Barder Rod Co Kennet Perfection c1994

This rod has had little if any detectable use since it was made in MCMXCIV. Yes, I know. Roman numerals. What was I thinking? I was utterly moronic at Latin when I was dozing my way through a decade of expensive private education. Nevertheless, I went through a phase of dating rods in this manner. I wasn’t even trying to be pretentious. Anyway, all a long time ago. 1994, by the way.

I remember making this rod for a nice man who was a member of the National Westminster Bank’s coarse fishing club. When he came to order it, he told me that the club had just obtained the fishing rights to a pool near here. I told him I regularly went swimming there, naked, with one of my girlfriends. Perhaps this put him off entirely. Shame. Pretty girl.

Kennet Perfections are typically 11’3″ or 11’4″ but this one is eleven and a half feet and ever so slightly stronger than usual. It’s five thousandths of an inch larger overall. This very subtle stepping up means that the rod can safely be used with 8 lb BS reel line and is therefore suitable for barbel fishing and even swim feedering.

It’s in exceptional near mint condition, good looking, versatile and practical. The price is intended to give you comfort in these straitened and uncertain times.

The whippings are bottle green with fine scarlet tippings. The rings are hard chrome-plated stand-off pattern with Amberfin butt and tip rings. A hook keeper is incorporated into the ferrule whipping.

Ferrules are brass splint end pattern, waterproof and blued. The original hand-turned hardwood & cork top hat stoppers are in place.

The handle has a very comfortable and elegant elongated swell at its top and lightweight aluminium sliding reel bands. The traditional conical alloy butt cap has a black rubber button.

The rod comes in its tailor made bag with press stud fastenings and a pocket in the flap to store the ferrule stoppers in.

Reel lines: 4 – 8 lbs BS

Test curve: 1¼ lbs

Casting weights: up to 1½ oz including bait.