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History of the older Drennan Avon rods

Neil Lumby

Neil Lumby

Senior Member
As above, I’m looking for some info on the older Drennan Avon Rods, I’m sure a few of you will be more in the know than me.
Forgetting the more recent specialist twin tip duos and even the series 7 Avon/ quiver rods. Prior to those I have a pair of super specialist Duo rods that I think were available to buy around the mid 2000s does anyone know if they done an identical rod of around the same time just called the super specialist that was just an Avon rod without the quivertip section? Or was just the duos available
Thanks in advance.
Only reason for asking I’ve been after finding a second pair of those super specialist duos and a pair have come up for sale but just called the super specialist that I never knew existed and the seller doesn’t seem to know much about them.
 
Yes they did Super Specialist Avon rods 12’, 1.25lb and 1.5lb. If memory serves, rather than the green finish of the duo rods, they were grey in colour with orange writing on the blank.

I bought a Super Specialist Duo, when they were first released and I estimate this was around 2001?

Which rod are you after, I have a now surplus 1.5lb Duo, which is in pretty good condition, minus the quiver section?
 
Neil Blood said:
Yes they did Super Specialist Avon rods 12’, 1.25lb and 1.5lb. If memory serves, rather than the green finish of the duo rods, they were grey in colour with orange writing on the blank.

I bought a Super Specialist Duo, when they were first released and I estimate this was around 2001?

Which rod are you after, I have a now surplus 1.5lb Duo, which is in pretty good condition, minus the quiver section?
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Thanks for the offer Neil. I’m ideally after a pair of 1.25 or 1.5’s. I’ve got a pair or series 7 Avon/quivers 1.25 which were ideal but I’ve managed to snap both of the Avon top sections!! So been after some replacements for those but that’s seeming impossible to source, hence looking at these super specialists.
 
Back in the early 20220605_100039.jpg 90's they did a 12ft Specialist two piece rod about 1.5 lb. It had the same looking blank as the Big ,medium and light feeder but is softer. I bought one cheap in a tackle auction but after getting it home found the bottom section just above the cork had a split that was whipped over
 
Mark Swaby said:
Back in the earlyView attachment 19610 90's they did a 12ft Specialist two piece rod about 1.5 lb. It had the same looking blank as the Big ,medium and light feeder but is softer. I bought one cheap in a tackle auction but after getting it home found the bottom section just above the cork had a split that was whipped over
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Wow that rods definitely going back further than I was thinking! Shame about the damage though.
 
Neil its a very soft through action rod, and would have been ideal for big gravel pit Roach at distance on the feeder, whoever had repaired it had covered the damage really well, so a bit gutted
 
This is the rod I was trying to find out about. Just wondering where on the Drennan Avon rods timeline these were on sale. The seller doesn’t know much, maybe selling for someone else. Initially I thought it was one of the super specialist duos, in which case I’d have bought it but then realised it wasn’t it’s just a 1.5 Avon with no seperate quiver section.
32DDB0E8-31D1-48D8-83DB-858CBC1F8683.jpeg
 
Neil Smart said:
I have a still unused Specialist Barbel @12 ft 1.75 t.c same finish on the blank in the picture. It was a 2 piece and sold c/w Drennan sleeve and and night diode. I bought mine around 2012.
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Ah thanks for the info Neil… looks like both rods could have been released around the same time. My initial thoughts were it being a fair bit older than that. Cheers for clearing that up.
 
Drennan Specialists standard grey blank came in 11' and 12ft 1.25 tc, Bob James had his 13 pound barbel on Passion for Angling on a 12ft 1.25 tc and John Serle clearly showed this on his painting of that fish, these rods were made in the mid 90's and on, however into the 2000's, drennan brought out a 12ft 1.5 tc Specialist with the more colourful jazzy writing on the butt, like the one in the photo, these rods are sublime and perfect for most species, but very rare, I have at least 2 sets of each of the permutations, I bought them as they came up for sale. All are in superb condition....make me an offer
 
Rather than starting a new thread I thought I'd ask the question here.

