Compact Float Rods

[Aknib]

This is straight off the back of the new Drennan compact float rod thread.

A few have had a pop at this but I reckon the whole idea is flawed, not least because it often involves some sort of compromise which you can only foresee presenting you with issues in the long run but also for the actual, not perceived, practicality of it.

We're sold the ideal of having a ready rigged, transportable float rod yet when we put it into practice and get to the water we find that the whole idea never took into account the conditions on the day so we then change our set up to suit and let's face it, the self same tackle companies will promote endless must have variations of end tackle such as float designs and tip colours to suit those conditions so they can hardly shoot that suggestion down.

By the time you're done the only time you've saved is the minute or so that it takes to assemble the rod, attach the reel and thread the line and you've spent a wad of cash on a compromise.

Add in the fragility and associated dangers of transporting relatively unprotected, ready rigged rods and you're onto a loser imo.

What's your take on it, are they for you or would you rather go the more 'conventional' route?

 

[bullet]

My take is that I can't abide stringing up a rod everytime I go so I like having all mine ready done.
I have no problem with my gear, I treat it carefully but don't fanny about over it.
I use gardening soft tie to keep the sections together.

 

[sam vimes]

I avoid made up float rods like the plague. Fine and dandy for heavier carp and barbel legering set ups. I like to check a lighter line for damage as I set up. Having to actually run the line through rod rings is the ideal opportunity to do so. The few minutes it actually takes also gives me time to consider the conditions, which float/shotting pattern/hook size/hooklink I'm going to use. I'm not in any rush, even when I'm only having an hour or two on the bank.

 

[103841]

Having arthritic fingers tackling up on a cold winter morning on the bank is extremely hard work for me, I’m also always impatient and want to fish the moment I arrive. If I was doing a long session maybe between 8 to 10 hours during the summer months then the rush to fish isn’t such a big deal but I’m increasingly finding my sessions are becoming shorter, sometimes just an hour on the estate, local river or on the beach I don't want to spend half of that tackling up.

Being able to put a 11ft rod made up in my Skoda Superb Estate was a big selling point when choosing a new car. I’m sure sooner or later I’ll have an accident but the pros vastly outweigh the cons.........for now anyway.

 

[Aknib]

Having arthritic fingers tackling up on a cold winter morning on the bank is extremely hard work for me

Hmmm... A good point John.

I've recently developed vibration white finger which is excruciatingly painful at times and to be fair I haven't considered the effects it might have on my future fishing and I'm sure it will at some point or another so I may well end up eating my own words.

Maybe it's a well thought out conspiracy by the tackle companies who know we will, having worked ourselves to near death, end up buying multiple compact float rods to cover every eventuality which we can pre-rig in the comfort and warmth of our homes for every eventuality?

That reminds me, have you seen my new multi-made up rod quiver which I bought only last week?

 

[Pikerwoods]

I have to have all my rods made up before I go fishing as got the shakes from working at ICI with mercury. I used to spill a lot of ale in the past...lol

 

[103841]

Actually a compact rod has no advantages for me, they are 13ft rods, even with the handle detached they are still too long to transport made up.

Having said that I do have an old but lovely Drennan Crystalite rod bought from Chris, 12ft in length but with a removable handle I can slide it into the car, the concept goes back many years!

 

[steve2]

I have to have all my rods made up before I go fishing as got the shakes from working at ICI with mercury. I used to spill a lot of ale in the past...lol

All my rods are also made up in fact they have been made up ready to go for over a year now. I just remove the traces and clip on one when I get there.

 

[Pikerwoods]

Even got my pole set up as well...lol

 

[S-Kippy]

I am in total agreement with Brother Vimes on this one. I do carry rods/reels externally on a quiver now but only my feeder rods and they are not " lined up". I would never carry a float rod like this or any rod " made up". I can see why some people may need for physical/health reasons but imo the time saving is minimal and irrelevant over the course of the average trip. Anyway....rigging up is part of the fun for me,I dont need to get a bait in the water that badly.

I have one of those "compact" rods...a Drennan IM9 classic. Lovely rod but the way it breaks down means I have to use the stupid case it came in which fits no holdall/quiver I own ( internally or externally) and wont balance carried on its own. The ONLY thing I like about that stupid case is that its well padded and there is enough room inside ( just) to fit another rod. No rod bag so I am forced to use the stupid case which would be fine if I only ever carried one rod and had no use for bank sticks or a landing net handle. That will be the day !

 

[Bluenose]

I often take made up rods as I often fish very short sessions and it suits me to have them made up, 10 minutes is worth saving if you're only fishing for 2 hours. That said, they have to be equal length, 2 piece is optimum, 3 pce is do-able but a pita, 3 piece and not equal length... avoid.

I do very occasionally carry the rods in a quiver, on the odd occasion I carry more than 1 rod I have a 3 rod transition quiver which hides most of the rod/line quite nicely. I've carried 2 made up rods in this quite comfortably.

The vast majority of the time I am just chubbing on the local River Weaver with 1 rod. No carry cases, it's a 2pce rod, held top and bottom with 2 short sections of cycle innertube, neoprene butt and tip protectors and a rod band placed just above the reel to keep the line out of the way. With a net/handle and 1 bank stick/rest it's really convenient to pick the rod up and go at a moments notice.

Works for me.

 

[Bluenose]

.... No rod bag so I am forced to use the stupid case which would be fine if I only ever carried one rod and had no use for bank sticks or a landing net handle. That will be the day !

Rod cases. How difficult can it be? Why does the zip often go on the same, underside, where the line is? So the line gets caught in the zip? Why not just have the zip along the spine so you lower the rod in reel first and the zip runs along the top of the blank away from the line? is it just me or is this a basic fault in like 80% of rod cases? I have an old skool shaky mach 3, which came with a case, decent rod, zip on the correct side of the case, nice and easy.

 

[Keith M]

I do like to carry a ready made up float rod at times, but when I do I store it in a padded rod sleeve on the outside of one of my rod quivers, I also usually carry my barbel rods and my various Avon and carp rods ready made up (not at the same time ) and when I do; I always setup my rods at home so I can check my lines and my end tackle properly before hand before I go fishing.

I had a bad stroke a few years ago which has left me with slight movement limitations on my right side, plus I suffer from arthritus in my hands hip and legs as well so setting up on the bank can take me ages some times.

Plus even if I was fit and healthy and didn't need to, I think I would still take advantage of being able to carry a few of my rods ready made up; unless I were fishing somewhere new and unknown to me, or I were needing to use a longer three or four piece rod, and why not? as long as they were freshly made up and checked at home and then transported to the bank safely protected in padded rod sleeves I can't see any problems. It's not being lazy having my rods already made up as I have done the setting up at home instead of on the bank, so all that is left to do once I get there is the plumbing up.

Keith

 

[The Sogster]

In response to the original post I think this is seen as a business opportunity by the tackle companies. They have to constantly reinvent the wheel to get your money, for example look how many buy into the latest rod regardless of cost despite only six months ago buying the greatest rod ever invented. This applies across all disciplines of the sport and is down to individual choice.
It also creates the opportunity to sell new luggage to fit these compact rods because your old stuff is too big. There's a lot of wasted space in a 6 foot long bag for a 3 piece 13ft float rod.

Saying that I have my pike, lure, carp and barbel rods permanently set up however these are all 12ft or under two piece modern rods which are all made in equal lengths, allegedly according to the tackle companies for convenience and a better action. This wouldn't have worked 30 years and more ago because of rod technologies and the size of the average car being much smaller.

I do 99% of my fishing on public transport and it can be a real pain in the derriere with a six foot rod bag and bus ceilings.

I don't understand Sam Vines or Keith M objection regarding checking the line as you set up, surely whether the rod is set up or not it is just as simple and a standard part of the routine to check the guides and line for damage as I normally would and a float adapter if waggler fishing means a quick change for the day to come.
I can understand worrying about expensive or delicate rods but I've never damaged a made up rod in transport in fact the only time I have broken a rod in transit was when I accidentally dropped my padded rod bag with unmade rod inside a rod tube. I believe the rod tip broke against the hard tube. With neoprene tips and tops I think there is more protection.

I agree with Bluenose that most bags have the zip on the wrong side, fine for hardcases but not soft or padded. The Greys prodigy cases have the zip on the spine and I also have a 30 year old Fishrite carp rod bag that is the same.
I would also think these would be cheaper to produce because of the cost saving for a shorter zip. (Tackle companies can pm me for more money saving tips, small consultancy fee applies ?)

 

[S-Kippy]

And another thing. Having your rods already made up is fine if you’ve somewhere to store them. I have no garage so all my “proper” gear lives in the utility room corner and there just isn’t room for made up rods. And these stupid cases with a handle but no strap require a reel to be attached or they won’t balance properly. I hate them with a passion.....you probably noticed.

 

[tigger]

For the biggest part I fish alone. I nearly always use one rod, and so on most occassions I make my rod up at home, be it a two or three piece rod, and strap it together via velcro straps or elastic bands. I don't put the rod in any bags, I simply put the butt into the passenger footwell and rest the rod into to passenger seat. At the venue the bands are removed and the rod assembled and I commence my angling session.

Regarding leaving rods made up 24/7, that is something I would never do. It can't be good for the reel seat or the reel foot being left under pressure like that. Also, when rods are banded together the blanks are under constant pressure where the bands are placed, and again that can't be a good thing and imo may create weak spots on the blank....ok, that's just my thoughts.

 

[Bluenose]

... I would also think these would be cheaper to produce because of the cost saving for a shorter zip. (Tackle companies can pm me for more money saving tips, small consultancy fee applies ?)

Exactly.

 

[rich66]

Not for me, I’ve never understood the need to have a rod made up, health conditions excepted. I like the whole putting a rod together, checking your eyes have lined up, threading up. Adds to my pleasure gives me time to think.

 

[Pikerwoods]

I often take made up rods as I often fish very short sessions and it suits me to have them made up, 10 minutes is worth saving if you're only fishing for 2 hours. That said, they have to be equal length, 2 piece is optimum, 3 pce is do-able but a pita, 3 piece and not equal length... avoid.

I do very occasionally carry the rods in a quiver, on the odd occasion I carry more than 1 rod I have a 3 rod transition quiver which hides most of the rod/line quite nicely. I've carried 2 made up rods in this quite comfortably.

The vast majority of the time I am just chubbing on the local River Weaver with 1 rod. No carry cases, it's a 2pce rod, held top and bottom with 2 short sections of cycle innertube, neoprene butt and tip protectors and a rod band placed just above the reel to keep the line out of the way. With a net/handle and 1 bank stick/rest it's really convenient to pick the rod up and go at a moments notice.

Works for me.

One thing I've done over rescent years is using shorter 10 and 11ft rods like my 10ft Free Spirit carp rods. This means my quiver is short enough to get in house...lol

 

[Richox12]

Business opportunity ?? Of course it is. Look at the responses here. Some like that set-up some don't. And ?? What's wrong with catering for the needs or demands of the market ??

A trolley ? A barrow ?? Nah, just sling it on yer back !!!! It's what we've always done.

Personally I always take every rod made up. It saves a lot of time & hassle. Never have a problem (and use reel lines down to 0.14mm), never snag a zip, never break or damage anything. Never get to my peg and think 'Oh, %$%£, haven't quite the right set-up. I need to change rigs'.

And I always will if I can.