Float rods...

[Paul H]

I'm looking for a float rod suitable for both stillwaters and rivers. I've heard that the Shakespeare Mach 3 range is well worth a look and value for money.

Would either of these models be suitable for rivers as well as their intended 'commercial' purpose?

Shakespeare Mach3 Lite Match 13ft Max Rec'd Line 6lb - 3 piece - NOW ONLY £49.99!!

Shakespeare Mach3 Commercial Match/Float Rod 12.6ft Max Rec'd Line 8lb (3 piece) - NOW ONLY £49.99!!

If so, would the slighter shorter, but slightly more powerful (8lb reel line) be more suited to trotting for chub, barbel and other more 'powerful' fish?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Graham Whatmore]

I was at Evesham last Saturday and Shaky had a tent displaying the Mach I, Mach II, and Mach III rods and me and my mate had a good waggle of most of them. They really are good value well made rods of that there is no doubt which is why I already own a 15ft float and an 11.6 feeder rod for my method fishing. Match anglers love them because they do what it says on the label and at a very competitive price so I always recommend them to anyone looking for a new rod.

Personally I don't think a river float rod can do everything but if you are seriously targetting barbel on the float then I would suggest this one at 13.5ft rather than the 12.5ft one you linked to. A good float rod will handle any chub you are likely to hook up to in a river and will even cope with small barbel quite easily if you play them right but actually targetting barbel and carp requires a different rod and this should cope but whether it would handle double figure barbel in a river is doubtful and a 1.25lb t.c. rod might be more suitable if that is what you are fishing for.

 

[the indifferent crucian]

Both those rods are described as having hollow tips and as such I don't think they would suit trotting too well. But that would depend on your style and your likes and dislikes, of course.

But you simply must have a waggle and see. The whole range is pretty ruddy good. I was fishing next to a lad about a month ago and I adored the curve his rod took when he played a fish, not tippy at all, but a beautiful progressive curve...a true sight to behold. I had to go over and ask what rod it was........

You guessed it, it was his Dad's Shakespeare mark 3, though I forget which model.


I don't personally like those reel mountings on a rod I am going to hold in my hand most of the time, but that's just me, I expect.

 

[Graham Whatmore]

Both those rods are described as having hollow tips and as such I don't think they would suit trotting too well

And why not exactly, I have only ever used hollow and never found it a problem in any way whatsoever. I'm not even sure they do spliced tips anymore anyway.

 

[Sean Meeghan]

Give 'em a waggle Paul! I bought a Garbolino carp match rod about 7 or 8 years ago and I hardly ever use another float rod now. The better carp match rods aren't just a beefed up match rod, but are designed to have a nice forgiving tip, but will bend (alarmingly!) right through the middle and butt sections under pressure.

---------- Post added at 08:48 ---------- Previous post was at 08:46 ----------

Oh and they (or at least mine does) do suit trotting very well. In fact I think that these rods are close to a perfect medium trotting rod in action.

 

[Graham Whatmore]

Hahaha! we've been down this road recently havn't we Sean, mind you this is different inasmuch as he actually wants to target barbel and requires a different approach.

 

[Paul H]

Thanks for the input gents.

Although I consider myself to be an all-rounder, in so much as I enjoy catching any and all species, I do tend to veer toward rivers and then chub and barbel. Which is why I thought it best to make sure any rod I get has at least the potential to trot a float and land those fish.

It will also get used on stillwaters, mostly for tench, bream and carp during the river closed season.

 

[Lark]

Paul - I can definitely vouch for the Mach 3 13ft Lite Waggler. I bought one from Mullarkey's earlier this year at a silly price, it's a treat to use. It comes with a quality case for carrying it made-up as well as the usual rod-bag and has a set of velcro straps to secure it when made up. A really top quality package.

 

[captain carrott]

And why not exactly, I have only ever used hollow and never found it a problem in any way whatsoever. I'm not even sure they do spliced tips anymore anyway.

they do, but they cost around the price of 5 mach 3's.

when it comes down to it, the necessity for aspliced ti doesn't exist any more, spliced tips were designed to cope with old rod manufacturing methods. which couldn't produce a tip with the properties required, now they can so it's no longer required.

 

[tigger]

they do, but they cost around the price of 5 mach 3's.

when it comes down to it, the necessity for aspliced ti doesn't exist any more, spliced tips were designed to cope with old rod manufacturing methods. which couldn't produce a tip with the properties required, now they can so it's no longer required.

As far as I was aware a spliced tip rod was usually a stick float rod used for light lines and delicate presentation...trotting at close quarters with a tippy action. John Wilson advises not to use a stick rod for trotting at range as you won't strike the hook home and also have a good chance of breaking the tip. A hollow tip is usually a waggler rod which is more powerfull and bends to the but with it's parabolic through action ans is capable of using heavier lines so much better than a stick rod when targetting chub and barbel etc.

 

[Paul H]

Loads of useful info here, most of which I never knew until now.

Thanks again and keep it coming.

Please.

---------- Post added at 14:27 ---------- Previous post was at 14:13 ----------

Ok, reading all of the above, and thinking about what I am really likely to use it for, I would have gone for Graham's suggestion I think. But, it's out of stock and they don't say that more are coming.

So, the next best model rated up to 8lb line is the 12'6" version I linked to above.

If I am totally honest with myself, this rod will mostly get used on stillwaters for tench and so forth. I will use it on the rivers, but will be fishing for anything that comes along that is tempted by maggots, worm, corn or bread. If it stands a chance of landing barbel then all well and good but I appreciate that a compromise has to be made, or two different rods bought.

 

[captain carrott]

if it's a still water rod you want then the drennan tench float takes a lot of beating.

you could still use it for larger river fish too.

personally if i'm fishing the stick it's going to be in the old classic match tactics for small fish with delicate presentations. using 1 to 1.5lb bottoms, so i use my stick float rod. if i'm fishing something like a loafer for larger fish then i use one of my avons instead.

 

[Paul H]

Sounds like I might be better buying a stillwater float rod and using my 1.25lb Wilson for the barbel then.

 

[captain carrott]

Sounds like I might be better buying a stillwater float rod and using my 1.25lb Wilson for the barbel then.

well i've had doubles on a wilson

 

[Paul H]

I've had them up to 10 and a half, but only using it as a feeder / ledger rod.

I have float fished with the Wilson too, but always felt that a dedicated float rod would have a better action for that type of fishing.

 

[Graham Whatmore]

Paul this is virtually the same rod as there is almost no difference between the Mach II's and the Mach III's, not that we could see on Saturday anyway. Should you order be careful that you order the commercial one and not the match version which is for lighter work.

 

[chrismids]

float rod

Hi, i bought a 10ft rod from cash converters (their own brand), it was brand new and only cost just over a tenna, its done everything i've asked of it, canals, rivers and commercials. I've had some good carp on it plus loads of good tench, got no complaints and casts better than my old 13ft carp waggler powerhouse rod,
chris.