The Chris Yates Barbus Maximus MK II 11′ 2-piece barbel rod.

We’re pretty quick on the uptake here at the Barder Rod Co. Towards the end of the last millennium, we noticed that barbel were getting bigger. Not so many of them as there had been, but the once in a lifetime double figure fish was sometimes coming along once or twice (or even more) at a sitting!

Fishing at night in swollen rivers for these whoppers required sturdier rods than the long, lissome MK I. We were being asked for stepped-down Bishop carp rods and stepped-up Merlin Avon rods. I had a bit of a chat with Chris Yates. Yes, a bit of a chat. He agreed that we should go ahead with a MK II barbel rod, somewhere between the two aforementioned models. We made one for Chris and he uses it still. It soon became our best seller.

This example is in fantastic near mint condition. It’s still the best thoroughbred barbel rod we’ve designed and owners rarely part with them. This is only the second one we’ve had for sale with the classic claret silks with old gold intermediates. It also has the deluxe nickel silver handle fittings. It’s straight, tight as a drum and positively bristling with barbel taming intent.

No long wait, a saving of several hundred pounds on the price of a new one. I’m all about doing you a good turn.

Here’s the specification:

The rings are Sapphrite Laurels hard chrome plated bridge intermediates with Amberfin lined butt and tip rings. The silks are burgundy for the rings and ferrules with transparent old gold intermediate whippings.

Handle fittings are nickel sliver throughout.

The rod is suitable for 6-8 lb BS line and casting weights of 1 oz + bait.