Distance bream rod and reel

[ben10]

Hey guys,

Sorry I haven't been very active since joining, work has been manic!

I've been looking at a rod for the lower Thames to chuck feeders a decent distance and/or in flood. A Shakespeare mach 3 xt 13ft feeder has appeared on eBay with a casting weight of around 3 Oz. Would this be a good choice for the sort of fishing ill be doing? I've tried a number of rods over the years and a lot cast like a noodle with a full feeder on the end so was hoping a 3 Oz casting weight would feel stiff enough without being like a poker?

Any other suggestions are welcome! Second hand would be fine too as I have a feeling it might be the most abused rod in the stable!

Also looking for a suitable feeder reel, I have a daiwa tdm 2058 for floating which I love and the 3012 comes with 2 spools as well so may be ideal for what I want but I also have 2 daiwa whisker ss2600 (marmite to some of you) which I also adore and thought maybe the ss1600 with its tapered spool might also make a good feeder reel?

Any advice on the subject will be appreciated!

Cheers guy

 

[arthur2sheds]

I'd think a 3 oz casting weight is a bit light for the Thames in flood....

I'd look at a specialist power feeder rod of approx 12'6"-13' I think that Preston Innovations do one and I'd look at a 5000/5500 series reel such as the Wychwood QD 5500... I'd say that the SS1600 is a bit light for the job.... an SS2600 might do the job is you can stand the backlash, I prefer an infinite anti-reverse....

if the fish, the current, the casting weight and distance are on the big side I'd suggest a barbel rod of about 1.75lbs TC

 

[binka]

You don't mention a budget so i'll be a bit free and easy with your money

You've just missed this but no doubt the odd one will appear, if you scroll down you can read the full listing...

Hardy Marksman Extreme 13ft feeder rod | eBay

An animal of a rod when it comes to backbone but with a nice playing action for smaller stuff too, iirc the line rating is 4lb - 14lb and I've been using mine for around four years now with plenty of hammer dished out in that time.

I reckon it's one of the most versatile rods I've got as I use it for mid to long range tip work on rivers and stillwaters for anything from roach and bream right up to heavy barbel fishing, not many rods out there that will cast the weight and be a pleasure to land your average bream on whilst being able to turn double figure barbel within a reasonable distance.

It might also be worth looking out for the Specimen Feeder too at the expense of a bit of casting weight.

I think on the reels the 3012 is the accepted standard from the Daiwa stable.

 

[ben10]

Thanks for the reply, I did wonder if 3 Oz would be a bit light as I've just weighed some of my feeders filled with pellet and they're knocking on 4 Oz dry. I'll take a look at the wychwoods just don't want anything too big or heavy that will unbalance the rod.

I do have a couple of 1.75 lb barbel rods but being through actioned I assumed they may hinder casting? One of them also only has an avon top and no quiver section which I'll struggle to see shy bream bites on.

Thanks again!

---------- Post added at 08:02 ---------- Previous post was at 07:55 ----------

You don't mention a budget so i'll be a bit free and easy with your money .

Haha very true! As I say I can see it getting abused so somewhere in the region of £100 would suit me.

I know it's a hard rod to find as I've never found one that fully meets all my criteria. I do have an old daiwa whisker Tom pickering heavy feeder that I've used but unfortunately the quiver tip snapped so am just left with the heavy tip! Am I right in saying that the newer quiver tips will still fit as it's a British made rod? If that's the case I may just buy new tips as that rod is the closest I've come to the 'perfect' rod for my needs.

Again reel wise I've found 3012 sizes fine but I've never tried it with large weights in flood however as above stated I do have whisker ss2600s on the odd occasion I'm out gunned!

Regards.


Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

 

[maurice walsh]

i have fished deep and at far range (50-80yds out and 25/30foot deep)(not often, but at times, needs must) not a very strong tow on the water but moving along at the same time, i use for this a 2.75TC 12f shimano symetre, softish tip ( infact very soft tipped for such a strong rod) carp/pike rod , some might say its a bit on the strong side but i can chuck a huge feeder (7/8oz , i think they used to be called hair rollers) to the required area, i pair this with a cheap , old nondescript tall spooled spinning reel loaded with 12lb braid and a sidewinder(Quiver tips - how flexible? - Page 3 - Coarse Fishing - Fishing Forums from Anglers' Net) for bite indication, this might be extreme to some but lands a good ball of GB in the area and gets the distance,,,, worked for me !!!

 

[john step]

I'd think a 3 oz casting weight is a bit light for the Thames in flood....

I'd look at a specialist power feeder rod of approx 12'6"-13' I think that Preston Innovations do one and I'd look at a 5000/5500 series reel such as the Wychwood QD 5500... I'd say that the SS1600 is a bit light for the job.... an SS2600 might do the job is you can stand the backlash, I prefer an infinite anti-reverse....

if the fish, the current, the casting weight and distance are on the big side I'd suggest a barbel rod of about 1.75lbs TC

You been away Arthur??

 

[ben10]

I'd completely forgotten about this thread!

I found a Daiwa Connoisseur z 11-13ft on eBay so have ended up with that. I'm happy with it as it covers my needs, soft enough at 11ft for commercial fishing and has enough back bone at 13ft for river fishing. All round very happy with the rod.

Thanks for all the help though guys!

 

[ribblemeister]

I use a sabre supra 12 Ft barbel rod for this kind of fishing.
It has a 1.75 Avon top and a carrier top with 3 graduated glass tips.
Bought mine £50 from north west angling centre.

 

[Alan Tyler]

Do the bream actually stay mid-river when the flow gets heavy?
I'd always assumed (so often a mistake) that they'd tuck themselves in near the bank...

 

[Tee-Cee]

ben10...........In your second post you say " I don't want a reel too big that it will unbalance the rod ".
I would suggest, and it is only a suggestion, that you read some of the past posts written by Sam Vimes who gives a lot of excellent info and the myths surrounding ' balance ' etc.
Not always obvious and it takes time to take in what he says, BUT it does make sense once you think about it.

I've been fishing for 60 odd years and probably followed the widely thought ideas on rod to reel matching much of that time. I certainly think differently now.........

Up to you of course, but well worth a read IMHO and BEFORE you choose a reel to match whatever rod you eventually go for !!!

Highly recommended !


ps Apologies if this is a bit ' teaching grandmother to suck eggs ' ..............................

 

[maurice walsh]

Do the bream actually stay mid-river when the flow gets heavy?
I'd always assumed (so often a mistake) that they'd tuck themselves in near the bank...

here on the lower shannon ive found that the bream dont really move too far or for too long while there's grub to be had, (granted, i like to ball in LOTS of GB) in times past sometimes the weir(parteen weir) Walking our engineering landmarks: Parteen Weir – The Helpful Engineer ) will let some water off at this time of year if there was a lot of rain upstream, and levels can raise and fall by a couple of foot in a couple of hrs, speeding up the flow quite considerably in to the mix, having fished in these conditions many times, there is a lull with the initial influx of water but once it levels off the bream usually came back on the feed, generally in the area im talking about (from 300yds to 800yds downstream of the dam) the river is 140/150yds wide and your fishing a good under arm lob of a big orange size ball of GB distance out, maybe 25/30yrds in avg dept of 20feet of water, i dont know if the dept helps bring the bream back quicker, but i can only talk of my experience here on the lower shannon