• You need to be a registered member of Barbel Fishing World to post on these forums. Some of the forums are hidden from non-members. Please refer to the instructions on the ‘Register’ page for details of how to join the new incarnation of BFW...

Graham Phillips Barbel Rod

Michael Foster said:
Hi Roger

I've had a couple of Graham Phillips Barbel Quivers for nearly 30 years now. These were highly regarded in their day. Paul Boote built the earlier rods until Nicholas Whip took over the company and continued the building.

Mine are the 1.25 Barbel Quivers. These came with a removable top eye and an overfit quiver, Fuji single leg eyes and Roberts reel fits, and built on Century blanks. A proper through action rod that will bend tight through to the butt when maximum pressure is applied. Matched with a Cardinal 54 they accounted for 99% of the Cherwell and Upper Thames barbel that I landed, until I moved down under in 2000. They also doubled up as superb Tench rods, matched with Cardinal 55s, and accounted for all the Tench I landed from Queenford Lagoon during the same period.

I got Nicholas Whip to kindly supply me with an extra top section for one of the rods, which I passed to Merv Wilkinson (RIP), who chopped it and spiced a 2 ounce quiver into it, which I used for all my Chub fishing. I never was a fan of the overfit quivers as I wanted to retain the rod length at 11ft.

My fishing companion bought a used Graham Phillips Barbel 1.5 SU about 18 months ago. He stripped it, put a new cork handle and screw down reel fit on it, rewhipped it with the original eyes, and touched up the varnish. Our next session on the Thames he landed a 15.4 lb Barbel on it!

The two rods I have are still fully in tact, with removeable top eyes and overfit quivers, and in very good condition for their age, which is testament to the quality of the rod build, no ED problems either!! Had thought about cleaning them up and moving them on, as I have slowly converted to Harrisons over the last few years.

Mick
Click to expand...
Yes that's the one I have. These were a popular rod on the Stour in the early 90s. Unfortunately mine was about as straight as a dog's hand leg! It was like that from new. The tip was bent down quite a bit which made the quiver look way out of line. The spigot wasn't dead straight either so the rod wasn't true like it should have been. I was a bit disappointed with it to be honest but all that aside, I caught some nice fish on it.
 
Andrew Jackson said:
Yes that's the one I have. These were a popular rod on the Stour in the early 90s. Unfortunately mine was about as straight as a dog's hand leg! It was like that from new. The tip was bent down quite a bit which made the quiver look way out of line. The spigot wasn't dead straight either so the rod wasn't true like it should have been. I was a bit disappointed with it to be honest but all that aside, I caught some nice fish on it.
Click to expand...
Hind leg!
 
Re-activating this thread in the hope of advice on alternatives. My GP 11 ft 1.25 barbel quiver was stolen recently and the chances of finding one secondhand seem slim. So looking at one of these 11ft rods - Harrison Avon 1.25, Torrix 1.25 or Chimera Avon. I mainly touch leger at close range and don't really need a quiver. Any advice on which would be a good replacement?
 
It's no surprise to a lot of my BFW buddies on here, that I have them all. 🙄

I like the 11ft Torrix 1.25 but understand they're now only available at 12ft.
lovely balance, and I've got mark Tunley building me one at the moment (12') good rod by all accounts for more general specialist angling. Had some big perch on them too, and nice Chub. Nice action, and stronger in the butt section than the 1.5lb version so I'm told... My favourite.

Bit if a funny one from a personal perspective on the 11ft Harrison Avon, a bit under gunned when I was using it for my chub fishing, the blank was being pulled straight when holding against a departing chub not a nice feeling😂, also supplied with spliced in tips from Harrison, so you can't specify what quiver you'd want on the end if it unfortunately.
But brilliant for the Perch and small chub side of things.

Chimera Avon, a lovely rod, beautiful balance, but only had small chub on this so far, nice looking blank too (not that that's going to catch you more😂)

I like the Harrison Avon for touch legering the most, got that 'light rod' feel in the hand, but some squeaky bum moments when I hooked fish intent for the snags.
 
Richard Aylard said:
Re-activating this thread in the hope of advice on alternatives. My GP 11 ft 1.25 barbel quiver was stolen recently and the chances of finding one secondhand seem slim. So looking at one of these 11ft rods - Harrison Avon 1.25, Torrix 1.25 or Chimera Avon. I mainly touch leger at close range and don't really need a quiver. Any advice on which would be a good replacement?
Click to expand...
Richard, did that rod have overfitting quiver tops?
 
Richard
Just in case you wanted another GP rod I have both the 11' Barbel Quiver 1 1/4lb and the 11' Barbel S/U 1 1/2lb which I may be willing to sell
both have screw reel seats fitted
I live 8 miles south of Salisbury
Mike
 
Richard Aylard said:
Re-activating this thread in the hope of advice on alternatives. My GP 11 ft 1.25 barbel quiver was stolen recently and the chances of finding one secondhand seem slim. So looking at one of these 11ft rods - Harrison Avon 1.25, Torrix 1.25 or Chimera Avon. I mainly touch leger at close range and don't really need a quiver. Any advice on which would be a good replacement?
Click to expand...
If it were me I'd go for a Harrison SU Avon 1lb 6oz tc. I have a couple. I also have the old Graham Phillips BQ. I think the Harrison might be a little bit more steely but I doubt you will be disappointed. For close range Barbel and Chub fishing it is excellent. I believe the standard Avon is quite a light rod which might be better suited to Chub. I don't know though having not seen one. Don't be put off by the term SU. It's not a poker and will bend right through with the traditional Avon action and is much slimmer in the butt than the Graham Phillips standard Barbel quiver rod.
 
