Pezon et Michel Parabolic Speciale Normale

[Bobby Marlene]

Last Monday I was again on my beloved river Le Viroin in the Ardennes. The weather was good, a lot of wind, water levels even lower than 2 weeks ago. I arrived at 10 am and was in the river at 10:30. The fishing was very slow, I had very few offerings and hooked a few but lost all of them. I enjoyed myself


But the real reason I was here was not the fishing this time. A fellow member of the Club Mouche La Treignoise had send me a message some days before that a friend of his wanted to part with a Pezon et Michel fly rod.
We met in a Cafe dans un petit village sur Le Viroin. We had good coffee, les Wallons are a bit like the French, they like good coffee.
Then he went to get the rod out of his car. I had expected to see a shed find. What he brought was an almost immaculate rod. Produced in 1965. A Parabolic Speciale Normale, 8ft 6 inch.

Later I was back on the river. The fishing did not improve. I was happy, The rod was in the back of my car. To fish with another day.
Thanks for looking, Bobby

[Nigel Rainton]

That's a very nice rod. It will make you happy each time you use it.

[Liphook]

Lovely looking river Chris! And a finely conditioned P&M rod As a Sharpes/Farlow fan you'll know that I like these rods but, I have to ask, can any manufactured rod be quite as pleasing as one of your own builds? How do you personally rate their impregnated cane?

[Bobby Marlene]

That's a very nice rod. It will make you happy each time you use it.

Thank you Nigel! I think this rod would suit your style of fishing.

Lovely looking river Chris! And a finely conditioned P&M rod As a Sharpes/Farlow fan you'll know that I like these rods but, I have to ask, can any manufactured rod be quite as pleasing as one of your own builds? How do you personally rate their impregnated cane?

I am absolutely no expert. What I see is that it is not impregnated but varnished. The varnish is special but I don’t know what exactly they used. And this rod was built to a very, very high standard. The cane seems to be of the highest quality, I have only ever seen that with Hardy rods and the craftmanship seems to be on an even higher level.
Of course my own rods are much better

Thanks for your kind comments!

Alistair, should you ever be in Belgium we go and fish Le Viroin!

Thanks, Chris

[Liphook]

Thank you Chris I would love to fish your home waters and fully intend to some day, hopefully on the understanding that I would return the favour for you on a Scottish or Northern English river
I fear I may have not communicated my question particularly well - I was wondering if you had any experience of P et M impregnated cane and if you thought it was of similar high quality?