Float Rod for chub and Barbel?

[paulhereford]

Good evening all,
I am intending to float fish the River Wye around Hereford for Chub and Barbel when the new river season starts and wondered if anyone here has had any experience of using the Shakespeare Agility 13ft Power Match rod for barbel?

Does the rod have sufficient power to cope with good sized chub and barbel up to 10lb using 6lb line direct to the hook?

Any comments regarding this rods suitability or any other recommendations would be very much appreciated.

Thank you

Paul

 

[nogoodboyo]

I just took a quick look on Google.
The first two results claim the rod has an an 8lb test curve.
I'd keep your options open.

 

[chrissh]

I just took a quick look on Google.
The first two results claim the rod has an an 8lb test curve.
I'd keep your options open.

8lb T/C a bit high

I only use a 2lb T/C on the Tidal Trent . a 1.5 T/C will fish most rivers the only reason i have a 2lbs T/C is the strong tidal pull on the Trent
korum do a barble rod around £50 or Greys have some nice rods £75 - £130
have a look at a Avon Rod

 

[Keith M]

I have caught Barbel up to just over 9lb trotting with a Drennan Tench Float rod loaded with 6lb line. This rod is designed for lines (and braids) up to 8lb.
I have also had Barbel to 8lb trotting on a Mitchell 12ft commercial float rod loaded with 6lb line and a 15ft Hardy Marksman float rod loaded with 5lb line.
It depends both on the swim you are fishing and how snaggy it is, and what you are at ease with using.

Keith

 

[theartist]

The answer is yes Paul, I have the same rod in 5 piece as it fits in the boot for camping trips. Whilst there are probably better rods about it will do the job and I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was for a travel rod. I use it on the Severn although I fish 4lb mainline it takes Barbel well. The only downside is it's not the lightest rod and whilst it's not heavy you may want to pair it with a light reel if you are holding it all day.

P.s there's no way it's got an 8lb Tc think thats a confusion with the max line recommendation of 8lb

 

[aebitim]

Also floatfish for barbel around Hereford, the rods I use are Will Raison extra power in 13 and 15ft, daiwa theory 13ft float [excellent] and a daiwa Proteus power 13ft which is cheap and cheerfull, but works well, not quite up to the big ones though. Have a Shakespear 14ft which is a great rod but a little stiff when the chips are down.

 

[paulhereford]

Thanks to you all for taking the time to reply....very helpful and very much appreciated.

As well as the Shakespeare Agility and your rod suggestions, I am also considering the Shakespeare Mach 3 XT 13ft 6'' Power Match....does anyone have any experience of using this rod for chub and barbel on the float?

Thank you

 

[sam vimes]

It's very difficult to advise without having an inkling as to what you rod preferences, skill levels, style and budget are. I have numerous different rods that have all extracted barbel. They range from standard 13' match rods, 15' Specimen match rods (for the deeper swims) to rather brutish 13' 1lb 6oz TC specialist float rods. More skillful anglers than I can manage to extract good barbel on remarkably light tackle. I prefer to give myself as much leeway as possible, without going overboard, if I'm deliberately targeting the bigger chub and barbel.

My word of warning would be to try to avoid buying totally blind. There are an awful lot of float and power float rods on the market that I'd absolutely hate to use for trotting. They have an action far removed from that which I'd consider to be close to ideal. They are usually better suited to stillwater waggler fishing for larger fish. Some folks wouldn't care.

 

[paulhereford]

Great advice Sam....thank you. I intend to have a waggle with a selection of rods before I make my final decision and make a purchase so just trying to narrow things down a little in the meantime. No doubt a rod that I had not considered will throw another spanner in the works.

I use a Mitchell Universe 13ft Heavy Feeder rod loaded with 10lb mainline for my chub and barbel feeder fishing on the Wye and it copes admirably with barbel up to 10lb so far from an assortment of swims.

I used the same selection process to narrow potentials rod down before handling them, giving them a waggle and making the big decision.

As British Rail used to say....I'm getting there

 

[sam vimes]

Paul,
looking at the rods you have shortlisted, I'm guessing that you are looking at the £50-75 mark. Without recommending obsolete models, or rods of twice the price (and more), I have a couple of Catana CX Float rods (CATCXFL39) that have been used exactly as you describe and happily extracted barbel into double figures. They have an SSP of £79.99 in the current Shimano catalogue, but can be bought for less (IIRC I paid around £50). Do not confuse them with the Catana Match rods. The Catana CX Float is a beefier rod with double legged guides. It's not just a slightly beefed up match rod. It's not quite as fast actioned as I prefer for trotting, but it's nowhere near as through actioned as many of the Power match rods, intended for fishing commercials, on the market. I prefer a float rod to have an action akin to those match rods from the early nineties. I prefer my trotting rods to be even faster actioned.

