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Normark float rods

I bought a Normark Titan 2000 from a chap near me and had a chance to buy the Avenger too but I declined; the Titan has never been out of the bag as I feel the tip is just too delicate in use for me. That needs to go to a good home.
If it’s a 2000 original length in original bag it could very well fetch £400 plus at the moment

They are not coming up in the usual places very often and people are paying for them when they do.
The bag and the tip are the difference between £150 and £350-400 potentially.
 
The rod is full length but ashamed to say I cant remember if it is the original bag. Will dig it out and have a look. £400 is a tidy price

I'd sell the rod but the posting might be a challenge - although I do have an idea on packaging which would be pretty safe I think.

Have just googled Normark Avenger 3000 and a 13'-15' went on something like World Sea Fishing forums for about £190..obviously quite some time ago. Clearly getting properly rare now.

Custom made bags are a good idea.

Re the Milo rods - I do have a 15' Revenger still at full length - if i get to the Wye this year it will get an outing; it is effectively a 15' Avenger
 
Have just googled Normark Avenger 3000 and a 13'-15' went on something like World Sea Fishing forums for about £190..obviously quite some time ago. Clearly getting properly rare now.
The 3000 series is not going to fetch the same money as the 2000 series.
You’ve got the best one for selling definitely!

There’s too many people with doubts about the 3000 origins and who was involved in the time they were built and it’s these uncertainties that reduce the target audience interested in them.

Weird mind as they are a lot rarer rods. They were only made for a year or so and getting one is a tall order.

I don’t know whether they fall into the GS era of normark sales or not and honestly I don’t care. The blank is definitely equal to the 2000 in both looks, action and quality…. That is obvious from just having them side by side as a direct comparison.

I’m a user!!! It could of been built in the land of nod by mr blobby for all I care. I’m only interested how it performs.

Now is definitely a good time to sell a normark 2000. Don’t post it. Just name your price and say it’s collecting only. Someone will pick it up.
 
The rod is full length but ashamed to say I cant remember if it is the original bag. Will dig it out and have a look. £400 is a tidy price

I'd sell the rod but the posting might be a challenge - although I do have an idea on packaging which would be pretty safe I think.

Have just googled Normark Avenger 3000 and a 13'-15' went on something like World Sea Fishing forums for about £190..obviously quite some time ago. Clearly getting properly rare now.

Custom made bags are a good idea.

Re the Milo rods - I do have a 15' Revenger still at full length - if i get to the Wye this year it will get an outing; it is effectively a 15' Avenger
That World Sea Fishing site throws up some rare gems for some reason.
 
Avenger had its first run out yesterday at 15ft with 4 pints of maggots.
Nothing massive unfortunately but plenty of chub coming in up to just over a couple of pound. Good all day sport. My mate got em queing up on his 17ft acolyte during the afternoon and we both ran out of bait 🤣
It’s gonna be quite difficult to want to take another rod float fishing. I absolutely loved it. Hopefully next time I’ll get afew big lumps on it to get it doubled right over.
Hell of a rod 😎
BD16EAD3-4BF8-4BFD-853E-6D605B971BA8.jpeg
 
Avenger had its first run out yesterday at 15ft with 4 pints of maggots.
Nothing massive unfortunately but plenty of chub coming in up to just over a couple of pound. Good all day sport. My mate got em queing up on his 17ft acolyte during the afternoon and we both ran out of bait 🤣
It’s gonna be quite difficult to want to take another rod float fishing. I absolutely loved it. Hopefully next time I’ll get afew big lumps on it to get it doubled right over.
Hell of a rod 😎View attachment 22465
Good days sport that, good for the soul.
 
It’s gonna be quite difficult to want to take another rod float fishing. I absolutely loved it. Hopefully next time I’ll get afew big lumps on it to get it doubled right over.
Hell of a rod 😎View attachment 22465
[/QUOTE]Same Rich..My Browning Sphere's have taken over....Love em.
They never had a 15ft hollow tip which would of been interesting.
 
Has anyone given the 17' Freespirit Hi-S a waggle yet? I'm rather interested for my gravel pit tenching. As much as the 17' Acolyte is more capable than many imagine, I'd be happier with a more pokey rod that doesn't weigh a ton.

