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Long float rods for big chub

Richard Isaacs said:
Ive only been trotting specifically for barbel the last few years Ian because the Trent realistically is the closest suitable place for me to do it. Down here you’ve got very low stock big fish waters round here that ain’t anywhere near what they once were. We’ve got the upper lea and I’ll try that out this year for the first time.

So in reality I’ve tried a lot less rods out for this particular species. I would love to live on the doorstep of the Trent,Ribble,Severn or wye where barbel populations are strong enough to trott for them and catch them in reasonable numbers.
I think like yourself I would probably drop ledgering tactics all together if that ever was to be the case because I only ever want to catch fish on rivers on floats.

So based on all that my original hi S 15footers are my favorites to catch barbel on and I’ve got to say I’m a daiwa spectron fan if I’m going to use shorter rods.

This season though I think that might all change. I’ve got a TFG TSI 15’ to try.
It’s very light, extremely powerful, beautifully tippy and fitted out with the top end Fuji shit.

It’s the only reason I haven’t bought an accy speccy yet. I have a feeling I might be looking for a second as a spare but needs a real test first.
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you mention the tsi. Be interested to read that. I am on the lookout for a specialist and/ or feeder. Keeps me active.
 
I was going to start another thread to discuss this but seeing as this topic had been mentioned on this thread...
..is the notion of a rod's line rating a construct between a rod's resistance to bending and the line that you might think you'd use given that resistance to bending? ie a float rod has a low resistance to bending, so you'll be fishing for smaller fish and therefore the line rating is lower?
 
Damian Kimmins said:
I was going to start another thread to discuss this but seeing as this topic had been mentioned on this thread...
..is the notion of a rod's line rating a construct between a rod's resistance to bending and the line that you might think you'd use given that resistance to bending? ie a float rod has a low resistance to bending, so you'll be fishing for smaller fish and therefore the line rating is lower?
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Logically that makes sense but there is action to consider. Stiff tip float rods will have a through action that bend more than soft tip faster actioned rods with stiffer middle sections
Either could have a higher line rating than the other but not feel like it with regards to resistance to bending.
Some rods feel stiff and powerful but there is a point at which they’d lock up and break. They might have a higher resistance to bending than a rod that bends and bends and bends but doesn’t lock up till 8lb line snaps.

Then you’ve got leverage to consider ie the softer rod applying more pressure than a stiffer less bent rod

I think manufacturer line ratings are not even close half the time. Definitely best to start fishing within them, but once you know your rods, you’ll know what they can deal with.
 
I am looking for the perfect (in my mind) summer barbel rod and looking at carp float rods. I couldn't see any logical reason as to why a 6lb line might be the maximum line you could use, distance casting aside perhaps.
 
Damian Kimmins said:
I am looking for the perfect (in my mind) summer barbel rod and looking at carp float rods. I couldn't see any logical reason as to why a 6lb line might be the maximum line you could use, distance casting aside perhaps.
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Carp float rods tend to be stiffer tipped with quite powerful through actions. Yeah I agree, if it’s stated as a carp waggler type rod, it should deal with 6lb lines no problem.
 
I've used an 11' 6" team Daiwa commercial pellet waggler rod, the XP model, with a dumpy waggler for Barbel on the Trent. Landed fish close to double no problem. Quite a nice rod to use TBH. Think it's got Daiwa ST 8lbs through it.
 
Richard Isaacs said:
Carp float rods tend to be stiffer tipped with quite powerful through actions. Yeah I agree, if it’s stated as a carp waggler type rod, it should deal with 6lb lines no problem.
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Only I would be running a 12lb line through it?
 
Whilst we’re discussing rods and line rating you may be able to enlighten me . If my rod is rated up to 6lb and I put Maxima of this rating though it, some say with lower diameter hi tech lights you can put higher BS line of the same diameter, then some say they put even lower diameter braid of much higher BS on the rod. So is the rod rated for BS or diameter I ask myself? I am not sure I’ve made myself very clear. Yours confused
 
Michael Brough said:
Whilst we’re discussing rods and line rating you may be able to enlighten me . If my rod is rated up to 6lb and I put Maxima of this rating though it, some say with lower diameter hi tech lights you can put higher BS line of the same diameter, then some say they put even lower diameter braid of much higher BS on the rod. So is the rod rated for BS or diameter I ask myself? I am not sure I’ve made myself very clear. Yours confused
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Line ratings on rods are no where near that sophisticated or accurate. It’s a guide only. If it’s rated to 6lb line it’s going to be ok with most lines and braids up to around 0.18-0.2
The ratings are not often given on a lot of rods because it has to be quite vague for the examples you state above.
I categorize mine into 3 slots. There are other variations but I don’t own them so it’s easy.

Light action rods 3-4lb max (0.14-0.15)
Stepped up rods like what I’ve written about above 5-6lb max (0.18-0.2)
Power float rods 8-10lb max (0.22-0.25)

I don’t need a line rating to tell me what i should be threading through them as I can pretty much tell exactly where they should be from the minute I put line through them and give them a good bend.
 
There was an interesting thread over on the Maggotdrowing forum a while ago about line strength. How some of the top commercial anglers were using fairly light lines for pellet waggler fishing. I seem to remember that Steve Ringer was quoted as to be using 5lbs on his rods. Reason being that it cast better and less drag on the retrieve. He was catching Carp up to 15lbs on it.
 
Thanks Richard for your reply. I do appreciate your many posts for your knowledge and clarity and this reply is no exception. I will feel more comfortable now running a line a little heavier than the rod stated rating.
Cheers
 
Because you have a clutch on a fixed spool reel which you can set to release line under your desired pressure you could actually use whatever breaking strain line you want to so long as it will pass freely through the guides.
If the reel clutch was tightened up so as not to give line i'm sure most float rods would snap well before their recommended upper stated breaking strain of line would snap.
 
Ian Woods said:
Because you have a clutch on a fixed spool reel which you can set to release line under your desired pressure you could actually use whatever breaking strain line you want to so long as it will pass freely through the guides.
If the reel clutch was tightened up so as not to give line i'm sure most float rods would snap well before their recommended upper stated breaking strain of line would snap.
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Yes you could but by setting that clutch to prevent the rod breaking or releasing line with your finger brake on a pin doing the same job your also preventing the line from getting anywhere near its breaking strain aswell. Unless your fish are running through snags there’s no benefit to going too heavy on the line for exactly the reason you state

If a rod breaks under the same pressure 6lb line does and you use a clutch to protect it and the line, there’s no benefit to using 8lb line because your going to give line before the weakest part breaks….. Rod.
The only time the heavier line is an additional advantage is if it’s going to suffer abrasion.
 
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