New Barbel Rod

[S-Kippy]

I'm having one. I don't really need one but that's never stopped me before.

Its going to be an 11 footer 1.75lb tc because I have decided that is the best all round option for what I do & where I do it. Binka and his mates have nabbed all the Marksman Specimens which is what I really fancy so that makes the shortlist

Harrison Torrix
Harrison GTI
Free Spirit

I've waggled them all bar the GTi. The Torrix has it at the moment so I'd welcome any thoughts on these or other rods.

Has to be 11 foot and 1.75. Custom build is an option. I'm not restricting myself to off the shelf and I've had Fox,Wychwood and Greys over the years and got rid of all of them.

 

[tigger]

As you know Skipper I went to Harrison and looked at both the torrix and the chimera rods in 12 ft 1.75's. There's little difference in price but I preferd the chimeras and have found them good rods...if i'm honest they're not in the league of the Hardy rods though.
I looked at custom made rods but after seeing Harrison own build I liked them and so plumped for them.

Skimpy, try using your 11ft marksman Avon, it'll be perfect for the lower levels through summer.

I've left the word changes made by this damn pad thing as I'm fed up with going back changing them!

 

[binka]

Skimpy, try using your 11ft marksman Avon, it'll be perfect for the lower levels through summer.

Skimpy!

Joking aside I would second what Ian just said about your Specialist Avon, just give it a bit of stick and see what it comes back with.

I've been using a pair of the Ultralite Avons with the 1lb tc for a few months and have hauled barbel out of the Trent to over 13lbs with 'em, you'll have no trouble at all with the heavier Specialist.

 

[S-Kippy]

Yeah...its the Marksman Specimen I really want but I think I've more chance of finding a Unicorn.

I want a rod with a bit more "grunt" . I've a number of lighter rods already inc that Hardy Avon which I am still not convinced by. I also particularly want an 11 footer.

TBH having read all the praise heaped upon the Torrix I was a little underwhelmed by it....but that's in the shop and not on the bank. It was the best of those I handled though.

---------- Post added at 11:25 ---------- Previous post was at 11:22 ----------

Skimpy!

Joking aside I would second what Ian just said about your Specialist Avon, just give it a bit of stick and see what it comes back with.

I've been using a pair of the Ultralite Avons with the 1lb tc for a few months and have hauled barbel out of the Trent to over 13lbs with 'em, you'll have no trouble at all with the heavier Specialist.

Not convinced, mate. Lovely rod but I honestly don't think it has the backbone for barbel....unlike its big brother.

 

[peter crabtree]

I'm selling my original Masterline 11ft 1.75 test barbel rod if you're interested?

 

[binka]

I can't comment on the Harrisons Skip as I've never waggled one in anger but they're clearly very good rods going by their reputation.

What I will say is that I've seen plenty in action whilst talking to other barbel anglers, I'm not sure which models but suspect they're the ones you're talking about and judging by the action when playing a fish I wouldn't swap the Hardy for a Harrison if it came with a gold pig.

You will get the 11' 6" Specimen Avon come up on Ebay if you can hold out and don't mind going that route and I think it will deliver a lot more pleasure when something's pulling back from the other end.

---------- Post added at 12:34 ---------- Previous post was at 12:27 ----------

Not convinced, mate. Lovely rod but I honestly don't think it has the backbone for barbel....unlike its big brother.

Fair do's mate, you've got to be confident in it.

This is a 13+ fast water fish taken on the Ultralite and your Specialist is stronger, it was well within its comfort zone.

In fact, to make matters more difficult, I was landing them with only six inches of landing net handle that day as I had stepped on it earlier and snapped it (!)...

 

[tigger]

I reckon Skimpy just can' bring himself to use that hardy Avon rod because he admires it too much, you've told him how your ultralight coped easy enough with barbel and I've caught quite a few on my 11ft Avon, with several lower doubles up to 11lb 4 ounce. Go on skimpy get the Avon out and use it .
You recently missed a 11ft 6 inch specialist Avon on ebay, it was a travel version but I'm sure Steve would have said if the multi sections had any flaws....let's face it if it wasn't top notch it would have been destroyed long since lol.

