Sonik barbel specialist rod

[doebel]

Hello there,

still looking for a specialist rod covering my typ of fishing , mainly medium tench, bream , zander , eel medium carp.
Sonik makes two versions one three quarter and one two pound version.
Any experience?
What kind of fighting curve, tip action or semiparabolic?
For stout close in work i use a oldschool northwestern 2lbs.

Thanks Chris

 

[Keith M]

How long is a piece of string?

There are so many ifs and buts to consider such as are you intending to fish Float or leger? fish Rivers or stillwaters? and which species and size of fish are you intending to catch?

Each can denote a different type of rod action and build.

I have many different rods to choose from depending on the methods I’m using, the species I hope to be catching and the venue type I’m going to be fishing.

If I was intending to catch your given list of species using just one of your specified rods then I would probably go for the 1.75lb rod and would expect it to be a bit more through action (tip to middle) rod.

I’ve not owned a sonic rod so this is a guess.

Tight lines
Keith

 

[hague01]

I saw one recently, at about £50 amazing value!

 

[doebel]

Keith,
you are right, every method and circumstances need special tools.

The water I fish is very weedy, but the fish are wary, so I fish for tench actually a Bruce and Walker Merlin 20oz.
On another water with almost no weed I had carp to 40lbs on this rods.
When the weed is getting more dense with the season I swap to the 2lbs North Western.
Both rods have a real through action, which I principally like.
Due to Newtons 3rd law actio = reactio, playing a fish is more a kind of guiding the fish to the net than dragging it.
Unfortunately I doesnt help when a fish digged in the weed and you have to move both, fish and weed.
I have carp and pike rods of 2,75 -3lbs which could do, but I find them inapprobiate for fish in the 2- 4 lbs bracket and small hooks.
Other possibility would be medium/heavy feeder rods, but I never liked their soley tip /upper third action.
My problem is, I cant go to a shop (the dont have sonik) and give it a wiggle and a bend so I have to mail order.

What do I know about the Sonik specialist

+ cork handle , exactly what I prefer
(but is it solid cork or only a thin cork layer, like I have on a browning match rod, horrible-
If you press the cork it must gibe a solid resistance)

+9 seaguide guides incl. Tip , 9 for 12 ft. is much preferred than the standard 6 on carp rods

+ only sparse graphics and not a time travel into the austin power

+ I have heard rumors, the 2lbs is much stronger than the 1,75lbs version.
(If its just the quarter pound stronger with the same semiparablolic, it would also suit my
requirements and I would go for it)

My fear is a blank with a real fast taper (almost like feeder rods) instead of a semiparabolic action.O.k. I should not bend into the butt, but a much prefer a semi.

I hope I descibed it well and you know what I mean.

hague1, if you come across the sonik again, could you give it a check?

May be somebody else encountered the rod. Please feel free and give a comment.

Thanks and thight lines
Chris

 

[doebel]

BTW, a fishing mate has a shimano purist barbel (solid part and feeder part) in 2lbs on the solid part with a nice action, maybe this helps to compare.

Chris

 

[nottskev]

I think Mick (Flightliner) on here uses one. If he sees the thread he can probably comment.

 

[hague01]

Keith,
you are right, every method and circumstances need special tools.

The water I fish is very weedy, but the fish are wary, so I fish for tench actually a Bruce and Walker Merlin 20oz.
On another water with almost no weed I had carp to 40lbs on this rods.
When the weed is getting more dense with the season I swap to the 2lbs North Western.
Both rods have a real through action, which I principally like.
Due to Newtons 3rd law actio = reactio, playing a fish is more a kind of guiding the fish to the net than dragging it.
Unfortunately I doesnt help when a fish digged in the weed and you have to move both, fish and weed.
I have carp and pike rods of 2,75 -3lbs which could do, but I find them inapprobiate for fish in the 2- 4 lbs bracket and small hooks.
Other possibility would be medium/heavy feeder rods, but I never liked their soley tip /upper third action.
My problem is, I cant go to a shop (the dont have sonik) and give it a wiggle and a bend so I have to mail order.