I love my float rods and have far too many. I have never quite plucked up the courage (or the cash) to go for a Team 2000 (1000/3000) or a Carbotec. However, I do have a complete set of early Mk2s. The confusion with the late Mk2 keeps a lid on prices nicely and many dismiss them our of hand. I won't part with mine until the bitter end.

The other type of float rods I won't give up any time soon are the Browning Spheres. I have five (of the six) distinct models and always wished that they'd done a longer hollow tipped match rod.
 
Has anyone given the 17' Freespirit Hi-S a waggle yet? I'm rather interested for my gravel pit tenching. As much as the 17' Acolyte is more capable than many imagine, I'd be happier with a more pokey rod that doesn't weigh a ton.
Yeah I had a waggle of the full range in benwicks.
No reel though Chris so not the best way to judge a rod.
As you’d expect it’s not as light as an acolyte or even my 17ft carbotec but it’s considerably more powerful. It’s certainly no heavy rod and they’ve done well with it to make it something I’d happily hold. The action is softer than the shorter versions but you can definitely feel there’s some guts in it.
I have the original 15ft version which is going to be used as a dedicated big barbel rod only. It’s not something I’d use for anything remotely less

Hope that helps
 
I don’t think the confusion around the mk11’s is anywhere near as much nowadays as it used to be.
Most people who know a little bit about normark rods are well aware that masterline didn’t start using far eastern blanks until the very last multi length version. The first Version of the masterline normarks was a very high end rod. I’ve not actually tried any of the mark11 Versions out before so I wouldn’t have a clue but I don’t think they would really suit my fishing type too much being limited to 13ft and very through actioned/slower tip.
Bet they are brilliant with a wag.

The 2000’s are very nice I’ve now got a couple and at 13ft they are wonderful things with TnB float. The fragile tip is what makes them what they are but for me the clear favorite is the 3000 range. Unlike the 2000’s they don’t really fish as nicely at 13ft (a little too much resistance to bending for the fast tip) but at 15ft they are simply unreal. The balance, rigidity unloaded and action when loaded is bloody fantastic to fish with.
I’d have 3000’s over my more “desirable” 2000’s and carbotec any day of the week for my style of fishing
 
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Yeah I had a waggle of the full range in benwicks.
No reel though Chris so not the best way to judge a rod.
As you’d expect it’s not as light as an acolyte or even my 17ft carbotec but it’s considerably more powerful. It’s certainly no heavy rod and they’ve done well with it to make it something I’d happily hold. The action is softer than the shorter versions but you can definitely feel there’s some guts in it.
I have the original 15ft version which is going to be used as a dedicated big barbel rod only. It’s not something I’d use for anything remotely less

Hope that helps

Thank you.

If the specs of 216g are correct, it's not much heavier than the Acolyte (mine is 199g). It's certainly not a huge amount for what I'd anticipate being a more powerful rod. It would make it relatively light amongst the bulk of 17' float rods. I hope it's not a bare blank weight but a completed rod weight. I'm also wary of it being a bit too brutal for my liking. I have previously had a bit of a surprise with the old Specialist Advanced 1lb 6oz Power Float. It's an absolute brute of a rod, way too much for fish much less than 12lb or so.
 
The rod is full length but ashamed to say I cant remember if it is the original bag. Will dig it out and have a look. £400 is a tidy price

I'd sell the rod but the posting might be a challenge - although I do have an idea on packaging which would be pretty safe I think.

Have just googled Normark Avenger 3000 and a 13'-15' went on something like World Sea Fishing forums for about £190..obviously quite some time ago. Clearly getting properly rare now.

Custom made bags are a good idea.

Re the Milo rods - I do have a 15' Revenger still at full length - if i get to the Wye this year it will get an outing; it is effectively a 15' Avenger
That World Sea Fishing site is just weird, displaying prices that have no bearing on true values.
 
Thank you.

