Rod Advice

nick dv · Nov 30, 2010

I have decided to start targeting Barbel, and want to know if my Shimano Technium Specialists will be ok to use as a start or will they not be powerful enough. They are great rods - I'll always use them - but have been advised that I should use 1.5lb rods as a minimum.
It was suggested that to start with I should go with something like the Drennan Series 7 1.5lb, the Drennan Barbel 1.75lb or the Shimano Vengance Barbel 1.5lb.
What do you reckon, cos I'd like to use my Techniums, but if you really think I would be best to go more powerful, then that's what I'll do!

Cheers, Nick

Sean Meeghan · Nov 30, 2010

The Technium should be fine for most barbel fishing (I'm assuming that they're 1.25lb tc). The only time you'll have problems is if you try to use them for flood or snag fishing.

nick dv · Nov 30, 2010

Hi Sean, they are indeed 1.25lb rods. I will be fishing on the Avon and Stour in the Ringwood/Christchurch area, and there are plenty of places not to hit flood or snag - at least until I become more adventurous going after barbel!

Cheers, Nick

river_banksy · Nov 30, 2010

Avon and Stour, lucky git.

nick dv · Nov 30, 2010

don man said:
Avon and Stour, lucky git.

Great stretches of rivers, in great settings. Always been a general fisherman, and was happy to catch anything, so it's about time that I started taking advantage of the speciman fishing that these rivers offer - a nice double figure barbel would be a dream come true!

Cheers, Nick

Rickrod · Nov 30, 2010

The technium would also be a nice rod for them stour chub too

nick dv · Nov 30, 2010

Have caught plenty of chub and other fish using them, they are great rods, but the elusive barbel............................!

Cheers, Nick

Fred Blake · Dec 1, 2010

nick dv said:
I have decided to start targeting Barbel, and want to know if my Shimano Technium Specialists will be ok to use as a start or will they not be powerful enough. They are great rods - I'll always use them - but have been advised that I should use 1.5lb rods as a minimum.
It was suggested that to start with I should go with something like the Drennan Series 7 1.5lb, the Drennan Barbel 1.75lb or the Shimano Vengance Barbel 1.5lb.
What do you reckon, cos I'd like to use my Techniums, but if you really think I would be best to go more powerful, then that's what I'll do!

Cheers, Nick

They'll be fine for most barbel fishing; the only reason you'd need a more powerful rod would be to cast very heavy leads or feeders. You can land pretty well any barbel that swims on a one and a quarter test rod.

fred hall · Dec 1, 2010

Hi Nick, I use 2 Shakespeare Heavy Feeder rods, the old Odessa model, for most of my barbel and chub fishing on the Ribble. These cope pretty well in most situations but I can be a bit under gunned in flood conditions or a snaggy swim. Because of this I bought myself a FOX Floodwater Barbel rod on ebay this Summer and as a bonus I can also use this as a carp rod when fishing tight to reed beds on our local lakes. The Fox is a very nice rod that comes with a selection of 4 quiver tips and an alternative Avon type top section. I'm afraid that I cannot remember the TC rating.

nick dv · Dec 1, 2010

Thanks Fred and Fred. I will stick with the Techniums then. TBH I'm not a fashion fisherman - or anything else for that matter

- and I don't buy gear to have the latest model! I would have only gone heavier if I was advised to, but I am more than happy to use these rods.

Cheers, Nick

Fred Blake · Dec 2, 2010

nick dv said:
Thanks Fred and Fred. I will stick with the Techniums then. TBH I'm not a fashion fisherman - or anything else for that matter - and I don't buy gear to have the latest model! I would have only gone heavier if I was advised to, but I am more than happy to use these rods.

Cheers, Nick

Best of luck with the barbel. With experience you'll figure out for yourself what sort of rod is needed for your particular waters, but the ones you've got will be perfectly good to start with. You might find them ideal in every respect, or you may decide you need something a little longer or shorter, stiffer or softer, but when you do it'll be your decision, not the say-so of someone else.

nick dv · Dec 2, 2010

Fred Blake said:
Best of luck with the barbel. With experience you'll figure out for yourself what sort of rod is needed for your particular waters, but the ones you've got will be perfectly good to start with. You might find them ideal in every respect, or you may decide you need something a little longer or shorter, stiffer or softer, but when you do it'll be your decision, not the say-so of someone else.

Thanks again Fred, I totally agree with you, I will find out over time. However, I am sure I will be nagging people again for further advice, especially about how to catch my first "proper" barbel!

Cheers, Nick

alan whittington · Dec 3, 2010

Nick,your 1.25lb rods will be fine,i used to fish the Avon and Stour a fair bit and caught plenty on mine,even when the rivers were breaking their banks,the good thing is also you can catch fish tight to the banks,which isnt possible on a lot of other rivers.

mark brailsford 2 · Apr 24, 2011

good luck with the barbel mate,
I had a technium and i loved it, but, due to personal probs I had to off load most of my fishing gear and I am having to start again! some of the stuff I owned can never be replaced...ie, technium, diawa avon, adcock stanton pin, but they are only material things and life goes on! just get out there mate and use what you have, you can always upgrade later.

mark

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