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Wanted 15ft float road

It’s going to be difficult for anyone to make suggestions or offers without any specifics other than “not acolyte”

What’s your ambition or plan for the rod?
Silvers, stepped up, power

What’s wrong with acolytes?

any other preferences or dislikes.?
 
I have all the acolytes in 14ft length, plus a matchpro in 14ft for silvers.

I was rushing in my original post admittedly. I’m after a stepped up/power rod for big grayling in fast water. Ideally an older rod with full cork handle, something like the daiwa spectron or connoisseur
 
Steven Ballard said:
I have all the acolytes in 14ft length, plus a matchpro in 14ft for silvers.

I was rushing in my original post admittedly. I’m after a stepped up/power rod for big grayling in fast water. Ideally an older rod with full cork handle, something like the daiwa spectron or connoisseur
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Have you had a look at the Acolyte Specimen rods yet? I bought a 13' and a 15' last Christmas for exactly the task you have in mind. They've been used extensively for even modest grayling and proved to be excellent. Since the closed season, they've mainly seen stillwater use. They've been good with decent tench and modest roach, rudd and perch that invariably turn up if you fish with maggots.
 
Steven Ballard said:
I have all the acolytes in 14ft length, plus a matchpro in 14ft for silvers.

I was rushing in my original post admittedly. I’m after a stepped up/power rod for big grayling in fast water. Ideally an older rod with full cork handle, something like the daiwa spectron or connoisseur
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The older spectrons and connoisseurs were not available in 15ft lengths unfortunately.

At 14ft the extra power versions of both rods were excellent as I’m sure you know and would probably be an absolute delight at meeting the requirements.

Not easy to find granted and certainly not a full cork handle I’ll admit…. But if you get opportunity to buy a browning sphere 15’6 river rod then that’s the one I’d go for above all others if the opportunity to obtain one arrives.

If you’ve got acolytes already why wouldn’t you just save yourself some grief with looking for difficult to find rods and just buy another like Chris pointed out above
 
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Why do you need a 'stepped up/power rod' rod for grayling? A 15ft Acolyte Plus would easily be enough rod. I've had double-figure nuisance pike on my 14ft Plus. I also have the 14ft Acolyte Specimen - for barbel - but I'd use the Plus if I were after grayling.

I partially agree with Chris and Richard, in that I'd buy a 15ft Acolyte, but the Plus (or rather, I'd disagree with everyone and I'd stick with a 14ft Plus... albeit, you obviously want the extra foot).
.
 
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Kevin Steele said:
Why do you need a 'stepped up/power rod' rod for grayling? A 15ft Acolyte Plus would easily be enough rod. I've had double-figure nuisance pike on my 14ft Plus. I also have the 14ft Acolyte Specimen - for barbel - but I'd use the Plus if I were after grayling.

I partially agree with Chris and Richard, in that I'd buy a 15ft Acolyte, but the Plus (or rather, I'd disagree with everyone and I'd stick with a 14ft Plus... albeit, you obviously want the extra foot).
.
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When in fast water, you may require 8 or 10g lead, and the rods needs to be strong enough to against the flow as well.

Same why we use high tc rods in flood conditions.
 
Richard Isaacs said:
The older spectrons and connoisseurs were not available in 15ft lengths unfortunately.

At 14ft the extra power versions of both rods were excellent as I’m sure you know and would probably be an absolute delight at meeting the requirements.

Not easy to find granted and certainly not a full cork handle I’ll admit…. But if you get opportunity to buy a browning sphere 15’6 river rod then that’s the one I’d go for above all others if the opportunity to obtain one arrives.

If you’ve got acolytes already why wouldn’t you just save yourself some grief with looking for difficult to find rods and just buy another like Chris pointed out above
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Browning sphere is the one I would go for.
 
I have the old Preston Innovations Excel as my 15' float rod, man enough for chub and barbel but still light enough for grayling. My preferred grayling rod though is my 13' Matchpro.
 
Kevin Steele said:
Why do you need a 'stepped up/power rod' rod for grayling? A 15ft Acolyte Plus would easily be enough rod. I've had double-figure nuisance pike on my 14ft Plus. I also have the 14ft Acolyte Specimen - for barbel - but I'd use the Plus if I were after grayling.

I partially agree with Chris and Richard, in that I'd buy a 15ft Acolyte, but the Plus (or rather, I'd disagree with everyone and I'd stick with a 14ft Plus... albeit, you obviously want the extra foot).
.
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Your not just playing a 2lb grayling your playing the force of the current as well. I can fully understand why Chris would recommend the specimen rod because on some of the dales rivers he fishes a modest grayling in that pressure of water wouldn’t have a problem doubling the rod right over.
It is likely to be a very balanced tackle set up.
Plus would do it also yes but they are not stepped up rods imo. They are very much the equivalent in power to the many many shimano fa rods I’ve owned and use. Some of which might feel quite under gunned on a fast dales river tangled with a hard fighting grayling
 
Speaking from my own experiences of targetting grayling in some of the faster flowing areas of large powerful flowing rivers, fish of what people would consider to be classed as specimen grayling I did have some issues catching them whilst using softer actioned rods. I found that because of the way a grayling fights, a softer rod would allow them (especially the larger fish) to bounce off the hook. Because of this scenario when using a lighter rod "such as a normark microlite".... as an example, I would have to play the fish very hard, virtually dragging it upstream so as to keep the rod curved right over at all times allowing no bounce! Whilst using the microlites bigger brother, the normark avenger, this issue was lessened massively.

