JOHN ROBERTS BARBEL/RIVER REST (LUMINESCENT VERSION)
Price: £ 2.70

This is what I said about the original John Roberts Barbel/River Rest, which applies equally to this new luminescent version:

John Roberts, the tackle innovator with the magic touch, has come up with another little item that most river anglers will want in their tackle box – or at least screwed into their bankstick.


Glow is just right for comfortable night fishing
It’s a rod rest head, with a difference. Instead of the usual ‘V’, or slot for the line, with equal sides trapping the rod, this one has one side longer than the other. Which means that the rod is rested as usual, but has a high side that will do much to prevent the rod being ripped off the rest when a barbel takes the bait and heads off downstream at a rapid rate of knots.

The opposite side is much lower, and this is a great help in that it allows the angler an unimpeded, low angle strike, should he need to set the hook any more than the barbel already has. Or when fishing for species that don’t bite with the same ferocity as barbel.

The rest has a deep line slot to give free movement and it is made from thermo plastic rubber which is non-slip and rod friendly.

Most tackle shops will stock them.

Luminescent
In simple terms it means it glows in the dark.

FISHINGmagic VERDICT

These are the comments I made about the original, which also apply to the luminescent version:

I already use deep rods rest heads to combat those times when you don’t have your hand on the rod and a barbel decides it wants your bait and doesn’t care of it takes your rod along with it.

So these Barbel Rests from John Roberts are ideal, giving me a safer rest, yet one that I can quickly lift the rod out of and bend into the barbel from a low angle.

My only reservation is that I would have willingly paid a little more for a brass thread, for my past experience of plastic threads is that I invariably get the thread crossed sometime or other when I’m in a hurry and eventually ruin it.

That apart, an excellent idea.

Luminescent Version
Don’t expect the brightness of a starlight or betalight, luminescent just means that special particles in the material give off a warm glow in darkness, plenty bright enough for you to locate the rod rest head easily, but not too bright it interferes with your night vision.

Just about spot-on I’d say. Nice one John.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR