• 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...

2 match rods

Richard Isaacs

Senior Member & Supporter
Off setting a fraction of my recent expenditures of a new purchase and an expensive restoration.

While these two rods haven’t been used in some time, it’s not easy to let them go.

Firstly to save some time and questions
Both have great condition original bags.
Both have no damage or modifications whatsoever
Both are original full length
Neither one (to my trained eye) has any scratches on the blanks
Both have solid cork handles.

Rod 1 …….£180.00……is my daiwa spectron 14ft xp M2
I bought it 2 years ago from a member on here and it’s as good today as it was then.

It’s regarded by many as one of the very best trotting rods for heavy lines and big barbel and I wouldn’t disagree given it’s landed a lot of Trent barbel for me up to double figures. (Difference is it lands them easily)

a well balanced power float rod with a chunky arm lock back end countering its 221g overall weight and Ive happily stood in the river for 8 hours holding it comfortably, slamming the brakes on big powerful barbel in fast flowing water. It’s very fast action for a hollow tip power rod and not unsuitable for smaller fish too. It’s massive amount of power doesn’t come into play unless you get it doubled right over with a big powerful fish

Rated up to 10lb lines (8lb 0.23 was about right for me)

Rod 2 ……£60.00……other end of the spectrum entirely
Shimano perfection 13ft ST spliced tip match rod.
This is a little beauty that I’ve owned a good while and sadly gets left at home more often than it deserves.
It’s a cracking little rod that will trot small to medium floats on light lines but it has enough rigidity in the blank to do this for quite long trots. The 500mm tip is sensational and super fast and responsive, the rod balance is beautiful and overall it’s a really nice small to medium river trotting rod.
what can you possibly get new today to match it for even twice this price…….?

The handle is chunky and full cork is fitted with graphite sliders but these are the good ones that fit really tight and don’t let go. I like them a lot because I can put my reel exactly where I want it.

Special price if you take the pair £215.00

Enough waffle …. Pictures! Both very uncommon now to get hold of
IMG_2655.jpeg
IMG_2656.jpeg
IMG_2658.jpeg
IMG_2659.jpeg
IMG_2660.jpeg
IMG_2662.jpeg
IMG_2663.jpeg
IMG_2664.jpeg
IMG_2665.jpeg
IMG_2666.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Bump £160 Spectron
It’s immaculate and I’m traveling a lot. Let me know if you’re interested but holding back because of the distance. You never know I could be passing this week.
 
Would you (or anyone else) happen to know how the Shimano compares to the Drennan stick float rod from the 90's?

And where are you based? you mentioned distance but unless I'm missing the obvious, I can't a reference.

Ta!
 
Would you (or anyone else) happen to know how the Shimano compares to the Drennan stick float rod from the 90's?

And where are you based? you mentioned distance but unless I'm missing the obvious, I can't a reference.

Ta!
Sorry I’m Cambridge

I’ve never handled the old drennan stick float but as far as I know it will differ because that was a hollow tip rod this is spliced.
So this has quite a firm rod body compared to its very soft fast tip. It’s nice for trotting floats and striking with the wrist rather than more of a sweep which you would adopt with stiffer tips.
I couldn’t say how the actions in playing fish would differ though. This is a 2lb-4lb line rod imo. It will handle good sized grayling, roach perch, and chub are not too much of a problem with it either.
Floats up to 4/5g max ideal.

Total casting weight for plumbing up would probably be around 15-20g maximum
 
Sorry I’m Cambridge

I’ve never handled the old drennan stick float but as far as I know it will differ because that was a hollow tip rod this is spliced.
So this has quite a firm rod body compared to its very soft fast tip. It’s nice for trotting floats and striking with the wrist rather than more of a sweep which you would adopt with stiffer tips.
I couldn’t say how the actions in playing fish would differ though. This is a 2lb-4lb line rod imo. It will handle good sized grayling, roach perch, and chub are not too much of a problem with it either.
Floats up to 4/5g max ideal.

Total casting weight for plumbing up would probably be around 15-20g maximum
Thanks Richard, I've been on the look out for a decent stick rod. My current Greys Dave Wesson spliced tip from the same era is very top heavy, too many rings (to keep the line off a wet blank) and over engineered, a break in the tip section repaired with a spigot compounded the matter so I used it for waggler fishing on a rest until I got a decent waggler rod, it's now pretty much redundant and I wont sell as it's a repair (albeit invisible) job.

Pondering!!
 
Thanks Richard, I've been on the look out for a decent stick rod. My current Greys Dave Wesson spliced tip from the same era is very top heavy, too many rings (to keep the line off a wet blank) and over engineered, a break in the tip section repaired with a spigot compounded the matter so I used it for waggler fishing on a rest until I got a decent waggler rod, it's now pretty much redundant and I wont sell as it's a repair (albeit invisible) job.

Pondering!!
I would say from my experience of owning lots of spliced tip rods over the years that being a little tip heavy is the nature of the beast. Even the very top end sphere which is fairly light weight you still feel the additional weight caused by the spliced solid carbon tip
 
I would say from my experience of owning lots of spliced tip rods over the years that being a little tip heavy is the nature of the beast. Even the very top end sphere which is fairly light weight you still feel the additional weight caused by the spliced solid carbon tip
A trait I'm aware of that can be countered by a small amount of lead and araldite in the end of the butt. I did a dry run with mine and a small amount it wasn't. I forgot to mention the over engineering includes a really short handle (to enable passing the rod across the body between hands, god knows why but I fell for it) which greatly affects the balance. This rod was £285 IIRC back in 1994/5ish and I bought it instead of the Drennan stick float,, DOH! If I knew then what I know now!
 
A trait I'm aware of that can be countered by a small amount of lead and araldite in the end of the butt. I did a dry run with mine and a small amount it wasn't. I forgot to mention the over engineering includes a really short handle (to enable passing the rod across the body between hands, god knows why but I fell for it) which greatly affects the balance. This rod was £285 IIRC back in 1994/5ish and I bought it instead of the Drennan stick float,, DOH! If I knew then what I know now!
I don’t like counterweights in rods at all. It should be right in it’s standard form and not require adding additional weight too.
 
Back
Top