What do I know about the Sonik specialist

+ cork handle , exactly what I prefer
(but is it solid cork or only a thin cork layer, like I have on a browning match rod, horrible-
If you press the cork it must gibe a solid resistance)

+9 seaguide guides incl. Tip , 9 for 12 ft. is much preferred than the standard 6 on carp rods

+ only sparse graphics and not a time travel into the austin power

+ I have heard rumors, the 2lbs is much stronger than the 1,75lbs version.
(If its just the quarter pound stronger with the same semiparablolic, it would also suit my
requirements and I would go for it)

My fear is a blank with a real fast taper (almost like feeder rods) instead of a semiparabolic action.O.k. I should not bend into the butt, but a much prefer a semi.

I hope I descibed it well and you know what I mean.

hague1, if you come across the sonik again, could you give it a check?

May be somebody else encountered the rod. Please feel free and give a comment.

Thanks and thight lines
Chris

I was in burts baits warehouse at the time and Simon was extolling its virtues. He got one out, put together and I had a waggle and it felt really great and at 50 looked a real bargain
Simon is away for 2 weeks now so wont get in for another 3 weeks or so to take another look. My first decent rod was a sonic, very happy with it. I had a pair of FS seekers last year at 1.3/4. They were too fast action for me, I have a sportex barbel twin tip 1 .3/4 and 2.25 which is my normal go to favorite rod for everything almost!!

 

[doebel]

hague01, thanks so far. I guess you got me. I am not really in a rush to make a decision, but hope to finalize my decision till end of juli.

Since I live in germany , tackle shops are not always well sorted in respect to coarse fishing tackle.
Of course there are specialised shops , but not close to me.

If you got the right tool for your fishing, be happy and use it.
I have to step up my light gear , but don't want to overshoot and change to crap , sorry carp tackle


I am an angler, so I will patiently wait for your expertise and comments!

Thanks and tight lines!

Chris

 

[hague01]

hague01, thanks so far. I guess you got me. I am not really in a rush to make a decision, but hope to finalize my decision till end of juli.

Since I live in germany , tackle shops are not always well sorted in respect to coarse fishing tackle.
Of course there are specialised shops , but not close to me.

If you got the right tool for your fishing, be happy and use it.
I have to step up my light gear , but don't want to overshoot and change to crap , sorry carp tackle


I am an angler, so I will patiently wait for your expertise and comments!

Thanks and tight lines!

Chris

If you are in Germany then look no further than sportex. I have imported their rods as I believe they are second only to Harrison!

 

[doebel]

Sportex made genuine blanks in Neu-Ulm some years ago. So far I know , the main business was tent poles for the forces.
These days the blanks are from far east too.
Not the same good made in Germany feeling with it, but still good blanks.
I was puzzled, when I bend a rod , finding the guides not alinged to the overlap of the blank (spine)
At their time it was a top notch rod .
I made a lot of rods by myself, so I know the mechanics. If its not aligned It casts elsewhere you intented to, not the sort of know how I expect from a 200£ spinning rod.
I think a good blank and a good rod builder is the key, but of course you have to pay for it, so it doesnt come cheap.

 

[doebel]

Today I found a pair of daiwa whisker 2,25 lbs in the bay.Its stated made in GB (Labled WRC2214G)
Any informations about it? I have no catalog or other information about it.
It looks good on the pictures and has a spigot joint. There is a collar below the reel seat, guess preventing sliding in the rod rest.

Thanks

Chris

 

[hague01]

Today I found a pair of daiwa whisker 2,25 lbs in the bay.Its stated made in GB (Labled WRC2214G)
Any informations about it? I have no catalog or other information about it.
It looks good on the pictures and has a spigot joint. There is a collar below the reel seat, guess preventing sliding in the rod rest.

