Rod advice

[stevie]

Hello fellas. I am looking at having a go at a bit of “specialist” fishing when the current restrictions are lifted. Mainly roach, bream and hopefully tench. I would want a couple of I suppose “all round” rods if possible, my budget won’t be too high as it will only be a pastime over the summer months in between all the diy jobs at home. What would be the best test curve to go for and length, would mainly be fishing lakes and reservoirs. Would likely be using my delkim s for indication, therefore don,t know if I needed a feeder type rod, although some of the rods I have seen come with twin tips. Would an ‘Avon’ type rod cover it? As regards reels, I have got 6010 and 3500b shimanos’s as well as a couple of 4010 biomasters, do I need bait-runners ? As you can tell I’m a complete novice in this aspect, therefore thanks in advance.
Cheers

[Daniel]

Roach fishing requires a much softer rod than you'd need for tench and bream, unless you're fishing at pretty close range.
You wouldn't really want anything over 1¼lb test curve for roach and while it would do for tench and bream of modest size at under 40 meters, anything bigger, or further out, will require heavier rods.

[davelumb]

Twin tips are a con. Only one of the tips makes for a good rod.

Something between 1.25lb and 1.75lb tc should be OK for what your looking for. I'd look at Korum and Drennan rods (not sure what they have available these days though).

[Bob Watson]

I'd go for an Avon 1.25lb and a 1.75lb.

The former for roach and perch etc and the latter for tench bigger bream, barbel and chub.

Still loads of variables to cover though. A medium feeder rod will also cover a lot of options as would a stepped up waggler rod.

[stevie]

Cheers fellas, was thinking along the lines of both drennan and korum, but hadn’t considered 2 differing test curves, that’s given me food for thought. What about the reels.

[davelumb]

Baitrunners are handy - especially for tench. So long as they aren't big pit size they'll be fine!

[suffolk si]

Agree with what others have said.I’ve been using drennan 7 series Avon quiver 1.25 test curve over last couple of years for my close range tench float rod but a bit undergunned for distance or bottom work imo. Depends on size of the tench too I guess, 6-7lb ( especially male) tench doubles it over and can be a bit squeaky bum time near snags.drennan do a distance tench/ bream rod at 1.75 test I think

[Duncan Holmes]

I personally found 1.75 tc an awkward rod to balance with line and hooks, a bit brutal at the finesse end of specialist fishing but not enough at higher end.

I have used the Drennan specialist 1.25lb with 5010gte baitrunner and 0.22 or 6lbs mainline for a lot of years.

Prefect for roach at any range and 1.5oz feeder. Lovely up to 6/7 rod lengths in for medium tench/bream on weed free water. Also good fun for puddle carp on a small pellet feeder.

After that I jump to 2.25lb z1's with 6010gte and 0.28 or 10lb mainline and feeders 2 - 2.5oz. These target big tench and bream in bigger / weeder pits. Also great for small water but "proper" carp, and of course zander and probably Barbel.

Not a popular choice these days but if I had to cover that fishing over two rods I would choose one of each of above. Then I have covered from roach fishing to 30lb carp in most waters.

[Lee7499]

A few months back I purchased a set of the new Korum 11ft allrounder rods in 1.25 test and have to say for the money Im very impressed .6lb line matched to a set of 3500 Akios reels for Perch fishing they are amazing and might be the sort of thing you are after.

[Mike J]

Hi Stevie,
In summer I carry two completely different rods.
The first a Daiwa Spectron waggler rod for float fishing which has caught me nice roach, rudd and carp.
My other rod is a John Wilson Avon quiver for ledgering for whatever wants my bait, the Avon tip I haven't used in years but carry it all the same.
Total cost of both rods 2nd hand was under £100.
Bait is corn, feeder fill is dry bread through the food processor, everything very simple.


Im beyond chasing anything on summer days, easy fishing with no tackle worries is my way

[stevie]

That’s excellent fellas thanks. Seen Lumby,s blog for some ideas about the business end, which I will mention again when I’m on the starting grid so to speak. I saw a John Wilson specialist on eBay the other week but as usual dithered a bit and it was sold🥴

[norwich lad]

The older fox twin tip Avon rods are worth a look. I use the 1 lb original specialists green blank. Had duo lite series and the Avon/barbel duo rods ( brown blank with black wrap) all good in there time and often come up for sale.

Make a good chub rod also I like the 11’ fox barbel duo for them it’s 1.5 lb great with 3000 front drag stradic on for balance.

[Stewlaws]

[Jason Skilton]

I use drennan 1.1/4TC avon rods for the perch/roach/rudd fishing with 8lb mainline on the Shimano 4000DL baitrunners . But they would be well under gunned for my weedy pits for tench....for them i use the Chimera's built by lumby......and they are match with 12lb line and 5010GT.

For the bream, which is at range I go for 2.1/4 JRC Defenders, cheap as chips and can cast loaded method feeders a good distance.

I think your best bet would be go for a 1.3/4c rod and 10lb mainline. That would do you for all bar weedy tench/bream waters.

[Ziggy]

The older fox twin tip Avon rods are worth a look. I use the 1 lb original specialists green blank. Had duo lite series and the Avon/barbel duo rods ( brown blank with black wrap) all good in there time and often come up for sale.

Make a good chub rod also I like the 11’ fox barbel duo for them it’s 1.5 lb great with 3000 front drag stradic on for balance.

Defiantly a sought after rod series the Fox Specialist and Duo rods you do not see them come up for sale that often and when they do they fly.

[Gary Coggon]

Another vote for baitrunners for perch et al because I find they make setting and adjusting Rollover indicators and clip-on, long-drop bobbins so much easier. I find 5000-size reels balance my Avons nicely; they’re also handy spool length-wise if you end up needing to cast long distances, especially my recently-discovered mini-big pits.