Chris Yates Barbus Maximus MK I c1994.

This MK I Chris Yates Barbus Maximus was built to a deluxe specification.

The mid-section is hollow built split cane and the rod feels remarkably light and well balanced, especially considering its length. It has plenty of power and substance but is nicely poised between being barbel-worthy and suitable for tench and chub. It’s a really fine rod with a superior specification for its vintage. I think it would be hard to find a better long rod for larger river and lake fish.

It’s a shame in a way that one has to be so furtive and solitary when chasing great big fish. Nobody will find your hot-spots because you’ll have left no trail and you probably won’t fish much in daylight, but neither will you enjoy the compliments that such a handsome rod deserves from passing anglers. Perhaps you’re handsome too. Sure you are. But you’re not vain. You’re an angler of discernment and the last person to think of himself or herself (you may well be a lady chub angler if you’re reading this) as a tackle tart.

With the demise of productive floodwater fishing for the giant barbel that used to live in so many of our rivers, the MK I Barbus Maximus has come into its own again. It wasn’t intended for heavy tackle fishing with hefty weights and swim feeders. Back in the early 1990s when Chris Yates and I designed it, we liked to touch-ledger with no more than 8 pound line. Barbel were our favourite fish, but we liked chub and tench too, and the Barbus Maxims proved to be a great rod for those fine fish. If you don’t already have one, this is a perfect opportunity to install one in your rod rack.

Specification.

Hand built hollow built split cane middle, solid built split cane tip.

Detachable 26″ Flor grade cork handle with finely knurled Barder Rod Co alloy reel bands and matching tapered butt cap.

Beatson’s of Sheffield splint end waterproof ferrules, blued & lacquered. They retain their hand-turned hardwood and cork stoppers. They’re a super fit.

Hard-chrome plated stand-off rings (Sapphrite Laurels Europa -the best ever) with Amberfin butt and tip rings.

A hook keeper is incorporated into the mid-section’s male ferrule whipping.

Burgundy silks are Perrivale Imperial shade 910 and the rod is close whipped throughout.

The varnish finish is superb.

The Indian ink inscription is as follows: The Chris Yates Barbus Maximus. E. Barder Rod Co. Makers 1994.

The rod comes in a superb tailor made bag with bronzed press-stud fastenings and a pocket in its flap for the ferrule stoppers.

It also has a fitted aluminium travelling tube.