If the specs of 216g are correct, it's not much heavier than the Acolyte (mine is 199g). It's certainly not a huge amount for what I'd anticipate being a more powerful rod. It would make it relatively light amongst the bulk of 17' float rods. I hope it's not a bare blank weight but a completed rod weight. I'm also wary of it being a bit too brutal for my liking. I have previously had a bit of a surprise with the old Specialist Advanced 1lb 6oz Power Float. It's an absolute brute of a rod, way too much for fish much less than 12lb or so.
218g is an excellent weight for what it is. I’m pretty sure my 15ft Version is slightly heavier than that but free spirit have done away with the stainless steel cap and collar on the handle with the new one which will effect the overall weight dramatically but with this weight being in the handle originally it’s not particularly noticeable on the Rod balance. I haven’t noticed the originals to feel much heavier but on paper they are
 
@Chris Jones after much thought I pulled the trigger myself on the 17ft hi s
Took a reel into the shop and gave it a much better assessment before shaving £450 off my balance.
I’ve got different ambitions for it than yourself as I’ll be doing more on the tidal and deeper stretches of the middle T and if I can trade a slider set up for a set of rubbers then happy days.
Personally I wouldn’t pick it as a tenching rod unless I’m expecting very special fish or fishing very close to snags. There is no question it’s a power float and on my local lakes down south with tench averaging 4-5lb I’d definitely prefer the finesse offered by the acolyte 17ft over the Hi S but obviously things could be very different where you go.
The rod itself is nothing short of beautiful. It’s not slim in the grand scheme of things but then I’m yet to find a real slim blank offered at that length as rigidity will likely take priority.
Put a reel of 300g on it and your balance point sits around 220mm infront of the reel seat so a little nose heavy for your light reels but not something that would phase me personally.

The overall weight of the rod itself is so light for what it is, you’d probably make the rod feel lighter by stepping up to a slightly heavier reel perhaps and moving that balance point to around 6 inch.

There is a relatively fast tip there but it doesn’t take much pressure before your out of that zone and into the rods curve. It then becomes a stiffer quite through actioned rod. Every section bends when it’s under load but there’s some resistance there in the rods power and I personally wouldn’t run anything lighter than 5lb line through it. I’d even happily go to 8lb knowing it would probably give before the rod does.
It’s a nice action but it’s definitely tailored towards special fish and not a rod I’d pick up unless I was specifically targeting fish that my other rods would simply struggle to maintain control with. Like my original 15ft version it will primarily be used for big barbel but a longer option.

They have done a good job of shaving weight off but they’ve done it all in the handle. The blank isn’t any lighter than the original and the rings are actually identical. I’d prefer to see a higher stand off on the butt ring but the rest are excellent for the distance they are away from the blank. Nice sizes too you could easily run stop knots through them with very little casting impairment at all.


The handle is a good 3 inch shorter. They’ve dropped all the steel in the caps and collars and used duplon on the for-grip and back.
The reel seat is finally one I can learn to love. Way better than the old carbon self loosening crap they used before and we’ve got a decent cork not this ultra thin slim rubbish that seems to be the fashion.

On paper at 216g (I’ll check it’s right later) it’s 2g lighter than my measured weight of the original 15ft version so neither are heavy rods for what they are however as you’d expect the 15 feels lighter simply because the bulk of the weight is more shifted closer to your hand.

I will give it a try out on the nene for big chub to see how it fairs but I can’t see it replacing my avenger3000 at 15ft for that job personally.

Hope that helps in your decision making because it’s not a cheap rod to get wrong.
 
Thanks, Richard.
I suspect that I've given the wrong impression about the reels I might use on a longer rods for bigger fish. Whilst I invariably aim for as light as possible, I don't go small unless I need to. The reel of choice on my 15'+ rods this year will be a Shimano Aero XR 5000 (at 268g).

As the tench I'm fishing for are averaging towards 6lb with an upper maximum creeping towards 9lb, the FS rod sounds just fine. Throw in the threat of carp well into the thirties and double figure bream, and I don't think it will be over the top. The one thing that will hold me back is the price tag. I'd have one already of it were a chunk less expensive. I've got a lot of selling to do before I can justify the expense.

I'll be interested to see whether the real world weight matches (within reason) the spec 216g. I do hope that they've not used the "bare blank weight" as some brands have done in the past.
 
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