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Free spirit River Tamer 11ft 1.5

M

Mark Evans 2

Senior Member & Supporter
Hi guys,

I think I've decided to try out a FS River Tamer, I'm going for the 1.5lb version first and will add a extra 2oz glass tip for clubbing. I have been using a 11ft Drennan twin tip duo which I find very light and well balanced so hoping the FS will be similar

Fishing the W.Avon around Bidford

Just wondering from anyone who has this version how they get on with it for chub and small to medium sized barbel?

I love 11ft rods so if I like it I may add the 2lb version at a later date

Really dislike the current range of so called barbel rods from the likes of korum, drennan etc, even the 1.75 rods just seem heavy and unbalanced, I wouldn't use one if I had to hold the rod or any length of time, they seem built for sitting on pods style of fishing.
 
I bought one recently. I fish the same river and the same beat, and bought it for many of the same reasons as you - mainly as a roaming chub rod. I'll probably also add 2oz glass, but not until the rivers slow down a bit. Were we separated at birth? 😄

I previously used a 1.25lb Drennan Twin Tip Duo that I thought felt clunky; even though the FS is 1.5lb it seems to have more finesse while still being robust. I also have a Barbel Tamer 1.75, so I can switch the tips between rods. Only used the River Tamer once so far and had small chub and roach on it... it didn't have the Drennan's 'sledgehammer to crack a nut' feel to it. The handle diameter of the Tamers is thin and I have big hands, but I've got used to that. I'm totally happy with these two FS rods.
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Thanks Kevin,

I've had a few of the Darent Valley branded rods before so I'll be used to the very slim handle.

Sounds like it will be perfect for what I'm after.
 
Nice rod, very soft and sensitive. I also have the 11ft 2lb barbel rod, also very good. The only problem I have is the handle, like Kevin said, it’s thin, I think it even thinner than darent valleys. But maybe you will get used to it.
 
Thanks,

I'll take a chance on one, I've been looking at them for quite a while, I've since found my perfect rods in the Shakespeare Solitudes but i have a gap in-between the 2 test curves I own and would also like a quiver section so will pick a FS up and see how I get on with it.

Thanks guys

Happy new Year!
 
Mark Evans 2 said:
Thanks,

I'll take a chance on one, I've been looking at them for quite a while, I've since found my perfect rods in the Shakespeare Solitudes but i have a gap in-between the 2 test curves I own and would also like a quiver section so will pick a FS up and see how I get on with it.

Thanks guys

Happy new Year!
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I have the solitude light quiver rod, I am well impressed with it, and the quiver is interchangeable with FS quiver.
 
I almost went for the light quiver but wasn't sure how light it actually was, I see the tips it comes with are under 2oz, is it too light for some Chubbing? Still going for the FS but could be tempted to get the Solitude also
 
Mark Evans 2 said:
I almost went for the light quiver but wasn't sure how light it actually was, I see the tips it comes with are under 2oz, is it too light for some Chubbing? Still going for the FS but could be tempted to get the Solitude also
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It's not that light, I think it is between 1-1.25lb TC. The light tip is definitely not too light for chubbing, I always use 1oz tip in the winter with FS rod. The tip doesn't involve too much when playing a good fish because of the through action, when the rod bends, the tip is almost straight.
 
Hope it does well for you. I've just realised that it was 60 years ago that I'd be at the Fish & Anchor trotting big lumps of cheese for the chub with a Mk IV avon - about 1lb t/c.
 
Mark Evans 2 said:
Hi guys,

I think I've decided to try out a FS River Tamer, I'm going for the 1.5lb version first and will add a extra 2oz glass tip for clubbing. I have been using a 11ft Drennan twin tip duo which I find very light and well balanced so hoping the FS will be similar

Fishing the W.Avon around Bidford

Just wondering from anyone who has this version how they get on with it for chub and small to medium sized barbel?

I love 11ft rods so if I like it I may add the 2lb version at a later date

Really dislike the current range of so called barbel rods from the likes of korum, drennan etc, even the 1.75 rods just seem heavy and unbalanced, I wouldn't use one if I had to hold the rod or any length of time, they seem built for sitting on pods style of fishing.
Click to expand...
Just seen this. I've been using the FS River Tamer 11' 1.5lb all this season. And I absolutely love it. Have caught lots of Barbel up to 10lb10oz. Not really sure how to describe it but it just feels perfect. It's definitely the best rod in this range I've ever used. As the saying goes.... get what you pay for
 
I've had one for a few seasons now. Had barbel to 15+ on it. I like the supplied quiver for the feeder but find a 1.5oz tip more suited to my winter chub fishing.
My only gripe would be that the handle is a bit long for touch ledgering (for me anyway 😁)
Superb rod, you will not be dissapointed.

Steve
 
Does anyone know the difference between the f.s. River Tamer and Barbel Tamer. Or did they just change the name in the hope of selling more ?
I have two 11' x 1.5tc barbel tamers which were made several years apart. The early one has a smooth Matt finish, the newer one the ridged gloss finish, but action wise they feel the same.
 
I think the river tamer is 1.5lb and the barbel tamer is available in 1.75lb, 2lb and 2.25lb. My barbel tamers are 1.75lb
 
Mike Thompson said:
Does anyone know the difference between the f.s. River Tamer and Barbel Tamer.
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I have the 1.5lb River Tamer and the 1.75lb Barbel Tamer, above. The current models are all twin tips, but a friend has an older 1.75lb Barbel Tamer that is a single tip.
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Are the quoted rod weights for these correct?

They seem awfully light for their TC compared to a lot of other rods on the market and even their own higher spec rods in the same TC ratings
 
I've not weighed mine, but from the feel of them I'm guessing the quoted weights are pretty accurate.
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I bought second hand a 1.5 barbel tamer the original smooth finish single tip version. First fish was a 12lb 6oz very angry barbel from a swim about 12 ft deep. Typically the barbel ignored my perfectly presented luncheon meat on the rod I had set out to deliberately catch on and took a single pellet dropped on an inside line as a tempter for anything. It took an age to prise the fish off the bottom but coped very well once it got its nose up. Beautiful small river rod and light as a feather. Needless to say I would not set out to intentionally use the rod in that swim as it took an awful lot out of both myself and the fish though after sufficient rest we both survived!
 
Sounds like a lovely rod,

I'll be going for the 1.5lb version first as I'm not catching many Barbel from the W Avon anymore and it's sounds more like than enough for the job (the Thomas Turner classic 1lb Avon I also looked at suggests they are using those for barbel too, even for such a light TC rod) and then at a later date I may add the 11ft 2lb version.
 
Evening gents I bought a 11ft tamer 2lb tc earlier in the year and av to said its a cracking little rod .if i could change one thing the cork handle abit slim..iv add torrix a 11ft 1.75 and never really got away with them .iv always wanted to see what a 11ft seeker is like maybe I'm a free spirit lover ..the hi s barbel rod is awsome rod but for a smaller rod the tamer is cracking ..
 
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