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Harrison Chimera 3 rods? Alternatives?

M

Marcus Ruoff

Active Member
My first post here so a big hello to everyone :)!

I have read a lot about the Harrison Chimera 3 rods here and have contacted a few UK rodbuilders reg. these rods. Seems they are either out of stock or not produced anymore. At least thats what I hear from some.

If they are available I wonder if they are the right tool for what I need them. The requirements are quite special:
- fast flowing, rather shallow river with lots of drift weed about 30m wide
- lots of big trees in the water on the opposite bank where the fish reside and bite
- Barbel up to 4-5kg so not totally huge but big
- quite a few super-strong carp up to 15kg which I want to be able to catch as well
- lost most carp due to either hook pulls or line breakage so hook and hold situations do occur when they bite

I have bought the Free Spirit Barbel heavy water in 12ft 2.75lbs and they are great rods.
Have the Kodex 12ft Qx-i which are too light for the carp in that spot.

Basically I am looking for the very best rod suitable for the fishing above but that might be nice also for fishing the more quiet, smaller and less snaggy spots on the river for smaller fish.

Should I just continue using the 2.75lbs rods in the snaggy spots and the Kodex in the more open water?

Or would the Chimera 3 or any other great rod you could recommend be strong enough for the snags and carp but also be pleasant for the open water?

Thank you very much for your advise! Have a nice day!
 
Hi Marcus and welcome
You are on the money with these rods. You will get a good fight but remain in control with every barbel you are likely to hook and I cannot see why they will not handle big carp - lots of power in reserve.
They will punch a loaded 3-4 oz feeder 30m with ease.
I have a pair as well as pretty much every Chimera from 1.25- 3lb TC and these are my go-to barbel rods
I don't have Free Spirit rods so cannot comment but my understanding is that they are a super rod and have a lot of fans on here, but I have no reason to look at anything other then the Chimera 3. Possibly if I go to the Trent I might have to step up to 2.75 rods
I don't know if you have tried Dave Lumb? - his CS12-SU is the Chimera 3. They are on his website and no mention of them being discounted but delivery of blanks from Harrisons has been a challenge since Covid. You'll be very lucky to get any off the shelf.

D.L. Specialist Tackle - Rods

Dave Lumb's D.L. Specialist Tackle - Fishing rods and tackle for UK based pike and predator anglers
www.dlst.co.uk
Good Luck.
 
Hello Paul, thank you very much for your reply, much appreciated! Tried to contact Dave Lumb a few times already with no luck by phone or email. Might have to do with the fact that I am from Germany? Not sure. Will keep trying!

Great forum and would love to hear more opinions!
 
I echo what Paul R has just said. C3’s are excellent rods -more powerful than the test curve suggests and because they bend thru’ the middle section they tend not to pull hooks out.

where I barbel fish now there is a very real prospect of hooking extremely large carp - so I fish accordingly.

Recently I bought an old pair of 3lb test Chimeras (very cheap). IF the C3’s are not powerful enough (which I doubt) I will try those.

Another option would be some old Harrison Ballista rods in around 2.5lb test.
 
I wonder how the Chimera 3 compare eg to the E Class 12ft 2.25lbs from Free Spirit?

Or to Mark Tunleys Dark carbon 12ft 2.5lbs SU?
 
Marcus Ruoff said:
I wonder how the Chimera 3 compare eg to the E Class 12ft 2.25lbs from Free Spirit?

Or to Mark Tunleys Dark carbon 12ft 2.5lbs SU?
Click to expand...
I've got a Chimera 3 and had a pair of 12' dark carbon. I'd say that the Chimera 3 bends a lot more in a more progressive way when needed. Although not particularly stiff I found the dark carbon more suited to chucking a feeder a long way which isn't generally my style of fishing. The Chimera 3 (2.25lb from memory??) for me bridged the gap between my 2lb Torrix and Peregrine floodwater rods.
 
Would the heavier Torrix rods be contenders for you Marcus?

My mate built me a 2.5lb Torrix for Christmas but I've not used it yet. Has anyone else used the heavier Torrix for flood water barbel fishing?