Thanks

Chris

Daiwa do say their blanks are made in the UK. Sportex like free spirit use Japanese made blanks I believe. There are a very few blank manufacturers left here, perhaps a handful. Harrison are one.

 

[nottskev]

Vaguely connected to the thread, I've just come in from a very rare visit to the local AD with a Sonik rod. I was out catching barbel yesterday evening and while it worked out pretty well, I had a couple of small problems. I always go for swims with trees by the water, better still over the water, and best of all, in the water. This swim had all three, and I spent some time playing fish with an 11'6" rod stuck up in soft foliage. The second problem was that the average size of the fish has got to where you have to shake the 22" Drennan Specialist net to get them in, and there's enough drama in snag swims without that. I got a bigger net, more rectangle than triangle, and at the door they had a bunch of stalker-type rods. There was a 10' Greys Xflite with a massive discount, but along with the obvious quality build, you got hefty weight, a 3.25 tc and a foot more rod than I wanted. Next to it was a Sonik stalker with the melodramatic name Insurgent. I didn't get a chance to compare it to the Nash Terrorist or the Daiwa Shoe-bomber, but it was light and looked well put together, reduced from (they said) £140 to £55. I had a quick google, and Carpology, no less, gave it a very good review. It has a few things I wouldn't choose myself - over-large rings, retractable butt, cork-free handle - but I've got if for a particular purpose and it will do that, I hope. It's sitting here now, but will, I hope, be under a tree shortly.

 

[markcw]

Today I found a pair of daiwa whisker 2,25 lbs in the bay.Its stated made in GB (Labled WRC2214G)
Any informations about it? I have no catalog or other information about it.
It looks good on the pictures and has a spigot joint. There is a collar below the reel seat, guess preventing sliding in the rod rest.

Thanks

Chris

If it has the Union Jack on the butt ,it will be a UK made rod .
The whisker rods ,both match and specimen are good rods , I would have no qualms in buying one .The latest Whisker pole they did is rated to be one of the best Daiwa made .

 

[doebel]

@ markcw, unfortunately the Union jack is not on the rod, but the daiwa lettering and "Made in Great Britain" in smaller letters just below.

 

[doebel]

@hague01 , yes I know harrison as one of the few rod manufactures in the old world.I was always happy with tricast rods, B&W and North Western rods, but when I was young the money was short.
There is a very interesting company in Poland rolling their own blanks, but mainly spinning rods and fly rods afaik. Their name is fishing art.

 

[doebel]

@nottskev,
I have no doubt about the manufacturing of sonik rods.In such a competetiv market, they have to.
Its just about the difference between the two versions of the barbel rods.

Like I wrote, I heared the 2lbs version is much sturdier than the 1,75lbs version.
Sounded for me like carp rod in sheep s clothing... but rumours, you know.....

The best would be somebody give it a test, when picking up some maggots in the tackle shop.

Oh I envy you for the barbel.Yesterday I was out for tench with method feeder and caught a 30plus carp. After spending many years carp fishing Im a little bit fed up.

Today evening my babe wants to go chub fishing with cherries. It is right now the best bait for them, since the wild cherry trees on the river have falling fruits.

Tight lines

 

[hague01]

That's a flavour even I had never thought of! Hope you do well!

 

[markcw]

@ markcw, unfortunately the Union jack is not on the rod, but the daiwa lettering and "Made in Great Britain" in smaller letters just below.

It will be UK made .

 

[doebel]

We had three chub savely in the net. The missus missed a lot of strikes and eventually hooked a good one in the 6lbs class loosing it over the net.
She was really .......
I did not much better and lost a good fish too.The chub cutted the line with pharyngeal teeth.
I always crush the barbs and hope he gets the hook rid of quickly.

Cherries are so much better than soft luncheon meat on hot days. I present them on a small round polystyren ball as an indicator without any addional weight.

Keep on fishing!