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WANTED, floodwater setup 🤞🏻

Jack Harcourt

Jack Harcourt

Senior Member & Supporter
Hi all, first post on the forum, i have been fishing for barbel for the last couple of years mainly on the lower severn.

I am looking to upgrade my kit now i know i am heavily invested in barbel fishing, i currently have an old pair of sonik 1.75 rods and a pair of battered shimano 6000dls. I am thinking of keeping these for my zander fishing and getting myself something abit nicer and more robust for the severn floodwater.

Is there anything for sale near Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire?

Or can anyone recommend anything or anywhere worth a look?

Im thinking a pair of rods of around 2.25/2.5 tc and unsure of a reel, preferably something single handled and baitrunner?

As much as i would love a custom pair of rods funds, and the other half would not allow it!🤣

Looking to spend up to £400 all in 🤞🏻 less is a bonus.

Many thanks,
Jack.
 
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Mike Thompson said:
Jack, I've purchased all my quality gear from guys on this site. They are a smashing set of anglers and always give you a true description of what they are offering. I'm sure someone will have just what you need.
Good luck.
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Hi Mike,

I have read through alot of the sale posts and the guys seem really helpful, hopefully someone local has what im after 🤞🏻
 
The guys at Bankside Tackle reckon a lot of the lower Severn fishermen use Korum Barbel rods because they're inexpensive and robust enough for the local conditions. But if your budget is £400.00 (for one rod and reel?) you can buy fancier and new. If you like bait runners, the Shimano Baitrunner OC 6000 is the obvious choice for a reel upgrade. I'd suggest Free Spirit, but their customer service is close to non-existent.
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Kevin Steele said:
The guys at Bankside Tackle reckon a lot of the lower Severn fishermen use Korum Barbel rods because they're inexpensive and robust enough for the local conditions. But if your budget is £400.00 (for one rod and reel?) you can buy fancier and new. If you like bait runners, the Shimano Baitrunner OC 6000 is the obvious choice for a reel upgrade. I'd suggest Free Spirit, but their customer service is close to non-existent.
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Hi Kevin,

Thanks for the reply, yes ive looked at the korum omegas as they are on offer in most places at the moment but have heard mixed reviews on them.

Im sorry my post wasnt very clear, that budget would be for a pair of rods and reels.

I have also looked at the okuma ls-6k reels as have heard good things about them

Cheers,
Jack
 
Mark Harridence said:
The Daiwa Powermesh 2.25 tc and the Guru N-Gauge Specimen Barbel 2.25 tc rods are well worth a look!
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I just bought an 11ft Guru N-Gauge Pro Distance Feeder and it's a lovely rod - not exactly cheap, but for me, it's an Acolyte-beater (see below: spares). Forget the 'distance' bit, I bought it for roaming for chub and perch. The Specimen Barbel is also a nice looking rod in the flesh (the 1.75lb Specimen is a twin tip, but not the 2.25lb), although I've not fished with it. Benwick Sports have the 1.75 and 2.35 on offer, for a penny under £85.0 and £100.00 respectively.

I don't think Guru get much love around here and I've never really looked at them before, but I'm also impressed by their customer service (emails returned within a few hours) and the availability of spares - at less than a third of the cost of Drennan Acolyte replacements - on a dedicated website. Are you listening Drennan and Free Spirit?
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Definitely your in the right mindset of buying for function rather than like what I've done over the years. But I've enjoyed every minute of it.

Keep your eyes peeled on the classifieds on here, as the lads here are a good bunch, and I've not had a bad experience (touch wood) in buying off of here. 😉👍
 
As Mark said. The Powermesh are great rods and were perfect for the Trent / Severn type water or others with full water on.

You'll also be able to get decent reel with the spare cash or good second hand very good ones like Shimano 5000GTEs
 
Julian Griffiths said:
Definitely your in the right mindset of buying for function rather than like what I've done over the years. But I've enjoyed every minute of it.

Keep your eyes peeled on the classifieds on here, as the lads here are a good bunch, and I've not had a bad experience (touch wood) in buying off of here. 😉👍
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Don't worry, I am just softening you up for the big hit!
 
Hopefully picking up a pair of Daiwa powermesh in 2.75tc tomorrow, abit beefier than i was thinking but im sure they will be ok, still looking for a pair of reels to suit, preferably single handled.

Along the lines of shimano 6000/8000OC?

Anything about please chaps?
 
Jack Harcourt said:
Hopefully picking up a pair of Daiwa powermesh in 2.75tc tomorrow, abit beefier than i was thinking....
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Are you sure? They'll be like broomsticks. I'd have thought 2.25lb was about right... why not stick to your original plan? I wouldn't compromise on your choice of rods because they were the right price (if that's the reason).

Plenty of posts on the reels, if you search the forum, but 4000-6000 is probably enough for any barbel rod.
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Kevin Steele said:
Are you sure? They'll be like broomsticks. I'd have thought 2.25lb was about right... why not stick to your original plan? I wouldn't compromise on your choice of rods because they were the right price (if that's the reason).

Plenty of posts on the reels, if you search the forum, but 4000-6000 is probably enough for any barbel rod.
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I have purchased the above rods because surprisingly they are not anything like broomsticks!

4000 reels haven't got the cranking power i will need hence looking for 6000/8000
 
I used to use different tc's for different venues but recently ditched everything under my 2.25lb daiwa theorys and use them exclusively. I don't think a barbel knows whether it lives in the swale or trent. I was at the trent a couple of months ago and had a 5plusser which believed itself to be a double and my 2.25 was bent double. So going up to a 2.75 would not trouble me at all and in fact, before I got dedicated rods for barbel, I used my P1's which are 2.75 and perfectly good enough (for many things). It's not the TC, it's the action!
 
Jack Harcourt said:
Hi Kevin,

Thanks for the reply, yes ive looked at the korum omegas as they are on offer in most places at the moment but have heard mixed reviews on them.

Im sorry my post wasnt very clear, that budget would be for a pair of rods and reels.

I have also looked at the okuma ls-6k reels as have heard good things about them

Cheers,
Jack
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I have a pair of LS-6ks that I use for pike fishing, I think they are great reels for the money.
So impressed that I bought a pair of LS-8ks which I used on a french trip catching cats to 86lb.
Very happy with them, the only downside being that they only come with 1 spool and spares are quite pricey.
 
Okuma 6000 inc’s for my floodwater fishing. I found spare spools at £24 each.

Prior to that I used old (90’s) Shimano GT4000 Baitrunners. Great, solid reels IF you like Baitrunners…..
 
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