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New chub rod

Richard Isaacs said:
Christ I better get on the blower to Mark. If he suddenly gets a load of chub rod orders in I’ll be rooting for some commission 🤣
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I got one I ordered in June on Xmas Eve. To be fair I went down that road after seeing yours as all my other Harrison rods are from Lumby but he didn't seem keen doing spliced tips when I asked him
I did have a good few conversations with Mark and he recommended the Torrix over the Chimera, as I was looking for the combination of something I can hold all day, excellent bite indication for the tiniest of winter bits, but enough backbone to stop and manage a big chub in a snaggy spate river. Plus deal with the odd barbel - I ended up with this which MT claims is his go-to barbel rod.
Mark is a pleasure to deal with as everyone has stated - thoroughly recommend him.

12' Torrix 1.25lb TC twin tip
One tip with a spliced in 2oz tip plus a carrier section that will take standard Drennan tips
I didn't go for K series rings and went for standard SIC rings
I also opted for an IPS combi reel seat.
Finally a combi handle.
Honestly and with hindsight I don't think it looks like a h/b rod alongside my others that are all cork handles, dps seats with flared cork, and considering it was a load more money because of the twin tips, if I was a real tackle tart I might be thinking ' DOH' but I did order it for what I want it to do, rather than admiring glances. I love it.
Only used it once due to floods/ lock-down and as you would expect,a lovely rod that feels just right but only 1 modest chub from the middle of the river so not exactly a real test.
Pics are a bit rubbish but you get the idea
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Paul Richardson said:
I got one I ordered in June on Xmas Eve. To be fair I went down that road after seeing yours as all my other Harrison rods are from Lumby but he didn't seem keen doing spliced tips when I asked him
I did have a good few conversations with Mark and he recommended the Torrix over the Chimera, as I was looking for the combination of something I can hold all day, excellent bite indication for the tiniest of winter bits, but enough backbone to stop and manage a big chub in a snaggy spate river. Plus deal with the odd barbel - I ended up with this which MT claims is his go-to barbel rod.
Mark is a pleasure to deal with as everyone has stated - thoroughly recommend him.

12' Torrix 1.25lb TC twin tip
One tip with a spliced in 2oz tip plus a carrier section that will take standard Drennan tips
I didn't go for K series rings and went for standard SIC rings
I also opted for an IPS combi reel seat.
Finally a combi handle.
Honestly and with hindsight I don't think it looks like a h/b rod alongside my others that are all cork handles, dps seats with flared cork, and considering it was a load more money because of the twin tips, if I was a real tackle tart I might be thinking ' DOH' but I did order it for what I want it to do, rather than admiring glances. I love it.
Only used it once due to floods/ lock-down and as you would expect,a lovely rod that feels just right but only 1 modest chub from the middle of the river so not exactly a real test.
Pics are a bit rubbish but you get the idea
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Looks fabulous Paul, what reel have you matched it with?

I also asked once asked Dave Lumb about making me a quivertip and his advice was to get a Preston Carbonactive as he wouldn't be able to build anything better which I thought was very honest advice.

ps - what is a h/b rod?
 
Joe Winstanley said:
Looks fabulous Paul, what reel have you matched it with?

I also asked once asked Dave Lumb about making me a quivertip and his advice was to get a Preston Carbonactive as he wouldn't be able to build anything better which I thought was very honest advice.

ps - what is a h/b rod?
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I've got a spare 3 `full top section` Preston 11 footer if you're after one - bought a pair but I'm always a 1 rod man - just let me know, Julian Marshall
 
Joe Winstanley said:
Looks fabulous Paul, what reel have you matched it with?

I also asked once asked Dave Lumb about making me a quivertip and his advice was to get a Preston Carbonactive as he wouldn't be able to build anything better which I thought was very honest advice.

ps - what is a h/b rod?
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Was given the same advice too, however I persevered and got M. T to build me two torrix 1.25 with a section to accept drennan quivers.

Currently awaiting a couple of builds to arrive, chimera Avon's and a standard Harrison Avon for my collection of never ending rods😂
I managed to snag some shimano techniums and the technium quiver rods last summer, lovely long white quiver tips on those rods. Apparently some of the best chub rods built for the species?
 
Paul Richardson said:
I got one I ordered in June on Xmas Eve. To be fair I went down that road after seeing yours as all my other Harrison rods are from Lumby but he didn't seem keen doing spliced tips when I asked him
I did have a good few conversations with Mark and he recommended the Torrix over the Chimera, as I was looking for the combination of something I can hold all day, excellent bite indication for the tiniest of winter bits, but enough backbone to stop and manage a big chub in a snaggy spate river. Plus deal with the odd barbel - I ended up with this which MT claims is his go-to barbel rod.
Mark is a pleasure to deal with as everyone has stated - thoroughly recommend him.

12' Torrix 1.25lb TC twin tip
One tip with a spliced in 2oz tip plus a carrier section that will take standard Drennan tips
I didn't go for K series rings and went for standard SIC rings
I also opted for an IPS combi reel seat.
Finally a combi handle.
Honestly and with hindsight I don't think it looks like a h/b rod alongside my others that are all cork handles, dps seats with flared cork, and considering it was a load more money because of the twin tips, if I was a real tackle tart I might be thinking ' DOH' but I did order it for what I want it to do, rather than admiring glances. I love it.
Only used it once due to floods/ lock-down and as you would expect,a lovely rod that feels just right but only 1 modest chub from the middle of the river so not exactly a real test.
Pics are a bit rubbish but you get the idea
View attachment 13673View attachment 13674
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Paul I think it looks great and you made the right call to choose function over form.
mine was certainly built with functionality as the priority over looks. It’s been a sensational rod and on the few occasions I’ve used it (not many to be fair) it’s really impressed me. The sliding reel bands are definitely the way to go for me on a rod like that as you can really achieve perfect balance of the reel and reduce that cork sitting under your arm.
not a fan of push in tips personally but again that’s what custom built is all about. Making it individual to you.
ive had afew high 4’s and low 5’s on it now and it’s spot on for the job. Mines the Avon 1.25 blank but I’m a big fan of 11 foot rods. I bet the torrix is awesome.
I Love this pic of the rod and small chub together
F0863F7C-21EE-431F-A29C-3F18A43B2FA7.jpeg
 
Julian Griffiths said:
Was given the same advice too, however I persevered and got M. T to build me two torrix 1.25 with a section to accept drennan quivers.