I've not seen one, let alone used one, but Shimano also do a cheaper Vengeance model (VFL39) in the same format. They have an SSP of £64.99, but I've found them on offer at Chapmans for £39.99. If they come close to the Catana, they'll be a solid, if a little unspectacular, budget buy.

CATANA CX FLOAT

VENGEANCE FLOAT

 

[paulhereford]

Thanks again Sam for your generosity. Much appreciated.

I will have a look at the Shimanos rods that you mention. I have also short listed the Aerocast.

As far as budget is concerned, I am happy to go up to a £100 for the right rod, if such a rod exists.

I have a number of Wychwood rods for carp and a Wychwood Rogue Barbel 12 ft 2lb TC and like them very much but cannot find anything suitable in their current range or second hand that is suitable for trotting on the Wye.

The Drennan range is also calling out

 

[sam vimes]

I have also short listed the Aerocast.

The Aerocasts, a favourite of mine, but pretty much no one else, are long discontinued. You'll struggle to find one, especially sub £100, unless it's second hand. If you do, it's the 15' Aerocast Specimen (ACM45SPC) that I reach for when fishing deeper swims. The other match float rods in the range don't have the same grunt. There are more recent 15' Specimen Match rods in the Shimano range that should have similar characteristics. Look out for 45SPC in the product code. Current models are the Speedcast Match (SPC45SPC) and Super Ultegra AX Match (SULTAX45SPC). However, unless you find a bargain, I suspect both will be well over budget.

 

[tigger]

Any half decent float rod will bring barbel in ok, the mach 3 is a good cheap rod and would be fine...you can pick 'em up on ebay for very reasnable prices....

mach 3 fishing rod | eBay

 

[paulhereford]

Thank you Tigger. The Mach 3 XT Power Match is on my short list

---------- Post added at 13:15 ---------- Previous post was at 11:24 ----------

Thanks again Sam for your valuable input. It is helping me greatly and I am going to give the Shimano rods serious consideration as I have previously owned the Shimano Hyperloop Power Barbel Quiver rod. It was a well built rod for the money.

 

[paulhereford]

Barbel Float Rod Update
Since the beginning of the new river season I have been using the Shakespeare Agility 13ft Power Match rod to float fish for chub and barbel on the Wye near Hereford.
I have fished a number of pacey, shallow swims with much streamer weed, pairing the rod with both a Shakespeare Mach 3 3500 and 4000 front drag reel, fishing 5lb line straight through with size 10 and 12 kamazan x strong hooks.
I have managed to tempt and land a number of barbel up to 10lb playing the fish off the front clutch with the rod coping very well when having to hook and hold in the fast current and weed when a fish has managed to reach it.
The rod has been able to stop and turn fish and exercise control and has bent right through to the handle at times but at no time have I felt under gunned.
I feel confident that with this set up I could land double figure fish.
I cannot fault this rod for the price and have been more than pleasantly surprised by its quality and performance.
I hope this helps anyone looking for a float rod suitable for barbel.

 

[ric1983]

Fox kevlex XT 13ft barbel float rod.
It's a rod made to do exactly what you want and it's around the 90-100 quid mark. Designed for trotting on rivers for barbel and chub. I can't give you a personal review of it as I haven't had the pleasure of a waggle but it won't be long as my step dad has bought one and had a few good chub out on the Swale using it last week. He said it's great with 6lb straight through and a big loafer.

---------- Post added at 14:25 ---------- Previous post was at 14:18 ----------

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&s...Po-Kod3q2_a9O3yqQ&sig2=07_5j7_ywwOQfeERPsHQtA

5th rod down if is of interest. This is where step dad ordered his. I'll get to have a go next month and give my personal view.

 

[Tee-Cee]

Someone above mentioned the Drennan Tench Float Rod. The blurb on the rod states ' ideal for barbel and carp ' so may be worth a look as it can be used with lines up to 8lb bs....

Not used mine on rivers, but it has power through the middle and deals with carp pretty well, when asked.

 

[paulhereford]

Update of my previous update lol
I can also highly recommend the excellent Shakespeare XT Mach 3 13ft 6'' Power Match rod for float fishing for barbel on the Wye.

 

[Keith M]

Someone above mentioned the Drennan Tench Float Rod. The blurb on the rod states ' ideal for barbel and carp ' so may be worth a look as it can be used with lines up to 8lb bs....

Not used mine on rivers, but it has power through the middle and deals with carp pretty well, when asked.

I've had quite a few Barbel using a MKIV Drennan Tench Float rod on small rivers an streams, the Barbel in the picture below was one of them caught using this rod.



Keith

 

[Bob Hornegold]

Harrison Power Float- Brilliant rod

Had Barbel up to 12lbs on them.

I also have a S/U Harrison Power Float that I use for Carp, that would handle the biggest of Barbel.

Bob