Favourite Fishing rods and why ?.

Bob Hornegold · Dec 26, 2016

13ft Harrison Power float- soft enough to catch Grayling without bouncing them off and powerful enough to land double figure Barbel.

23/4lb Harrison Ballista Carp Rod, good action, handles decent Carp and Catfish and can cast as far as I need to cast.

1.6 Harrison Avon- through action with plenty of give on the strike, great Perch rods.

Split Cane- Fred J Taylor Roach- good all rounder for small to largish fish, George Simpson Barbel for double figure fish and Dawson Challenger for decent Carp.

Bob

Graham Elliott 1 · Dec 26, 2016

Hi Bob.

Harrison Torrix. 1.75.
Enough to land a number of carp over 35lb.
Ideal for small to large rivers from Loddon to Thames and Trent. With 2lb tops if flooded big rivers or pike.

Also perfect for long range tench and brim.

Can't praise the Drennan IM9 13ft classic enough.
Ideal for dace roach grayling and chub.
Many chub over 6lb at distance trotting. Also fine perch and carp over 20lb on still water on the float.
Progressive blank that won't pull out of silvers and a joy to use.

Peter Jacobs · Dec 26, 2016

The short answer would be: whichever one I have in my hands at the time.

I had a lovely Harrison's blank made into a stepped up Avon rod that can manage most fish in my local stretches of the river.

Then my Mk IV Avon is a constant companion on the river.

My Apollo Taperflash always prompts a few favourable comments on the bank and is still, a joy to use from time to time.

Otherwise my two Carbotecs have to be favourites.

binka · Dec 26, 2016

My favourites are my pair of Bruce & Walker 1lb tc Hexagraph Cane Avons.

Trouble is I've not bought them yet

mg:

Failing that it's the Hardy Ultralite Avons in the same tc, lovely rods for perching and plenty deep down for double figure river barbel and good all rounders which are a joy to use for everything in between too .

I'm tempted to say the 15' float rod, in the year since buying it I've had everything on it from pike and zander to upper double river carp and for everything from trotting for silvers to swinging out a 2oz paternoster lead with a small livebait it's been brilliant.

Quite remarkable really.

The more I think about the question the more I want to include and the more difficult it gets to single out anything specific so I guess I'm reasonably happy with my lot.

Except that missing pair of Hexagraphs...

tigger · Dec 26, 2016

Normark Avenger MKII float rod....pure class and i've not seen a float rod made before or after it worthy of it's crown!

maurice walsh · Dec 26, 2016

shimano symetre 12ft 2 3/4tc , very soft tip action but progressive to the butt at the same time, light and thin/skinny blank , ive not got or seen anything to come close to it, ive even used it with a sidewinder for long cast heavy feeder work

, its also a pleasure to use for "sink n draw" or throwing heavyish spoons or plugs , if i could find another couple i think id have a rethink on the number of carp/pike rods i have........ maybe

... i also have a maver 11/13ft feeder that came with 3 tips 1.5oz,2oz,3oz, its the go to rod everytime , just feels right!!!, big lake, small river, its always good

flossy · Dec 26, 2016

Hello Bob ,how you doing mate ,for me its got too be the 12 ft harrison torrix specialist 1,3/4 and my range of hi s free spirits ,one special rod in particular is the 11ft 1lb hi s free spirit amazing little rod which you can use from perch fishing too landing double figure barbel ,but especially good for chubb fishing .

robtherake · Dec 26, 2016

An original 13ft Drennan Waggler rod, made for lines up to 3lb but exhibiting a surprising amount of backbone when it's needed, and with a sweet progressive action that's sufficiently tippy on the strike and soft enough in the tip for small hooks and light lines. Despite so-called advances in materials and design it still compares favourably with more modern equivalents, some of which seem to have been built to a budget, rather than to a high standard of performance.

