The new Daiwa barbel rod, or to give it its full title, the Daiwa Barbel Specialist, PM-XS 2112B, is a 12ft rod with a 1 1/2 lb test-curve. It has two tops, a plain one and one fitted with a plug-in quivertip. 
It has the usual Daiwa – and very nice I must add – flat cork handle with screw reel fitting, and the finish is standard carbon grey.
I first saw it when a pal of mine bought one and brought it to show me, and as soon as I pieced it together and flexed it (as you do) I said to him, ‘I want one. It feels like it’s what I’ve been looking for.’ I now have two, so that should tell you a great deal about what I think of the rod.
You see, my problem when looking for a barbel rod that felt right to me was that, unlike many barbel anglers, I wanted one with a quivertip. Not because I have trouble spotting barbel bites! Who does? But because I like to give them that little smidgen of free movement as they take the bait into their mouths before they actually feel anything. It’s not always important, but sometimes it is, and with a quivertip the option is always there even when you are not holding the rod.
Anyhow, I’ve used it for several months, catching mainly barbel to over 9lb, but plenty of chub too. It’s a little too heavy for chub, specially when using the 10lb line I’ve married it to for barbel, but then it wasn’t designed for chub fishing, so there are no complaints there. 
It feels right with lines from 8lb to 10lb test, although I wouldn’t hesitate to use it with 6lb line. Carbon-fibre is a very versatile material when used for fishing rods and the old test-curve ratings, although still a reasonably useful guide, are little more than that. The old built cane, and to some extent, glass-fibre, rods are long gone (unless you’re a traditionalist) when you were restricted to quite a tight range of casting weights and line strengths for a given test-curve. Today, carbon-fibre gives you a much greater latitude. Although it is still important to take note of test-curves and marry lines and casting weights within a certain range.
The lightweight blank is made from IM42 carbon with Zircon ceramic guides. Finish is a silky matt and the cork handle with the typical Daiwa flat top makes it feel really good.
My first impression, with both the plain, ‘Avon’ top, and the quivertip top, was that the rod wouldn’t be up to the job; it is so light, and the top third so flexible. Yet when the time came to bend into a fish, ‘giving it the butt’, so to speak, I realised that it is very much up to the job. I’ve used the full power of 10lb line on barbel and there has never been a moment when I thought the rod was going to let me down. 
That top third is indeed very forgiving though, and that’s where the rod scores, for you have that essential shock-absorber in evidence that prevents sudden breakages and makes for fish-playing that is enjoyable rather than just a function.
Of course, nothing is perfect, and I do have one complaint. The fly-ring that is whipped to the top of the quivertip, which is there to provide a fastening for a piece of silicon rubber tubing that holds a betalight, is positioned wrongly.
In the case of this rod the fly-ring is positioned between the tip ring and the next one down. Daiwa are not the only ones guilty of it, and the problem it causes is that the line whips over the top and loops over the fly-ring. It doesn’t cause a serious problem when using a fairly heavy lead or swimfeeder, but when casting a light weight, and to some extent when playing a fish, you can feel the resistance. And of course there is always a chance of damaging the line. 
And the answer is so simple. All that needed be done is to whip the ring directly over the top of the second ring down. That would not only save on costs, albeit slightly, in that one whipping on each leg could secure both the line ring and fly-ring, but this would prevent any line looping over.
Only a small point, but one that can be really annoying. A quick partial cure is to have an extra long silicon tube fitted permanently to the fly-ring. But the best answer is to whip it off and whip it back on in the right place. Or do away with it altogether if you prefer touch-legering or don’t night fish.
Don’t let that put you off buying one of these rods though. They really are a superb rod, and believe me I’ve tried quite a few that came close to my ideal, but not as close as this one.
Diawa Barbel Specialist, PM-XS 2112B, 12ft rod with a 1 1/2 lb test-curve, two tops, one plain, one quiver.
£ 125.00.
