Stick Float Fishing

[@Clive]

Quite a few fibreglass rods were tippy enough for fishing a stick float. Ivan Marks used the Lees Golden Jubilee rod from about 1964 onwards and the 13' was a four-piece rod, and this was the rod that Ivan had coiped for the Persuader range in 1972. The Shakespeare International from about 1975 had a spliced tip. The ABU Mk 6 wasn't bad either (still got both of mine; must have strong arms back in the day as it weighs nearly 15oz!).
When carbon match rods arrived en masse in the late 70s it was quickly apparent that the tips were too fierce for the 1.1 Bayer hook links in common use and it wasn't long before some anglers/manufacturers were splicing in solid carbon tips.
Im my opinion some of the 90s rods have a far better stick rod action than later ones such as the Acolyte even if it weighs about the same a budgie feather, and it'll be interesting to see what the action of thhe new Normarks are like (due soon, and likely to be EXPENSIVE!).

I picked a Lees Golden Jubilee rod from the charity shop for a fiver, Euros, not Pounds. I only got it for the guides as I thought that they would come in handy should I decide to upgrade my light Avon. I did a search on the company, but other than a few random comments on family members I could not find much out about them.

The ABU Ferralite was my match rod teamed up with a 506. I looked to find one a few years back, but failed. The Hardy Matchmaker is probably close to it. Both are the same fashionable brown, long cork handles and have spigot ferrules.

 

[jemesneesham]

If you're looking for a high-quality rod for stick float fishing in the 13-14ft range and cost is not a concern, you have several excellent options. The Drennan Acolyte Plus 13ft or 14ft is a top choice among anglers, offering superb balance, sensitivity, and control for trotting a float down the river. Another great option is the Preston Innovations Supera X 14ft, which provides exceptional casting accuracy and responsiveness. If you're after a premium rod, the Sensas Match Rods also deliver outstanding performance for float fishing. These rods are lightweight, well-balanced, and designed for precision, making them ideal for long sessions on the water. Let me know if you’re after any specific features, and I’d be happy to narrow down the recommendations further!

 

[Mark Wintle]

If you're looking for a high-quality rod for stick float fishing in the 13-14ft range and cost is not a concern, you have several excellent options. The Drennan Acolyte Plus 13ft or 14ft is a top choice among anglers, offering superb balance, sensitivity, and control for trotting a float down the river. Another great option is the Preston Innovations Supera X 14ft, which provides exceptional casting accuracy and responsiveness. If you're after a premium rod, the Sensas Match Rods also deliver outstanding performance for float fishing. These rods are lightweight, well-balanced, and designed for precision, making them ideal for long sessions on the water. Let me know if you’re after any specific features, and I’d be happy to narrow down the recommendations further!

I am starting to suspect an AI response so prove otherwise with names of five anglers who've put their names to branded stick floats - there's at least ten to choose from!

 

[@Clive]

Yes, it smells fishier than Kev's keepnet.

 

[nottskev]

Yes, it smells fishier than Kev's keepnet.

That should get me a blank next time out.

 

[nottskev]

I am starting to suspect an AI response so prove otherwise with names of five anglers who've put their names to branded stick floats - there's at least ten to choose from!

Dead right. Nobody speaks that language outside the blurb for a product advert. Or one of those "reviews" where they haven't really used it. The only previous post from this "poster" was in the same synthetic discourse.

 

[nottskev]

As to the best stick float rod, of course some are more suited than others, but plenty are well suited and there are brilliant stick float anglers who use or have used different rods. Which leads me to conclude the key ingredients are in the anglers, not the rod. If you haven't spent years learning it, buying Daiwa this or Normark that is not going to make anyone a Dave Harrell overnight.

 

[peterjg]

Oh for goodness sake! Rods are like cars in as much we all have our own likes and dislikes. You just have to buy what suits you, there's no right or wrong it's a personal thing. However: I do enjoy using my Accolyte Ultra!

 

[Alan Whitty]

Trouble is, unless your a tackle tart you are unlikely to have used every float rod and that's without the personal preference angle...

 

[Alan Whitty]

It's strange, but the rods with the most votes 'for' are Normarks, or Daiwas, the thing is stick float seems to cover a wide range, because I watch a YouTube channel called Avon Angling, he thinks that a 4gms float equates to stick float fishing, where to me a stick float runs in the Pete Warren sizes 3-7 no.4's, a 4gm float needs a beefier rod than those imho, same as my preference for rods is 13ft or less, but if your river is averagely over 8ft deep then obviously longer would be a better option, float fishing is a wide spectrum giving loads of room for all opinions...

 

[Mark Wintle]

It's strange, but the rods with the most votes 'for' are Normarks, or Daiwas, the thing is stick float seems to cover a wide range, because I watch a YouTube channel called Avon Angling, he thinks that a 4gms float equates to stick float fishing, where to me a stick float runs in the Pete Warren sizes 3-7 no.4's, a 4gm float needs a beefier rod than those imho, same as my preference for rods is 13ft or less, but if your river is averagely over 8ft deep then obviously longer would be a better option, float fishing is a wide spectrum giving loads of room for all opinions...

