Is there a shortage of rod rings?

Is there a world-wide shortage of rod rings? The reason I ask is that while looking round for a new carp rod I notice that they seem to be restricted to 6 each!

My present short range carp rod is actually an old John Wilson deadbait pike rod. At 12 foot it has a rod ring for every foot of length. The rod I use for close in catting, an Ugly Stik Uptider also has a ring for every foot of length. In fact it has 10 rings for 9 feet. Both these rods will smoothly load right down to the reel seat and the line follows the curve.

I want a rod to bend right through to the handle. I've no need for one that can launch a 3oz weight into outer space. I find that carp are obliging in that they come close to the bank - my bank, not the one over there, so I don't need a casting tool. I want a 12 foot rod that will cushion close in action and have enough rings to follow the curve of the blank.

All the rods I've looked at boast about 100 yds casts but have so few rings that any bend in the rod will have the line resembling a spiders web! Even one revered name claims their legendary rod has a true parabolic action right into the bottom of the blank, but again has less rings than my 6 foot spinning rod!

So, this is an appeal on behalf of the rod industry. If you have any spare, loose or unwanted rod rings please forward them to your local rod maker so that they can be put to some good use. Thank you.

I'm very sorry to inform you that there are less rod rings out there than there used to be. Something had to give when some eejit decided that 50mm butt rings were going to be the next big thing. There's only so much material in the world, imagine how many sensible sized rings could be made from one 50mm one.

P.S. "true parabolic action", another load of marketing BS. Who the hell wants a rod that bends like this? Perhaps if they said half parabolic it would make more sense? Unfortunately, while it may be more accurate, it's still cobblers 'cos it's just a progressive action, which doesn't sound half as impressive.

In the 1980s, when I happened to be making some of the most desirable carp rods known to man, whenever someone asked me for hoop-sized rings on a non-out-and-out distance rod, I'd joke to him with a "What? Do you want wind them in straight on to your reel...?"

There is also a shortage in the tackle shops if you want to replace a damaged one. I suppose there is not much amateur rod making going on nowadays. Previously on Forum I have indicated how clumsy I can be. I have managed to break more than my fair share of rods, even on two at a time in the car tailgate on one occasion. I always cut the rings off damaged and discarded rods so now I have quite a collection for the times I only manage to break a ring instead of the whole rod!

Surely it is a compromise between reduced materials (and therefore costs) whilst retaining a line track that follows the bend of the blank to an acceptable level. And as has been pointed out distance is a consideration. Regardless of ring size, the more rings the greater the friction and therefore a detraction from being a 'distance tool'!

I am peculiar in as much as when I am playing a decent fish, I often admire the curve of the rod (hopefully I am not alone there ), and I have never been alarmed by the angles observed.

Perhaps a customised rod, or personal re-ringing may be an answer?

Some carpers of my aquintance are having bad problems with weed on their lines when reeling in or playing a fish .End rings become clogged so badly that the rod simply has to be put backwards with butt on ground in order to clear the weed away giving the fish slack line. Some of them have had their tip rings rplaced with the biggest one they can find.

For rod rings in the UK Hopkins and Hollaway are the only game in town.

For import specials Mudhole in the US and Matagi in Japan are the go to sites.

No shortage, less rings cast further or so I'm told, but you should never believe all your told (by a tackle dealer) should you. :wh

mick b said:

For rod rings in the UK Hopkins and Hollaway are the only game in town.

For import specials Mudhole in the US and Matagi in Japan are the go to sites.

No shortage, less rings cast further or so I'm told, but you should never believe all your told (by a tackle dealer) should you. :wh

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So why do they only put the statutory six rings on a stalking rod? :wh

My old (12 years +) John Wilson Carp Rod has 7 rings his Avon rod 9 rings and the quiver 11 rings
My 11ft FM Concept Rod made by Harrison has 8 rings. This rod was designed by some of the early members of FM following a very long and detailed thread were most of the theory behind the design of rods for casting and rods for playing barbel was explained. It would be interesting if this old thread was summarised and republished.

This was the start of the Thread that ran to 40 pages
ED I don't know how to hyper-link to the old thread, I found it by searching on "FM Concept Rod" on the features page.

04-07-2002 10:51
Ron Clay
I watched a young carp angler play and land a fish of 15 lbs the other day. What a carry on it was. He had sound 15lb tackle and a size 6 hook in open snag free water. I could have had that fish on the bank in about 3 minutes. It took this guy over 20 minutes by my watch.

The problem to my mind was that he back winded every run, didn't use the clutch and ponsed around with that silly style of holding the rod, you know one hand on the reel and the other up the blank!!

When I hook fish in these conditions and with this sort of tackle I make them fight for every inch of line they gain, as much as my arms and shoulder muscles will stand. I always have the anti-reverse on using a combination of finger pressure on the spool and adjustment of the fighting drag. The butt of the rod is tight into my groin so that I can physically lean back into the fish with the rod doubled up.

