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Free spirit vs Daiwa barbel rods

Robert Linwood said:
When I was into my carp fishing I had Harrison torrix 12ft 3 1/4 tc over time they seem to have got softer not very impressed with them at all. I brought a set of free spirit hi-s 12ft 3lb tc which in my opinion were light years ahead of the Harrison torrix carp blanks. The best carp rods I ever used were Nash extreme pursuits these rods were the nuts very rare now and quite hard
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Terry Harman said:
why would you even think of using a chimera when the barbel S exists 😉
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I know what you’re doing Terry 👍🤣🤣
Truth is got my first chimera at least 20 years ago
Then couldn’t afford to buy any decent rods all the time the kids were at home
As soon as she started giving me pocket money I fulfilled a wish to get a few more for different disciplines and none have disappointed
Simple as that
Not to say I wouldn’t try a Free Spirit , i just like Harrison’s and if and when Dr Steve sells up I’ll have some classics to pass on
 
I bought a free spirit 13 foot 2.75 a couple of years ago. I only gave it 6 months, countless hook pulls and the loss of a massive barbel on a small river, was last knocking for it. I now have the chimera 4, first time out 30 odd Barbel and not one hook pull. Yes the FS carbon is excellent aesthetically, but imo doesn't like to be bent and wants to always pull back when a fish lunges. The chimera 4, goes with the fish when it lunges and is more forgiving. Just my observation.
I have the basias in 1.75 and 2.75, they only weigh a fraction under 9 oz each. Not used the 2.75 yet but really impressed with the 1.75 so far. Yes I am a TT.
 
I have the Chimera 3's 2.25 and they sound identical - the only time they feel slightly numb is when i hook modest chub. A 5lber will put a big bend in one mind.
Typical Swale barbel of 6-8lbs give the rod a real test and they do absorb everything close up and under the tip.
I don't need to use them as I have lighter rods that according to the textbooks would be more suitable for the venue, stamp of fish and casting weight, but they just work and put a smile on my otherwise miserable face 🙂
 
Jon Frisby said:
I bought a free spirit 13 foot 2.75 a couple of years ago. I only gave it 6 months, countless hook pulls and the loss of a massive barbel on a small river, was last knocking for it. I now have the chimera 4, first time out 30 odd Barbel and not one hook pull. Yes the FS carbon is excellent aesthetically, but imo doesn't like to be bent and wants to always pull back when a fish lunges. The chimera 4, goes with the fish when it lunges and is more forgiving. Just my observation.
I have the basias in 1.75 and 2.75, they only weigh a fraction under 9 oz each. Not used the 2.75 yet but really impressed with the 1.75 so far. Yes I am a TT.
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I’ve got the S series big river barbel a matching pair of and they ain’t anything like that thing you describe.
truely lovely rods. Picked em up used mint in standard form and after 2 sessions I had em straight down to mark Tunley.
Completely rebuilt with new k series and a much nicer ringing pattern. It had 9 plus tip of these double sic things on it and it was average but It’s now got 7 plus tip of single leg Fuji k alcs on it and it’s so much nicer, lighter with a lot of the action unlocked.
they certainly ain’t costing me fish that’s for sure.
 
Jon Frisby said:
I bought a free spirit 13 foot 2.75 a couple of years ago. I only gave it 6 months, countless hook pulls and the loss of a massive barbel on a small river, was last knocking for it. I now have the chimera 4, first time out 30 odd Barbel and not one hook pull. Yes the FS carbon is excellent aesthetically, but imo doesn't like to be bent and wants to always pull back when a fish lunges. The chimera 4, goes with the fish when it lunges and is more forgiving. Just my observation.
I have the basias in 1.75 and 2.75, they only weigh a fraction under 9 oz each. Not used the 2.75 yet but really impressed with the 1.75 so far. Yes I am a TT.
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Which 13ft model was it Jon, the Heavy Water Barbel Tamer or the Hi S Specialist Heavy Water?
 
I find rod and reel debates quite interesting as it always amazes me to hear different perceptions on them. I’ve found that a huge part of the blanks action can be lost or found just with the way it’s rung up. I’ve gone firmly over to 1 guide on butt sections and single legged strong rings now on all barbel rods which eliminates 8 whippings and 8 potential spots where the blank is being hindered slightly and the difference in the rods weight and behavior is quite staggering. It’s not something I’ve known about until recently really since buying custom rods from mark but 2 identical blanks rung up differently can feel like two completely different animals. I think a lot of people don’t give guides much thought when buying rods but I’d actually rather have an average blank rung up really well than a top end blank rung up badly
 
The Daiwa Power mesh 2 25 is a fantastic barbel rod for the money.
I have two for pushing Severn and Trent.

