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Torrix or hi s rods

Different rod brands split the barbel commodity into as many different parts
One man’s favorite is another man’s worst and that’s just down to personal preferences and fishing styles
Free spirits and Harrison’s couldn’t be any different especially the hi s and torrix. Chalk and cheese

Wherever possible try before buying and see what works for you.
 
Anthony Brown said:
I'm looking to get either the torrix 12ft 1.75lb,2lb or the hi s 12ft 1.75lb, 2lb t.c for my barbel fishing . Would also be using them for my tench fishing aswell. Which would be the better rod for type of fishing Im looking to use them for.
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I'm a Torrix man through & through. I'm actually considering at some point to really narrow my rod collection right down & just get the few Torrix's to cover my needs. Already got a 12ft 2.25 & 11ft 1.75lb currently in a build process.
 
Richard Isaacs said:
Different rod brands split the barbel commodity into as many different parts
One man’s favorite is another man’s worst and that’s just down to personal preferences and fishing styles
Free spirits and Harrison’s couldn’t be any different especially the hi s and torrix. Chalk and cheese

Wherever possible try before buying and see what works for you.
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That's obviously the case but for me the fact that two rods with a difference in tc of 4oz share the same butt section suggests a degree of limitation in at least one of those models.
Torrixs remind me of the original John Wilson rods - quite tippy with almost rigid butt sections.
Has anyone noticed how a lot of the carp vids these days show anglers with rods that can punch out rigs to 150yds but yet when they're playing fish these rods are practically useless, leading to the angler having to hold the rod up near the butt ring because he's exhausted?
If you do not require a rods resistance to bending to punch weight out it isn't doing anything to have that resistance when playing something.
 
Damian Kimmins said:
That's obviously the case but for me the fact that two rods with a difference in tc of 4oz share the same butt section suggests a degree of limitation in at least one of those models.
Torrixs remind me of the original John Wilson rods - quite tippy with almost rigid butt sections.
Has anyone noticed how a lot of the carp vids these days show anglers with rods that can punch out rigs to 150yds but yet when they're playing fish these rods are practically useless, leading to the angler having to hold the rod up near the butt ring because he's exhausted?
If you do not require a rods resistance to bending to punch weight out it isn't doing anything to have that resistance when playing something.
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I agree about Torrix carp rods but absolutely disagree about the 11ft 1.75 barbel blank. Mine certainly doesn’t have an ‘almost rigid butt section’ - it bends to the cork (if you actually pull that is).
 
Is there too much choice nowadays regarding tackle, rods especially ??

I've got 4 rods I use for Barbel fishing. I know very little about custom fitting, but I'm happy with what I've got. If I were to get some rods made, and they weren't what I was expecting, or as good as what I've already got, I'd be devastated. Not to mention the amount of money it would cost me.
 
Tim Marks said:
I agree about Torrix carp rods but absolutely disagree about the 11ft 1.75 barbel blank. Mine certainly doesn’t have an ‘almost rigid butt section’ - it bends to the cork (if you actually pull that is).
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It does yes.
It’s not a through action though it’s got some mega steel down there to put the brakes on but it does definitely bend

I like that though in a barbel rod
I don’t want it to be maxed out right over with a modest fish on
When I was buying flood/power rods for big or swollen rivers I went through free spirit and basias
loved both but ran out of steam too quickly when compared to the chimera 3
 
Some Torrix rods are great, others less so. I really like 11' 1.75 Torrix as a small river barbel rod. And my carp rods are the 12' 2.5, and 12' 3.25lb for when I'm in France.

Have tried the 12' 1.75 Torrix, but not for me. And I found the 3lb Torrix horrible...the 3.25lb has a much more forgiving action.

For a 12 foot barbel rod, I don't think you can beat the Chimera 2 or Chimera 3 for big river/flood conditions.

If I could only have 1 barbel rod to cover everything it would be the 12' Chimera 2. It also makes an excellent tench rod (although not as good as the Interceptor 1.75).
 
Simon Archer said:
Is there too much choice nowadays regarding tackle, rods especially ??