 

[binka]

You recently missed a 11ft 6 inch specialist Avon on ebay, it was a travel version but I'm sure Steve would have said if the multi sections had any flaws....let's face it if it wasn't top notch it would have been destroyed long since lol.

There's absolutely no evidence at all of the Ultralite being a multi-section when in use and I very much doubt the heavier rods are any different, just that sweet and even, deep Avon action... Or at least the nearest thing to one without going back to a hexagraph type cane.

Amazingly it was the rod I was also using for perch around the 2lb mark yesterday and it was just as sweet as a nut at that end of the weight scale too.

 

[tigger]

There's absolutely no evidence at all of the Ultralite being a multi-section when in use and I very much doubt the heavier rods are any different, just that sweet and even, deep Avon action... Or at least the nearest thing to one without going back to a hexagraph type cane.

Amazingly it was the rod I was also using for perch around the 2lb mark yesterday and it was just as sweet as a nut at that end of the weight scale too.

Funny enough Steve, I thought your ultralight where a multi section of my 11ft Avon...aren't they?

 

[binka]

Funny enough Steve, I thought your ultralight where a multi section of my 11ft Avon...aren't they?

No mate, they're a lighter rod altogether which I bought specifically for my perching and the barbel were a bit of an experiment when I was first testing them although I didn't expect to get any that big.

I've never been able to work out the tc's of the other two Avons but estimate the Specialist to be around 1.3lb and the Specimen around 1.6lb although, as you know, they'll handle heavier lines than comparable tc rods as you're playing big fish really deep into the blank.

Off the top of my head I think the maximum ratings for all three are 10lb, 12lb and 15lb.

Edited to add:

Just to confirm the above...



If you notice the Ultralite has a "soft through" action and a much lower hooklink rating down to 2lbs, perfect for perching

Again I've not checked but I'm certain that the ratings for the smuggler and the two piece rods are identical although they never made a two piece Ultralite.

 

[S-Kippy]

Enough gossip....find me a Marksman Specimen !

---------- Post added at 13:00 ---------- Previous post was at 12:28 ----------

I'm selling my original Masterline 11ft 1.75 test barbel rod if you're interested?

Thanks Simon but no thanks.

 

[tigger]

No mate, they're a lighter rod altogether which I bought specifically for my perching and the barbel were a bit of an experiment when I was first testing them although I didn't expect to get any that big.

I've never been able to work out the tc's of the other two Avons but estimate the Specialist to be around 1.3lb and the Specimen around 1.6lb although, as you know, they'll handle heavier lines than comparable tc rods as you're playing big fish really deep into the blank.

Off the top of my head I think the maximum ratings for all three are 10lb, 12lb and 15lb.

Edited to add:

Just to confirm the above...



If you notice the Ultralite has a "soft through" action and a much lower hooklink rating down to 2lbs, perfect for perching

Again I've not checked but I'm certain that the ratings for the smuggler and the two piece rods are identical although they never made a two piece Ultralite.

Arrhythmia, right Steve, thanks for that info bud.

Check out the daft word this stupid pad thing has put in

---------- Post added at 14:15 ---------- Previous post was at 14:01 ----------

Skippy, I forgot to mention the supero barbel rod, my all time favourite barbel rod!
It has a twin top,a a quiver and a so,I'd top and it's equally good with either attatched, a seriously good rods!
Only snag is finding one as they appear to be quite scarce. I did see a shop online with one still in stock but it was on my favourites on a computer that got stolen the other week, effing can't see.

Here is a link to a shop that seems to still have the supero for sale
http://www.churchgateangling.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=159


Forget the 1.5 test, l picked 3lb up off the ground no problem, it' a powerfull rod with a ultra slim blank and sensitive tip.

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

S-Kippy.

