Casting weights: up to 1 oz.

When, in 1999, we could no longer obtain the required sizes of ferrule tube, we very reluctantly stopped making the Kennet Perfection as a standard model. We have since been able to make a dozen more (all sold) to celebrate our twenty fifth anniversary but this is a rod that is quite hard to come by. This rod, if we were to make it today, would cost you £2,600