15' float rods

[Jim Crosskey 2]

"the anticipation can be almost as enjoyable as the acquisition"

Ain't that the truth Mike! I figure I will hold out for a little longer, however I feel that the acolyte will almost certainly be my next major tackle purchase. My laughable attempts earlier at talking myself out of it simply give notice of the fact that i'm trying to talk myself into it!

All that said, I can't help feeling a bit "sorry" for the other rods in the arsenal who by no fault of their own will doubtless be overlooked when something new and shiny comes along. Is that weird!??!

 

[GT56]

You can really enjoy doing your research on a item of tackle, fours and against etc. Followed hopefully by the pleasure of knowing you made the correct choice for you and the type of fishing you have in mind.
But as others have already said, nothing helps more than a try with another Anglers set up and if you can arrange this when were back on the river, I'd hold of handing over your cash just yet.
However I don't think you'll actually be spoilt for choice regarding a 15 foot rod, especially if you plan to go new.

 

[mikench]

their own will doubtless be overlooked when something new and shiny comes along. Is that weird!??

It's never stopped er indoors! It should also be said that we owe it to all our rods and reels to give them an outing now and again. It must be a breach of their piscatorial rights not to do so and I for one will go fishing more often to ensure I am not in breach.:wh

 

[108831]

A very wise decision sir...

 

[Keith M]

Most of my float fishing is done using one of my 13ft float rods and I also have shorter 12ft and 11ft float rods; however there are times when I find a much longer float rod is very useful.

I bought my first long 17ft/20ft Float rod back in the 90s (I think it was in the 90s) when I was fishing matches on a couple of deep gravel pits where the water was around 12ft or more close in, and the fish could be caught at all depths. I would count my shot down on the float as each shot settled, and any fish that was mouthing a bait on the way down would be seen clearly on my float, as I’d miss a count as the shot settled. I won several matches using this method.

You can’t do this on the average sliding float setup as you would need the bait to be fully settled before bites would start to be noticeable using a standard sliding float.

I also find this rod very useful at 17 or 20ft on a local shallowish stream when I need to run my float tight up to the far bank and keep it from wandering away from the far bank as it travels downstream.

I also have a 15ft Hardy Marksman Specialist Float rod that I also sometimes use when Trotting or Stret pegging on streams and rivers and I find it irreplaceable in some swims.

I also find my 15ft Marksman usefull when I’m fishing past lillies on stillwaters where a shorter rod can sometimes be a problem when I’m tightening up on a bite.

Keith

 

[mikench]

I have just spent an hour checking out a new water( 2 adjacent pools actually) which one of my clubs has acquired from the 1st May. Its about 10 minutes from home and looks stunning with roach , Rudd, tench, Chub, crucians and carp to 10lb. It has a good reputation and is going to be popular! As I walked round both pools eyeing up the various pegs and taking compass points I chatted to at least 4 anglers giving it a go on the float and they were all using an Acolyte Plus 15' rod to great effect. One guy also had a 13' but preferred the 15' and used it like a pole to just drop a float in the margins, reeds or lilies! It looked very relaxing and I shall give it a try tomorrow morning early! They were all catching on bread corn and maggot. Guess what I have in my cool bag? I look forward to making a post on the HDYGO thread and, in due course trying out my new( to me) 15' rod.

 

[sam vimes]

trying out my new( to me) 15' rod.

Make sure you take a longer landing net handle. Anything much less than 3m will be quite awkward and may result in a broken tip.

 

[mikench]

Thanks for that Sam. My usual handle is a Drennan 3 m when extended! I gained the impression that the extra length caused a few hitches when bringing a fish to the net. I will have to be extra careful! Tomorrow , if I make it , will be with a 13' .

 

[sam vimes]

You'll be fine with 3m, just don't be tempted to risk 2.5m and less. Be careful not to take the rod much past vertical in an effort to land a fish.

 

[mikench]

Another learning curve! Cheers Sam.

 

[Molehill]

You'll be fine with 3m, just don't be tempted to risk 2.5m and less. Be careful not to take the rod much past vertical in an effort to land a fish.

Excellent advice, I have the 15ft acolyte and drennan 3m handle, I wouldn't fish with a shorter net handle. If I have a larger fish on (usually an unwanted carp ) I actually find myself looking back over my shoulder to check the rod tip angle.
After 10 minutes battling an unwanted pond pig it is so easy to lose concentration when trying to lift its head up for the net. Modern high performance rods do not take operator errors.

 

[Mark Wintle]

If a rod, whether 15' or whatever, can't soak up a lot of pressure it's not much use to me.

Playing a mullet hard with an Avenger 2000.

 

[Neil Maidment]

Ditto (also from the Normark Appreciation Society)

Titan Match vs a very decent silver tourist

 

[dalesman]

Interesting post's been thinking of a 15' rod or longer for a while, already own 13' and 14'

13' for the waggler and fixed spool reel

14' for the stick/bolo and pin

 

[mikench]

I hope to try mine out tomorrow! Will I find it any different to say a 13' in breezy conditions?

 

[nottskev]

I hope to try mine out tomorrow! Will I find it any different to say a 13' in breezy conditions?

You may find the tip is a bit further away.......

 

[sam vimes]

I hope to try mine out tomorrow! Will I find it any different to say a 13' in breezy conditions?

On a stillwater, not really, provided you haven't got encroaching trees. At worst, it'll feel a smidge heavier, but it's likely to spend a bit of time on rests anyway.

 

[mikench]

My rod performed admirably! I found the handle a lot longer than say my 14' Hardy or 13' Titan but will get used to it. The Stradic I paired it with today is very light! The rod, if I was to find fault , felt tip heavy with the balancing point a good 6" from the handle! Could a long rod be better suited to a heavier reel?

It felt better as the day progressed and showed dexterity in dealing with takes from, gudgeon, carp and roach plus several perch! I like it and with loads of space I didn't find the extra length difficult at all!

 

[sam vimes]

My rod performed admirably! I found the handle a lot longer than say my 14' Hardy or 13' Titan but will get used to it. The Stradic I paired it with today is very light! The rod, if I was to find fault , felt tip heavy with the balancing point a good 6" from the handle! Could a long rod be better suited to a heavier reel?

It's pretty much inevitable that longer rods will feel heavier. The vast majority will also feel tip heavy to some degree. However, much depends on what a manufacturer doesn't to counter this inevitability. Some lengthen handles a little, others add relatively large butt caps. Occasionally, some will keep a handle short and add counterbalance weighting.

Adding a slightly heavier reel can reduce the tip heavy feel slightly. However, because the reel is close to the ideal balance point, you might find that a reel may need to be excessively weighty to bring the balance point back significantly.

When it comes to balance points, the ideal is a question of taste. However, I've yet to encounter any rod that has been intended to balance on the reel stem. A rod without at least a dash of forward weighting is horrible to use (I've had badly modified rods and rods with variable balance weights to confirm this). My idea of perfect balance would be a rod which balances between four and six inches forward of the reel stem. Further forward and it'll feel tip heavy, further back and you lose control of the rod tip because it feels too light.

 

[xenon]

For what it's worth I prefer the balance point to be my index finger on the reel stem, other wise it all feels top heavy, and if that means having to stick a chunk of lead in the butt cap, so be it-the extra weight is more than compensated for by the feel of being in balance.