Barbel Rod Thoughts.......

bigchub · Aug 16, 2011

I'm thinking of investing in Trefor West 1.75lb tc barbel rod after selling my other set of Free Spirits and Shimano reels but what are other peoples thoughts on the rod? £200 (unless someone has a second hand one they don't want!) for one rod is a big investment for anybody but are they worth it? It will probably be the only rod I will ever use for the rest of my fishing days so I want to make sure I'm making the right decision.

They used to be built on a Century blank but are now built on a Harrison's. All the information I've found has been very positive.

chav professor · Aug 16, 2011

Big chub, how many barbel rods have you got through recently????

Paul Morley · Aug 16, 2011

Peter, if you care that much and you clearly do - get some made for you!!!! Harrison's blanks, I had two amazing torrix based rods done for very little more than that £200 ( I also ebayed some Free Spirit rods!!). My 'Snipers' are rods I will use for ever.. pm me again if you wish to discuss!!!

Rich Frampton · Aug 16, 2011

I would have Mark Tunley do a Free Spirit Barbel Seeker for you.......he'll do all the slight changes and mods....different ringing,spacing etc etc....and for not alot more than the off the shelf.Fantastic action blank too!!

bigchub · Aug 16, 2011

chav professor said:
Big chub, how many barbel rods have you got through recently????

Don't ask mate, don't ask.... I'm looking for a rod that has a "soul".& character. The ones I've had lately didn't feel responsive enough or "feel" right in the hand if you know what I mean.

---------- Post added at 15:31 ---------- Previous post was at 15:29 ----------

Rich Frampton said:
I would have Mark Tunley do a Free Spirit Barbel Seeker for you.......he'll do all the slight changes and mods....different ringing,spacing etc etc....and for not alot more than the off the shelf.Fantastic action blank too!!

Thing is I'm not that keen on these newer Free Spirit blanks. The old burgundy coloured ones were much better.

Has anyone had any first hand experience with the TW rod? Its not an off the shelf model. According to Trefor it is to his own design and is the result of much testing of prototypes and is built by Harrisons although it can only be purchased through Trefors Double T company.

chav professor · Aug 16, 2011

Some of my cane rods have what can be described as soul and character - but not always practical for what I want to do......

I rate Drennan super specialists in 1.5lb test for barbel fishing - or in-deed heavier feeder work for other course species....... but they have not really got 'soul'.

My J Wilson Avon Quiver has character - its like an extention of my arm..... much to my surprise am now enjoying using a now classic Drennan 'Big Feeder' rod...... It does have a nice feel about it........

At a push I would suggest that what T West was after was an efficient tool..... the soul and character bit you have to inject yourself through years of familiarisation..... Best stick to something that looks/feels nice and make it your own.

dezza · Aug 16, 2011

What the heck is all this bowlocks about "Soul and Character" in a ****ing fishing rod. If Tref West and Harrisons had anything to do with it, the rod will be very fit for purpose make no mistake about that.

The way some people go on about "Soul and Character", you would think the bloody sticks are ****ing alive!

guest61 · Aug 16, 2011

Ron The Hat Clay said:
What the heck is all this bowlocks about "Soul and Character" in a ****ing fishing rod. If Tref West and Harrisons had anything to do with it, the rod will be very fit for purpose make no mistake about that.

The way some people go on about "Soul and Character", you would think the bloody sticks are ****ing alive!

I agree.

Imagine teaming said rod with a Chris Lythe Centre pin? - Such a combination would become 'self aware' within a few hours and forming its own specimen group by the end of the week.

Philip · Aug 16, 2011

Interesting & unusual outburst from Ron there. F***ing & blinding all over the place. Has someone got your login details I wonder....

Although I am sure there are some very good rods out there I have never really been ableto justify in my own mind spending a massive amount for a mega top end rod as I think some of the midrange and even low cost models can be very good rods indeed. Dare I say its not the rod its how you use it ?

...I know some say the rod can make a difference to your enjoyment but really, .... 200 quid difference in some cases ?

bigchub · Aug 16, 2011

As stated in a recent thread (about centrepins I think) some people say that some of the models have "souls" and other do not? Why should it be any different for rods?

Maybe I should be looking for older models of rod?

Sean Meeghan · Aug 16, 2011

Ron The Hat Clay said:
What the heck is all this bowlocks about "Soul and Character" in a ****ing fishing rod. If Tref West and Harrisons had anything to do with it, the rod will be very fit for purpose make no mistake about that.

The way some people go on about "Soul and Character", you would think the bloody sticks are ****ing alive!

Ron is just a little surprised that people aren't recommending a nice cane rod for Peter.

Personally I agree with Philip (and Chav) in that rod choice is such a personal thing and that price doesn't always come into it. Some rods just feel right and with me, for barbel rods, I like a nice through action something like the FM concept rod (see Ron

). I never bought one of these, because when I had a play with Ron's prototype it was almost identical in feel to my 11ft Daiwa WKS rod.

I would never recommend buying a rod without trying it first so you'll need to get out there and kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince (or princess).

Once you get over the £100 mark you're not likely to get a bad rod, but only a few will be the right rod for you. So go forth and waggle!

dezza · Aug 16, 2011

Whether the rod is made of carbon fibre, glass, split cane or knotty pine, it matters nought. They are but tools, just like this keyboard and PC I am operating.

The way some people go stupidly dotty about inanimate objects is quite laughable.

Years ago that split cane rod might be made of a material that is derived from green lengths of living cane grown in a sub tropical jungle. By the time it gets toasted, split, cut and formed into 6 strips, the bloody stuff is dead, expired, gone to meet its maker and joined the crowd invisible.

This is ex-tonkin bamboo!

It's also a dead bit of carbon who's molecules can be traced back maybe to the Jurassic where it might have been leaves eaten by a Diplodicus; and if it is fibreglass, then it will only be a bit of non-organic silica.

cg74 · Aug 16, 2011

Ron The Hat Clay said:
What the heck is all this bowlocks about "Soul and Character" in a ****ing fishing rod. If Tref West and Harrisons had anything to do with it, the rod will be very fit for purpose make no mistake about that.

The way some people go on about "Soul and Character", you would think the bloody sticks are ****ing alive!

Wholly agree.

---------- Post added at 15:05 ---------- Previous post was at 15:03 ----------

Ron The Hat Clay said:
Whether the rod is made of carbon fibre, glass, split cane or knotty pine, it matters nought. They are but tools, just like this keyboard and PC I am operating.

The way some people go stupidly dotty about inanimate objects is quite laughable.

Years ago that split cane rod might be made of a material that is derived from green lengths of living cane grown in a sub tropical jungle. By the time it gets toasted, split, cut and formed into 6 strips, the bloody stuff is dead, expired, gone to meet its maker and joined the crowd invisible.

This is ex-tonkin bamboo!

It's also a dead bit of carbon who's molecules can be traced back maybe to the Jurassic where it might have been leaves eaten by a Diplodicus; and if it is fibreglass, then it will only be a bit of non-organic silica.

This is getting worrying, I find myself in total agreement yet again.

sam vimes · Aug 16, 2011

cg74 said:
This is getting worrying, I find myself in total agreement yet again.

If it makes you feel any better, me too.

I find anthropomorphising inanimate objects to be quite strange.

chav professor · Aug 16, 2011

sam vimes said:
If it makes you feel any better, me too.
I find anthropomorphising inanimate objects to be quite strange.

Of course a rod or reel can have 'soul' or spirit. What are you crazies going on about????? I don't know what all Rons science mumbo has to do with it either, either I am 'feelin' it or i'm not when it comes to items of tackle. Even hooks to nylon have to have a bit of spirit to them otherwise, it no way girlfriend!!

Come on Colin, don't give your sparing partner the plesure of actually finding common ground........... I'm sure even you have a magic piece of tackle somewhere?

bigchub · Aug 16, 2011

What I'm after is a rod that will last the rest of my fishing days. No more rods for me (I promised the missus!) after this one and to be honest I know I'm going to be much better off for it (and you won't have me posting in the classified section all the time!).
I had even thought about going down the carp rod route for the older models, like a Nash/Daiwa AKN116, or even an Century Armalite MK1 or MK2 in 1.50lb or 1.75lb test curves. I need to know that whatever I get is going to last so its all my eggs in one basket and I don't want them to get cracked!

sam vimes · Aug 16, 2011

chav professor said:
Of course a rod or reel can have 'soul' or spirit. What are you crazies going on about????? I don't know what all Rons science mumbo has to do with it either, either I am 'feelin' it or i'm not when it comes to items of tackle. Even hooks to nylon have to have a bit of spirit to them otherwise, it no way girlfriend!!

I'm sure even you have a magic piece of tackle somewhere?

I have some delightful items of tackle that I'm quite attatched to for any number of reasons, usually because I consider them to be excellent or a bit of good old fashioned sentimentality. However, nothing I own has soul or spirit. I suspect that if they did then I'd have to start wondering if they were captives or even, heaven forbid, slaves.

chav professor · Aug 16, 2011

bigchub said:
What I'm after is a rod that will last the rest of my fishing days. No more rods for me (I promised the missus!) after this one and to be honest I know I'm going to be much better off for it (and you won't have me posting in the classified section all the time!).
I had even thought about going down the carp rod route for the older models, like a Nash/Daiwa AKN116, or even an Century Armalite MK1 or MK2 in 1.50lb or 1.75lb test curves. I need to know that whatever I get is going to last so its all my eggs in one basket and I don't want them to get cracked!

It aint gonna happen Bigchub...... there will always be that siren of a new rod spirit calling to you, waiting for your souls to entwine and become one....

To be honest - spend £100+ on a new daiwa or Drennan or similar - and it will be far superior to those now classic Trefor west/tony fordham sportex type 10 year old plus blanks..... nice that some of them were custom made and sure - high levels of skill required to construct a quality carbon blank.....

As for a cane rod - a nice W.A.Allcocks Adonis would be perfect for your style of chub fishing (if that is in-deed what you plan to use the rod for). You can throw away the rule book and use the best of modern and vintage and have fun!

If you want a cane blank constructed to your spec - it is easily done and you may be surprised at the results. I usually get a blank made up and then complete the whipping and varnish myself to keep the costs down. You could fit fuji rings if that floated your boat - or even bright blue agate rings - the world is your lobster

dezza · Aug 17, 2011

chav professor said:
Even hooks to nylon have to have a bit of spirit to them otherwise, it no way girlfriend!!

Hooks to nylon having spirit???

Oh for goodness sake - really.

The bloody fish themselves have character, or maybe a soul, not the stuff used to catch them. Even a worm has character!

But a bloody fish hook ??

chav professor · Aug 17, 2011

I also like to have a cheeky selection of split shot, rolling around every where - playing peek-a-boo in the long 'hidey' grass when they flit off on some adventure...... oh, you cheeky mini masses!!

Anyway Ron, I think you have found a new 'SOUL' mate in cg74 - Colin....bless him........

Barbel Rod Thoughts.......

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