Regarding the power of the drennan acolyte plus float rods, I used them for years to target barbel whilst float fishing for them with no real issues, so there is no question the rods have more than enough power to catch the very largest of grayling...but...after saying that if you are trying to maximise your chances of landing a specimen grayling, the extra bit of stiffness in the mid and tip sections of the specci acolyte may just prevent that bit of bounce that can occur when winding in a larger grayling and may just prevent you from loosing that fish of a lifetime.

Oh, regarding rod length, thats got to be personal preference or whatever is best suited to the venue....imo.
 
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I’ve fished for specimen grayling for many years, and have caught numerous 3lbers. The only rod I’ve ever felt totally in control when hooking big fish in fast, deep runs is the spectron power float, but in 14ft. But having gained access to new stretches, a 15ft er is needed.
The older acolytes in my personal opinion just don’t have the power, even the plus’s. It’s ok people saying they will do the job, but unless you’ve hooked a 3.5lb grayling in turbulent water you can’t really make that call!
 
Ian Woods said:
Speaking from my own experiences of targetting grayling in some of the faster flowing areas of large powerful flowing rivers, fish of what people would consider to be classed as specimen grayling I did have some issues catching them whilst using softer actioned rods. I found that because of the way a grayling fights, a softer rod would allow them (especially the larger fish) to bounce off the hook. Because of this scenario when using a lighter rod "such as a normark microlite".... as an example, I would have to play the fish very hard, virtually dragging it upstream so as to keep the rod curved right over at all times allowing no bounce! Whilst using the microlites bigger brother, the normark avenger, this issue was lessened massively.

Regarding the power of the drennan acolyte plus float rods, I used them for years to target barbel whilst float fishing for them with no real issues, so there is no question the rods have more than enough power to catch the very largest of grayling...but...after saying that if you are trying to maximise your chances of landing a specimen grayling, the extra bit of stiffness in the mid and tip sections of the specci acolyte may just prevent that bit of bounce that can occur when winding in a larger grayling and may just prevent you from loosing that fish of a lifetime.

Oh, regarding rod length, thats got to be personal preference or whatever is best suited to the venue....imo.
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On the small river/beck I fish for them frequently during winter I have found the little 11ft ultra to be brilliant for them and definitely better in this case scenario then stiffer rods.

It’s a very tippy little rod that does bend well but for short trots in a relatively medium to gentle flow it is an awful lot of fun and they stay on as well as grayling do (everyone drops a couple)

I’m looking forward to having another crack this winter again.
 
I've enjoyed my grayling fishing on the Wye, Frome, Itchen and Taff.
Finding the Hardy 14ft or the Shaky Mach 1 perfect.

With numbers of 2lb fish up to 2.15 they have been ideal when fishing flows that allow at least a bit of water clarity.

I'm guessing some of the Scottish rivers, Annan for example can be real torrents on occasion as can rivers like the Ribble.

I'm wondering if most anglers are including a small swivel in the hooklink when targeting them. I suffer very limited loses, probably less than 1 per 15 or more fish, and usually just prior to netting when bringing to the surface flow.
 
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I fish the lower itchen for grayling, and use the 15ft acolyte plus. It's not the grayling I have problems with it's the trout steaming off , doubling the rod over, I'm normally chasing the bloody things along the bank.
 
Graham Elliott said:
I'm wondering if most anglers are including a small swivel in the hooklink when targeting them. I suffer very limited loses, probably less than 1 per 15 or more fish, and usually just prior to netting when bringing to the surface flow.
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Yes Graham, the 14ft marksman is ideal for them.

I often prefer to use a swivel to attatch the hooklength, biggest reason I do is because of line twist caused by retrieving the bait back quickly in fast flowing water.
I have found that using a thicker line, 6lb sensor at .23/.24 negates the need for a swivel as it is more resistant to twist. When using 6lb line straight through to the hook I have found nothing to suggest it's thicker diameter puts the grayling off in any way.
 
Graham Elliott said:
I've enjoyed my grayling fishing on the Wye, Frome, Itchen and Taff.
Finding the Hardy 14ft or the Shaky Mach 1 perfect.

With numbers of 2lb fish up to 2.15 they have been ideal when fishing flows that allow at least a bit of water clarity.

I'm guessing some of the Scottish rivers, Annan for example can be real torrents on occasion as can rivers like the Ribble.

I'm wondering if most anglers are including a small swivel in the hooklink when targeting them. I suffer very limited loses, probably less than 1 per 15 or more fish, and usually just prior to netting when bringing to the surface flow.
Click to expand...
Yes I always use a swivel too.
Same reason as Ian gives to avoid twists with double red helicopters.
 
I have a Hardy Marksman Supero 15ft I’d consider selling. It’s in excellent condition with the original tube but not original bag (it has the 14ft bag 🤷🏽‍♂️). I can send pics if interested.
 
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