Well TFF’ers. How we all doing? Well I trust?
I’m going to fill the tinter-web up with some more sh*te now and promote Andrew’s work further, I know….how tedious .
On a number of occasions last year Andrew and I were fishing and the topic of my next rod kept coming up. Throughout the season there were some amusing debates on the river bank at what to go for, a long float rod, a heavy duty spinning rod, a classic taper? I personally kept half-jokingly banging on about beef’ing up ‘Opochtli’/Senior Wallis Avon to a 13’ beast. Andrew’s reaction was somewhat reserved to start with and then the conversations would go around to the potential problems which could occur i.e. wholecane not good enough quality, sourcing lined agates rings, would it weigh too much or be top-heavy, hollow building the splitcane to an extreme could affect the feel and action of the rod. After few months, well since the late summer, Andrew started to come around to the idea and come the end of the year he was game to give it a go.
The SWA (Senior Wallis Avon) taper was altered and extended to 13’ and various bits of the rod started to be gathered. Two suitable wholecane sections were found in a massive bundle of Andrew’s stock. One piece was very stiff and had a good wall thickness but it was about 3” short so some extension/spliced piece would have to go onto it for at the end of handle, which is far from ideal. The other piece was the correct length and good wall thickness but not quite as stiff. After some debate it was the second piece was decided upon. I took up a couple of vintage rods which were going to be “donors” for agate rings, a nickel-silver bar stock was ordered by Andrew to make the ferrules, reel bands, & cap. Plus a couple of spools of copper for the ferrules and some whippings.
Come December I left Andrew to crack on with the rod, so Big Bertha was born:
One off - Big Bertha
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Badger1
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One off - Big Bertha
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Badger1
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Re: One off - Big Bertha
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Badger1
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Badger1
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Badger1
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Badger1
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Badger1
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Badger1
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Re: One off - Big Bertha
Last Sunday Big Bertha was taken out for the first time to a rather swollen river Dove. Considering the conditions I was very pleased to land this chub from under a load of branches/flotsam. It was a bit of bullied flight if I am honest, Big Bertha bullied the chub out from its lair.
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Trilob
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Re: One off - Big Bertha
that is amazing!! well done 
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Paul F
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Re: One off - Big Bertha
Wow, that looks a beutiful beast, i bet it will stop a train 
Love the rod in the making shots from Andrew
Love the rod in the making shots from Andrew