barbel/chub rod

[Tony Carter]

I guess this has probably been dealt with before, however - can anyone recomend a decent rod that will handle barbel and chub on rivers such as the hants avon and dorset stour. Looking to spend about a ?100 max. I will be using a shimano 5010 with it, line from 4lb - 10lb if this is possible. Any suggestions??

 

[Wag]

Have a look here:
FM Concept Rod

 

[Richard Drayson]

You need to be looking at a rod with a test curve of between 1.25 and 1.75lb for those strength lines Tony.

Some might say that a 1.75 tc rod is a little on the heavy side for chub but it all depends on which type of swims you're fishing and the state of the river.

Fishing near to snags/weedbeds may require the use of 'hit and hold' tactics and during winter, when in flood, you might need to be using 3 or 4 ounces of lead just to hold bottom.

The lighter rod will struggle in flood conditions but should cope well in clearer swims in normal river conditions.

A good compromise would be a rod with a tc of 1.5lbs

Go for the best blank you can afford, Harrison make some superb blanks and rods, generally reckoned to be up there with the best.

Ringwood Tackle, Avon Angling Shop or Davis Tackle in Christchurch stock plenty of suitable rods and will be able to advise you.

Graham reviewed a Daiwa Barbel rod on this site some time ago and was impressed with it.

Take a look at the review by searching the review section of this site. It could be the ideal rod.

 

[Tony Carter]

THANKS FOR THE INFO

 

[Gary Knowles]

Personally I'd go for two different rods.

Really soft one for chub like the shimano specialist quiver.

There are loads of specialist barbel rods about. The new Greys 'Prodigy' rods are great, as are the Diawa Barbel specialist.

 

[Tony Carter]

I've just read the reviews on the Daiwa and the FM concept and I have to say I'm a bit confused - they both appear to be very simillar - can you point me in the right direction to look at any reviews on the shimano rod??

 

[Dave Slater]

The Avon and Stour are my local rivers. I use Shimano Technium Specialists. Although these cost over the ?100 you mention they are very nice rods to use. I mainly fish for chub but I have caught barbel on them as well. If you specifically want rods costing up to ?100 the Fox ones look pretty good and I have had good reports from friends who use them. My mate Ritchie in Ringwood Tackle stocks them and rates them very highly. Wilson Avon Quivers will also do the job and are cheap. I have a pair which I use when fishing places where there is a good chance of damaging the rods as the Shimanos would be expensive to replace.

 

[matt thomas]

chub do a rod called the barbel xp and it is twelve feet with two tops -one is a 1 1/4 test curve and the other 1 3/4 test curve also a full cork handle and fuji seat i have two and use them for all my speci fishing apart from piking(i dont do carp)they are a nice rod and retail for ?120.00 but you will get them for ?95

 

[Eric Hayes]

Tony I use the Fox Barbel Special 1.50lb TC for most of my Barbel\Chub fishing for the last Two seasons, the soft quiver tip is ideal when using light line for shy chub bites and the straight Avon top I use this when targeting Barbel with the feeder or straight lead. I also have a Fox Barbel plus 1.75lb TC, although it`s a good rod I would not say it was Ideal for chubbing in most situations, although it could be useful, like Richard says if your snag fishing for them. Not exactly cheap rods but in my opinion one of the best all rounder`s there is. if it`s any help, Both rods feel right with a Shimano baitrunner in the 5000/6000 size.

 

[Gary Knowles]

Eric,

gotta disagree mate. The tip on the Fox barbel Special 1.5tc is not ideal for chub. Adequate but not ideal. Its OK for big rivers like the Ribble but you really do need glass tips and a much softer top half of the rod for smaller rivers.

For under ?100 quid for barbel I'd stick with my original thoughts of either a Greys 'Prodigy' (?99) or Diawa Specialist barbel (?95) the prodigy comes with an avon and quiver section and the quiver has a range of push in quivertips. The Daiwa a has two tips as well but just the single quiver section.

For for Chub the Shimano Technium 'Quiver' reigns supreme - without doubt the best chub rod I've ever used. The Technium quiver has a very soft middle section that encourages the chub to hang on that bit longer and the push in tips come in 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5 and 3 oz - all glass (carbon tips are useless for chub).

Buy two rods, it will be worth it !

 

[Ron Clay]

When I can afford it I'm going to get Harrisons to make me a quiver tip top section for one of my FM Concept rods. This will give me incredible all round ability for the price of 2 rods and an extra top.

That's good value for money in anyone's book!

 

[Tony Carter]

Thank you for that - should have enough time over the close season to mull it over!!

 

[Stuart Bullard]

Personally I would do as Gary has suggested. I got the Martin Bowler Giant 1.5tc. Its a lovely rod, but heck, so are many others. Plus a specialist quiver. Although Rons idea is a good one (welcome back Ron - hope you are well now).

Question Gary. Have you been happy with the build quality of the Shimano? I have 3 Shimano rods, and all of them have had major issues - reel seat disintigrated, poor ring alignment (no crude jokes!), male socket cracked. Its pi55ed me off a bit.

 

[Eric Hayes]

Gary the Barbel Plus has a carbon quiver but on the special that I have the quiver is glass and very soft, I would say it`s about 1.5 or 2oz TC , this is just a guess as the tip isn`t marked. When I got the rod my first thought was that the quiver is to soft for Barbeling and I know people that didn`t buy it for that reason. The rod I have is the early versions the one without a hook keeper so they may have changed the glass tip for a stiffer carbon tip on the newer version. Gary I have a Shimano Technium Specialist and I do agree it is a better chubbing rod but as an all round river rod the Fox has it, and I think that is what Tony is looking for.

 

[Tony Carter]

Hmmmm - I guess I am looking for an ideal comprimise between barbel and chub. I'm pretty confused between the fm concept, daiwa and fox rod and greys rod!!, that said i did miss and awful lot of chub bites last year - the cheeky buggers were even leaving lip prints in the cheesepaste. So I am considering having two different rods. -anything to try and catch more fish1.

 

[Dave Slater]

I agree with what Gary says about carbon tips. They are useless for chub.

 

[Eric Hayes]

Tony, missed bites are a fact of life when fishing for Chub, and as far as the rod goes it can be a matter of opinion what constitutes a good all rounder. I know it took me ages before I settled on the Fox Barbel Special. In my opinion it takes a lot of beating for the money, I could bore you with a list of the fish species and sizes I have landed with it, but I won`t )

I`ve said it before and I`ll say it again, if I could only have one rod it would be the Fox Barbel Special. And no I`m not sponsored by Fox International.