Good deadbait pike rods?

[pointngo]

I've heard this said before about longer pike rods on rivers and reckon I must be a bit weird?

you're not weird mate... well you might be, but not for using 12ft rods.

there's nothing wrong with longer rods but when banks are overgrown they get caught in undergrowth, bushes and overhead branches easier. The biggest thing for me is when under-arming a bait into a tight spot. A shorter rod really helps to swing a bait under overhanging trees.

horses for courses though.. I move a lot when fishing rivers, often in wild and overgrown areas, so something shorter suits me but you do get a bit better control with 12ft rods no doubt. If just ledgering or float fishing a deadbait on the bottom you rarely need that extra control, although it can be useful for keeping fish out of bankside snags as you say.

I don't know whether the OP's rivers are overgrown, or how he intends to fish/move, so he needs to make his choice based on what his needs are. Everyone's given good advice and there's enough info in the thread that the chap can make an informed choice. :thumbs:

ps. one other thing to maybe think of, is if you move a lot and break your rods down to move, then consider what DL calls "rover ringing"... one of those little things that prove to be very handy in practice.

 

[binka]

I did have what I considered at the time to be the perfect roving rod for pike which I bought from Gerrys of Nottingham circa mid-late nineties I think... It was a Greys 9' - 12' with one of those sections with a single eye that can be added in or not at the butt when tackling up depending on the requirement.

Not sure of the tc but would have thought about 2.5lb?

I broke it a couple of years ago after dragging a branch in and bending to an unnatural angle just as it was coming to hand mg:

Shame there aren't more of those kind of things around IMO, very versatile and if they could just design the eye so that the extra section could be added in without having to break down and re-ring then I really think they would be on to a winner.

 

[pointngo]

it's a killer when an old favourite dies isn't it mate. One of my favourite rods is 3" shorter than it's paired match. They're from about 1990 but I still use them more than my custom built Harrison chimaeras. I'm currently thinking about whether to chop them both down to 11ft and rebuilding them but I can't bring myself to do it! :doh:

with modern materials and manufacturing it surely wouldn't be beyond the wit of man to design an extra section that doesn't affect the action. Just an extra foot from 11 to 12ft would make a rod with a tc of, say, 2.75lb ideal for 90% of anglers needs for both lakes, rivers & boats... the manufacturers wouldn't make as much profit though so maybe that's the reason. :wh

 

[jimlad]

This is the design of the drennan feeder combo rods. I was using one last night on the tees, very useful. The length is adjusted by removing and replacing a section between the handle and the first eye - no need to tackle down. And the action doesn't seem to be impaired in the slightest. Would be good to see a pike version!

 

[smudger172]

Paul. There is good advice on this thread. One thing i will add is think hard before buying shorter rods as when the pike bug bites and you are fishing bigger waters, you could struggle with shorter rods to cast the longer distances you might need. Personally i use Drennan pike rods cant fault them..

 

[greenie62]

one other thing to maybe think of, is if you move a lot and break your rods down to move, then consider what DL calls "rover ringing"... one of those little things that prove to be very handy in practice.

Does anyone know where to source these 'rover rings' - I have a 13/15ft rod with a single ring on the insert section and seem to always make the wrong decision when setting-up - causing me to re-setup because of 1 fixed ring - it would be so useful just to be able to remove the extra section quickly. Chances are - if I had a 'slip' ring on the extra section - I would never need to use it! mg:
Any ideas?

 

[smudger172]

Does anyone know where to source these 'rover rings' - I have a 13/15ft rod with a single ring on the insert section and seem to always make the wrong decision when setting-up - causing me to re-setup because of 1 fixed ring - it would be so useful just to be able to remove the extra section quickly. Chances are - if I had a 'slip' ring on the extra section - I would never need to use it! mg:
Any ideas?

Try this one...........

Shimano Purist Apex Predator 10'-11'6" Pike Fishing Rod PUAP10115

 

[greenie62]

Try this one...........
Shimano Purist Apex Predator 10'-11'6" Pike Fishing Rod PUAP10115

Thanks Smudger,
But I am trying to source the rover rings/guides so I can replace the one on the insert section of my current rod. :thumbs:

 

[pointngo]

Does anyone know where to source these 'rover rings' - I have a 13/15ft rod with a single ring on the insert section and seem to always make the wrong decision when setting-up - causing me to re-setup because of 1 fixed ring - it would be so useful just to be able to remove the extra section quickly. Chances are - if I had a 'slip' ring on the extra section - I would never need to use it! mg:
Any ideas?

Hi Greenie,

the eyes are the same as any other eye mate. The rover ringing is just placement of the two eyes either side of the spigot, so when you break the rod down you just wind the tip section until the two rings meet, and the two lengths ends automatically end up exactly level. It's just a handy way to keep tips from getting damaged. For me, who rarely breaks the rods down to move, it's most useful when packing up in the dark. It only works with two piece rods though.

it's just one of those things that don't add anything to your fishing apart from a bit of time, but takes out a couple of niggly jobs and is safer for the rod. Just makes things quicker and easier.

as for your requirement; you could try taking the ring off the extension section and have rubber "O" rings fix it where you need. You could keep it on the main rod section and move it to the extension. You'll never be able to take a ring on or off but if you can live with it being near to another ring then it should be possible.

 

[greenie62]

the eyes are the same as any other eye mate.

Cheers kid,
Thanks for the clarification. I thought you were talking about one of the guides which has a gap in it and a sliding inner - a bit like a brooch pin retaining ring - or necklace fastener - slide the catch and hey-presto the gap opens up! I know these were used 'once-upon-a -time' for non-load-bearing line guides on rod extension pieces - but can't seem to find them nowadays!
The idea of using 'O' rings and a moveable guide is a good one but would mean re-ringing the whole rod due to the current guide spacing - not a task I would enjoy these days!

The roving rings idea - as you've explained it - makes a lot of sense and illustrates why some rods are more suitable than others for 'quivering'!
Thanks again! :thumbs:

 

[pointngo]

No problem mate. I'll help anyone who calls me kid.... I'm 45.

never seen a ring like you describe but I know what you mean.

with regards to the O rings; you'd only need a couple of inches to allow you to retain the ring on the main rod piece.. you could almost butt them up together. Do you think a badly placed one, on the extension piece, would have much effect? I can see that it might impair distance and maybe create a sharpish angle, but I can't imagine it would be too bad if it isn't the butt ring.

yes mate, it's exactly why some rods just fold together easily. :thumbs: