maverick 7
Well-known member
I remember my oldest brother fishing in the River Idle many, many years ago and he used to love stick float fishing. Because he was my brother and because I fished with him on many occasions...I thought he was the best stick float angler around.
He used a 13' Fibre Glass rod and rarely missed a bite on it....I have seen him with nets of 2lb plus roach on many occasions...he was red hot on that river..especially with hemp seed.
Fast wind a good few years and we find that all the giant tackle manufacturers are totally wrapped up in trying to convince us all that we needed a special type of rod for stick float fishing...one with with a special tip spliced in. The spliced tip was of course for ensuring perfect connection when hitting a fish and it also supplied forgiveness too on the strike...or something like that anyway.
So being totally and utterly convinced that they needed one of these rods....everybody who was anybody purchased one...During this period of introduction..well, of the mass made variety at least...I strongly suspected that the tackle giants was simply convincing everybody that they NEEDED another rod in their armoury....it meant a load of extra sales to them if their plan succeeded.
In truth and in my humble opinion.....Stick Float rods was NEVER a necessary addition to our gear. They never really outperformed a decent waggler rod and they can't do the same today either.
All my stick float rods of which I have about 3 are indeed waggler rods...but I never waggler fish....but I use them and with great effect on the rivers I fish.
One last thought.....if Stick Float rods was so necessary....where are they all now?...do they even still sell them? I concede that the demand may not be as high but if that is so...it wouldn't be for Closed Face reels either then, seeing as they are used for Stick Float fishing...... but they still sell them in their hundreds maybe thousands.
There are still LOADS of anglers that fish rivers...but very few use "genuine" Stick Float rods.
Maverick
He used a 13' Fibre Glass rod and rarely missed a bite on it....I have seen him with nets of 2lb plus roach on many occasions...he was red hot on that river..especially with hemp seed.
Fast wind a good few years and we find that all the giant tackle manufacturers are totally wrapped up in trying to convince us all that we needed a special type of rod for stick float fishing...one with with a special tip spliced in. The spliced tip was of course for ensuring perfect connection when hitting a fish and it also supplied forgiveness too on the strike...or something like that anyway.
So being totally and utterly convinced that they needed one of these rods....everybody who was anybody purchased one...During this period of introduction..well, of the mass made variety at least...I strongly suspected that the tackle giants was simply convincing everybody that they NEEDED another rod in their armoury....it meant a load of extra sales to them if their plan succeeded.
In truth and in my humble opinion.....Stick Float rods was NEVER a necessary addition to our gear. They never really outperformed a decent waggler rod and they can't do the same today either.
All my stick float rods of which I have about 3 are indeed waggler rods...but I never waggler fish....but I use them and with great effect on the rivers I fish.
One last thought.....if Stick Float rods was so necessary....where are they all now?...do they even still sell them? I concede that the demand may not be as high but if that is so...it wouldn't be for Closed Face reels either then, seeing as they are used for Stick Float fishing...... but they still sell them in their hundreds maybe thousands.
There are still LOADS of anglers that fish rivers...but very few use "genuine" Stick Float rods.
Maverick