Bernard Venables Craftversa 11’3″ Avon rod.

Bernard had been a great friend of Terry Thomas, who was the chief rod designer for Milward’s of Redditch. Thomas favoured rods with reverse tapered butts, so that the section of the rod to the rear of the reel would flex slightly when casting. This doesn’t diminish from the rod’s power at all but it does give one’s cast a satisfying fillip, rather as a whole cane butt does.

The Crafversa was Bernard’s favourite coarse fishing rod and in his typically encouraging way, he suggested that I might like to make a few, based on his rod. I produced nine in total, all made in my original workshop at Northend, on the Hants-Berks border. This was BC (before Colin). The first three were signed at Bernard and Eileen’s cottage at Fosbury, the final six at Upavon. Bernard was eighty six at the time. He liked to give me a good lunch and plenty of nice wine before he signed the rods. As you can see, quite a lot of Indian ink got on Bernard’s fingers. The same happens to me and I don’t drink wine at work.

This is not only a very rare, collectible and special piece, it’s a superb fishing rod. I not only built the butt with a reverse taper to the final 18″, it’s also hollow-built. The cane was all hand split and straightened before precision tapering. The nodes are arranged in the Garrison pattern which ensures that each node is in isolation.

The rod’s action is progressive, steely, lissome (who can get enough of lissome in these days, when everything’s really heavy, man) and just gorgeous for trotting and touch ledgering. One of the nicest rods I ever made, signed by Bernard Venables and there’s only nine of them. Imagine that.

Specification.

11’3″ 2-piece hand-built split cane. Hollow-built butt section, reverse-tapered from 18″ above its end. The cane is perfectly straight and lively. The rod has had minimal use in its thirty three years.

The 26″ Flor grade cork handle has a subtly flared top, knurled aluminium sliding winch fittings, an alloy conical butt cap and a red rubber button.

The Beatson’s of Sheffield splint end ferrule is blued, lacquered, snug fitting and retains its original hand-turned stopper.

Rings are Hopkins & Holloway hard chrome plated stand-off pattern. A hook keeper is secured by the handle top whipping. Whippings are dark green Pearsall’s silk, varnish impregnated. The rod has an impeccable hand applied marine grade varnish finish.

The Indian ink inscriptions include the model, year of manufacture, length and of course Bernard Venables’ signature on the bottom flat between the handle top and the butt ring.

The rod comes with its original tailored bag and a photo of Bernard signing the rod.