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Recommendations for a 15ft Speci Float Rod Please?

Russ Pike said:
No worries Jim about the swerve, I love reading the enthusiastic responses and just shows the passion of some members…

I did buy the Accy Speci 15ft this week but yet to try it out due to work commitments. I’m also considering the following for next season:

Harrison MK11 - 15ft SU Float Rod

Normark Avenger 15ft (when released in June)

Hydra X-one 450 (based on feedback and details provided by @Richard Isaacs and Once he’s had a few barbel on it).

Also have my new trotting station / bait waiter almost completed, which again was inspired by @Richard Isaacs so looking forward to trying that out next season.

Thank you to all the advise and recommendations, most appreciated.
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I think you made a wise choice, Russ.
 
The Carbotec No3 is a brilliant rod for float fishing for barbel. Its 13/15 ft. They cost around £260 second hand.

Another rod is the Normark Crusader. Its 15/20 ft long. Don't bother using it at 20ft unless are can sit down and rest it on yor knee as it is heavy.
 
Neil Watson said:
The Carbotec No3 is a brilliant rod for float fishing for barbel. Its 13/15 ft. They cost around £260 second hand.

Another rod is the Normark Crusader. It’s 15/20 ft long. Don't bother using it at 20ft unless are can sit down and rest it on yor knee as it is heavy.
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I never understood the carbotec logic with the available lengths offered in their match rods.
No1 and No2 were available as dedicated 13/15/17 ft match rods or full systems with full length sections and different action’d tip sections. You were literally spoilt for choice if your pockets were deep enough and these lighter actioned rods for filled your needs.
Would have been brilliant to see the no3 get similar options.

The no4 was a totally different beast altogether. That rod was a proper whopper stopper
 
Richard Isaacs said:
I never understood the carbotec logic with the available lengths offered in their match rods.
No1 and No2 were available as dedicated 13/15/17 ft match rods or full systems with full length sections and different action’d tip sections. You were literally spoilt for choice if your pockets were deep enough and these lighter actioned rods for filled your needs.
Would have been brilliant to see the no3 get similar options.

The no4 was a totally different beast altogether. That rod was a proper whopper stopper
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The no4 when released was probably the least looked at of the specimen rods available, so was probably overlooked.
If the chance of one came up now, having never used one .
I would be very interested..
 
Jim Gregory said:
The no4 when released was probably the least looked at of the specimen rods available, so was probably overlooked.
If the chance of one came up now, having never used one .
I would be very interested..
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I had a number 2 full system got it for a bargain price used it twice on the nene. Once at 15ft. Hated it and once at 17ft. Hated that even more.
Sold it and made a nice profit
 
My project for the new season is to catch some Barbel on the float fishing the Severn. I decided I needed a new rod when a friend reassured me you can never have to many rods! 😅
I bought a 15' Acolyte Specimen. Largely on the strength of comments on here. I have never used a 15' rod and have to say it looks mighty long! Anyway I look forward to testing it out. I know people who have Acolytes, mainly the plus model and none have had problems with them snapping which has reassured me somewhat. It does though look and feel a bit fragile in the tip so I will not mistreat it. I have only ever broken one rod and that was my fault.
 
Andrew Jackson said:
My project for the new season is to catch some Barbel on the float fishing the Severn. I decided I needed a new rod when a friend reassured me you can never have to many rods! 😅
I bought a 15' Acolyte Specimen. Largely on the strength of comments on here. I have never used a 15' rod and have to say it looks mighty long! Anyway I look forward to testing it out. I know people who have Acolytes, mainly the plus model and none have had problems with them snapping which has reassured me somewhat. It does though look and feel a bit fragile in the tip so I will not mistreat it. I have only ever broken one rod and that was my fault.
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It won't feel long when you're out on the river using it, Andrew.
I only have the 13 and 14ft Speci acolytes, and they are excellent rods imo. For what it's worth, I think you made a good choice choosing the 15ft acolyte Speci.
 
Andrew Jackson said:
My project for the new season is to catch some Barbel on the float fishing the Severn. I decided I needed a new rod when a friend reassured me you can never have to many rods! 😅
I bought a 15' Acolyte Specimen. Largely on the strength of comments on here. I have never used a 15' rod and have to say it looks mighty long! Anyway I look forward to testing it out. I know people who have Acolytes, mainly the plus model and none have had problems with them snapping which has reassured me somewhat. It does though look and feel a bit fragile in the tip so I will not mistreat it. I have only ever broken one rod and that was my fault.
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I’ve gone and done exactly the same thing Andrew and got myself the Acci 15ft Speci after the advice and info from all this good people on BFW. I also bought a Maver Jurassic 15-17ft but don’t think I’ll be using it for trotting as it’s a bit cumbersome! Also bought a Diawa Connoisseur 14ft Match Rod for £100, never been used, which I thought was a bargain. Skint now mind you 🤦‍♂️ I am picking up a 9ft 2.5lb Chub Outcast plus, at the weekend for £30 never been used. Thought it might come in handy for a bit of stalking and something I can leave set up in my van, should I see an opportunity!
We’ve just got to wait 3 months now before we can test those Acci Speci’s out 🎣
 
