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Float Rod

I still have an original Drennan Tench Float and have had everything from dace to near 20lb carp on it. A cracking float rod, the only problem being the awful plastic reel fittings, had the reel drop off once while playing a mid-double carp!

Must get down to Anglers Workshop and get the handle modifed, Kev quoted me for doing it a while back but I never got round to it.
 
Ive got the Hardy Marksman specimen float.Fantastic rod,super light, handles big barbel a treat.The only bad thing is it makes all my other rods look very mediocre.
 
i urge anyone to contact mark tunley, he dos float rods of the highest quality, no argument, cheaper than Hardy's and made from blank.
 
Has anyone considered the new Greys Prodigy TX Specialist Float 13ft.Handles reel lines 3-10lb,hook lengths 2.5-8lb.Folding hook keeper and SIC line guides.Part no. GPTXSL010 recommended price £99.99,but haggle price around £85;)
Pete
 
I'd go for a 15' Harrison GTI hollow tip. I had one made for me three years ago, brilliant bit of kit for trotting and has laid low my PB Barbel on it.
You'll find a link somewhere in the archive pages of this site if you search "trotting for Barbel". This was my inspiration.
It can handle main line 3lb to 8lb, but its action is such that with a biggy on it will take all the lunges.
 
A rod made with the Harrison GTi SU blank should be able to cope with room to spare. It's a beast of a blank that still retains enough give at the very tip to minimize bumping tiddlers. I've just acquired a 15' rod on this blank. It's been used on a local pit where fishing for anything that bites is the name of the game. The control that you have on the bigger fish is superb.
 
Dont you find some of these rods to heavy for trotting , holding them for 5 hours plus , I have a few stick float rods and they are all very tippy in action for picking up the line ,dont people struggle with avon type rods?Im a bit of a cheaps gate and I have got a maver jurrasic carp for my big barbel and chub fishing and they cheap as chips £20, Id go for a commercial type rod as I feel you pay an extra £20 for having the name barbel on the rod. But by far the best trotting rod I have is the bob nudd stick float rod which has handled fish up to 8lb on 3lb bottoms, fantastic grunt in the middle sections ,but they are like rocking horse poo :D:D
 
Mark Harrop said:
Dont you find some of these rods to heavy for trotting , holding them for 5 hours plus , I have a few stick float rods and they are all very tippy in action for picking up the line ,dont people struggle with avon type rods?Im a bit of a cheaps gate and I have got a maver jurrasic carp for my big barbel and chub fishing and they cheap as chips £20, Id go for a commercial type rod as I feel you pay an extra £20 for having the name barbel on the rod. But by far the best trotting rod I have is the bob nudd stick float rod which has handled fish up to 8lb on 3lb bottoms, fantastic grunt in the middle sections ,but they are like rocking horse poo :D:D
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Mark, I can only see two mentions of generic Avon rods and no specific brand of Avon recommendation. The vast majority of rods specifically mentioned are float rods.:confused:
 
Chris Jones said:
Mark, I can only see two mentions of generic Avon rods and no specific brand of Avon recommendation. The vast majority of rods specifically mentioned are float rods.:confused:
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the question was would'nt you struggle with a avon style rod to pick the line up, I never said they were all avon type rods.:D
 
Mark Harrop said:
Dont you find some of these rods to heavy for trotting , holding them for 5 hours plus , I have a few stick float rods and they are all very tippy in action for picking up the line ,dont people struggle with avon type rods?
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As I said, only two people on the thread that I can see have mentioned using Avon rods. The vast bulk of folks are talking about float specific rods. The very fact that this is the case suggests that most consider Avons sub-optimal. I'd happily use an Avon for trotting but I don't have to. Mine are easier to hold for long periods than either of my 15ft float rods (Harrison GTi SU and Fox Envoy Stick). That's got more to do with the extra length though. I can well understand many barbel anglers not having a specific float rod and making do with an Avon for trotting. How many barbel anglers do you see float fishing for them?
 
I must confess Ive never seen anyone float fishing for barbel specifically as I would presume that the tools needed for the job are quite expensive £150 + , the best alternative to these rods for me would be a commercial type float rod, rather than an avon type rod which would be ok for strett pegging (Ive only seen john wilson use this method) on another note have you ever used or considered the Cralusso floats as an option ?
 
I got myself a 15 foot Gtec the other week from Harrissport,for £99, they are also doing them at NWAC for the same price. I used it for trotting for Barbel the other day, it performed very well, quite quick in the tip on the strike and enough backbone in the middle when required. It is also very forgiving and i would not think twice about going down to 2lb bottoms, even though i was fishing 8lb straight through. I have also used the cralusso surf floats, they do work but you need a fairly calm day to use them. imo you cant beat a good 'Topper float', then again i am no expert, but improving.

Jon
 
Had 5 barbel on the pole, at the start of the season, on 18 elastic, although they were peas in a pod fish (3lb) even had one whilst setting up on a bare hook !!!they were great fun and I don't think they knew they were being fished for, a couple of lads came on later and started lobbing feeders in and it instantly died, coincidence ?
 
I use a Daiwa Proteus 14' power float - very light in the hand and well balanced. Line rating; 2-10lb. It's from the cheaper end of the market, admittedly, but that's where I always sit with tackle...:)
 
I took a look at the proteus today a very fine rod for the money. I also looked at a Daiwa Spectron M2 14 foot extra power, I put a reel on, the balance was perfect, not tip heavy at all, I liked it so much i bought the Rod. It will hopefully get its first Barbel on in the next day or so.

Jon
 
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Jon Frisby said:
I took a look at the proteus today a very fine rod for the money. I also looked at a Daiwa Spectron M2 14 foot extra power, I put a reel on, the balance was perfect, not tip heavy at all, I liked it so much i bought the Rod. It will hopefully get its first Barbel on in the next day or so.

Jon
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And you say that I get paid too much!;):p Hope you manage to Christen it tomorrow.
 
with the lack of true barbel float rods around i used my varied array of avon rods. cane, glass and carbon in varying lengths from 10 to 12' 6" then managed to acquire a 13' Bruce and Walker hexagraph trotter, by no means the lightest rod of it's type ( not that i am a light weight either ) but it casts nicely and has a wonderful action when being tugged at by a miffed piscus. the only let down was that in some swims a couple of extra feet would make all the difference. to that end i spoke to the people at Bruce and walker and they will be making a new full length butt section to match the middle and tip sections lengths and i will have the option of using it at 13" and 16' 6" with the new butt, although it will need some weight in the end to improve the balance and to that end it's being built with a threaded end and a screw in button. while the 'hex' is away, as they need it as a pattern, i'm using a couple of fox rods, an ARD0003 13' kevlex barbel float and a 13' duolite specialist float, the latter i have had for a year of so and has been a fine replacement for my old drennan tench float if a little light for barbel. the kevlex barbel float was a rod i always fancied, as i have the kevlex barbel and kevlex specialist avon, and recently found on fleebay, unused and mint. looking forward to putting a bend in it soon i hope;)
 
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update on the fox 13' kevlex barbel float rod.......WOW:eek: only had chub with it but what a rod for bigger chubber and avon floats when the river's carrying some extra flow, coupled with my purist 2 and 5kg power pro braid it's a nicely balance setup and hope to have another go for an hour or 2 tomorrow if work permits;)
 
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