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Help for the needy......

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David Gauntlett

Senior Member
I have been offered two new Drennan barbel rods at decent prices, the 12' 1.75 tc (specialist?) barbel , and the 12' 2.0 tc power barbel....and I am torn between the two. I only fish a small river, and usually manage well using rods around the 1.25 tc range. However, I had hankered after a heavier rod for occasional visits to rivers where my rods are totally inadequate...so in fact it would be an expensive new toy which I shouldn't buy...but at a very good price :eek:

If I did weaken and find myself drawn irresistibly towards the shop, tears of guilt streaming down my face...:D....which of the two would be most useful? Not having fished big rivers much, or had any experience of these particular rods, I am not sure if the 1.75 would still be too light to be really useful...or if the 2.0 would be WAY too heavey for most normal situations....Anyone used either of these rods?

Or should I be good, save my money, and use one of my old 2.25 light carp rods on the odd occasion I need a heavier rod.

I would not usualy be pathetic enough to ask this sort of advice, but I am blaming my medication for my weird state of mind just at the moment :p

Cheers, Dave.
 
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Been using the Drennan specialist power barbel rods for the last 8 years or there abouts. I use the 1.75 tc for the teme and have been using the 2.0 tc for the last 5 years on the lower severn. Great rods. The only thing i would say about the 2.0 tc is that when the lowers carrying a decent amount of flood water and im using over 4oz leads to hold bottom, they tend not to be quite up for the task. Have just ordered a couple of teme severn's flood and big water rods for this job. I would certainly buy the drennan rods, especially at the right price.
 
Save your money for the fuel and take your carp rods. I fish the Horsefield on the Trent a couple of times a year and tbh even with my Chimera II I struggle to hit the mark with a big enough feeder to do the job properly so next season I will be using my 2.25 carp rods to cope with the extra weight.
If I was fishing there regularly I would invest in a couple of the Fox 15 footers but that would be a big investment for a couple of trips.
Reading that back it sounds as though the Chimera is not up to the job, I think it probably could hit the mark but I don't feel comfortable slinging approximately 8oz of feeder around on my favourite rod.
 
David Gauntlett said:
I should be so lucky mate :D Not like you rich lot in G.X :D

Cheers, Dave.
Click to expand...
nar dave, not the two, the 2, 2lbtc, i actually live in chalfont which is closer to GX than chalfont, but we do share the same MP,when she's not making a bad job in taff land..:D
 
Thanks for your advice guys, good on ya.

I realise my 2.25 carp rods would be up to the job strength wise, that was never the issue. My worry was that I have heard it said many times that carp rods and barbel rods are entirely different beasts...and the reason given for that sounds logical to me.

As we all know, it is a fact that a carp rods usually play no part in bite indication, in fact they are usually positioned pointing straight at the end gear, relying on some sort of alarm and bobbin system for indication. A barbel rod on the other hand usually IS the bite indicator, being virtually stepped up quiver tips, i.e, they have a slightly softer last third or whatever of the tip section, to offer you more time to strike etc., etc. I acknowledge that many barbel bites are yer proverbial 'unmissable 4' twitches'....but they aren't all like that, are they?

That being so, would a carp rod in truth make a pretty naff barbel rod....or is that all hype anyway, with any old blank being used that is vaguely suitable :D I have tried flexing these rods by hand, but it's virtually impossible to tell that way.

I am an awkward git I know....being a born worrier is why I have no finger nails :p

cheers, Dave.
 
A carp rod is a casting tool which is exactly what you want for slinging huge feeders around the Trent. The bite indication is provided by the use of your Delkims and cunningly set baitrunners. You can use bobbins if you wish but they need to be fairly heavy to counteract the flow.
It may not be a centerpin and free running bomb setup but the principle is the same and to do it properly does require a level of fineness.
 
David,
Set one of the Carp Rods up in the garden as if barbel fishing and get someone to play at Barbel with a lead (and no hook) to see what indication you get. Do the same with your standard Barbel rod. You will get a good idea on whether the Carp Rods show twitches. My bet is they do.

About ten years ago on a difficult Carp lake, we resorted to fishing with carp rods parallel to the bank to show twitches on the rod tip. It worked for cute carp.

Before I got myself a set of Free Spirit 12; 21/4, I did use my Carp rods on the Trent when my std Barbel rods were outgunned by the conditions. It was only when I sarted to fish it seriously did I get the bigger rods and forewent the rods you mention as I thought they were not up to the situation while the FS 21/4's were.
 
Adrian Williams said:
A carp rod is a casting tool which is exactly what you want for slinging huge feeders around the Trent. The bite indication is provided by the use of your Delkims and cunningly set baitrunners. You can use bobbins if you wish but they need to be fairly heavy to counteract the flow.
Click to expand...


The Chairman on Saturday


Definitely. Here is how we set up in The Hamsters.

http://www.moldychum.com/storage/1witab.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1302218450908

Gets results, as you chaps can see.


As ever,

B.B.
 
Paul Boote said:
The Chairman on Saturday


Definitely. Here is how we set up in The Hamsters.

http://www.moldychum.com/storage/1witab.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1302218450908

Gets results, as you chaps can see.


As ever,

B.B.
Click to expand...

Ahhhh....NOW I see where I am going wrong. It is true that what the young lady is trying to display is partly hidden by her luxurious mat, but If you use a strong enough glass you can just see enough to know that it is a fine specimen. Having then taken plenty of time to examine all the rest of her equipment, I can see that I have most of the other required bits....but not the pair of big hangers :rolleyes: Obviously then, if I aquire a decent pair of them, my problems will be solved :D

Thanks for the pictorial clues Paul,

Cheers, Dave.
 
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The Chairman on Saturday

Pleased to have been of service, young David - just as our Lady Guides always are.

As ever,

B.B.
 
Adrian and Darryl, many thanks for your last thoughts....they are valuable points and have got me thinking, which is exactly what I wanted....a brain kick-start!

Many thanks to all who replied then, I will definitely get my lightweight Fox 2.25's out and give them a flex...long time no see :D And I do believe they have Shimanos or Diawas already hanging off them :p.....I will buy a decent chair instead :D

Cheers guys,

Dave.
 
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