Cheers,
Andy
 
Hello Gavin, thank you so much for the comparison of the Dark Carbon and the CHimera. Although I didnt know this is somehow expected your judgement. For sure then its the Chimera for my purpose. Great advise!

Not sure about the Torrix as I am not familiar with these. Are they just another good carp rod? Or a special barbel/floodwater tool? Not sure how it compares to the Chimeras.

@ Dave Lumb: will give it another try but so far no luck :)...Chris Orme has a pair of Chimeras left and you can configure them at John Ross tackle but not sure what you get there really.

No rodmaker in Germany seems to be able to get the Chimera blanks still by the way.

Thank you all for such expert advise. This is invaluable information for me!
 
Harrison are currently very busy and there is a longer wait than usual for their blanks.
Built quite a few Torrix 2.5 (and occasional 2.75) as 'flood' rods. The Torrix 2.5 is a fast action rod, the Chimera 3 is a more through action.
Also worthy of consideration is the Harrison Acurix (2.5 and 2.75) - this has a medium through action on a slim blank.

Hope in some way this helps,
Cheers
Bob
 
Bob Gill said:
Harrison are currently very busy and there is a longer wait than usual for their blanks.
Built quite a few Torrix 2.5 (and occasional 2.75) as 'flood' rods. The Torrix 2.5 is a fast action rod, the Chimera 3 is a more through action.
Also worthy of consideration is the Harrison Acurix (2.5 and 2.75) - this has a medium through action on a slim blank.

Hope in some way this helps,
Cheers
Bob
Click to expand...
 
Hi Marcus, have you tried looking at walkers of Trowell? They usually have a selection of torix and chimera rods in stock ( off the shelf) they have a 2.75 flood rod made especially for them by Harrison using a cross between torix and chimera carbon, just a thought
 
Have looked at Walkers of Trowell, thank you. They dont have the Chimeras on stock albeit. The 2.75 flood rod sounds like a duplicate of the Free SPirit I have, so I would rather go for the Chimera 3. The through action that seems to be not as fast as the Torrix sounds very intrigueing and I am now pretty much sold on it. Trouble will only be to find someone who can make me one for a good price incl. shipping :).
 
Marcus Ruoff said:
Have looked at Walkers of Trowell, thank you. They dont have the Chimeras on stock albeit. The 2.75 flood rod sounds like a duplicate of the Free SPirit I have, so I would rather go for the Chimera 3. The through action that seems to be not as fast as the Torrix sounds very intrigueing and I am now pretty much sold on it. Trouble will only be to find someone who can make me one for a good price incl. shipping :).
Click to expand...
The chimera 3 is a powerful rod. It is through actioned but don’t assume it’s going to feel a step down from the 2.75’s you’ve tried. I’ve had chimera 3’s up against basia 2.75’s , fox duo 2.75’s and Hi s 2.25’s and the chimera 3 is more powerful and takes more pressure to bend into its TC than any of them. It’s a lovely rod but it’s a surprising rod and one you certainly shouldn’t judge by it’s stated tc of just 2.25.
 
FWIW I had a set of standard 2.75test 12ft Torrix carp rods that did that job very well. However in my opinion they were too stiff for my barbel fishing.

I would also say that I can pull just as hard on fish with my Chimera 3 rods as I could with the 2.75 Torrix’s. And because of the way the C3’s bend, I would be less likely to pull hooks out.

Bob Gill’s suggestion of the Acurix rods is a good one - a modern Harrison take on a rod that actually bends. Blank availability might be better too…….
 
Regarding Harrison and blank availability - just had a delivery of blanks ordered around 7 weeks ago. Chimera Avon, Chimera 1 and Avon 1.06 plus some spare tips.


Cheers
Bob
 
Hi All,
Another alternative for a bendy but powerful rod are Dave Lumb’s Standard Specialists. I don’t know which Harrison blank he builds them on but I’m sure one of you lads will!
 
Matt Smith said:
Hi All,
Another alternative for a bendy but powerful rod are Dave Lumb’s Standard Specialists. I don’t know which Harrison blank he builds them on but I’m sure one of you lads will!
Click to expand...
I believe they are the Multi Carp blanks, used to be known as Multi Range. Basically Ballista's but in lower TC's of 1.5lb to 2.25lb.
 
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