Andrew Jackson said:
If it were me I'd go for a Harrison SU Avon 1lb 6oz tc. I have a couple. I also have the old Graham Phillips BQ. I think the Harrison might be a little bit more steely but I doubt you will be disappointed. For close range Barbel and Chub fishing it is excellent. I believe the standard Avon is quite a light rod which might be better suited to Chub. I don't know though having not seen one. Don't be put off by the term SU. It's not a poker and will bend right through with the traditional Avon action and is much slimmer in the butt than the Graham Phillips standard Barbel quiver rod.
Click to expand...
 

Attachments

  • 17378050489658108360581722574939.jpg
    17378050489658108360581722574939.jpg
    114 KB · Views: 46
Julian Griffiths said:
Bit if a funny one from a personal perspective on the 11ft Harrison Avon, a bit under gunned when I was using it for my chub fishing, the blank was being pulled straight when holding against a departing chub not a nice feeling😂,
Click to expand...
I have the Avon 1lb 6oz with 2oz spliced quiver tip and I have to say I disagree with your thoughts entirely.

Mines had some belting chub on it and barbel over 12lb when they crash the party. It’s a medium to through action rod, slim slow taper blank with quite thick blank walls. Very strong rod despite feeling “classically Avon” like.

Strength and stiffness are two completely different things yet most people assume they are one and the same thing.

With the pressure on I really think it’s far more capable than you’d believe.
Leverage is definitely your friend with it and that blank will definitely cope with big barbel and land them quickly.
 
Andrew Jackson said:
If it were me I'd go for a Harrison SU Avon 1lb 6oz tc. I have a couple. I also have the old Graham Phillips BQ. I think the Harrison might be a little bit more steely but I doubt you will be disappointed. For close range Barbel and Chub fishing it is excellent. I believe the standard Avon is quite a light rod which might be better suited to Chub. I don't know though having not seen one. Don't be put off by the term SU. It's not a poker and will bend right through with the traditional Avon action and is much slimmer in the butt than the Graham Phillips standard Barbel quiver rod.
Click to expand...
I’m really confused. I have the 11ft Harrison Avon. I understand this to have a test curve of 1.4lbs that is decimal 1.4lbs which is about 1lb 6 oz. I don’t have a Harrison Avon SU. I believe 1.6lbs (decimal) is the test curve which is 1lb 9oz. I think the 1.4 Avon is also sometimes interpreted as 1lb 4oz I.e. 1 1/4lb. Has anyone got the definitive answer on Harrison Avon tc

I find the 11ft Harrison Avon quite soft so Ok for short range I use it for chub, bends right up very light in the hand. The tip is sensitive enough but I also have another tip with a spliced 3oz quiver should I need more sensitivity.
 
Last edited:
Ralph Harris said:
I’m really confused. I have the 11ft Harrison Avon. I understand this to have a test curve of 1.4lbs that is decimal 1.4lbs which is about 1lb 6 oz. I don’t have a Harrison Avon SU. I believe 1.6lbs (decimal) is the test curve which is 1lb 9oz. I think the 1.4 Avon is also sometimes interpreted as 1lb 4oz I.e. 1 1/4lb. Has anyone got the definitive answer on Harrison Avon tc

I find the 11ft Harrison Avon quite soft so Ok for short range I use it for chub, bends right up very light in the hand. The tip is sensitive enough but I also have another tip with a spliced 3oz quiver should I need more sensitivity.
Click to expand...
Ralph. I think you will find the standard Avon has a 1lb 4oz tc ( 1 1/4 lb tc). The SU has a 1lb 6oz tc so a couple of ounces heavier. It's not rated in metric terms.
 
Andrew Jackson said:
Ralph. I think you will find the standard Avon has a 1lb 4oz tc ( 1 1/4 lb tc). The SU has a 1lb 6oz tc so a couple of ounces heavier. It's not rated in metric terms.
Click to expand...
I have four of the Harrison rods, two of each. The 1.4 decimal test curve equates roughly to 1lb 6oz (actually 6.4ozs to be precise) and the 1.6 decimal test curve equates roughly 1lb 10ozs (actually 9.6ozs to be precise). Hope this helps.
 
Steve Kenchington said:
I have four of the Harrison rods, two of each. The 1.4 decimal test curve equates roughly to 1lb 6oz (actually 6.4ozs to be precise) and the 1.6 decimal test curve equates roughly 1lb 10ozs (actually 9.6ozs to be precise). Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
Andrew Jackson said:
Ralph. I think you will find the standard Avon has a 1lb 4oz tc ( 1 1/4 lb tc). The SU has a 1lb 6oz tc so a couple of ounces heavier. It's not rated in metric terms.
Click to expand...
Nice to know I’m not the only one confused!
 
Steve Kenchington said:
I have four of the Harrison rods, two of each. The 1.4 decimal test curve equates roughly to 1lb 6oz (actually 6.4ozs to be precise) and the 1.6 decimal test curve equates roughly 1lb 10ozs (actually 9.6ozs to be precise). Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
Thinking a bit further on the subject the above, this was what Graham in Davies Tackle Christchurch told me when I bought them. The SU stands for stepped up according to Graham at the time and he used to get them made up for him by Harrison I think. I have never actually done a physical test myself but have had barbel to over 12lb on the 1.4s and over 15lb on the 1.6s.
 
I would have a look a getting a direct replacement Richard as you'll not find a rod similar to that in today's market.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top