Wal recently returned a rod to me on which he performed a small rescue miracle and one I am very grateful for. Just prior to their deaths my parents paid for Rawson & Perrin to build a Willow for me - it’s their modern take on a Lucky Strike. Their service was excellent but I was never entirely happy with the rod. Much of this was because I simply picked the wrong whipping pattern and colour. However, the first fish I landed with it was a hard fighting carp of high single figures which decided to take 2 maggots on a 16 hook and 4lb leader! The rod suffered badly, partly as a result of my inexperience with cane at the time. Wal described it to me as bent and twisted in several directions!
Anyway, Wal stripped her down, straightened her and re-whipped the rings in a gorgeous Peacock blue with inters, as I wanted her to look more like an early Lucky Strike. At Wal’s suggestion, I’ve put her in a rod bag with somewhat less rigid material then the one supplied and have reduced her line rating from 8lb to 6lb. A couple of weekends ago she landed several nice Bream.
Every time I take the Willow out she reminds me of my parents, both of whom taught me to fish. So, I am very grateful to Wal for making that possible.
One question to readers, does anyone else own a Rawson & Perrin coarse rod and what do they think? Pictures below:
From "... the wilds of the Wirral, whose wayward people both God and good men have quite given up on ...".