I've got 4 rods I use for Barbel fishing. I know very little about custom fitting, but I'm happy with what I've got. If I were to get some rods made, and they weren't what I was expecting, or as good as what I've already got, I'd be devastated. Not to mention the amount of money it would cost me.
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That's an interesting question really because if you think about it, how many rod builders are able to offer you something other than a Harrison blank? Conversely, if you go to a tackle shop you might have more choice, if you are looking for a cheap imported rod from different manufacturers (supposedly anyway).
Rod builders have spoken in the past about the closeness of their relationship with Harrison and how easy they are to work with as a company, and so, they may be favoured, but what does that mean for the anglers' choice? They may even offer favourable prices on certain blanks to rod builders who in turn market them towards prospective customers, what does that mean for the anglers' choice?
In a thread on this subject, as there have been over the years, one thing has struck me, and this is, there are a great differing variation in the rivers in this country, but yet you always hear of one rod - the Torrix! To me it is a natural impossibility that one rod is the most suitable for all of those situations. Notwithstanding that in some situations the Torrix may be the best tool, for all the others however, it cannot be.
 
Damian Kimmins said:
That's an interesting question really because if you think about it, how many rod builders are able to offer you something other than a Harrison blank? Conversely, if you go to a tackle shop you might have more choice, if you are looking for a cheap imported rod from different manufacturers (supposedly anyway).
Rod builders have spoken in the past about the closeness of their relationship with Harrison and how easy they are to work with as a company, and so, they may be favoured, but what does that mean for the anglers' choice? They may even offer favourable prices on certain blanks to rod builders who in turn market them towards prospective customers, what does that mean for the anglers' choice?
In a thread on this subject, as there have been over the years, one thing has struck me, and this is, there are a great differing variation in the rivers in this country, but yet you always hear of one rod - the Torrix! To me it is a natural impossibility that one rod is the most suitable for all of those situations. Notwithstanding that in some situations the Torrix may be the best tool, for all the others however, it cannot be.
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I’ve barbel fished for 30 years and I’ve used a Torrix for most of the last 6 months. It was retired for the Winter a month or so ago.

The other 29.5 years I’ve used various other rods mostly Chimera 2 or 3‘s. Prior to that, Paul Boote built Century blanks.

In that 30 years I’ve fished with half a dozen guys and none of them have regularly used a Torrix for barbel. Most of them knew what they were about, one even held the British record.
 
That's fair enough, Tim. I think you'd have to say that it is a tremendously common rod though isn't it?
I think I may have two rods that were originally built by Paul Boote and they are both quite special.
 
This thread was nailed on to be subjective ,.. they always are, because we all fish different rivers in varying conditions that can encompass a range of rod requirements. Also, our preferences change over the years ,.. mine have.
I’m a dreadful hoarder of rods and sometimes for old times sake pick up a rod that I brought decades ago for a session and think why did I ever like this rod!
I did exactly that with an old Drennan 13’ stick float a few months ago that hadn’t seen the light of day for over 25 years,.. I gave it a waggle and winced when it flexed down to the cork and wouldn’t stop waggling. That wasn’t a cheap rod in its day and I must have liked it but not now. ( I note they’re going for near-on £200 at antique auctions!!)
So many of my older rods have softer actions it seems.
I still like my old North Western 11’ feeder which has backbone but with the exception of that and the soft action 11’ 2lb tc SS5’s ( hollow glass) which I always loved for medium river piking, I really ought to have a clear out.
Before I asked Bob to build me a torrix I used both Korum and Greys twin tips,… the prodigy is much tippier than the torrix and the Korum was slightly softer but both budget rods had inferior plastic fittings,.. the Korum ‘wind down‘ rod seat busted. Another subjective subject I suspect!
I tend to use the torrix on the Avon,.. and on the Stour if it’s pushing in wintertime,.. otherwise I still love to use what was a budget Giant M.B. Ouse Barbel at 1.5 tc which is just right for summer/ autumn conditions on the Stour.
It has ‘wind-up’ reel seat although plastic.
The beauty of having a rod built to your own specs and needs is that it’s a personal friend and you’ve only got yourself to blame if that friendship doesn’t work out.
 