A 90s Silstar Dia-Flex waggler rod, which is light, reponsive and has a magnificently elastic progressive action. If I was restricted to a single float rod this would be the one. It's a delicate tool and a beast, all in the same package.

A more recent buy, this - a pair of 11ft 1.6lb Youngs' Ray Walton Barbel rods; the Mk 2 model. They're light in weight and balance is superb with a 6000/8000-sized baitrunner fitted, which you would expect, considering that they were designed for rolling meat. What the manufacturer's blurb didn't state is that they make brilliant light carp rods, and this is what I use them for, hooting with delight with the rod in full battle curve and the reel singing.

The soft tip effectively minimises hook pulls and the butt section has plenty of power in reserve.

These are my current favourites, given that the list changes dependent on what kind of fishing I've been doing. I can't imagine wanting to replace them while they're still giving good service, which is perhaps the measure of a "perfect" rod.

lutra · Dec 26, 2016

This year it's been a 7.5 foot 3/4# Normark gold medallion for £26 of ebay. It's taken me right back to my childhood fishing brooks and streams that never see another angler, but with a fly this time.

Keith M · Dec 26, 2016

I find it hard to choose my favourite rods as I like them all and my favourite rods will change depending on the venue, the prevailing weather conditions, the methods I'm using and the fish I am after at the time.

But the five rods that Im currently using the most are my 15ft Hardy Marksman Specialist float rod and my 13ft Drennan Tench float rod both of which I'm using on my local stream for trotting for Barbel, Chub and Dace, my 13ft Drennan Acolyte Ultra float rod for light waggler work, my Greys Prodigy SX Barbel rod that I'm using for winter Barbel and my Greys Prodigy SX 1.5lb/2lb Multi tip rod that I'm using mostly for close to medium range Carp on my local estate lake.

My favourite rods may be different next month depending on the weather conditions and whether or not I am fishing for Pike When I may include a couple of Greys Prodigy 3lb and 2.75 Carp rods or even an 11ft Shakespeare 50grm lure rod for fishing largish plugs and
Or if I'm trying to target some very large Roach that inhabit my local stream then I might include my old 13ft Diawa Amorhous Whisker light float rod or my Drennan 13ft Acolyte Ultra float rod.

Keith

trotter2 · Dec 26, 2016

My favourite would be my john wilson Avon it's a rod I use consistently all through the season ,river and pond fishing. Never let me down and cost very little in comparison to others I have. For me got to be the most versatile rod I have and an absolute joy.
Never go without it.

sam vimes · Dec 26, 2016

At this point in time, I'd struggle to enthuse over anything but float rods, despite having some corking barbel, carp, light specialist and tip rods. I doubt that I'll ever get excited over quiver tip rods, it's just not a method that I particularly enjoy.

I've got a few float rods to choose from depending on the scenario. My favourites would include Shimano Aerocasts, Shimano Speedcasts, Drennan Acolytes and Normarks. The reason I like any rod always revolves around the actions. With the Acolytes and Normarks you can add supreme lightness to excellent actions.

symonh2000 · Dec 26, 2016

trotter2 said:
My favourite would be my john wilson Avon it's a rod I use consistently all through the season ,river and pond fishing. Never let me down and cost very little in comparison to others I have. For me got to be the most versatile rod I have and an absolute joy.
Never go without it.

I would agree with this, although I do find it a touch light for bigger fish.

But if I had to make do with just the one fishing rod it is the one I would choose..

Mine is the earlier Ryobi version with part cork part EVA handle.

xenon · Dec 26, 2016

in no particular order, Acolyte ultra 15-only had it 6 months, but the best float rod I've ever used (that includes a very good preston 13 ft)-light, balanced and responsive-a joy to use. Harrison Torrix 1.75-great action and feel to it-not a broom handle but gives the impression of large reserves of power lower down if need be? At the other end of the spectrum (price wise, at any rate) Sigma wand-bit of a one trick pony, but a hell of a trick!

