• You need to be a registered member of Barbel Fishing World to post on these forums. Some of the forums are hidden from non-members. Please refer to the instructions on the ‘Register’ page for details of how to join the new incarnation of BFW...

Tackle reviews

Richard Isaacs

Richard Isaacs

Senior Member & Supporter
I love a good tackle review especially if the review is based around actual usage experience and gives factual evidence to back up the product (positive or negative).
I hate unboxing reviews with a passion... how on Earth can you tell me how good or bad something is from it’s removal out the packaging?
So I thought I’d start a thread. Asking for tackle reviews.
My thread, my rules............
1) no unboxing reviews. If it ain’t spent time on the bank then tell me about it when it has

2) we know shimano 4000D’s and free spirit Hi S rods are great. Let’s keep it to products that don’t get discussed every week

3) unbiased reviews only. If your the product manager for drennan please don’t tell us how good the drennan stuff is.

4) respect other opinions. One mans treasure, another mans trash n all that.

So I’m gonna start with the KORUM BUTT SCREWS. And it’s a product I started using around 6 months ago. About £5-7 each fibre glass molded screw with a cup for your rod handle to go into.
It’s one of those things that I lived without for years yet I’d be lost without them now.
I always had a niggle when using them that at night I couldn’t see them buried in the ground and I kept kicking and tripping over them.
Then some bright spark said to me “you do know rich that the slots in the top are designed to take isotopes”. ............. WTF....... that’s brilliant. How did I miss that.
So I painted the K white and pushed in some isotopes and while I still manage to trip over them I can always see them nice and clear whatever the light level.
I think they are an awesome product. They save you your rods from vicious takes, they screw into just about anything, they take no space at all and cost sweet FA,
I say they belong in all barbel anglers tackle bags. 10/10 for me on the korum butt screws.
96933D4A-6AA2-4A30-9CB4-5D0D74756AB1.jpeg

So anyway be interesting to hear your tackle reviews. I’ll put up some more soon aswell as I have a few things that don’t warrant quite such positive talk.
Could be a very useful thread.
 
Terry Simner said:
Here's mine. The best PVA bag filler/funnel I've used to date. Faultless, and one comes free with ever bottle of Schweppes Tonic.

View attachment 11627
Click to expand...
You’ve just taken it to a whole new level there Terry. Home engineered tackle reviews. Now your talking my favorite language 😎😎😎
Edit ...... although in theory you are the product developer for the Schweppes pva funnel, making your review infringe with rule no 3 but I’ll turn a blind eye (as it’s quite brilliant) 🤣🤣
 
Last edited:
I think the Korum butt screws arrived on the scene quite a while after I made these...,
Basically they elevate the rod butts when you need the rod tip at an extra height.
DE1D29F5-6D0D-4031-AFF2-168C3FDE623D.jpeg

9F364293-FBF8-4769-ADCA-0201AF8C8745.jpeg

They were my mk 1’s, and bashed together some 12 years ago plus.

I have since made some super delux mk 2’s, but as I am on holiday and they are at home I cannot put up any photos.
I only use them in certain swims where the rod tips need to keep as much line out of the water as possible, that swim is shallow and very rocky/ snaggy for a good 3/4 of the way across .

David
 
David Craine said:
I think the Korum butt screws arrived on the scene quite a while after I made these...,
Basically they elevate the rod butts when you need the rod tip at an extra height.
View attachment 11631
View attachment 11633
They were my mk 1’s, and bashed together some 12 years ago plus.

I have since made some super delux mk 2’s, but as I am on holiday and they are at home I cannot put up any photos.
I only use them in certain swims where the rod tips need to keep as much line out of the water as possible, that swim is shallow and very rocky/ snaggy for a good 3/4 of the way across .

David
Click to expand...
They are more like the butt cup things that attach to rod rests. I’ve made afew of those up before
A11D20AF-98FD-478D-A0A1-EF6993A4F588.jpeg
90E48CD3-646C-4084-989B-E6C2DC95E1D7.jpeg
 
Bit tangential to the original aim of the thread but if I might take a small liberty Richard, I would recommend Alan Hawk"s reel reviews http://www.alanhawk.com/reviews/reviews.html

I bought a couple of reels based on his reviews (for sea fishing) and endorse his assessment of them. Even if you don't plan to buy a reel or he hasn't reviewed the model you are interested in, I found the reviews fascinating. He's also been helpful with a couple of queries I had. Enjoy!
 
Here’s another one from me.
I’m not discussing the rods themselves just the reel seats. Free spirit carbon fibre reel seats that are offered on the higher end rods like the S and Hi S models. I think they are total crap.
I get the thinking around them being carbon fibre and some how incorporated directly to the blank to enhance feel through the handle but these types of materials do not grip. They are not designed to. Natural carbon, graphite, it’s all self lubricating materials. This is why natural carbon rod joints come apart very easily compared to varnished joints.
Every time I use my free spirit rods I’m forever giving them a nip up because they consistently back themselves off. Give me a plastic Fuji thread any day of the week over these things. Total rubbish. Any way the rods themselves are lovely so I’ll live with it
2/10 for free spirit reel seats.
8DB419C0-595E-4ACA-9BC7-4D78B0B9D82E.jpeg
 
Richard Isaacs said:
Here’s another one from me.
I’m not discussing the rods themselves just the reel seats. Free spirit carbon fibre reel seats that are offered on the higher end rods like the S and Hi S models. I think they are total crap.
I get the thinking around them being carbon fibre and some how incorporated directly to the blank to enhance feel through the handle but these types of materials do not grip. They are not designed to. Natural carbon, graphite, it’s all self lubricating materials. This is why natural carbon rod joints come apart very easily compared to varnished joints.
Every time I use my free spirit rods I’m forever giving them a nip up because they consistently back themselves off. Give me a plastic Fuji thread any day of the week over these things. Total rubbish. Any way the rods themselves are lovely so I’ll live with it
2/10 for free spirit reel seats.
View attachment 11637
Click to expand...
When I had my barbel S built I chose Fuji reel seats
 
Terry Harman said:
No just hold your thumb on the round black bit
Click to expand...
I had one for over ten years but never used until recently (with 8mm pellets). The needle was very lose and kept sliding back so tried to bend it a bit. Yeah, mine snapped too 😳
 
Richard looking at those Korum butt screws gave me an idea ...why Doesn’t anyone make a stage stand with a fixed screw welded on the bottom instead of having to take a separate screw and screwdriver
 
Terry Harman said:
No just hold your thumb on the round black bit
Click to expand...
I’ve got the Avid retractable needle and it was great when I first got it...... really tight and took significant force to move it but now it’s worn in and pushes back too easily. I’d prefer one that locked in place until you want to retract it.
 
Terry Harman said:
Richard looking at those Korum butt screws gave me an idea ...why Doesn’t anyone make a stage stand with a fixed screw welded on the bottom instead of having to take a separate screw and screwdriver
Click to expand...
Problem with that would be that you might screw it down and it might not be straight. You would have to have a round bar on the extendable bit you screw your buzz bars to to counter that. If I remember correctly mine has a flat side on it to stop it twisting. The screws I have with mine have threaded out a bit and I keep forgetting to replace them
 
These were my solution for savage takes after seeing carp man Julian Cundiff using them and messaging him for his opinion, which of course being a Nash man was always going to be favorable! However, having used them a few times they are certainly up to the job. More pricey than the Korum bits at around £11 each (plus the extra banksticks needed), but when put in context of the value of rod and reel they are hanging on to it's small change. I like that I can elevate the butts and lift the rod handle/reel away from the ground and also useful to level up the rods (hangover from carp angling i'm afraid 😂 ). They have a nice cantilever type action that releases the rod with a small amount of upward pressure. Very good things :)

 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top