As people say this is subjective to different opinions the one thing I will say is that the Torrix 1.75/2.0 is DEFINITELY NOT TIPPY and has plenty of power towards the butt.
 
Is the Lone Angler 1.75 and the floodwater based on at torrix , my favourite rods and wished that I'd bought both as a pair?
That said the free spirit 2lb barbel tamer as an 11ft is my go to Nidd rod, although I bought on the hoof so not sure if there is an eqiuvelent otr better , I also like the look of FS pike rods.
On another note , has anyone had barbel ( and chub quivers) built by Chas Burns? ,friends really rate his fly rods .
 
Phil Nixon said:
As people say this is subjective to different opinions the one thing I will say is that the Torrix 1.75/2.0 is DEFINITELY NOT TIPPY and has plenty of power towards the butt.
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I would say the torrix specialist line of rods definitely are tippy
Even the super sweet 11’s are faster actioned rods than your usual classic barbel rod which is generally a slower more through action.

Hang 4oz off a Torrix 1.75 11f then do the same with the 1.75 11ft GTI and you’ll see what I mean

Tippy doesn’t mean the butt section don’t bend.
 
Martin Lingard said:
Is the Lone Angler 1.75 and the floodwater based on at torrix , my favourite rods and wished that I'd bought both as a pair?
That said the free spirit 2lb barbel tamer as an 11ft is my go to Nidd rod, although I bought on the hoof so not sure if there is an eqiuvelent otr better , I also like the look of FS pike rods.
On another note , has anyone had barbel ( and chub quivers) built by Chas Burns? ,friends really rate his fly rods .
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I spoke to Chas a few times about building me a pair of C3 s
gave him the specs I wanted and he was very unresponsive via text , waited ages for an answer which didn’t bode well
ended up going to Dave Lumb who did a fantastic rod for a similar price
 
Dave Taylor said:
I’m a dreadful hoarder of rods and sometimes for old times sake pick up a rod that I brought decades ago for a session and think why did I ever like this rod!
I did exactly that with an old Drennan 13’ stick float a few months ago that hadn’t seen the light of day for over 25 years,.. I gave it a waggle and winced when it flexed down to the cork and wouldn’t stop waggling.
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That sounds like a wonderful rod! 😂😂
 
Garry Hall said:
I have a pair of the Harrison GTi Barbel Rods 11' 2 piece 1lb 12oz tc built by Peregrine Rods.

They are often overlooked but they have a great through action and they are fish playing blanks. You can also get a spliced quiver top for those special occasions when chubbing or even tipping for roach
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They are excellent rods.
 
For what it’s worth I’ve just got in after an interesting day. Went for a days chubbing and got a 3lber
However this was sandwiched by a 10-7 and 7-12 Yorkshire barbel , fat as pigs and fighting as hard as they did in the summer.
River was fining , but still pushing through
Tamed both on a Torrix 1.25tc tip rod with a 3oz tip
At no point did the rod feel inadequate, it had plenty left in the butt section and I promise you pulling these fish upstream on a spate river would test any rod , especially as I was on smalll hooks and relatively light hook lengths. So whilst they were ‘ accidental’ captures it was a brilliant test of a rods capability and I do use it by design in NSL for barbel , but with extra water in it’s a completely different scenario
By all accounts the 1.25 Torrix is as powerful as the 1.75 and more powerful than the 1.5tc in the butt section.Work that one out??
I think if I’d hooked it on a Chimera of the same TC it would still be swimming up and down the swim now
So it’s a crazy mixed up world when it comes to blanks & test curves
Torrix has been a grower for me , I was underwhelmed when I first used them, much preferring Chimeras but with the exception of the C3 it’s swung right round and Torrix is my go-to barbel rod for most summer & winter sessions
But it is 100% personal preference- there are no rights or wrongs and if I tried a Hi-S I might be seduced again but it would have to be something really special
The Dark Carbon is also a beautiful blank but not considered as much as they are scarcer , but it is a cracker
It’s one of them
Pepsi or Coke
Ford or Vauxhall
Nike or Adidas etc
First world problem
 
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