Currently awaiting a couple of builds to arrive, chimera Avon's and a standard Harrison Avon for my collection of never ending rods😂
I managed to snag some shimano techniums and the technium quiver rods last summer, lovely long white quiver tips on those rods. Apparently some of the best chub rods built for the species?
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They did a 12 foot twin top stradic specialist rod. Was by far one of the nicest chub rods in existence but rare to come by. Not the typical stradic rods on the grey blue blank this was on a dark burgundy blank and was exceptionally great
 
Shimano produced 3 top class twin-tip specialist rods back in the late 90's and 2000's. I think the Stradic came first, never used or handled one but those that know about these things rated them very highly indeed. Then they produced the Technium and Antares Specialist twin-tips. I had a pair of Techniums, excellent rods both with the avon (rated at 1.25 but more like 1lb imo) which was very through-actioned, very good chub rod but an even better perch rod. Caught my PB roach at Loch Naw using them. The Antares was a bit more powerful at 1.6lb with a firmer more progressive action and better quality Fuji SICS and a better ringing pattern. I acquired a pair but found them a bit light for the tench fishing applicationss I wanted, and a tad too powerful for chub and way to powerful for perch Never used them with the quivertips..sold them to a Drennan Cup winner who if I recall correctly was sponsored by another leading rod tackle manufacturer at the time!

They also produced 11.6 quivertips in the Antares and Technium range. Still use the Antares for chubbing on the Dane, one of my favourite rods.
 
Joe Winstanley said:
Shimano produced 3 top class twin-tip specialist rods back in the late 90's and 2000's. I think the Stradic came first, never used or handled one but those that know about these things rated them very highly indeed. Then they produced the Technium and Antares Specialist twin-tips. I had a pair of Techniums, excellent rods both with the avon (rated at 1.25 but more like 1lb imo) which was very through-actioned, very good chub rod but an even better perch rod. Caught my PB roach at Loch Naw using them. The Antares was a bit more powerful at 1.6lb with a firmer more progressive action and better quality Fuji SICS and a better ringing pattern. I acquired a pair but found them a bit light for the tench fishing applicationss I wanted, and a tad too powerful for chub and way to powerful for perch Never used them with the quivertips..sold them to a Drennan Cup winner who if I recall correctly was sponsored by another leading rod tackle manufacturer at the time!

They also produced 11.6 quivertips in the Antares and Technium range. Still use the Antares for chubbing on the Dane, one of my favourite rods.
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Stradics were great rods...as were Fox Kevlar specialists that have lovely long glass quivertips with good sized eyes on them
There is a Stradic specialist on eBay at moment that looks in good condition
 
The good thing about the stradic specialist rod was it never fell into that really “cool” club like the Antares and diaflashs and Kevlar s etc but back in the day it was certainly up to the same level regarding price and quality. Now if you can find one they tend to fetch little money which is great if your buying. Good examples will have all 4 tips. 1 very sensitive maroon one that matches the colour of the rod and 3 white ones.
I have the purist version of the rod and my step dad has the stradic. Mine would fetch more at auction yet his is way nicer in every way even though it’s 10 years older.
 
Alan Palmer said:
Stradics were great rods...as were Fox Kevlar specialists that have lovely long glass quivertips with good sized eyes on them
There is a Stradic specialist on eBay at moment that looks in good condition
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Got one of those fox rods too, just haven't been organised enough to get out there, mind you, mainly down to the fewer fish in my local waters.
 
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The kevlex extreme barbel was the one to have. They are just unbelievably sought after to the point people pay custom Harrison money for them nowadays. I had one and yes it was nice but once I’d started buying Harrisons I let it go because it wasn’t Harrison nice. However I let it go waaaaaaay too cheap and wish I knew then what I know now.
 
Richard Isaacs said:
The kevlex extreme barbel was the one to have. They are just unbelievably sought after to the point people pay custom Harrison money for them nowadays. I had one and yes it was nice but once I’d started buying Harrisons I let it go because it wasn’t Harrison nice. However I let it go waaaaaaay too cheap and wish I knew then what I know now.
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I thought the Fox kevlar was higher quality than the kevlex.Saw a pair of kevlar specialists on Market place few months ago for £250.They didn't hang around long.
 
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I visited a little dusty tackle shop in the North East about 4 years ago and saw a new but very dusty Kevlar specialist rod mixed in with some other old rods...asked how much they wanted for it and was told “it’s an old obsolete model so maybe give us £50” ....I’ve never walked out of a shop so fast in my life (clutching the rod tightly), then next day felt so guilty I went back and spent another £50 in the shop on stuff I didn’t need😳
 
Dave Brooksbank said:
I thought the Fox kevlar was higher quality than the kevlex.Saw a pair of kevlar specialists on Market place few months ago for £250.They didn't hang around long.
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They were the same blanks as far as I knew just different colours and test curves. Recent auctions that I have seen show them both fetching good money but the kevlex being less common always seems to go for that bit more.
 
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