Pellet waggler rods!

[mark brailsford 2]

One simple question guy's,
Apart from the length, what really is the difference between a ''pellet'' waggler and a standard match float rod?
I have been having a look round my local tackle shop this morning and there are loads of rods labelled as pellet waggler rods. Is it me being cynical by thinking this is just another marketing ploy or is there really a difference?

 

[S-Kippy]

You're pretty close Mark.Most [not all] I would say are a bit pokier than a standard match rod but not, in my experience,as pokey as a "power" float. The shorter length is supposed to assist by bringing the fish up nearer the angler ie in close netting range. They are normally through actioned with a shortish butt but I wouldn't call them soft...though I think the Preston ones are but they do vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.

I've got two. A Drennan and a Shaky Mach 3. The Shaky is a delightful little rod which I happily use for float fishing close in or in shallow water. The Drennan a bit pokier but very versatile...almost like an old style light avon rod. I've use it as a lead rod and to lob a small method feeder which it did admirably. I'd use one to trot a small stream/river or as [say] a perch rod for fishing lobs or small livebaits. Very versatile rods IMO...far more so than the label "Pellet Waggler" suggests which is only one of the things these short rods can do. I've never actually used mine for the job they were allegedly designed to do. I think of them as my "go to" fun margin rods.They will handle lumps because they bend right through but in a commercial environment where snags are few and far between. I'd not use these for hit and hold work.

So yes...it is a bit of marketing but if you ignore the PW tag and think of it as a short float rod then I think there's a place for one in everybodies holdall. Of course being shorter they are very light,nicely balanced and an absolute pleasure to fish with. I wouldn't be without either of mine.

Skippy

 

[sam vimes]

The difference is in the action. A pellet waggler rod should have much more of a through action (like a very light Avon action) than a match rod.
Naturally, the differences may not be so blindingly obvious if you happened to pick up a fairly through actioned match rod to compare to a relatively tippy "pellet" waggler rod.
Try a Speedmaster Pellet rod compared to a Speedmaster match rod. The differences should be stark. That's precisely the reason why I hate people recommending pellet waggler rods for trotting rivers. Totally wrong in action as far as I'm concerned.

 

[S-Kippy]

Generally I'd agree Sam but these rods do vary enormously.I've found the Shaky a lot tippier than the Drennan. Its not an ideal trotting rod but it would certainly do a job. Some of these PW rods are far too soft IMO.

I see you describe them as having a "light Avon action" too...I thought that was about right.

 

[sam vimes]

Some of these PW rods are far too soft IMO.

Some are definitely too soft for my liking. Some are also far too sloppy when under no load. Tip speed and recovery is dire on quite a few that I've had the misfortune to handle. However, I do think that as soon as people see "pellet" on a rod they imagine a powerful rod. I don't believe that a good pellet rod should be particularly powerful. They rely on that through action to soak up the punishment from bigger fish, not brute force. I know that I got a bit of a shock the first time out with my pellet rod and a low double. I managed to fish the pellet well enough with a normal 13' match rod for years. Only when I fancied trying a short rod that could be used in tight "birdcage" swims, did I bother with a specific "pellet" rod.

 

[Jeff Woodhouse]

I've toyed with the idea of getting one, why not, I have a rod for every other method of fishing almost, I reckon. However, I already have a very nice 13ft Korum Carp Float rod which can punch out a pellet waggler and handle soem nice biggish fish. I also have a Greys 12 Carp Bagging (oh, hate that term) Rod that serves a purpose too, fishing the bagging waggler, heavy pellet wagglers, carp controllers, and can even be used for barbel in the river - and it's a 4 piece.

So do I need a 12 ft Pellet Waggler?

I think the reason they have been made popular is because they come in 2 piece versions and can be left set up and that seems to be the in vogue requirement right now. The difficulty with 2pc rods (and I have plenty of them) is when it comes to selling and dispatching them, they won't go through normal post.

 

[sam vimes]

I've toyed with the idea of getting one, why not, I have a rod for every other method of fishing almost, I reckon. However, I already have a very nice 13ft Korum Carp Float rod which can punch out a pellet waggler and handle soem nice biggish fish. I also have a Greys 12 Carp Bagging (oh, hate that term) Rod that serves a purpose too, fishing the bagging waggler, heavy pellet wagglers, carp controllers, and can even be used for barbel in the river - and it's a 4 piece.

So do I need a 12 ft Pellet Waggler?

I wouldn't bother with a 12ft one in your shoes. A 9-11' might come in handy though. However, looking at the rods you've said you already have, I suspect you have the wrong impression of a pellet rod. They shouldn't really be powerful "bagging" or "carp" rods. They should be light enough to be happy catching small roach and skimmers with a small waggler and pellet on the hook. They then rely on that (scarily) through action to soak up the power of the bigger carp that invariably show up.

 

[Jeff Woodhouse]

I wouldn't bother with a 12ft one in your shoes. A 9-11' might come in handy though.

How come you've heard about my tree tangles, then?

I have an 11ft Preston mini float rod that would do that job and a 10ft Daiwa swing tip rod that I have used before now for catching perch on the float under the canopy of tree branches where any longer rod would have got tangled.

But I thought the purpose of a Pellet Waggler rod was to punch out a Pellet Waggler float for the carp and once out catapult 4 or 5 pellets every 10-20 seconds aroudn the float, is it not? Pellet Waggler floats come in sizes up to 16 grams with added weights and therefore need something punchy to get them out there.

 

[sam vimes]

But I thought the purpose of a Pellet Waggler rod was to punch out a Pellet Waggler float for the carp and once out catapult 4 or 5 pellets every 10-20 seconds aroudn the float, is it not? Pellet Waggler floats come in sizes up to 16 grams with added weights and therefore need something punchy to get them out there.

Rather depends on which manufacturer you look at. Some produce different, heavier rods within the same model ranges for chucking big splasher or "baggin" floats about. I'd put a 16g float into the splasher or baggin category and not a normal pellet waggler. Certainly, not all pellet floats are whacking great things.
http://www.drennantackle.com/viewProductFrame.php?id=72
http://www.drennantackle.com/viewProductFrame.php?id=71
FOX Pellet Wagglers with Air Brake - Matchman Supplies

The standard Shimano pellet waggler rod are not pokers and not particularly for chucking the more outlandishly sized floats. They have "Power Pellet" and "Baggin' Waggler" rods in the same ranges for that. BEASTMASTER BX COMMERCIAL

As I said before, some seem to have a different impression to me as to what the "pellet" label might mean. The automatic assumption for many seems to be carp, power, baggin', crunching etc. As far as I'm concerned a good pellet rod should be capable of catching roach and skimmers on pellet whilst also having the capacity for landing decent carp. If it's huge floats and (big) carp that you're after then I'd be using a different rod to a standard "pellet" rod.

Have a word with Dalesman. He was a sceptic and made the assumption that commercial and pellet labels meant poker. He actually came out to have a look at and fish with my Speedmaster Commercial Pellet Waggler rod. He went away with quite a different perception.

 

[mark brailsford 2]

Well this morning
I had a look at a Daiwa spectron 2 pc 12ft waggler rod and the guy say's it's classed as a PW!
I can honestly say that this rod is a very classy piece of kit...but alas, my beloved other half has put a curb on my spending!