11ft Barbel Rod - Advantages/Disadvantages

nick dv · Jan 9, 2011

I was thinking about purchasing an 11ft Barbel rod as opposed to a 12ft one. I have a number of 12ft rods, but I thought an 11ft one would be easier to use in some of the narrower and more difficult to access places where I may fish.

Could anyone let me know if there are likely to be any disadvantages going for 11ft, and any advantages for that matter?

Cheers, Nick

Jeff Woodhouse · Jan 9, 2011

nick dv said:
likely to be any disadvantages going for 11ft, and any advantages for that matter?

No disadvantages as far as I'm concerned and the advantages would far outnumber them. Well, it's 1 - 0 in my mind to the advantages.

With a shorter rod, you feel more of the fish and feel more in control. The difference in length doesn't really come into it for the 12 inches involved when it comes to swim choice and manoeuvrability. I have a H-Design 11 ft travel rod an 11ft Free Spirit Advanced, which feels like stick to hold compared with the H-Design, but to be fair it does handle fish well.

I also have a Daiwa Specialist 11ft from many years ago and it is still a little cracker for chub and small barbel to 10 lbs.

I sold a 12' Fox Barbel Special twin tip simply as I had no use for it.

nick dv · Jan 9, 2011

Hi Jeff, thanks for the informative reply. You have made up my mind for me!

Cheers, Nick

Dicky (Angling Trust PAC) · Jan 9, 2011

Jeff Woodhouse said:
The difference in length doesn't really come into it for the 12 inches involved when it comes to swim choice and manoeuvrability.

You've never fished the Teme or similar small overgrown rivers then Jeff?

The difference in length most certainly 'comes into it' for swim choice and manoeuvrabilty, despite there only being 12 inches involved...

9lb 4oz
http://www.fishingmagic.com/forums/members/****y-angling-trust-pac--albums-river-magic-picture2012-jungle-swim-river-teme-9lb-4oz-june-2010.jpg

And 10lb 2oz
http://www.fishingmagic.com/forums/members/****y-angling-trust-pac--albums-river-magic-picture2010-teme-10lb-2oz-june-2010.jpg

That couldn't have been fished for with a 12ft rod

nick dv · Jan 9, 2011

Thanks again, but it's irrelevant now as I have just won a brand new Fox Duo Lite 11ft 1.75lb t/c Barbel on Fleabay for £62! Please don't tell me I have made a mistake!

Cheers, Nick

Jeff Woodhouse · Jan 9, 2011

****y (Angling Trust PAC) said:
You've never fished the Teme

Oh but I have ****y, with an 11ft rod so I would never have known the difficulty with a 12 ft.

I would think rope ladders are more use on that river.

---------- Post added at 21:26 ---------- Previous post was at 21:25 ----------

nick dv said:
Please don't tell me I have made a mistake!

No mistake, you did well!

Neil Smart · Jan 9, 2011

Fox Duo Lite

The Fox Duo Lite is a sought after Rod apparently, you got it for a good price too. I fish the Teme, and have only used 12' rods so I dont understand how ****y could not have caught with such?
However I have a new Ray Walton 11' rod and I reckon the Teme and the Arrow will see it at it's best.
Longer Rods have more Power which is far better for bigger Rivers such as the Severn or Trent to enable ease of casting bigger weights.

tigger · Jan 9, 2011

Neil Smart said:
Longer Rods have more Power which is far better for bigger Rivers such as the Severn or Trent to enable ease of casting bigger weights.

I don't quite get that, are you saying that a 12ft 2lb test rod is more powerfull than a 11ft 2lb test curve rod ?

Steve Pope · Jan 9, 2011

I keep it simple, the 11ft on small rivers ( Kennet, Ouse, Teme) , the 12ft on the big rivers ( Severn, Trent, Wye)

There may be the odd exception but its a reasonable rule of thumb for me.

nick dv · Jan 10, 2011

Thanks for the encouraging replies chaps. I must admit that I put my original post up after I had bid for the rod, and tbh to see if I had been a proverbial knobhead as I had originally not realised it was 11ft - I blame it on age and not having my glasses on :wh
Anyway, I've got it now and can't wait to give it a go and see how it handles my first double figure Barbel - PLEASE!!

Cheers, Nick

Sean Meeghan · Jan 10, 2011

You'll love it Nick! As a good catholic boy I was taught never to argue witht the Pope, but for 99.9% of your barbel fishing you'll not notice the difference between an 11 footer and a 12 footer. Rod length is largely a fashion thing - I've got a couple of 10ft cane rods and although they looked a bit strange in the rod rests at first I never really found them wanting when actually fishing with the. Wouldn't use them for a big chuck on the Trent though!

S-Kippy · Jan 10, 2011

Sean Meeghan said:
You'll love it Nick! As a good catholic boy I was taught never to argue witht the Pope

Blimey... I never knew His Holiness fished for barbel ! What a DVD that would make.

Dicky (Angling Trust PAC) · Jan 10, 2011

Jeff Woodhouse said:
Oh but I have ****y, with an 11ft rod so I would never have known the difficulty with a 12 ft.

I would think rope ladders are more use on that river.

LOL! Spot on! I wouldn't be without my dogspike and rope.

nick dv · Jan 10, 2011

S-Kippy said:
Blimey... I never knew His Holiness fished for barbel ! What a DVD that would make.

As long as His Holiness helps me with that elusive double figure fish.....................

Cheers, Nick

Dicky (Angling Trust PAC) · Jan 10, 2011

Neil Smart said:
I fish the Teme, and have only used 12' rods so I dont understand how ****y could not have caught with such?

That's good then, you obviously walk past the 'pegs' I fish

In all seriousness though Neil, I'm talking overgrown swims where casting is hampered by overgrown willow low to the river on both banks (making a pendulum cast impossible) and where even kneeling as low as possible it is difficult to cast or draw a fish to the net.

Like Steve, as a rule of thumb, it's 12ft on the Severn and 11ft on the Teme.

(How are you by the way Steve? Another harsh barbelling winter but finally it looks like conditions may be more conducive this week, three days plus of double figure daytime temps and no frost... happy days :w)

Steve Pope · Jan 10, 2011

Nice one Sean!

I'm not going to bite on the dvd reference, I'm sure Bob will say something if he sees it!!

I'm fine ****y, looking forward to some barbel fishing now, its been a long time. Very busy with other things, BS meeting on Saturday to finalise some exciting new projects, I'm writing for a new magazine thats coming out in the spring..........a new fishing monthly! And just keeping my website updated is time consuming but hugely enjoyable and theres still a lot more, I've never been busier on the fishing front.
I thought you retired and just went fishing.............doesn't seem to be working out like that!

Hope life is treating you well ****y, I expect we'll bump into each other in Alan's again.

All the very best.

Steve.

Lord Paul of Sheffield · Jan 10, 2011

THe Rother has some "mouse hole" swim where I fish and for this reason I've bought a 10ft rod TFG 10ft compact all rounder

alan whittington · Jan 10, 2011

Thats a cracker m'lud,ive one and its a beauty(cheap as chips too),Mark Todd put me onto it.:w

Lord Paul of Sheffield · Jan 11, 2011

alan whittington said:
Thats a cracker m'lud,ive one and its a beauty(cheap as chips too),Mark Todd put me onto it.:w

yes someone on FM put me onto it - it may well ahve been Mark Todd -he's sent me a couple of emails that have turned out to be gold nuggetrs - top bloke is Mark - hope to meet him at a fish in sometime

I've only used it twice and not caught much on it be when the better weather comes.....

alan whittington · Jan 11, 2011

Havnt caught stacks on mine,a few chub and bream to 4lb+,its more powerful than it looks,probably down to the length,i think i paid around £40 for mine including delivery,super value.Been fishing with Mark on the Teme and a nice day out it was too.

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