Oliver’s of Knebworth Roach Perfection.

This is the fourth Oliver’s Roach Perfection I’ve seen in about thirty years. One was in Ted Oliver’s house, another was in his shop, the third is this one’s twin (the owner ordered a pair).

The Oliver’s Roach Perfection is the best split cane rod ever made for lighter styles of float fishing.

A strong statement and I’m happy to stand by it.

Although it is surprisingly light and beautifully balanced, it is by no means fragile. If you like to trot for roach, grayling, perch, dace and chub, the Oliver’s Roach Perfection is the rod to have. Reel lines of 3-4 pounds  match its surprising reserves of power and fine hook lengths are cushioned by the fine-but-not-fragile tip.

Ted Oliver was apprenticed to one of the fabled Bob Southwell’s men and in my opinion, Ted became the superior craftsman. His rods are unfailingly beautifully made and finished to a phenomenally high standard. I’ve never made any secret of my admiration for his work. I bought large numbers of seasoned bamboo poles and boxes of lovely silk threads from him over the years and I got to know him quite well. His dedication to quality, his focus and natural gift for artisanal work enabled him to produce some of the finest coarse fishing rods of all time. I’m quite proud of the work we do, but my other favourite rods are those made by Ted Oliver, especially the Roach Perfection and the Kennet Perfection.

This example is in absolutely exceptional condition. It was made, I should say, in 1970 or thereabouts. It has been very lightly used and cared for extremely well. We have replaced its ferrule because there was a crack in the male part. This was a fault of the brass and nothing else. The work we have done is, as you can see in the accompanying pictures, very sympathetic and proper. The original Hardy-style stopper favoured by Oliver’s is in place and the whippings were done using silk I’d bought from Ted Oliver. The whole rod has had one coat of varnish to preserve its lovely original finish.

This rod is ready to fish and bring profound joy to its new owner. If you carefully examine its entry in the pre-decimalisation Oliver’s catalogue I’ve used as background, you will note that it has ¾ pound test curve and in 1969, it would have cost you eleven pounds and ten shillings!

For those who really value the very best hand made classic tackle, one’s collection must include an Oliver’s Roach Perfection.