For me stick floats also equate to floats taking up to about 7 no. 4.

There's no doubt that certain anglers had a lot of influence behind the scenes with match rod design. Tom Pickering seems to been a guiding light for Daiwa and Tricast, possible others. John Allerton helped Tricast. Geoff Salisbury was the man behind designs at Normark and Carbotec. John Dean designed the B&W rods bearing his name.

 

[Mark Wintle]

Oh for goodness sake! Rods are like cars in as much we all have our own likes and dislikes. You just have to buy what suits you, there's no right or wrong it's a personal thing. However: I do enjoy using my Accolyte Ultra!

This is a pointless debate for a bunch of old has-beens (better than a never-was!), just for the fun of it. My stick float fishing peak was 35 years ago, and in all honesty, whilst being able to fish a stick float well was a more than useful match fishing skill unless your usual venue was the Trent, other methods were usually more important, especially waggler fishing and the pole. As for Accolyte Utra rods, my local tackle dealer showed me one when they first came out, as light as a feather but lacking crispness and, as since proven, durability in my brutal hands, but that said John Dean rates them nowadays according to Stick Float Wizardry though as one of the finest stick float angler ever he could outcatch almost all of us in his prime.

 

[peterjg]

It's only my personal opinion but I've always thought that the stick float was very limited in its use, by that I mean that it was designed for a specific purpose. Unfortunately the stick float is now used almost as a do it all river float. Actually it was first designed (by Benny Ashurst) to use on a canal.
I would therefore think that a "trotting rod" would be a better term instead of a "stick float rod"? I can't remember the last time I used a stick float. Most of my trotting involves the use of biggish avons or wagglers. I also use my 14ft Acolyte Ultra with flat floats, they are so good for slowing presentation, what a great invention - wish I'd thought of it. Proper stick float rods were 'orrible things with all the action in the tip, they were not really an enjoyable rod to use but were made for match fishing.

 

[Alan Whitty]

Bunny Ashurst designed stick floatsbtovfish on the drop on canals, but stick floats mutated as they found the control, thus the presentation was enhanced, different materials also allowed for different flow rates to be fished, sadly a trotting rod could never exist, as waggler fishing equates to a more through action style of rod, whereas stick float fishing(not 5grm balsas or bolos) requires a crisp, more tip action to respond to the method, but, if you want you could use any rod for any float, but I would leave that to someone else, as the feeling of an inadequate rod when trotting does nothing...

 

[@Clive]

Agreed Alan. But you also have to factor in species and size. Trotting for dace versus chub for example. Yes, you could do both with one rod, however one or both would be a compromise.

 

[Alan Whitty]

Most of that would be down to line strength, if you are fishing for chub with say 3lb mainline then your rod has to balance to that, big fish or not, maybe power coming in lower down the rod...

 

[peterjg]

Re above posts - and that's why there's no such thing as the perfect trotting rod.....

I rest my case or Acolyte Ultra.....

 

[@Clive]

Most of that would be down to line strength, if you are fishing for chub with say 3lb mainline then your rod has to balance to that, big fish or not, maybe power coming in lower down the rod...

For me it is the reaction. When I know that I'll be fishing for dace I'll use my 15ft Greys VX whereas if I'm trotting for chub roach, bream or carassins I opt for the easier action 12ft TX rod. But this is a modern concept. Back in the day I only had an ABU Ferallite Mk.6 and that had to do for all my float fishing. I even used it to freeline single maggot fly-fishing style to win a club match with 29 dace and a few bits when the going was really hard

We are spoiled for choice these days.

 

[Ray Roberts]

For me it is the reaction. When I know that I'll be fishing for dace I'll use my 15ft Greys VX whereas if I'm trotting for chub roach, bream or carassins I opt for the easier action 12ft TX rod. But this is a modern concept. Back in the day I only had an ABU Ferallite Mk.6 and that had to do for all my float fishing. I even used it to freeline single maggot fly-fishing style to win a club match with 29 dace and a few bits when the going was really hard

We are spoiled for choice these days.

A very good point Clive. I actually have no idea off the cuff just how many rods I own. I should do an inventory really for insurance purposes. The thing is, that at one time I mainly got by with a homemade fibreglass Avon rod that I made from a Hardy blank. it was used for virtually everything. I don't remember missing too many bites with it. Now I have: carp rods, barbel rods, jerk bait rod, jigging/spinning rods, drop shot rod, quiver tip rods, float rods, power float rods, I obviously have a bit of a tackle fetish, but my catches aren't really that much more enjoyable to be honest. I loved it back then and I love doing it now.

 

[nottskev]

I thought I was equipped for anything when I added a 9' Leger rod to my 13' float rod in 1978. Now I'm tripping over the flippin' things in the spare room. I appreciate why people are interested in the finest examples of float rods; it's part of the pleasure. But I think the idea of the best this or that is a bit of a chimera (which is, coincidentally, one of the nicest barbel rods), a bit like debating which is the best golf club - I take a float rod that suits the fishing for the day. Rods that are light, crisp and yet progressive in action are naturally more versatile as they'll fit the bill more often, but it's not as if there's only been one or two to choose from ......