Philip · Dec 27, 2016

I never really understood why but I just cant get excited about rods like many others seem to be able to. The last rod I got genuinely excited about was an Alpha Match I got one Xmas as a kid !

Thinking about the rods I have now, the ones I like the best are the though action ones simply because they are nice to play fish on. Other than that I cant think any one rod gives me any more pleasure than any other if I am honest.

kingfisher2007 · Dec 27, 2016

Hi after many years and different makes of rods.
I think Diawa KN Amorphus Whisker 12ft 2.75lbs Carp Rods were the best.
Good power in the mid section , nice forgiving top. no hook pulls on close in.
my best 47lbs came from Chantecoq from long range.
I had a pair unfortunenately I tripped over a fishing platform and landed over one. busting it. The insurance replacement a Infinity DF 2.75lbs seems thinner and made in China. I'm still coming to a decision about it.

I have a 14ft Diawa Tommy Pickering Connniseur Float rod for trotting with a centrepin.

bencarvosso · Jan 18, 2017

picked up some new rods for the coming season...

11ft 1.75lb harrison gti vic gisbsons for close in irish tench fishing

the got some 12ft torrix in 2.5lb for irish carp which dont get massive which can double up for long range big feeder fishing for bream on big loughs.

been using the drennan power float compact for big tench in tight jungle swims and the good wife got me a drennan compact acolyte plus for general float fishing for christmas.. looking forward to using it..

aquired some of the older model fox duo lites in 0.75 for hybrid and roach fishing.. not had a chance to use them either but plan on doing some winter roach fishing this weekend with maggot feeders on a local lough and defo want to break them in ...

sold some rods to make way for the new arrivals.. a 14ft abu conlon which was a beaut but a good friend broke his and loved it, so sold it to him..
also some 11ft 2.25lb harrison multi carp one offs which trev of wilmslow did many moons ago, they had softened up and were superb all rounders....
sold on some drennan tench rods but prefer the compact rods as some of my sessions are quick hits and having the rods set up is a big plus for me

chub_on_the_block · Jan 18, 2017

All my rods are from last millennium except a recent pocket rocket quivertip rod (may have the name wrong).

My favourites are a Daiwa Amorphous Whisker 13ft, A Drennan 12ft 9 Tench Float, either a 12ft Normark Titan or my pair of mid 1980s 11ft Normark Avons one of which I re-handled and re-eyed so they now match.

For many years though i got a lot of pleasure and use from a 9ft 6" KC Angling branded twin top fibreglass leger rod (one tip for quiver, the other with screw tip for a swingtip, but useful as a short Avon style stalking rod). The rod was so heavily used and indestructible that i never worried about breaking it on an unexpected double figure carp or lugging 3oz feeders 70 yards across the Thames. Eventually of course i did break it - by shutting the boot door on it. I have used lighter, thinner and far more sophisticated leger rods since including the fashionable "Light Bomb" rods of recent times, but nothing to date has given such trouble free use (hundreds of sessions) over so many years (from late 1970s to mid 2000s). And who really needs an ultra-light leger rod that sits in the rests most of the time?

barbelboi · Jan 18, 2017

Most used would be -

For trotting - Normark Titan 2000 - still used regularly after almost 18 years must be a reason why. Acolyte Ultra when not using the Titan.

For other uses probably my Harrison Avon Specialists get an airing more than most.............

nhs service · Jan 19, 2017

From the past the Sigma wand. Because it actually worked. You could see a bite!
The Titan 2000, landed fish I'm sure a clot like me would have lost on another rod.
A Normark Bob James twin tip, left with my dad after I gave up for a while. Mysteriously disappeared after he passed.
Currently the Fox 12ft barbel twin tip, 1.5lb tc, has more tips than a betting shop after I found the Daiwa tips fitted perfectly and just looks and feels the part as a big river chub rod.
Funny though how rods come and go. Reels stay around for years.

Favourite Fishing rods and why ?.

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