The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Found the Barbel :-)

Lovely stuff! :D

Leave some for me Badger1! :chuckle:

Lovely fish (and Rod) sir. :hat:

Huzzah! Nice fish!

Brill!!!

Well done Badger1. :thumb:

A lovely rod.

Re Ted Oliver, the single best 10' Avon I've handled was an Oliver's one, it had an incredibly fast return to straight, was light but very steely. At £495 it was mint but just too expensive for me.

I'm lucky enough to have a B James Kennet perfection that does feel wonderful, but it took 3 duds to get to this one. Possibly a Bob Southwell rod i have been told, and being quite dark and far steelier than others i have seen it may well be, but the transfer says 'B James and sons London' and I thought the Ealing ones were more likely Southwell blanks, even if it isn't it's a lovely rod for chub and perch on the river, smaller barbel in clearer swims too and tench and eels on still waters. I have gone over to using a Chapmans Hunter for heavier float fishing now though and the hollow built sections make it more precise to cast with so i can understand how much it would improve the Kennet Andrew has made . looks a lovely rod :thumb:

I think i was lucky with my own B James Kennet perfection, it seems to have a bit of back bone unlike all the others i have seen before or since but i do like the idea of part hollow built, having several FJTs and Hunters I can appreciate how much it improves the action and balance of a rod, and that's a great curve

I have a B.James Kennet Perfection which was restored by Edward Barder some years ago and I absolutely love it to bits so maybe I was lucky to get a decent one. It also delivered a couple of Kennet Barbel to the net earlier this year and performed quite splendidly in the hands of an amateur (me).