Clive Shipman
Senior Member & Supporter
At this moment my 10' Hexagraph self built rods (made from a 15ft salmon rod rods top 2 sections). Not the most amazing builds but look ok, but a growing process that took a fair bit of work.
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- Thread starter Neil Smart
- Start date
I know this is an old post but I'm intrigued because I didn't know there was an 11 foot Trefor West Rod.
I owned a 12ft Century Pulse Trefor West and have seen the Lone Angler 12ft Trefor West (Harrison Blank) and the Flood Rod. I'm also aware that there was a Tony Miles 11 foot barbel - also Century Pulse I think.
Any further info on this?
Neil
Richard Isaacs
Senior Member & Supporter
My veiw on this original question from Neil has changed somewhat.
It’s now not based on the fact of how many different types of fishing could I do with a rod but more to do with the fact that I mostly rebuilt and 100% redesigned a float rod which is so bloody perfect in every way, I couldn’t let it go before every thing else I own.
To save a long drawn out post of what I did and why I did it and all the grief I went through with different splices, tip lengths and extension lengths…..etc, it’s a normark avenger team 2000 that I built from 2 scrap rods to my own design.
It has gone from a full gloss 3 section 13ft rod into a …… ground finish 5 section twin tip (hollow/splice) multi length (13ft/14ft) float rod with a new handle, slightly changed guide positions and a decent weight reduction/better new balance point.
It’s basically a total 1 off rod built on one of the best carbon blanks the world has ever seen, it’s feather light, perfectly balanced with the option to fish it at 2 lengths (both work perfectly) and the option of the river or specimen waggler tip sections (again both work perfectly) it’s the best trotting rod I have ever owned and this would be the rod i kept now.
It’s now not based on the fact of how many different types of fishing could I do with a rod but more to do with the fact that I mostly rebuilt and 100% redesigned a float rod which is so bloody perfect in every way, I couldn’t let it go before every thing else I own.
To save a long drawn out post of what I did and why I did it and all the grief I went through with different splices, tip lengths and extension lengths…..etc, it’s a normark avenger team 2000 that I built from 2 scrap rods to my own design.
It has gone from a full gloss 3 section 13ft rod into a …… ground finish 5 section twin tip (hollow/splice) multi length (13ft/14ft) float rod with a new handle, slightly changed guide positions and a decent weight reduction/better new balance point.
It’s basically a total 1 off rod built on one of the best carbon blanks the world has ever seen, it’s feather light, perfectly balanced with the option to fish it at 2 lengths (both work perfectly) and the option of the river or specimen waggler tip sections (again both work perfectly) it’s the best trotting rod I have ever owned and this would be the rod i kept now.
Neil Blakemore
Senior Member
I know Lone Angler did an 11ft 1.75 barbel rod.
Neil Smart
Senior Member
Very nice Rich.
I'm late to the party but my must keep rod is my Harrison 4-piece 11ft 1.5lb avon. It's more through actioned/softer than some but I've caught barbel to mid doubles on it and it bends when other's don't and I love the playing action. I only use 11ft rods for barbel fishing except when punching big feeders into big rivers whe I use a 12ft Fox Duo Lite FX Specimen 2.75lb tc which does the job perfectly and has a nice progressive action when playing fish but if I had to choose one I would definitely be fishing the 4-piece avonunder arm lobs with a centrepin - and would choose my swims accordingly.
I have a number of reels that I use including a battered Speedia Deluxe, a Maun Valley Speedia Copy(ish) by Garry Mills and a Barbel Catcher
by Gary Mills- I would have to keep the Barbel Catcher because it is ideal for barbel fishing with very strong construction and a fully adjustable ratchet to suit any flow speed - the only thing I would change is to make it 4 inch diameter rather than 4 1/2 inch.
I also have a Chris Lythe Scotton Long Trotter 41/4 inch and it the best trotting reel, even better than my Paul Witcher Avon Elite but I am discounting these as I don't use them specifically for barbel.
