Gave my specimen a workout yesterday, 7 barbel including a double from a pacey swim. I did lose a very big fish after a 25 minute battle, I saw the tail only and it was huge. To be honest having gone all over the river it eventually sat down stream of me and I just could not budge it, simple physics I guess large mass in heavy flow against a 15ft float rod. I dont know that any rod of that length would have shifted it. What I did learn is that the rod is powerful, will bend through to the butt and stay there without locking up, everything has it limits and finally that my age has caught up with me more than I thought!
I’m not likely to encounter this situation on a regular basis if ever again so am not looking for an alternative rod and to be quite honest dont know if there is a float rod that would have performed any better prior to my 8lb hook length going two inches above the hook.