Acolyte users??

[Roy Daintith]

Correct Richard. Sorry - obviously meant to write 'Revengers'. Apologies for any confusion. I could do a better pic but not sure it would add. Whippings are black with gold tipping so mimicking the Normark style of that time

 

[Christian Tyroll]

I don’t disagree the GTI su is very capable with big fish, I just couldn’t get on with the weight of it.

The original free spirit has been brilliant to be fair. I always knew it was good but never really appreciated just how good it was until i started catching one or two from the nene this year.

the average fish is around 12lb and they don’t need to travel much more than 5-8 yards to find a snag. That’s a different ball game completely to having fun, letting them run around freely, tiring themselves out on the Trent.
It Just would be nice to hook more of them. You wade through a good few blanks on there before the float sails away with a barbel.

Richard, not having much experience of fish at that size or in that situation I’m genuinely interested how you play them. I’m aware you use a pin for the float fishing so is it hit and hold from the start, giving very hard won line when you feel you can? What strength line are you using?

I’ve only caught the one double in a tiny hit and hold situation and it was with 12lb underrated mono, rapidex and 1.75lb rod, unbelievably exciting but also harrowing.

 

[Neil Watson]

I'll bite because I'd like to know. Are these new rods from a freshly resurrected Normark brand (owned by Rapala VMC) or are they Milo Titan 2024s/Milo Titanics?

Not sure where the blanks originate from, other than they were Normark prototypes

 

[Richard Isaacs]

Richard, not having much experience of fish at that size or in that situation I’m genuinely interested how you play them. I’m aware you use a pin for the float fishing so is it hit and hold from the start, giving very hard won line when you feel you can? What strength line are you using?

I’ve only caught the one double in a tiny hit and hold situation and it was with 12lb underrated mono, rapidex and 1.75lb rod, unbelievably exciting but also harrowing.

That is a difficult question to answer because you don’t really know what you’re going to have to do until you set the hook and see how it’s going to respond.

If I had to generalize then I’d say the 6-9lb bracket of fish are most likely to give you trouble initially.
They charge off in all manner of directions with no real predictability of where they are going to head to. While they are doing this I find side strain with a low rod is best to slow them down and often submerge the tip itself. You’ll feel them roll over the line and that’s when you’ve managed to turn her.
If she’s hugging the bottom them you obviously play them with the rod as high as possible to avoid your line coming into contact with any nasty stuff on the river bed.
Despite being more trouble initially, you’ll put them in the net a lot quicker.

Bigger fish come with their own set of problems but they are more predictable and give you more time to respond generally.

they will try and stay as low as possible and often you are spending the majority of time playing them with the rod high. When they do go for a run it might be slower but it’s a lot harder to stop them and you do have to trust the tackle and the rod to do its job. Sometimes you have to stop them and you should be geared up to do so. Again side strain and very low if it’s charging off to try get it to turn, then up nice and high once it’s turned to keep it off the bottom.

Netting up is obviously the danger zone. Pin or fixed spool be prepared to give line quickly because it’s very unlikely she’ll slip straight in first time.

Sorry it’s a bit of a duff reply. I don’t really know how to answer your question better.

I use 0.23 line for my float fishing for barbel.
It’s about 8lb in most brands

 

[Christian Tyroll]

That is a difficult question to answer because you don’t really know what you’re going to have to do until you set the hook and see how it’s going to respond.

If I had to generalize then I’d say the 6-9lb bracket of fish are most likely to give you trouble initially.
They charge off in all manner of directions with no real predictability of where they are going to head to. While they are doing this I find side strain with a low rod is best to slow them down and often submerge the tip itself. You’ll feel them roll over the line and that’s when you’ve managed to turn her.
If she’s hugging the bottom them you obviously play them with the rod as high as possible to avoid your line coming into contact with any nasty stuff on the river bed.
Despite being more trouble initially, you’ll put them in the net a lot quicker.

Bigger fish come with their own set of problems but they are more predictable and give you more time to respond generally.

they will try and stay as low as possible and often you are spending the majority of time playing them with the rod high. When they do go for a run it might be slower but it’s a lot harder to stop them and you do have to trust the tackle and the rod to do its job. Sometimes you have to stop them and you should be geared up to do so. Again side strain and very low if it’s charging off to try get it to turn, then up nice and high once it’s turned to keep it off the bottom.

Netting up is obviously the danger zone. Pin or fixed spool be prepared to give line quickly because it’s very unlikely she’ll slip straight in first time.

Sorry it’s a bit of a duff reply. I don’t really know how to answer your question better.

