to the best new barbel rods to try this season – check them out!
Our pick of the best big-fish river rods to get your hands on this season
GETTING your hands on a good barbel rod – or a matching pair if you are a real enthusiast – is a bit like buying a suit.
Have it tailormade and you can specify its action, length and test curve. You can go for a sharply progressive action that suits fast, deep water and longer casts.
Alternatively, you might opt for a more forgiving/softer action that is better for battling it out with the biggest of whiskers in smaller rivers. In both cases you can specify the guides, reel seat and handle you want – but any bespoke barbel rod is going to cost you big-time. The other route, and the one most of us mere mortals take, is to buy a straightforward off-the-peg number, and with just about every major tackle company producing great rods there’s a huge choice available. In general you still get what you pay for. This week, Angling Times showcases our pick of great off-the-shelf barbel rods at a wide selection of price points...
DAIWA BLACK WIDOW SPECIALIST TWIN TOP
THIS 12ft rod’s slim, full carbon blank offers a perfect balance between casting capability and sensitivity.
The sharp action perfectly complements both the supplied top sections.
A fixed position 2oz fibreglass quiver tip is highly sensitive and ideal for teaming with light leads in slower-flowing waters.
The heavier actioned hollow tip is made for fishing with big feeders or when targeting large fish. It would also lend itself well to heavy floatfishing tactics.
Price: £74.99
FOX ROYALE SPECIALIST BARBEL
THE Fox Royale Specialist Barbel range comes in test curves of 1.75lb, 2.25lb and 1.5lb, with 11ft and 12ft options.
Nicely finished, with superb trimmings all round, these are true powerhouses that will cast the largest feeders, PVA bags and straight lead rigs. Perfect for high-water tactics, the rods are furnished with large diameter Slick guides that won’t easily clog with weed or debris. Price: £79.99-£100
FREE SPIRIT BARBEL TAMER
THE two-piece 11ft Free Spirit is very light, and its shorter length is easy to manoeuvre in awkward swims. The Free Spirit brand is associated with classy carp rods but the Barbel Tamer, in 1.5lb and 2lb test curves, is equally outstanding.
There’s a choice between a traditional Avon-style top or one with a 2.5oz push-in carbon quiver tip. A fulllength cork handle, original Fuji DPS reel seat and Free Spirit S-Lite guides all contribute to the package. Price: £104.99 (1.5lb tc) £119.99 (2lb tc)
KODEX DFX TWIN TIP BARBEL
THIS updated DFX version of the Kodex Twin-Tip is a 21st Century take on the highly successful original Avon-style twin-tip barbel rod.
At 12ft it has a strong, non-spliced top and one taking two push-in quivers. The non-spliced top will handle weights up to 6oz, so it can be used with the heaviest of feeders in fast water.
The quiver section suits lighter casting weights and moderate flows. An extra-long full cork handle enables extra-long casts. Price: £99.99
KORUM TWIN TOP PLUS
THIS two-piece 12ft Korum rod has two Avon style sections with 1.75lb and 2.2lb test curves.
Aimed mainly at barbel, it can also turn its hand to feeder work for tench, bream and carp.
The heavier top section lends itself well to use with hefty feeders up to 4oz in fast water, while the lighter tip has enough versatility and flexibility to be used with heavy float gear.
With its almost through action this is the perfect tool to use when targeting big fish at close range. Price: £57.99
GREYS PRODIGY BARBEL
THIS tool for all seasons. has an Avon-style top section for heavy float work, or fishing close in during floods.
The 2lb test curve rod is ideal for big-fish or fast water work, while the lighter 1.75lb version is at home on more intimate venues. Both rods readily apply themselves to hurling weights of up to 4oz. Enlarged line guides (quiver tips included) offer the option of using shock leaders with no fear of a crack-off. Price: £119
MASTERLINE JW BARBEL QUIVER ROD
BIG brother to the iconic John Wilson Avon Quiver, the Barbel Quiver has an Avon style top rated at 1.75lb and push-in quivers rated at 2oz (red), 2.5oz (yellow) and 3oz (green).
A 2ft extension piece takes it to 13ft.
An 11ft, five-piece travel rod (£64.99) is minus the extension piece, but its action is almost identical to that of the standard model.
It comes supplied in a cloth-covered tube. Price: £76.99
SHAKESPEARE SIGMA SUPRA BARBEL
LIGHT enough to please the roving angler, super-responsive, yet durable enough to tackle the gravelly swims where barbel hang out, the Shakespeare Sigma Supra Barbel rod is a great choice and offers a truly versatile fishing experience.
The slim but strong carbon blank is finished with titanium oxide insert guides, and a screw-down EVA reel seat give this rod the required durability at a very reasonable price. Price: £59.99