Bernard Hills "Tunnel Caster" 5'4" #4 weight

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sircastalot
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Bernard Hills "Tunnel Caster" 5'4" #4 weight

#1

Post by sircastalot »

Hi all - I am new to the forum, so I could use some help - I came across a beautiful Barnard Hills bamboo 4 weight - that says on it " Tunnel caster" by Bernard Hills
it is a 5'4" delicate rod in great shape in #4 weight, great small stream rod, ( it so short maybe "Tunnel caster" means you could cast it in a tunnel ..LOL, has anyone heard of this rod and model - and any idea of a value, I have only come across a 7' 7 weight made by Banard hills for about $800.00 ??? - I know Bernard and June Hills work for Heddon in the custom shop and then made rods on there own for a wile but not a lot of info out there on the these rods ? any help would be great! - anyone ever seen the " Tunnel caster" before??

jvh
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Re: Bernard Hills "Tunnel Caster" 5'4" #4 weight

#2

Post by jvh »

Welcome to the forum.
I have several Hills rods but I'm not familiar that one. Would love to see photos.
Vern

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wbinn
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Re: Bernard Hills "Tunnel Caster" 5'4" #4 weight

#3

Post by wbinn »

If Bernard signed it (probably signed by June) it came out of his shop after he left Heddon. Bernard never made bamboo rods from scratch at his place but he did many many Heddon and other bamboo rod repairs and custom made a lot of bamboo rods he built up on blanks he purchased from England. I can't remember the name of the company where he purchased blanks but I know he bought many blanks and finished them out. He also finished out quite a few left over Heddon sticks. Unless this rod has some of the Heddon characteristics, swelled butt, etc., it was probably a custom one of a kind on an English blank.

Tommasini
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Re: Bernard Hills "Tunnel Caster" 5'4" #4 weight

#4

Post by Tommasini »

+1 on seeing photos.

sircastalot
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Re: Bernard Hills "Tunnel Caster" 5'4" #4 weight

#5

Post by sircastalot »

Image

sircastalot
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Re: Bernard Hills "Tunnel Caster" 5'4" #4 weight

#6

Post by sircastalot »

Image

sircastalot
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Re: Bernard Hills "Tunnel Caster" 5'4" #4 weight

#7

Post by sircastalot »

Working on better photos - so beautiful - never seen this small a rod cast so well - very impressive !!

Tommasini
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Re: Bernard Hills "Tunnel Caster" 5'4" #4 weight

#8

Post by Tommasini »

Is it 2 piece with the tip longer than the butt?

headwaters
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Re: Bernard Hills "Tunnel Caster" 5'4" #4 weight

#9

Post by headwaters »

Sure looks it!

sircastalot
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Re: Bernard Hills "Tunnel Caster" 5'4" #4 weight

#10

Post by sircastalot »

Yes you are correct the tip is longer then the butt section - here are better photos

Has anyone see this before ?


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Woodlakejag
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Re: Bernard Hills "Tunnel Caster" 5'4" #4 weight

#11

Post by Woodlakejag »

I haven’t seen it before, but that’s a neat rod. Interesting ferrule. He made nice rods, I think most were Heddon sticks that he finished out. I have a 7’6 2/2 and it’s a very nice casting rod. He knew what he was doing so I suspect this is a nice casting rod as well, even in the unusual configuration. Probably one of a kind.
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Woodlakejag
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Re: Bernard Hills "Tunnel Caster" 5'4" #4 weight

#12

Post by Woodlakejag »

It’s hard to tell from the pictures, but in some of them the rod looks round and painted like bamboo, as was done on some heddon fiberglass rods. Is the rod shaft perfectly round? If it is, this is a fiberglass rod. Still probably one of kind, and still probably a great casting rod, just not bamboo.
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Seabowisha Salmo T
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Re: Bernard Hills "Tunnel Caster" 5'4" #4 weight

#13

Post by Seabowisha Salmo T »

Woodlakejag wrote:It’s hard to tell from the pictures, but in some of them the rod looks round and painted like bamboo, as was done on some heddon fiberglass rods. Is the rod shaft perfectly round? If it is, this is a fiberglass rod. Still probably one of kind, and still probably a great casting rod, just not bamboo.
hello, too vague to call natural or synthetic, tunnel caster - for streams with branches of trees interweaving overhead causing a "tunnel".


regards, jim w

jvh
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Re: Bernard Hills "Tunnel Caster" 5'4" #4 weight

#14

Post by jvh »

Hey guys
The rod is now part of my Hills collection. It is fiberglass. Nicer than it looks in the photos. The ferrule is fiberglass, kind of neat. It does cast a dt4 nicely. Since we can't discuss it here if you have questions send me a pm.
Vern

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Re: Bernard Hills "Tunnel Caster" 5'4" #4 weight

#15

Post by ford.com »

For anyone coming upon this page in the future, I’ve acquired a similarly faux-boo rod by Hills that’s a 7’6” #4 weight. Same wraps, cork reel seat.

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Re: Bernard Hills "Tunnel Caster" 5'4" #4 weight

#16

Post by jvh »

Pm sent.

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