I use 0.23 line for my float fishing for barbel.
It’s about 8lb in most brands

Thank you, I think that is how I would have gone about it but good to have some confirmation for when it happens.

 

[Tim Penn]

I have a 15ft acolyte plus which I find a joy to use, not broken a tip on it so far. I also have a cadence cr10 no.3 which is a nice power (ish) float rod and although it’s not as good action wise as the acolyte it feels a bit more powerful to me, no idea if it is in reality, the specs are similar if my memory serves. Storage wise though, which is the reason for my post, I bought a vision 5ft travel tube. It’s made for fly fishing rods when travelling abroad, but it’s well padded, very light, and fits 3 x 3 piece 15ft float rods (maybe even 4) inside in their cloth bags, zipped up and safe from any accidents.

 

[Steve Sorrell]

Got the 15' plus at last and itching to give it a go but suffering with a bad back at the mo
Got to look at storage options now as suprisingly only supplied in a very flimsy rod bag. The last 'premium' Drennan rod I bought (13' IM9), came with a lovely padded case. Shame.

 

[Chris Jones]

Got to look at storage options now as suprisingly only supplied in a very flimsy rod bag. The last 'premium' Drennan rod I bought (13' IM9), came with a lovely padded case. Shame.

For many years, the only Drennan float rods supplied in a padded case are those with a detachable (part) handle. If they were not supplied you'd not be able to buy a padded case to fit (unless Drennan chose to make them as aftermarket items).

 

[Steve Sorrell]

For many years, the only Drennan float rods supplied in a padded case are those with a detachable (part) handle. If they were not supplied you'd not be able to buy a padded case to fit (unless Drennan chose to make them as aftermarket items).

Seems like Drennan are missing a trick.
Given the price and fragility of the longer acolytes, it's a shame they don't produce something to protect them......

Steve

 

[Graham Elliott]

Got the 15' plus at last and itching to give it a go but suffering with a bad back at the mo
Got to look at storage options now as suprisingly only supplied in a very flimsy rod bag. The last 'premium' Drennan rod I bought (13' IM9), came with a lovely padded case. Shame.

That bad back will teach you not to go catching huge Tuna SS

 

[Richard Isaacs]

Seems like Drennan are missing a trick.
Given the price and fragility of the longer acolytes, it's a shame they don't produce something to protect them......

Steve

It’s not just drennan, you’ll pay 50% and more for a top end daiwa and their current range of bags are no better. In fact daiwa bags went down hill as soon as they dropped the blue ones which were extremely good.
Of all the rods I own and have ever owned the best rod bags by a country mile are the ones supplied with my spheres.
These are nice protecting sleeves with thick material and proper sized slots for the sections.
As Chris said the only drennan rods supplied with what i would call a carry case and not a rod bag was the 2 piece versions with the detachable butt

 

[Ben Marr]

I dug out an old Youngs 13 ft trotter the other day for a friend to borrow, that came in a good quality hard tube and cost about £40 iirc...

 

[Graham Elliott]

I dug out an old Youngs 13 ft trotter the other day for a friend to borrow, that came in a good quality hard tube and cost about £40 iirc...

Same as the Youngs travel rods. Avon or Barbel.

 

[Graham Elliott]

Got the 15' plus at last and itching to give it a go but suffering with a bad back at the mo
Got to look at storage options now as suprisingly only supplied in a very flimsy rod bag. The last 'premium' Drennan rod I bought (13' IM9), came with a lovely padded case. Shame.

Steve. I have a padded Daiwa sleeve as per the IM9 ones. What length are your sections. You can have if it fits.

 

[Bob Watson]

It’s not just drennan, you’ll pay 50% and more for a top end daiwa and their current range of bags are no better. In fact daiwa bags went down hill as soon as they dropped the blue ones which were extremely good.
Of all the rods I own and have ever owned the best rod bags by a country mile are the ones supplied with my spheres.
These are nice protecting sleeves with thick material and proper sized slots for the sections.
As Chris said the only drennan rods supplied with what i would call a carry case and not a rod bag was the 2 piece versions with the detachable butt

I've just bought a top end Daiwa rod and the bag it came in is top quality! I also bought some second hand barbel rods from a fellow member on here and the bags they came with were/are very good!

 

[Neil Smart]

Talking of extras in protection, the best I have was with a Drennan specialist Barbel rod, it was the quality single speccy sleeve and also came with a Drennan isotope.

 

[Neil Maidment]

I dug out an old Youngs 13 ft trotter the other day for a friend to borrow, that came in a good quality hard tube and cost about £40 iirc...

I have two of the Youngs 13ft Specimen Float Rods, one original from many years ago and a second hand one bought later. Both came in the excellent hard tubes.

