The Best Chub Rod

[Sean Meeghan]

OK I know that this topic has been discussed before, but bear with me and give me your comments on the following.

What is the best all round chub rod on the market that meets the following criteria?

2 piece

At least 11 ft 6in long

Interchangeable quiver tips

An avon top suitable for flood water fishing

I know that there are some great feeder rods out there such as the Carbonactive and the Drennan rods, but I want a rod that I can leave set up for short sessions.

So come on folks what's the best rod out there?

 

[EC]

Shimano technium specialist 12ft avon/quiver (especially the quiver section).

Just 2 words Sean: ace

 

[gerry h]

say no more ,from a blue its true

 

[Trisantona]

Ace,that's only one word./forum/smilies/sad_smiley.gifcome on tell us the other word ,don't keep us in suspence./forum/smilies/big_smile_smiley.gif

 

[Michael Townsend 3]

Yep, I've given mine a workout over the last 3 weeks it's a very versatile tool.

I have the Antares as well. Just as good with a touch more poke.

 

[Bridge]

i've just bought adiawa tournament 13/15 for waggler fishing . superb rod for float fishing ,the chub at broxbourne put a serious bend in it. feeder or float, its got to be float every time for me!

 

[John H Member of THE C.S.G.. & The A.T.]

If you had the time Sean build your own then you get exactly what you want.

The best chub rod Iever owned wasone I built from a single piece 10' Fibretube blank whilst holidaying in a caravan for two weeks in 1976 at Richmond,N York's. There was a glut of 'fire damaged' Fibertube blanks doing the rounds throughout N/E tackle shops about that time.

With a spigot fitted and a separate handle section it came out a little under 12'. Over the years it went through several rebuilds/repairs and since its last 'accident' I have not been able to find a rod as good for chubbing.

From memory the rod initially cost about £10-00 including all fittings and materials

I have tried several other 'off the peg' and built rods but never found one to equal that old glass fibre rod.

One which came close was a Graham Phillips 'MJ Special Quiver'. Built on an11' 1llb-02oz Century blank it had put over quivers/tip ring. It has also handled barbel up to 10lb-12oz without a problem.

I'm not sure whether Graham Phillips/Nicholas Whip Rodsare still going though.

 

[njb51]

Drennan Super Specialist Duo

 

[Nigel Connor(ACA ,SAA)]

John, I do not think so.

I have the 1lb 4oz Barbel Quiver and it is a truly great alround river rod.

I also have the technium specialist but have not had any fish on it yet as it is a recent fleabay acquisition.It feels nicely balanced though.

 

[DZ]

Drennan Super Specialist Duo 1.25 TC is a joy, and very capable of hauling double figure barbel if one should come along.

 

[Sean Meeghan]

Keep em coming folks!

Used to have a Shimano Technium and I did like it, but the quivers kept going and Shimano changed the diameter of their push in Quivers.

I normally fish with 6lb main line with hook lengths down to about 2 1/2 lb. The ideal rod will have a nice soft tip with enough power in the butt to keep fish out of marginal weed

John, I have been considering resurrecting an 11ft 6in Fibatube FJT Troote blank that I have in the Garage. The trouble is that its not a 2 piece blank.

Fussy aren't I! /forum/smilies/smile_smiley.gif

 

[Graham Whatmore]

Why does it have to be a minimum of 11ft 6in Sean is there a particular reason that you prefer longer rods? I have often thought, and said, there should be a better selection of shorter rods to counter-balance the longer ones, maybe even down to 10 feet andsome like Graham M will tell you they are more efficient for putting extra strain on when needed apart from being more convenient.

I once owned the Shimano Ariel specialist, the forerunner to the Technium and if the Technium is anywhere near as good as that then it is absolutely ideal for your purposes, its soft and forgiving but has a bit of steel when needed.

The TFG Whisper river & stream is supposed to be a cracker for chub and roach fishing at 1.2lb but its only 11 foot long so maybe that won't suit you, and I have the Greys specialist at 1.25 and 1.75 with 3 tips and an avon top and that also is a good rod for chubbing being soft at the tip with a through action.

 

[blankety blank]

My wilson avon/quivers tick all the boxes, except the interchaneable quivers. One is permanently set up for chubbing and it is absolutely ideal, especially for smaller streams.

they are both the old models (hence no interchangeable quivers) but something about them is just so right.

 

[Paul Martin 5]

I'm sorry and I don't mean to sound abrupt but surely you are contradicting yourself? You want to leave a rod set up and yet you want interchangable quiver tips and an avon top? I can't see how this can be interchangeable?

I do a lot of chub fishing on the Dorset Stour and my personal favourite rods would be:

Drennan DRX River Feeder 13ft 10"

Drennan Barbel Specialist 12ft 10"

The DRX river feeder has tips of 3/4oz 1oz, 1.5oz and 2oz and I use this rod in low flow conditions for wary fish.

I use the Drennan Barbel Specialist for conditions that require larger leads and feeders and the tips on this rod are 2oz, 4oz, 6oz and 8oz.

I don't like fishing for chub with an Avon tip as I feel that this doesn't suit my style of fishing as the rod doesn't have enough give in it and this can often leave to hook pulls, the straightening of hooks or broken hooklinks.

My intention is always to try and catch 100% of the fish I hook, so if I'm fishing with light hooklinks and trying to temp wary fish, I'm definitiely going to fish that with a rod that is able to cushion any sudden lunges from a hard fighting chub.

 

[DZ]

Whats funny is that everyones personel favourite rod is: the one they own and use.

All modern carbon is good aint it- as long as its not dragon carp

 

[DZ]

Infact dont beat about the bush- get the new hardy's avon- nice stick and quite cheap/forum/smilies/nerd_smiley.gif

 

[Paul Martin 5]

Actually have owned a few rods that have included;

Greys Prodigy Barbel (Avon tip and quiver tip)

Greys Prodigy Feeder

Drennan Medium Feeder

All fell short of the mark and hence why I am where I am now with two favourite chub rods. I can appreciate what you're saying though Dougal.

On top of what you mention about carbon rods, I've yet to experience a bad rod by Drennan or Preston innovations yet.

 

[Alan Roe]

I am currently using the Grauvell 11'3" specialist with a 1lb 2oz test curve and a lovely through action and it is a seriously excellent piece of kit and not expensive either.

In many ways the ation is close to the old Greys Martin James Chevin Rod but with just a little more backbone

 

[Cakey]

Sean my 4lb tc through action with titanium butts no good then ?

 

[DZ]

Cakey - you'll catch loads of roach lips on that set-up