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TC

The way i see it is do you want the enjoyment of the fight or just drag the fish straight in ?. Am a bit of a traditionalist on Avon style rods where i like to keep to the original TC of these rods. I class anything with a TC over 1.5 as a specialist rod. I stick to 1.0, 1.25 and a 1.5tc Avon all 11ft that have through actions. I have landed wild Carp of 23lb, Pike Zander, Bream, Tench etc on my 1.25tc and didn't feel the need of a higher rated rod. In old days a rod with a Tc over 1.5 was rarely heard of and classed as a broomstick. It was only when fibreglass came in that the TC started to go up.
My advice is to walk along the bank where you want to fish the most and talk to the people fishing. Also look at their rod actions whilst they reel in the fish there. You don't want a rod that's too stiff that i rips the hook out or a rod that bends in half whilst hauling in a toddler. If i did need a heavier rod for very snaggy and fast water i would go for a 1.75tc with a through action. I can see it would be a good all rounder where it's not too stiff to notice the smaller fish but no too soft to fight larger fish.
 
Iain Tutt said:
The way i see it is do you want the enjoyment of the fight or just drag the fish straight in ?. Am a bit of a traditionalist on Avon style rods where i like to keep to the original TC of these rods. I class anything with a TC over 1.5 as a specialist rod. I stick to 1.0, 1.25 and a 1.5tc Avon all 11ft that have through actions. I have landed wild Carp of 23lb, Pike Zander, Bream, Tench etc on my 1.25tc and didn't feel the need of a higher rated rod. In old days a rod with a Tc over 1.5 was rarely heard of and classed as a broomstick. It was only when fibreglass came in that the TC started to go up.
My advice is to walk along the bank where you want to fish the most and talk to the people fishing. Also look at their rod actions whilst they reel in the fish there. You don't want a rod that's too stiff that i rips the hook out or a rod that bends in half whilst hauling in a toddler. If i did need a heavier rod for very snaggy and fast water i would go for a 1.75tc with a through action. I can see it would be a good all rounder where it's not too stiff to notice the smaller fish but no too soft to fight larger fish.
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Good luck trying to cast out a 5oz feeder on a 1.75 through-actioned rod...;)
 
Joe Winstanley said:
Personally I'm always rather be overgunned than undergunned when fishing for barbel.
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Couldn't agree more.
Don't get me wrong, in the right swim, playing and landing one on lighter gear is a pleasure and I savour the battle but... where I fish the opportunities for this are limited, snags are everywhere and there are numerous places for the fish to hang you up in willow roots/branches

Bites can be few and far between and I would rather be 'overgunned' so at least when I do hook one,I can land and return the fish quickly and safely.
And I do accept that I might get less bites because I fish a bit heavier but I can sleep on a night.

The 2 1/4 Chimeras will do everything. I decided to try a 1 3/4 because, if I'm honest, I haven't spent a penny on fishing for 3 months and felt like treating myself.
 
To repeat a question that is often asked on here,... what is the best type of rod for trotting for barbel then?
I sometimes get the impression that when the " what barbel rod?" topic is raised it's often assumed that it's purely about catching barbel by ledgering into snags or chucking 5 or 6 ozs into the drink.
I think that's a pity and now feel that I've got less than a 1 in 10 chance of ever landing a decent fish on my pathetic 1 1/4 tc trotting rods.:rolleyes:
I know a few top barbel anglers who don't use a rod above 1 1/2 tc,... but then perhaps they tend not to snag fish that much and may opt for backleads .
Whatever, it doesn't really matter does it,... we all go our own way and choose our gear based on experience.
After all, what's a pike rod?
A long broomstick that will chuck out a big deadbait and sink hooks at distance,... or perhaps drift a bait to a far off island,... or is it a wand type spinning rod, ....then perhaps a softer action rod for small rivers and drains?
Big difference, but still all ' pike' rods though.
Same as barbel imho, .. just depends on method and degree of difficulty of chosen swim. That's why we have so much gear isn't it?:D
 
Dave Taylor said:
To repeat a question that is often asked on here,... what is the best type of rod for trotting for barbel then?
I sometimes get the impression that when the " what barbel rod?" topic is raised it's often assumed that it's purely about catching barbel by ledgering into snags or chucking 5 or 6 ozs into the drink.
I think that's a pity and now feel that I've got less than a 1 in 10 chance of ever landing a decent fish on my pathetic 1 1/4 tc trotting rods.:rolleyes:
I know a few top barbel anglers who don't use a rod above 1 1/2 tc,... but then perhaps they tend not to snag fish that much and may opt for backleads .
Whatever, it doesn't really matter does it,... we all go our own way and choose our gear based on experience.
After all, what's a pike rod?
A long broomstick that will chuck out a big deadbait and sink hooks at distance,... or perhaps drift a bait to a far off island,... or is it a wand type spinning rod, ....then perhaps a softer action rod for small rivers and drains?
Big difference, but still all ' pike' rods though.
Same as barbel imho, .. just depends on method and degree of difficulty of chosen swim. That's why we have so much gear isn't it?:D
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Spot-on Dave.

To be honest, when I'm selecting a rod for a certain application the primary consideration is 'will it put the bait where I want it'. Everything else comes after that.
 
Joe Winstanley said:
Good luck trying to cast out a 5oz feeder on a 1.75 through-actioned rod...;)
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I have no need to chuck a 5oz feeder out or ever said i do on a 1.75 rod. Wasn't till you posted about 5oz feeders no one mentioned heavy feeders.
Even in the flood water down here that weight isn't required to hold the deck. Most casts are underarm. I guess the widest river/streams i fish is no more that 20 feet and the others are 10ish foot across. A 2oz loaded feeder or a 2oz weight is all i need but most of the time i just use a 1.5oz gripper weight to hold the bottom.
 
I used to do nothing but pike fishing and yes Dave it is exactly the same.
I've accumulated 10 rods for most aspects of pike fishing over 20 years and probably sold on/given away as many again and I really don't consider myself a tackle tart - not interested in the latest fad. And the barbel/chub fishing is going the same way, but the difference is my kids have grown up and are self sufficient.They were young when I pike fished and I couldn't afford nice rods, so made-do , saved up, traded on etc.
All I do now is work and fish punctuated by a few beers so for me it's nice to build up a toolbox of rods,but knowing that I'll most probably stick to just one or two, cos that's what we do.
 
Sorry re you post on trotting - never done this and have asked for some guidance from some seasoned float anglers this coming season, so am interested to hear too.
 
Paul Richardson said:
Sorry re you post on trotting - never done this and have asked for some guidance from some seasoned float anglers this coming season, so am interested to hear too.
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Ha,.. no worries Paul,... I was being a little sarcastic that's all. ( not to you but in general btw ! ) ;)
Plenty on here who will give advice on barbel float rods, also worth a look in the archives especially some of the dear departed Keith Speer's blogs and posts.
ATB Dave
 
That's the funny thing though Dave, I know several excellent anglers who do nothing but float fish for barbel up here when conditions allow.
I find it hard to get me head round but they use what to me is very light tackle and don't seem to have too many problems with losing fish.So I am keen to watch and learn
 
so reading all the reply's I should go for 1.75 tc and narrowed it down to ether a Korum or a Fox Royal as a of the shelf rod but which one to get me on the river on the 16th.

many have mentioned a DL custom made rode any body got a like for these rods
 
Usually you will find you are not far from a snag on the swale , I personally think that if you are just buying one rod to start with would go with 1.75 lb, 12ft. Would recommend 12lb mainline as a minimum. I use a Trevor west which is superb bends right to the corks with no flat spots. Yet you always feel in control of the fish. Also a 1.75 allows you to fish with 3 and 4 oz when the river is up 3 or 4 ft. Good luck whatever you choose, but dont go too light!
 
I've had several rods from Dave Lumb - can't fault any of his work. He builds all his rods on a Harrison Blanks, with no-nonsense practical fittings. Nice under-stated colours as well. He's a top bloke as well.
 
Neil Mason said:
so reading all the reply's I should go for 1.75 tc and narrowed it down to ether a Korum or a Fox Royal as a of the shelf rod but which one to get me on the river on the 16th.

many have mentioned a DL custom made rode any body got a like for these rods
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Neil, keep your eye on the classified section on here. Theres always a bargain to be had. Or give Clive Shipman a P.M. I'm sure he could sort you out with an excellent rod. :)
 
I think before you take the plunge, consider a off the shelf rod before shelling out 100's on a custom rod. At least you will have a better understanding of what you might need from a custom rod in the future. As said a good fit for purpose rod would be a 1.75 tc at 12' These rods are so versatile and can cope with 4oz leads if you have to, with a underhand cast, as well as not feeling too heavy for summer work on all sorts of venues.

If it is toss up between the Korum and the Fox the Fox is the one I would go for, I have a go to Fox I bought second hand on here a few years back, it is a wonderful blank, thin light and a great action, and makes a very useful 'feeder' type rod. I Don't think at around £70 it's a compromise it isn't.

I am sure he won't mind me saying that Shaun Nurse uses them, a very fine angler that can catch a double barbel from a car park puddle, even though he supports the wrong Bristol football team :D

I would use 10lb mono on a good quality Shimano 'runner, and invest in a quality handle like the Drennan, all these are major considerations, the rest is up to you.
 
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