Just bought a Drennan Series 7 Avon Quiver 1.75lb and wondered if anyone has any views on this rod? I didn't pay much, so I can take the cons as well as the pros.

I bought it for Warks Avon barbel, but I might also use it during the closed season for smaller carp, and keep it in the bag (all year round) for relocating nuisance pike.
.
 
I had a pair of derennan specialist rods, 12ft and 1.25 test. I think they did the sa e rods in 1.5lb test and alsi did both test curves in 11ft versions. As far as I can remember they had a browny coloured blank, fuji hardloy guides and sliding reel band holders. The cork hadle was nice but it was looooooong!

After those I had the green avon duos with the white tipped quiver section and supplied with two isopopes on the tips. They also had screw down fuji reel holders.

After that I had the series 7 version but I really wasn't keen on those ones.

I also had the green barbel rods which came in a ready made case, or whatever its called.
I really dislike their latest version, cheap'o guides, horrible screw up reel holder, deffo not for me.
 
Kevin Steele said:
Rather than starting a new thread I thought I'd ask the question here.

Just bought a Drennan Series 7 Avon Quiver 1.75lb and wondered if anyone has any views on this rod? I didn't pay much, so I can take the cons as well as the pros.

I bought it for Warks Avon barbel, but I might also use it during the closed season for smaller carp, and keep it in the bag (all year round) for relocating nuisance pike.
.
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I have had the 1.75 version for several years and have used it with the avon top for barbel on the Middle Severn and with the quiver tips for chub on the Thames.

I really like it. Have had some decent barbel on it and it has a nice playing action. I did get a few additional quiver tips to cater for varying flows and am planning to use it for chub on the Ribble this winter.

I know there are a lot of other brands that now offer this type of combo rod, but if you have bought it cheaply I think you will be well pleased. It's well finished and comes with good quality fittings as you would expect from Drennan.
 
I have an unused Barbel Specialist 12ft 1.75 single top with a white tip. I bought it half price from a tackle shop closing down must been 10 yrs ago. It's a green blank and typical Drennan very good looking rod and I am loathed to dirty it ....🙄
 
Steve Jeffery said:
I have had the 1.75 version for several years...
I really like it. ...
I did get a few additional quiver tips to cater for varying flows and am planning to use it for chub on the Ribble this winter.
... if you have bought it cheaply I think you will be well pleased.
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That's good to hear, Steve. I also thought I'd use it for chub as well as barbel. I guess when targeting one you might get the other anyway.

It cost me £45.00 delivered, from a dealer I've bought other items from. I thought it was a no-brainer at that price, but it's good to have confirmation. Should have it tomorrow.

I take it Drennan's current slow taper quiver tips - carbon and glass - fit the rods? It comes with 4oz glass and 6oz carbon (although there's a 3oz glass in the photos as well).
.
 
Kevin Steele said:
That's good to hear, Steve. I also thought I'd use it for chub as well as barbel. I guess when targeting one you might get the other anyway.

It cost me £45.00 delivered, from a dealer I've bought other items from. I thought it was a no-brainer at that price, but it's good to have confirmation. Should have it tomorrow.

I take it Drennan's current slow taper quiver tips - carbon and glass - fit the rods? It comes with 4oz glass and 6oz carbon (although there's a 3oz glass in the photos as well).
.
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Not sure if those are the same quivers but I think I have a 3,4 and 6 oz too, but bought an extra one when I picked the rod up, so am not sure which ones were supplied.
 
Steve Jeffery said:
... not sure which ones were supplied.
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There's an archive page on Drennan's website which says 4oz glass and 6oz carbon. But Drennan's website isn't accurate because it mentions the wrong tips for some of the Acolyte's and some of the Twin Tip Duo pages don't appear at all.
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Just got my Series 7 Avon Quiver 1.75lb and must put in a good word for The Tackle Tavern, Bicester. Ordered yesterday, delivered today, free shipping - the rod (and cork) looks like new - and all for £45.00.
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