I can only say my Torrix have been in action for 5 years plus. Love them.

Contact ian Tucker of custom fishing rods re his website.


Or Bob Gill on barbel fishing world.

There have been a couple of of good as new ones come up on the classified ads there as well lately.


Thousands of barbel anglers swear by them. Barbel over 15 carp over 35 and gudgeon over 2oz as the tip, although not a thin blank is super sensitive.

Always found the older FS rods very heavy re weight.

Dont like casting with the other one you suggested.

You pays your money.......if you can wait you can have one to play with 23 july.

And actually its not the playing of fish you need to think about as much as the casting....

 

[S-Kippy]

Graham

Thanks for this. I would like to play with one and for my gentlemanly barbelling the way the rod performs with a fish on is probably the single most important factor to me....and it has to be an 11 footer.

Skimpy [see what I did there ?]

 

[Ray Roberts]

Give the Free Spirit a miss Skip, they make some nice rods but their after sales service is almost non existent.

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

Skimpy. Yes of course. But no good if you've smashed the top casting! Smiley.

 

[ken more]

Not having a go here, but i have just read the blurb on the hardys supremo barbel rod and it say's, blah blah.......in order to fool ultra wary specimen sized fish....etc. Can a fishing rod actually do that? I want at least two even at £300 pounds plus, you just cannot fail. Good luck with the search.

 

[binka]

its not the playing of fish you need to think about as much as the casting....

I agree to an extent Graham and if there is an area that the Hardy doesn't have a strong point on then that would be it.

Don't get me wrong, it's perfectly competent and will still chuck a fair old weight but not to the extremes of the upper end of the spectrum.

As I either generally use a bait dropper or fish close quarters and feed over the top it doesn't really affect me and like Skip I would prefer the fish playing action to the ability to chuck a bigger weight.

Having said that the large ESP method feeders I sometimes use are no problem at all and must be well over 4ozs when loaded, I wouldn't dream of using it for the big 7oz monster feeders I've got though.

I think that whenever you start building more casting backbone into a rod then the more it will detract from the fish playing experience and a nice balance somewhere between the two is the thing to look for.

In fairness we're probably talking as much about tastes as ideals which are as individual as shoe sizes

 

[tigger]

Graham

Thanks for this. I would like to play with one and for my gentlemanly barbelling the way the rod performs with a fish on is probably the single most important factor to me....and it has to be an 11 footer.

Skimpy [see what I did there ?]

Be carefully Skippy, that new name may Finnish up sticking lol.

---------- Post added at 18:26 ---------- Previous post was at 18:17 ----------

Not having a go here, but i have just read the blurb on the hardys supremo barbel rod and it say's, blah blah.......in order to fool ultra wary specimen sized fish....etc. Can a fishing rod actually do that? I want at least two even at £300 pounds plus, you just cannot fail. Good luck with the search.

I usually float fish for barbel and the hardy rod can be used for this as well as legering for them if using the solid top section, imo it's the best barbel rod I've ever had and I have had quite a few over the years.
I paid two tone for mine which is less than a Harrison rod , and it's in a league above the Harrison. I' scoffed at the Hardy rods in the past until I got one, now I have a few of 'em!

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

Binka.
95% of my fishing was lightweight stuff(1oz lead) before the move nearer the Severn and Wye.

Ive been using my drennan classic IM9 match rod for the perch and odd carp up to 18lb.....no snags no rocks no roots.

Only on trips to those above and the Trent and near old home Thames.
However snags on the Loddon and Kennet also sometimes meant a hook and hold, especially on far bank tree lined banks. A potential 19lber ?

Of course we would all like to fish as light as possible BUT in a pushing big river, maybe with debris and a wild Wye 10lber in a rocky midstream swim..... (ditto Severn/Trent)

Personally I've no time for " carbelling" or whatever it's called.
But I want a rod that gives me pleasure to use, is sensitive to bite indications but I know won't let me down.

Each to their own mind.