Otherwise it's the 2 recently built 2lb Torrix
And the 1.75's for the smaller rivers.


Torrix are probably the best barbel rods in the World
Probably owned by 50pc of high end barbel anglers. You know it makes sense😄
 
There are some other decent blanks around (not mentioned so far in this thread) but finding them is the main problem.
One such example being built:

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If you can 'Try before you Buy'

Cheers
Bob
 
I have or have had a number rods designed for Barbel fishing , 2 custom Harrisons an off the shelf Harrison , a Seer , Free spirit , Shakespeare , Daiwa , Shimano ,Fox the list goes on . However the 2 that get all the use are a 11ft Harrison S/U Avon[ I think 1lb 10oz TC] and a 12ft Fox Barbel XS Duo 1.75lb . The latter is in my opinion a superb off the shelf rod which if I had to choose between the two is the one I would go for , unfortunately Fox no longer make them . I have owned it for many years and have only had to replace the original carbon effect reel seat which broke not long after I bought it . For serious lead flinging in massive floods I use and old school Bruce Ashby carp rod and for less extreme conditions ,usually on smaller rivers I pick one of my split cane rods, usually 2 piece 10ft Avon or Carp MK1V style rods , or 3 piece Marco or Edgar Sealey rods
 
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Richard Isaacs said:
I find rod and reel debates quite interesting as it always amazes me to hear different perceptions on them. I’ve found that a huge part of the blanks action can be lost or found just with the way it’s rung up. I’ve gone firmly over to 1 guide on butt sections and single legged strong rings now on all barbel rods which eliminates 8 whippings and 8 potential spots where the blank is being hindered slightly and the difference in the rods weight and behavior is quite staggering. It’s not something I’ve known about until recently really since buying custom rods from mark but 2 identical blanks rung up differently can feel like two completely different animals. I think a lot of people don’t give guides much thought when buying rods but I’d actually rather have an average blank rung up really well than a top end blank rung up badly
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Very good point and you obviously think about things way more than I do, but essentially you have hit the nail on the head
Buy off the peg( including Harrison & FS) and you could get a really nice rod, but not always exactly what you want
Get one built by someone who fishes and you're pretty much there
Take the Chimera 3s ( CS12-SU) built by Dave Lumb who will have perfected them fishing for Barbel on the Ribble I would guess. He's done all that work you mention. Same with Mark( and obviously Bob) and all the other rod builders we support.
Little wonder I wax lyrical about them for 99% of my fishing on spate rivers
 
Jon Frisby said:
I have the basias in 1.75 and 2.75, they only weigh a fraction under 9 oz each. Not used the 2.75 yet but really impressed with the 1.75 so far. Yes I am a TT.
I haven't given the basias even a waggle test yet,so what sets these apart from the infinitys would you say Jon.
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The blank on the basias is absolutely superb.
one of the best I’ve ever come across.
It’s to to with the 4 directional wrap on the mandrel I believe and I don’t really understand it fully but you can’t half feel just how positive and immediate they are. Lighter and slimmer than the infinity a little more tippy but also a very powerful progressive curve.
ive not used an infinity in anger, just played with thrm in angling direct before choosing the basia.
infinity has stronger guides and an antifrap tip guide basia guides I still believe could be Titanium but need that confirmed to be sure. Tip guide is crap.
 
The Basias and one or two other Daiwa rods have an X45 wrap on them.


Interestingly, if you watch some of the latest Korda carp videos, most of the guys on there are using Infinitys rather than Basias. Even DF himself.


I can't wait to give my 2.75 Basias a go in the coming months.
 
Richard Isaacs said:
The blank on the basias is absolutely superb.
one of the best I’ve ever come across.
It’s to to with the 4 directional wrap on the mandrel I believe and I don’t really understand it fully but you can’t half feel just how positive and immediate they are. Lighter and slimmer than the infinity a little more tippy but also a very powerful progressive curve.
ive not used an infinity in anger, just played with thrm in angling direct before choosing the basia.
infinity has stronger guides and an antifrap tip guide basia guides I still believe could be Titanium but need that confirmed to be sure. Tip guide is crap.
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Sounds positive
I think an upgrade is looming.Had the infinitys a long time and really like them.
Might go for a 2.25 and see how it compares.
 
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