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Small rods just a faze?

Richard Barrett

Richard Barrett

Senior Member
Slightly off target I know, but I've been interested in the new fad for smaller rods the carp/coarse world is going through.

The Nash scope rods look really nice and 9' is a perfect length for landing fish if you don't have too much marginal growth. But what about other rods?

Some time ago I watch a clip on Youtube (that for the life of me I cannot find now) of Adam Scott using two Daiwa spinning rods for stalking carp, both were 9' and had rubber butt caps like on old cane carp rods. I only noticed as I too had the same rods!:D

Two lads doing the Youtube rounds are Carl and Alex, brothers that video their fishing trips. Both good anglers and making great fishing clips to watch. I love it. Last time i looked one was rolling meat on a small river with a 6' sawn off scope with a 2lb t/c. Really fun the boys were having, even landing a nice double figure carp, barbel and chub from a tiny stream you could hop over in places.

The rod looked fantastic, but any light spinning rod would have done just as good a job, and cost much less. I guess what I'm saying is, is the craze going to last or will people wake up and wish they had kept the older fishing gear? Has Kevin Nash found a niche in the market, a 6' rod costing over a ton?:eek:

Are short rods the way it's all going?

Richard.
 
A gimmick, fad, a phase, a L.O.B. .....imho :) We need the right length (don't we all :) )to fish the water that we're faced with. Ok, on small (especially overgrown) rivers/streams a short rod might have some advantages (as in less unwieldy)...but I'd have thought it would have even more disadvantages. As for rolling meat, I'd like a 20ft rod, that shrinks to ~10ft once I've hooked a fish! Its the same with trotting...there's a need to 'mend' line, to 'pick up' line, and using a stumpy rod would make that much more difficult.

I reckon that now that the mad/juvenile drop-shotting phase, using micro reels and pin-like rods etc., has abated, then they need a new gimmicky product to sell...and they've come up with mini barbel rods.
BTW...the one thing I DO do though (which does shorten my rods) is saw off any butt on my barbel rods that protrudes behind my elbow when I'm holding the rod in the casting position. This makes the rod much more 'manoeuvrable' whilst playing fish, whilst not detracting (very much) from its actual 'casting length'.. unless you're distance casting double-handed method.
 
For me, it's a case of horses for courses. I have short rods, but not at the expense of the more usual (12/13') length stuff. I'm also rather fond of long rods (14-17') for certain applications, but not at the expense of shorter rods.

There are things you can do with short rods that you can't do with with long rods, and vice versa. 11-13', depending on the application, are the best all round compromise lengths.

As regards Kevin Nash's niche, it's not really a niche exclusive to him. The likes of Freespirit have been doing 6' Tree Creeper rods in various guises for quite a few years. The most expensive Hi-S Tree Creepers are £180. The USP that Nash went for is the telescopic butt section which allows for an impressively small packed down length.
 
Not barbel fishing at the moment,and fishing a small water, have been using 9footers,i absolutely love them! They do cast more accurate than a 12 footer (overhead) ,and they seem to get the fish in quickly?
 
I was very close to purchasing a couple of 10ft 2.25tc Nash dwarf rods.That was until I read all the mostly negative feedback on the web.It appears quite a few people have experienced catastrophic failure of the tip section whilst playing fish....not good!
 
I have a Nash dwarf rod and have had no problems. I think what causes some of the breakages is extending the rod with to much tension on the line which bends the tip in a unnatural way especially if the line is caught round an eye or twisted round the blank. There's no real reason why the tips should break as they have a nice through action.
 
John Hasler said:
I have a Nash dwarf rod and have had no problems. I think what causes some of the breakages is extending the rod with to much tension on the line which bends the tip in a unnatural way especially if the line is caught round an eye or twisted round the blank. There's no real reason why the tips should break as they have a nice through action.
Click to expand...
So you're saying whilst extending the rod in a made up state,this unnatural bending of the tip could potentially weaken the tip over time?How much use has your rod had John?
 
One season twice a week for most of the season. I've managed not to over stress it but I can see how it happens and it does say in the instructions to avoid doing it. It's easily done though if your in a rush to pull the tip round into a u shape.
 
To be honest if your after short rod for barbel the drennan 7 series spinning rods may be worth a look. There's a 9ft 2.25 or a 8ft 1.75.
 
I was thinking of using them for many things,canal carp and Zander,river barbel,lake tench.They could prove very versatile without breaking the bank.The main appeal for me is the portability aspect,just not sure about all the bad press and they now appear to be selling really cheap,although I understand that could just be to make way for new stock.Thanks for the info John.
 
Mark,
IIRC, there are (unmarked, possibly indistinguishable) Mk1 and Mk2 versions of both Scope and Dwarf rods. It was the Mk1s that got a bit of a reputation for tip breakages. Since the ranges were expanded (Mk2) I've not heard a great deal about further breakages.
 