Ian Woods said:
It won't feel long when you're out on the river using it, Andrew.
I only have the 13 and 14ft Speci acolytes, and they are excellent rods imo. For what it's worth, I think you made a good choice choosing the 15ft acolyte Speci.
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Thanks Ian. I saw your recent YouTube video using the Acolyte Specimen and you made short work of all those Barbel! 😀
 
Russ Pike said:
We’ve just got to wait 3 months now before we can test those Acci Speci’s out 🎣
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Get out and give it a bend on a commercial, it will give you the experience to landing fish on long rods as the surface a lot further out and also the limits of the rods. If your not a commercial lover, find a very deep pond/lake and get on the slider.... which imo can be a very rewarding way to fish....
 
Russ Pike said:
I’ve gone and done exactly the same thing Andrew and got myself the Acci 15ft Speci after the advice and info from all this good people on BFW. I also bought a Maver Jurassic 15-17ft but don’t think I’ll be using it for trotting as it’s a bit cumbersome! Also bought a Diawa Connoisseur 14ft Match Rod for £100, never been used, which I thought was a bargain. Skint now mind you 🤦‍♂️ I am picking up a 9ft 2.5lb Chub Outcast plus, at the weekend for £30 never been used. Thought it might come in handy for a bit of stalking and something I can leave set up in my van, should I see an opportunity!
We’ve just got to wait 3 months now before we can test those Acci Speci’s out 🎣
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You've got it well covered there Russ! 😀
 
Andrew Jackson said:
Thanks Ian. I saw your recent YouTube video using the Acolyte Specimen and you made short work of all those Barbel! 😀
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Yes, you can get the fish in quite quickly with the speci accys, fantastic rods imo. They are my personal favourites out of all the rods I have. I think Drennan did an amazing job of creating them as they have.
Thanks for watching the videos, Andrew. I hope you enjoy them, bud 👍.
 
Ian Woods said:
Yes, you can get the fish in quite quickly with the speci accys, fantastic rods imo. They are my personal favourites out of all the rods I have. I think Drennan did an amazing job of creating them as they have.
Thanks for watching the videos, Andrew. I hope you enjoy them, bud 👍.
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Yes. Very enjoyable. 😊
 
Jon Frisby said:
Get out and give it a bend on a commercial, it will give you the experience to landing fish on long rods as the surface a lot further out and also the limits of the rods. If your not a commercial lover, find a very deep pond/lake and get on the slider.... which imo can be a very rewarding way to fish....
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Good idea Jon, I will do just that as soon as I get chance!
 
Peter Jones said:
Hey Richard, interesting stuff, and looks a great rod. As a matter of interest why would you choose this over say the
Acolyte Specimen at 15ft?
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Sorry Peter I’ve only just seen this question through browsing.

The simple answer to that is that it’s a little different and a little niche. I’ve owned several acolytes and despite selling all but 1, I do rate them highly as good rods.

But I don’t get the same hype with them and don’t find them to be as interesting as perhaps other rods. Plus everyone has acolytes and i struggle to get excited by them despite the fact on paper they are in fact brilliant.

I’d chose a tricast triaxial, browning sphere river, Avenger 2000/3000 or a TFGear TSI and maybe even a top end older shimano or daiwa before a brand new acolyte and it’s not always because i believe its a better fishing rod. I’m not delusional and know that in many cases they are not.
It’s more often because it’s different or rarer and to me a far more interesting rod.

At the back end of the season Ive been really loving the 1990’s team England stuff from drennan and I find the old action tip rods to be far more desirable to fish with than any acolyte ultra I’ve owned. Just sensational rods I’ll be looking out for more.

I do find that some of these interesting rods to be pretty awful aswell and then sell them on as quickly as I bought them. I’ve never been a massive fan of a lot of the shimano spliced tip rods I’ve owned.
I really don’t enjoy carbotec rods very much at all. Not many Shakespeares, abus, fox’s or Harrison’s have impressed me very much either and I’m sure if I sat and thought about it the list would get very long.

Nearly all of my favorite float rods are rods that you’d have a hard time finding and there’s still afew i would like to find.

There are one or two new gems out now too which equally interest me because they are a bit different and not heavily talked about.
The Preston supera x is just wow if you want a smart alternative to a power float. It eats barbel for breakfast.
I’m actually not an owner of the new normark rods yet but I will be having a 15ft avenger because I am really impressed with what they did with the shorter ones.

And coming back to the hydra that wasn’t supposed to happen but I got coller’d in the tackle shop for my opinion on it and as soon as I got hold of it …. Well I knew it wasn’t staying there. Fell in love with everything about it. Feel, action, power just awesome.

In short….. yeah I like acolytes a lot but I’d always look out for something different and more interesting to me.
 
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