• 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...

Best 12ft low water/small barbel rod?

M

Marcus Ruoff

Active Member
I have really gotten the barbel bug and would like to invest in the best low water/small barbel rod that money can buy.
I have thought about a 12ft 1 3/4lbs rod but am open to other suggestions as no test curve seems to be equal.

Some modern rods are stiff pokers at this TC while others are more old school.

I have the Free Spirit Barbel tamer in 12ft 1 3/4lbs and they are super light and sensitive and have thin blanks.

I like that plus the fact they can still lob out a 90gr feeder when needed and are a joy to play fish with.

Question is: is there a better rod out there with similar characteristics?

Daiwa Basia? A Free Spirit Hi S or other?
Harrison? Old tricasts?

Something else?

Thank you for your advise and a very merry Christmas!
 
I have Fox Duo plus, I've had them a good ten years and they are perfect, with a 4 quiver top section and a solid top. I can pump a fully loaded 5oz feeder as far as I want or fish for roach on the quiver. Absolutely stunning rods.
 
Huanzhou Zhu said:
Two of my favourite barbour rod, 11ft Harrison torrix 1.75lb, and Free spirit Barbour seeker, more through action than torrix but powerful enough.
But I also like my FS tamer 11ft 2lb.
Click to expand...
Can’t argue with any of that. 11 ft torrix is fantastic and certainly my favorite barbel rod.
Seekers are also awesome. Again I prefer the 11’s
If it’s got to be 12ft then you’ll be hard pushed to better a chimera no 2
 
Marcus Ruoff said:
I have really gotten the barbel bug and would like to invest in the best low water/small barbel rod that money can buy.
I have thought about a 12ft 1 3/4lbs rod but am open to other suggestions as no test curve seems to be equal.

Some modern rods are stiff pokers at this TC while others are more old school.

I have the Free Spirit Barbel tamer in 12ft 1 3/4lbs and they are super light and sensitive and have thin blanks.

I like that plus the fact they can still lob out a 90gr feeder when needed and are a joy to play fish with.

Question is: is there a better rod out there with similar characteristics?

Daiwa Basia? A Free Spirit Hi S or other?
Harrison? Old tricasts?

Something else?

Thank you for your advise and a very merry Christmas!
Click to expand...
Marcus,
Why change ? In your own words :

“I have the Free Spirit Barbel tamer in 12ft 1 3/4lbs and they are super light and sensitive and have thin blanks.
I like that plus the fact they can still lob out a 90gr feeder when needed and are a joy to play fish with.”

You obviously enjoy what you already have. You’ll get many different opinions based on peoples own likes so I would say “ stick with what you’ve got”

Tight lines
Bill
 
Bill Walford said:
Marcus,
Why change ? In your own words :

“I have the Free Spirit Barbel tamer in 12ft 1 3/4lbs and they are super light and sensitive and have thin blanks.
I like that plus the fact they can still lob out a 90gr feeder when needed and are a joy to play fish with.”

You obviously enjoy what you already have. You’ll get many different opinions based on peoples own likes so I would say “ stick with what you’ve got”

Tight lines
Bill
Click to expand...

It's Christmas and he wants to buy himself a present....😁
 
I can only comment the torrix now having used the torrix carp rods for years I've really enjoyed them so I got a pair of 1 3/4 lb 12ft and love them I did get the 2lb tips also made up as they both fit the same button section so technically I have torrix twin tips slim light with a little bit of backbone if needed
 
Marcus Ruoff said:
I have really gotten the barbel bug and would like to invest in the best low water/small barbel rod that money can buy.
I have thought about a 12ft 1 3/4lbs rod but am open to other suggestions as no test curve seems to be equal.

Some modern rods are stiff pokers at this TC while others are more old school.

I have the Free Spirit Barbel tamer in 12ft 1 3/4lbs and they are super light and sensitive and have thin blanks.

I like that plus the fact they can still lob out a 90gr feeder when needed and are a joy to play fish with.

Question is: is there a better rod out there with similar characteristics?

Daiwa Basia? A Free Spirit Hi S or other?
Harrison? Old tricasts?

Something else?

Thank you for your advise and a very merry Christmas!
Click to expand...
What about the

Daiwa Infinity EVO Barbel Rods 1.75​

 
Free spirit Barbel Seeker. I have the 12ft 1.75tc but had it custom made . Only two things different to off the rack. I had a shorter handle (free spirit rods are about 20inches from reel stem to end of but) mine is only 16inches and a hook keeper whipped on. the long handle may make it easier to cast further but I only fish small to medium rivers so no need for a long cast. If I do have a trip to the Trent I have a pair of Daiwa twilights in 2.25tc which do have longer handles. I did have a pair of the Hi-s 1.75tc but I found them to soft and I struggled to pull barbel over the landing net with them. May be just me but I just couldn't get on with them. The free spirit spirit barbel (S Class??) are very nice rods to and quite a bit chesper than the seekers.
 
Nick Coulthurst said:
I don’t think you need to go above 1.5lb test if you’re fishing small/medium sized rivers, especially if you hate stiff rods and want to enjoy the fight as I do. Harrison Chimera 1 is an excellent rod.
Click to expand...
Chimera 1 is excellent I agree but where does this “small river so softer rod” come in?
That’s the very last place I’d want to give a big barbel any slack.

You’d be far better off using a soft rod on a larger river if you like to let them run around for half an hour.
 
Richard Isaacs said:
Chimera 1 is excellent I agree but where does this “small river so softer rod” come in?
That’s the very last place I’d want to give a big barbel any slack.

You’d be far better off using a soft rod on a larger river if you like to let them run around for half an hour.
Click to expand...

THIS.

A number of Barbel have done me in snags on the lower Derwent this year. If anything I need something more brutish to stop the runs early and keep them out of the overhanging trees and rafts.

My current 12ft 2lb rods are capable but I need to step up the main line (12lb Tournament ST currently so only 0.30mm)

Last thing I'd want is a lighter rod.
 
Richard Isaacs said:
Chimera 1 is excellent I agree but where does this “small river so softer rod” come in?
That’s the very last place I’d want to give a big barbel any slack.

You’d be far better off using a soft rod on a larger river if you like to let them run around for half an hour.
Click to expand...
Agree, better use light tackle on large open swim, so you have enough space to play the fish.
 
Stephen Scaysbrook said:
Free spirit Barbel Seeker. I have the 12ft 1.75tc but had it custom made . Only two things different to off the rack. I had a shorter handle (free spirit rods are about 20inches from reel stem to end of but) mine is only 16inches and a hook keeper whipped on. the long handle may make it easier to cast further but I only fish small to medium rivers so no need for a long cast. If I do have a trip to the Trent I have a pair of Daiwa twilights in 2.25tc which do have longer handles. I did have a pair of the Hi-s 1.75tc but I found them to soft and I struggled to pull barbel over the landing net with them. May be just me but I just couldn't get on with them. The free spirit spirit barbel (S Class??) are very nice rods to and quite a bit chesper than the seekers.
Click to expand...

the free spirit barbel (E class ) are great rods but i find them to be a bit stiff for my liking but that’s just a personal thing
 
I personally think that the current trend for rather stiff rods is a just a fashion. In my mind, other than a need to consider large casting weights, a through action rod is much more efficient at playing a decent fish.
On the thread subject the Kev Baines 3 piece specialist is pretty special like!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top