Chris Jones said:
Mark,
IIRC, there are (unmarked, possibly indistinguishable) Mk1 and Mk2 versions of both Scope and Dwarf rods. It was the Mk1s that got a bit of a reputation for tip breakages. Since the ranges were expanded (Mk2) I've not heard a great deal about further breakages.
Click to expand...

Cheers Chris,if that's the case may have to take another look.
 
Richard Barrett said:
What 9' rods are you using Chris out of interest! Carp, pike,?
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Im using a couple of fox stalkers, but have just brought a nash dwarf to have a go with, the guys in the tackle shop did they have had a few back due to tip section failiure,the cheapo 1 i brought tho the more expensive scope has had no returns, does look a much nicer blank to be fair
 
I try to fish 2 rods where possible.In some tight swims with overhanging trees and overgrown vegetation I just use the one rod.
In the past I've taken 2x12''rods but this season have decided to take a 10''and a 12''to the river bank.The smaller rod is a cheap Korum 2.5lbs TC carp rod,it is surprisingly good for the price and is used in the awkward swims.It will still cast 6ozs about 50-60 yards if required and has turned into a good all rounder.
 
Short rods themselves are not a fad or a phase - I have several that I was using 20 years ago for stalking carp in the margins and fishing small rivers and drains, and I'll still use them over any longer rod now as the situations dictate. On the other hand, short rods are near useless for trotting and rolling, or if you're fishing at distance.

I also prefer short rods for lure fishing, and that is something that does seem to come and go - when I first took up rod and line, lure fishing was almost always with a short rod, usually 8 or 9ft and never more than 10, but in the late 90s longer spinning rods started to come out, and then before you knew it people were using 12 or 13ft carp rods for lure fishing, which seems ridiculous now. It's gone back the other way now, perhaps a little too far, with rods of 6 and 7ft being sold for lure fishing.
 
On tight swims or where i only need a short chuck i use a 10ft 2.75lb TFG classic rod. Lovely action and very well made for a rod under £50. After using the rod for a while i got rid of my 12ft carp rods as the waters i fish do not need a cast of 80/100 meters. I use it for floater, feeder and ledger fishing. A very versatile rod. Is it a fad, no as i was using a 10ft rod for stalking over 15 years ago
 
I have a few of the scopes and they are a real joy to play fish on, I have 9ft 2.75 that I use for general Carp fishing and 6ft footers for quick sessions. The pack down length and generally cutting down on all gear has been a revelation...in fact many trips I now just carry everything on my bike!
I have also invested in some 10ft 2.25 which are superb...not had a Barbel on them yet but plenty of chub and hard fighting river Carp. I have used extensively for last 12 months from stalking to lobbing out pva bags and never felt undergunned and only breakage was my own falt (pulling down on lead to free line from baitrunner,which wasn't on, tip bent at unnatural angle...and snap)
Personally the whole scope ethos and travelling light with maximum mobility really appeals
Have a look at the scope backpack that takes everything including made up rods/reels, bait, net etc...get on a bike and go, great fun!
 
Have to agree. Back in the 60s 70s most rods were 10' or 11' in length. My nine foot stalking rods are ideal for anything up to 60 yards, and in close better in my humble view for landing fish.

Agree also that float rods really need the extra length when trotting or picking up line at distance. But for playing pleasure, stalking and transportation I'm full on for short rods. 9' or 10'being my preferred choice
 
Richard Barrett said:
Slightly off target I know, but I've been interested in the new fad for smaller rods the carp/coarse world is going through.

The Nash scope rods look really nice and 9' is a perfect length for landing fish if you don't have too much marginal growth. But what about other rods?

Some time ago I watch a clip on Youtube (that for the life of me I cannot find now) of Adam Scott using two Daiwa spinning rods for stalking carp, both were 9' and had rubber butt caps like on old cane carp rods. I only noticed as I too had the same rods!:D

Two lads doing the Youtube rounds are Carl and Alex, brothers that video their fishing trips. Both good anglers and making great fishing clips to watch. I love it. Last time i looked one was rolling meat on a small river with a 6' sawn off scope with a 2lb t/c. Really fun the boys were having, even landing a nice double figure carp, barbel and chub from a tiny stream you could hop over in places.

The rod looked fantastic, but any light spinning rod would have done just as good a job, and cost much less. I guess what I'm saying is, is the craze going to last or will people wake up and wish they had kept the older fishing gear? Has Kevin Nash found a niche in the market, a 6' rod costing over a ton?:eek:

Are short rods the way it's all going?

Richard.
Click to expand...

Re. your original question/query then.... so would you use 6ft rods for general barbel fishing?
Unless you're fishing in a jungle I can't see the advantage, or anything in their favour really.
 
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