I have several double rod padded holdalls bought very cheaply at the Big One several years ago and use them for home storage. I sometimes use them when needed for the river bank but usually transport my Acolyte 15+ in a tube and try to be more careful in transport and use. No issues so far after a couple of seasons of good use.

 

[Chris Jones]

Most top end Shimano match/feeder rods used to be supplied in zipped Cordura tubes. However, I wouldn't actually used the majority of them over any number of rods that were supplied in bog standard rod bags. No tube, case, or bag would persuade me to purchase a lesser rod over a better one supplied with the most basic bag (or even none at all). The inner bags that Shimano usually used were fairly basic cotton twill with velcro tab flap and side closures. Of their type, these bags are probably my favourites.

Modern top end Daiwa float rods are often supplied in one of their (short, about 25cm) zipped and compartmented bags. There should also be a trademark see through blue tube. The tubes are a nice touch (if the sellers actually give you them). The bags look OK, but they are pretty useless. The rod sections end up on top of each other. Rings put undue pressure on other sections and indent cork/EVA handles in storage. When sections are withdrawn from the bag, you can't help but draw them over zip teeth and pullers. The bigger rings will often snag on their way out. Freespirit also supply similar bags with some of their float rods.

Browning Sphere rod bags are pretty good, unless you are unfortunate enough to get one that breaks down. for no apparent reason. They look horrendous if the rubbery outer skin starts to disintegrate. Shame they don't exist any more.

Rive have supplied a fairly standard bag with a twist with some of their rods. The twist was it is made from what appears to be neoprene. Shame they went bust.

Ultimately, if a basic bag is going to be supplied, I'd prefer it to be a flat 2/3/4 (as required) section bag with velcro tab closures. Drennan's aren't the best, but they do fit that criteria. When greater protection is necessary in transit, I'll choose whichever ready rod hardcase I fancy or use tubes in a quiver/rod holdall.

 

[Chris Jones]

Seems like Drennan are missing a trick.
Given the price and fragility of the longer acolytes, it's a shame they don't produce something to protect them......

Steve

Despite the chatter, they aren't especially delicate. Treat them properly, don't pretend that they are indestructible, and they are generally fine. If the blanks have a genuine manufacturing flaw, you should find out about it inside two uses. Anything after this point is increasingly likely to be down to the user, even if they don't want to hear it.

I've owned two 15'ers and the 17'er since they first came out. I finally managed to break the newest (17'er) in August this year. I've had the rod just shy of seven years. The break was entirely my own fault due to being careless.

A bog standard rod tube is perfectly good protection. If you want to take them to the bank made up, Drennan make some perfectly good hard cases. If you believe soft cases are adequate protection, Drennan make those too. Realistically, such items are available from loads of different brands

 

[Richard Isaacs]

Most top end Shimano match/feeder rods used to be supplied in zipped Cordura tubes. However, I wouldn't actually used the majority of them over any number of rods that were supplied in bog standard rod bags. No tube, case, or bag would persuade me to purchase a lesser rod over a better one supplied with the most basic bag (or even none at all). The inner bags that Shimano usually used were fairly basic cotton twill with velcro tab flap and side closures. Of their type, these bags are probably my favourites.

Modern top end Daiwa float rods are often supplied in one of their (short, about 25cm) zipped and compartmented bags. There should also be a trademark see through blue tube. The tubes are a nice touch (if the sellers actually give you them). The bags look OK, but they are pretty useless. The rod sections end up on top of each other. Rings put undue pressure on other sections and indent cork/EVA handles in storage. When sections are withdrawn from the bag, you can't help but draw them over zip teeth and pullers. The bigger rings will often snag on their way out. Freespirit also supply similar bags with some of their float rods.

Browning Sphere rod bags are pretty good, unless you are unfortunate enough to get one that breaks down. for no apparent reason. They look horrendous if the rubbery outer skin starts to disintegrate. Shame they don't exist any more.

Rive have supplied a fairly standard bag with a twist with some of their rods. The twist was it is made from what appears to be neoprene. Shame they went bust.

Ultimately, if a basic bag is going to be supplied, I'd prefer it to be a flat 2/3/4 (as required) section bag with velcro tab closures. Drennan's aren't the best, but they do fit that criteria. When greater protection is necessary in transit, I'll choose whichever ready rod hardcase I fancy or use tubes in a quiver/rod holdall.

I’m not a fan of Velcro fasteners on rod bags at all. I wouldn’t say those acolyte bags fit much of a criteria for me because the sections rattle about just like the daiwa zip up jobs.
I would have two well positioned ties personally to snug everything up properly.