The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

What's the largest fish you guys have landed on yours?

I have two avows. An early Ealing transfer model, slim dark cane which has handled barbel to double figures and carp to seventeen pounds and a later doughnut handled model that gets less use but has accounted for a near twenty mirror carp.

Getting decent use out of it then? It's my first cane rod and I was wondering what it's capable of really I'd be very upset if I break it but it sounds quite tough from the fish you've had

Although I no longer use this rod for carp fishing it would have been around 12 to 14lb. But this was once my only split cane rod.

Chris Yates caught a 51 and half pounder on his.

Ah nice to see they're not made of glass then, is there a technique or species more favourable for them would you say?

I only use mine for chubing now on rivers.

I've did test a early MKIV Avon out with a 22lb pike. All fine despite the testing fish, would not normally use a MKIV Avon for pike .

I always use an Avon for my barbel and chub fishing....I must confess here that I do have a bit of an Avon addiction and currently own seven....I have had more but have cut the collection down to those that I love and use most.

I think they're more useful for chub and small barbel only. For anything with real weight on it I'd step up to a MKIV carp rod. I hit a Trent barbel on my B James Avon last year and it damned near flatted out! I was with a friend and we were a bit silly using it to start with if I am honest.

Every time I think about it I am not quite so sure how Chris Yates managed to move a fifty pound carp with one.

Am I wrong in thinking someone on another post stated that the rod in question was not made by b james and son perhaps it had a higher test curve?