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Free Spirit Tench Seeker

Damian Kimmins

Damian Kimmins

Senior Member
Hello all, is it June yet? šŸ˜†
I am looking for what I consider to be a great 2 piece summer barbel rod and was wondering if anyone had any experience with the above rod.
It seems to be just the ticket but reviews seem to be thin on the ground.
Any alternative suggestions for 12ft two piece true through action rods welcomed.
Cheers.
 
Damian Kimmins said:
Hello all, is it June yet? šŸ˜†
I am looking for what I consider to be a great 2 piece summer barbel rod and was wondering if anyone had any experience with the above rod.
It seems to be just the ticket but reviews seem to be thin on the ground.
Any alternative suggestions for 12ft two piece true through action rods welcomed.
Cheers.
Click to expand...
The barbel seekers Damian are going to be better rods because theyā€™re going to be rated for heavier lines. But donā€™t stress these are still really really soft action underrated test curved rods. They bend right through with anything you want to hook but with the blank strength which is important because you donā€™t want to snap it.

I watched Terry bank a big 14 on his seekers this season and there were moments i thought it was gonna go bang but it didnā€™t.
Superb action
IMG_4428.jpeg
 
Richard Isaacs said:
The barbel seekers Damian are going to be better rods because theyā€™re going to be rated for heavier lines. But donā€™t stress these are still really really soft action underrated test curved rods. They bend right through with anything you want to hook but with the blank strength which is important because you donā€™t want to snap it.

I watched Terry bank a big 14 on his seekers this season and there were moments i thought it was gonna go bang but it didnā€™t.
Superb actionView attachment 29279
Click to expand...
I've had big 14's on the 11ft seekers, but I do love the Hi-S 12' 1.75 & have in the past had 18lb river carp on them. I do love the hi-s as they're quite a soft blank and did have the ability to land as I said the 18lb carp I had in a medium flow rate river.
 
Damian Kimmins said:
Hello all, is it June yet? šŸ˜†
I am looking for what I consider to be a great 2 piece summer barbel rod and was wondering if anyone had any experience with the above rod.
It seems to be just the ticket but reviews seem to be thin on the ground.
Any alternative suggestions for 12ft two piece true through action rods welcomed.
Cheers.
Click to expand...
Never fished with one Damian but did have a good wiggle of one. For me it was too soft and personally prefer my Barbel Seekers.
 
Richard Isaacs said:
The barbel seekers Damian are going to be better rods because theyā€™re going to be rated for heavier lines. But donā€™t stress these are still really really soft action underrated test curved rods. They bend right through with anything you want to hook but with the blank strength which is important because you donā€™t want to snap it.

I watched Terry bank a big 14 on his seekers this season and there were moments i thought it was gonna go bang but it didnā€™t.
Superb actionView attachment 29279
Click to expand...
Thanks for your reply Richard. I might have to try and find somewhere to have a bit of a gander at one of those. I have to say I tend to find, as may be known on here that I keep banging on about it so much šŸ˜‚, that most barbel rods are vastly more resistant to bending than need be, thus my search, but I will having read a little about the rod have a look for one. šŸ‘
 
Damian Kimmins said:
Thanks for your reply Richard. I might have to try and find somewhere to have a bit of a gander at one of those. I have to say I tend to find, as may be known on here that I keep banging on about it so much šŸ˜‚, that most barbel rods are vastly more resistant to bending than need be, thus my search, but I will having read a little about the rod have a look for one. šŸ‘
Click to expand...
The barbel seekers are rated at 1.75 same as the 11 ft torrix I have, yet they are like chalk and cheese. A modest chub will put a full on curve into a seeker no problem at all. Thereā€™s no risk of them being too stiff. Another recommendation i could make for you to keep a sharp eye out for is the mk1 original pms power mesh Avon 1.25
Theyā€™ll land barbel on strong lines but they have that classical stunning full through action. Itā€™s one of the nicest acting rods Iā€™ve ever used. It doesnā€™t do flat spots at all.
 
Jon Elliott said:
i can help with a pair of Barbel Seekers, 12ft, 1.75tc. Also have a quiver top for one of them.
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For sale, Jon? Would you be able to message me some details of them please bud?
 
The 1.10 Interceptor that Clive is selling in the classifieds may well be ideal for you Damien. And is a bargain at Ā£130.

The stated test curve is very misleading, it's more like 1.6 - 1.8. Soft tip a lovely progressive action into a butt section that doesn't lock-up like some of the more modern tech rods and provides a lot of cushioning.

You could use this rod with lines from 6-12lb.

To my mind the Interceptors are classic rods. Those who have used them know!
 
I have a couple of the lighter Interceptors, made for me by MT - a couple of beautiful rods they are, but I would enjoy something even a little softer.
 
Damian Kimmins said:
I have a couple of the lighter Interceptors, made for me by MT - a couple of beautiful rods they are, but I would enjoy something even a little softer.
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Itā€™s a shame youā€™re so far down there Damian. Iā€™d gladly get a selection of candidate rods together that I think would do it for you and youā€™d be welcome to pull around on them

I think thatā€™s the fundamental thing to do. You have a very specific action in mind and buying with out trying is almost certainly going to end up in disappointment.

Did you try a seeker out?
 
Richard Isaacs said:
Itā€™s a shame youā€™re so far down there Damian. Iā€™d gladly get a selection of candidate rods together that I think would do it for you and youā€™d be welcome to pull around on them

I think thatā€™s the fundamental thing to do. You have a very specific action in mind and buying with out trying is almost certainly going to end up in disappointment.

Did you try a seeker out?
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Much appreciated sentiment there, Richard, thank you.
I haven't found one yet that I might have a look at.
If action alone were to be my holy grail, the Kev Baines 3 piece Specialist would have me more than satisfied, and it is still to this day with the memory of seeing and feeling that rod hooped over played, not beyond it's capability, a nice Avon fish, that I search for something that might be considered it's equal, but in two piece.
 
Damian Kimmins said:
I have a couple of the lighter Interceptors, made for me by MT - a couple of beautiful rods they are, but I would enjoy something even a little softer.
Click to expand...
I really loved the 12ft 1.75 Hi S Barbel rods Damien... Have you had a look at those? Softish and even the chub I caught on them pulled the rod around a bit. I'd probably rate those particular rods a little more satisfying to catch fish on than the Torrix 1.75's I've had over the years. (just my personal opinion)
 
I had a pair of 1.75 seekers su, plus the quiver section.Used them for carp. Best way to describe is that they bent rapidly and almost impossible to tell whether a 5lb fish was on the end or a 15lb as the speed of the bend was virtually the same. Picking up ofcourse changed that but . I then saw on ebay a sportex xclusive barbel twin tip.ie 1.75 and 2.25 tops. Frankly they were so similar to the seeker in action that I sold the free spirits. Still have the sportex. And The sportex was brand new action price was 68Ā£ incl courier. No bags but sportex sent me 2vnew ones. In short I felt the su's were stepped up floats but just too quick to bend . Another short story, I loved the xclusive. I bought a brand new hardy marksman extreme float back in '17. Used it 3 years and put it on ebay and made a 300 profit. Blew the money on importing 2 xlusives from Germany, a float which chucks 40g and a medium feeder 120. I look on them as freebies . Back to subject. My torrix's by the speed of curve suggest very accurately what's on the end. Having said that I use bomb or float rods at that water. Only difference is some take longer to play the biggies than others. Point of all this length is to say, its what turns us on as individuals which counts.
 
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