I have a number of reels that I use including a battered Speedia Deluxe, a Maun Valley Speedia Copy(ish) by Garry Mills and a Barbel Catcher
by Gary Mills- I would have to keep the Barbel Catcher because it is ideal for barbel fishing with very strong construction and a fully adjustable ratchet to suit any flow speed - the only thing I would change is to make it 4 inch diameter rather than 4 1/2 inch.
I also have a Chris Lythe Scotton Long Trotter 41/4 inch and it the best trotting reel, even better than my Paul Witcher Avon Elite but I am discounting these as I don't use them specifically for barbel.
What I have learned about rods is one man's meat is another man's poison and what is excellent for one angler might be absolutely not for another.
I bought a very expensive Daiwa Tournament 14 ft power float rod designed and recommended by Dave Harrell who is an undisputed master of float fishing but I did not like it at all. I found it too tippy and stiff in comparison to my preferred Korum Precision 13ft 4 piece Power Float rod. A rod which I'm sure Dave Harrell would not like.
I've also learned that I don't like float rods over 13ft and would rather work harder on presentation with a 13 footer.
I do also like my Drennan Crystalite 12ft float rod and Shimano Diaflash 13 which are both superb rods with quite different actions
I bought a very expensive Daiwa Tournament 14 ft power float rod designed and recommended by Dave Harrell who is an undisputed master of float fishing but I did not like it at all. I found it too tippy and stiff in comparison to my preferred Korum Precision 13ft 4 piece Power Float rod. A rod which I'm sure Dave Harrell would not like.
I've also learned that I don't like float rods over 13ft and would rather work harder on presentation with a 13 footer.
I do also like my Drennan Crystalite 12ft float rod and Shimano Diaflash 13 which are both superb rods with quite different actions
Mike Thompson
Senior Member & Supporter
Hi Neil,
I purchased the rod second hand from another forum member and can find very little information. I believe it was available about 2012 , list price £240, and was called the Trefor West barbel stalker. It was made on a very dark green, Harrison blank, but there is some debate if it is a Torrix blank or one make specifically for Trefor.
I have put it along side a Torrix and with line through both the bend is almost identical, but the ringing in the two rods was not the same, so comparison is subjective.
I love the rod and would dearly like to find another.
Mike
I'm pretty sure that all the Lone Angler blanks were made by Harrison but Trefor said they were specifically made for Lone Angler and not just made from one of the usual blanks. He always said that Harrison didn't have any blanks that would bend as progressively like the Century Pulse . I seem to recall that it wasn't Trevors choice to switch to Harrison - I think Century didn't want to do the rod anymore so he had to find an alternative
Having done a search I found a Lone Angler rod listed as Trefor West Stalker at 11ft 1.75lb and that is very appealing to me because I much prefer 11ft rods. I've never seen one and I can't recall ever seeing one up for sale. My 12 ft Trefor West Century Pulse was sold on because I had other 11ft rods I preferred. I would never have bought one of Trefors rods new because they were always really expensive - even by todays standards
I also bought a Trefor West rod which I'm pretty sure pre-dated the Century Pulse 12 ft. I can't recall the name of the maker but it was more or less identical to the Century Pulse (probably the same blank) but it didn't have the removable tip ring and push over quiver tips - I never used the quiver tip option but did worry a bit that the tip ring might get lost.
Having done a search I found a Lone Angler rod listed as Trefor West Stalker at 11ft 1.75lb and that is very appealing to me because I much prefer 11ft rods. I've never seen one and I can't recall ever seeing one up for sale. My 12 ft Trefor West Century Pulse was sold on because I had other 11ft rods I preferred. I would never have bought one of Trefors rods new because they were always really expensive - even by todays standards
I also bought a Trefor West rod which I'm pretty sure pre-dated the Century Pulse 12 ft. I can't recall the name of the maker but it was more or less identical to the Century Pulse (probably the same blank) but it didn't have the removable tip ring and push over quiver tips - I never used the quiver tip option but did worry a bit that the tip ring might get lost.