In this way, a fish is brought in long before it is tired. This is important when playing barbel in snaggy swims.

Although I must admit I once played a "barbel" for over 3 hours on Des Taylor's peg in Bewdley. The more I think about that fish however the more I am inclined to believe that it was a big pike or carp foul-hooked.

How do you guys play a big fish?

Anyone else remember this thread?

I don't recall the thread but in answer to the last question; I play fish as hard as I dare. I posted a video the other day of a 22lb catfish hooked, played and landed in less than 90 seconds.

I've been catching some decent carp from small breaks in a large mass of Canadian Pondweed and that involves hook 'n' hold. The tackle I used is an old John Wilson 2.75lb tc deadbait rod, 30lb braid with a 15lb hard mono leader and a centrepin with a disc drag. The drag on the reel is set almost to the point that the rod would break and it will stop a 15lb carp dead in its tracks. The fish gets maybe a metre or two at the most of line from the reel. It is the same when after catfish but in that case I have an Ugly Stik Uptider rod and heavier line on another similar centrepin. That holds cats of 20lb as though they are tethered.





I was thinking of getting another rod similar to the JW Deadbait rod for my close in carp and catfish fishing but I can't find anything equivalent in modern terms. Because I prefer to use a centrepin and fish close in therefore not having much in the way of weight on the line, usually a tiny strike indicator float and piece of Blu-Tac for weight, I find that the two rod rings on the but section are handy for stealthy casting. By grabbing a couple of loops of line I can flick the light end tackle out over reeds and weed beds. Modern rods seem to have all their 6 rings in the upper sections out of reach. When fishing further out with ledgers I find the softer through action of the JW rod is perfect for Wallis Casting.

I'm still looking but I fear that I might have to resort to buying a blank and ringing it myself

I wouldn't like to see the state of those fishs mouths after you've dragged them out like that ! That's gotta do some damage.

tigger said:

I wouldn't like to see the state of those fishs mouths after you've dragged them out like that ! That's gotta do some damage.

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No it doesn't.

Just another opinion on a subject you know nothing about.

nicepix said:

No it doesn't.

Just another opinion on a subject you know nothing about.

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I do know I wouldn't drag fish out in such a manner without any regard to the damage caused.

tigger said:

I do know I wouldn't drag fish out in such a manner without any regard to the damage caused.

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If you've got any evidence to back up your claims, bearing in mind you haven't seen the fish I caught, then post it.

nicepix said:

If you've got any evidence to back up your claims, bearing in mind you haven't seen the fish I caught, then post it.

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OK, mods is this old **** your buddy or something ?

We do not play the favourites game tigger.

I missed the comment you referred to but have redressed that now.

Now, please let's make this the end of it . . . . . . . .

tigger said:

OK, mods is this old **** your buddy or something ?

We do not play the favourites game tigger.

I missed the comment you referred to but have redressed that now.

Now, please let's make this the end of it . . . . . . . .

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Perhaps if you posted pinions based on fact, knowledge or experience instead of suppositions and assumptions you might earn some respect.

nicepix said:

Perhaps if you posted pinions based on fact, knowledge or experience instead of suppositions and assumptions you might earn some respect.

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I don't want respect of an idiot like you. I don't think you know your arse from your elbow.

I've been angling since 5yrs old so I think I know a bit about the subject. The way your dragging fish out will damage them, there's no question about that and it's a well known fact. Try doing that on UK waters and you'll be banned off the waters.
Get me some evience to show me it doesn't damage the fish since you like evidence.
Dragging fish in from feet away with high test curve rods, sea rods also and you reckon it doesn't damage them....get real. Ok if your eating them it doesn't matter but as a catch and release method it's not a good one.

tigger said:

Get me some evience to show me it doesn't damage the fish since you like evidence.

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In this country don't we go by a system of 'Innocent until proven guilty'?

tigger said:

I don't want respect of an idiot like you. I don't think you know your arse from your elbow.

I've been angling since 5yrs old so I think I know a bit about the subject. The way your dragging fish out will damage them, there's no question about that and it's a well known fact. Try doing that on UK waters and you'll be banned off the waters.
Get me some evience to show me it doesn't damage the fish since you like evidence.
Dragging fish in from feet away with high test curve rods, sea rods also and you reckon it doesn't damage them....get real. Ok if your eating them it doesn't matter but as a catch and release method it's not a good one.

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If there is no question and it is a well know fact then show me the evidence. Don't put the onus on me to prove or disprove your allegations.

As I said earlier. Opinions based on facts, knowledge or experience are valid. Your opinions are based on supposition and assumptions. So they are worth diddly-squat.

If you haven't posted any evidence to support your claims then I will assume that you are just trolling and will not reply to any further posts you make. End of!