Match Rods

In "my" day match rods were lightweight things (for the time) for snatching
large numbers of roachlets and skimmers etc from canals and other
stillwaters mainly, and made okay rods for light trotting for grayling too.
I've got two, a LERC-blanked homebuild of 12 feet, and an Edgar Sealey 14
foot biggie. Both hollow glass. I've mostly done fly fishing for a longish
time, and never updated my coarse rods.

Now in my fifties I've decided to revert to type and get in some trotting
hours on the Tay system this coming winter for grayling. But having got used
to fly rods of eleven feet or so that only weigh perhaps 4oz, I find that my
old hollow-glass match/float rods feel like telegraph poles...

Are *light* float rods made in carbon these days? Coarse tackle dealers seem
obsessed with stocking carp tackle of all sorts, spod rods, waggler rods and
so on, hardly any of which I've any idea about.

I just want a slim, long, lissom *lightweight* float rod such as my old rods
used to seem when I was in my teens/twenties!

Ian

In article , Alex
wrote:
In "my" day match rods were lightweight things (for the time) for snatching
large numbers of roachlets and skimmers etc from canals and other
stillwaters mainly, and made okay rods for light trotting for grayling too.
I've got two, a LERC-blanked homebuild of 12 feet, and an Edgar Sealey 14
foot biggie. Both hollow glass. I've mostly done fly fishing for a longish
time, and never updated my coarse rods.

Now in my fifties I've decided to revert to type and get in some trotting
hours on the Tay system this coming winter for grayling. But having got used
to fly rods of eleven feet or so that only weigh perhaps 4oz, I find that my
old hollow-glass match/float rods feel like telegraph poles...

Are *light* float rods made in carbon these days? Coarse tackle dealers seem

They exist and tackle dealers in areas where they have customers for them do
stock them. I find them (mostly) to be too fast actioned though: For
grayling trotting** - especially with a centrepin reel, you want a limber,
slowish action and for this reason I still use my old hollow glass rods.

Cheerio,

** You're picking up a lot of line but fishing shallow so a fast action
causes tangles.


--
Fishing: http://www.fishing.casterbridge.net/
Writing: http://www.author.casterbridge.net/derek-moody/
uk.rec.fishing.game Badge Page:
http://www.fishing.casterbridge.net/urfg/

Hi Derek, thanks for the reply.
All understood, but it's the *weight*, not the action, of the oldies that's
putting this oldie off using them. Functionally they'll be as effective as
ever they were, (and they were!) it's me that's changed, with the advent of
arthritic hands etc.

Mind you I'm not quite ready for the humane killer yet

I've a couple of elderly Abu closed face reels I want to resurrect as well
as an old pal of a Rapidex, so it's not only pins I'll be using.



"Derek Moody" wrote in message
...
In article , Alex
wrote:
In "my" day match rods were lightweight things (for the time) for
snatching
large numbers of roachlets and skimmers etc from canals and other
stillwaters mainly, and made okay rods for light trotting for grayling
too.
I've got two, a LERC-blanked homebuild of 12 feet, and an Edgar Sealey 14
foot biggie. Both hollow glass. I've mostly done fly fishing for a
longish
time, and never updated my coarse rods.

Now in my fifties I've decided to revert to type and get in some trotting
hours on the Tay system this coming winter for grayling. But having got
used
to fly rods of eleven feet or so that only weigh perhaps 4oz, I find that
my
old hollow-glass match/float rods feel like telegraph poles...

Are *light* float rods made in carbon these days? Coarse tackle dealers
seem

They exist and tackle dealers in areas where they have customers for them
do
stock them. I find them (mostly) to be too fast actioned though: For
grayling trotting** - especially with a centrepin reel, you want a limber,
slowish action and for this reason I still use my old hollow glass rods.

Cheerio,

** You're picking up a lot of line but fishing shallow so a fast action
causes tangles.


--
Fishing: http://www.fishing.casterbridge.net/
Writing: http://www.author.casterbridge.net/derek-moody/
uk.rec.fishing.game Badge Page:
http://www.fishing.casterbridge.net/urfg/

"Alex" wrote in message
...
Hi Derek, thanks for the reply.
All understood, but it's the *weight*, not the action, of the oldies
that's putting this oldie off using them. Functionally they'll be as
effective as ever they were, (and they were!) it's me that's changed, with
the advent of arthritic hands etc.

snip


Carbon float rods (on average) weigh about 6-8ozs depending on blank used,
length etc. My 13' Shimano is 7.5ozs but it is base range. You can get
shorter and longer. I recall Maver do one with different 'put together
options' that can be fished to 18' _but_ don't quote me on that bit, and
weighs in less than my Shimano. They are not all FA (although my one is). I
recall the Maver is Tip/through action but about 4 times the price of mine.
Some carbon float rods are designed for river fishing, others for
commercials but you should be able to find one to suite easy enough. I
usually find what I want via the internet and then ask my local stockist of
that supplier how much it will be if he gets it in for me. Between our 5
local(ish) tackle shops they cover a good range of suppliers.

I am not really a float rod expert but HTH a bit .......... Richard

It does, Richard.
Ta for that, I'll continue digging around and hopefully I'll find something
that'll do it. I can't see me going for an eighteen footer tho!


"Richard" wrote in message
...

"Alex" wrote in message
...
Hi Derek, thanks for the reply.
All understood, but it's the *weight*, not the action, of the oldies
that's putting this oldie off using them. Functionally they'll be as
effective as ever they were, (and they were!) it's me that's changed,
with the advent of arthritic hands etc.

snip


Carbon float rods (on average) weigh about 6-8ozs depending on blank used,
length etc. My 13' Shimano is 7.5ozs but it is base range. You can get
shorter and longer. I recall Maver do one with different 'put together
options' that can be fished to 18' _but_ don't quote me on that bit, and
weighs in less than my Shimano. They are not all FA (although my one is).
I recall the Maver is Tip/through action but about 4 times the price of
mine. Some carbon float rods are designed for river fishing, others for
commercials but you should be able to find one to suite easy enough. I
usually find what I want via the internet and then ask my local stockist
of that supplier how much it will be if he gets it in for me. Between our
5 local(ish) tackle shops they cover a good range of suppliers.

I am not really a float rod expert but HTH a bit .......... Richard

Date: Mon, 4 Sep 2006 18:11:35 +0100 (BST)
From: Derek Moody
Subject: Match Rods

In article , Alex
wrote:
Hi Derek, thanks for the reply.
All understood, but it's the *weight*, not the action, of the oldies that's

Understood - it's just that I've not (yet) found a CF rod with an action and
underlying strength that suits -me- for that sort of fishing (in my area there
may be other, larger fish in with the grayling and even a 2lb grayling makes
the line sing in a heavy current.) Maybe I should start looking again...

I've a couple of elderly Abu closed face reels I want to resurrect as well
as an old pal of a Rapidex, so it's not only pins I'll be using.

OK. As long as you can feather line without jerking.

Cheerio,

--
Fishing: http://www.fishing.casterbridge.net/
Writing: http://www.author.casterbridge.net/derek-moody/
uk.rec.fishing.game Badge Page:
http://www.fishing.casterbridge.net/urfg/

Success - by chance found that Argos were punting off some previous
catalogue rods for coppers. Shimano Hyperloop 13ft for 22 quid, seemed a
decent price - so I shot off, and got one! Maybe the same as Richard's rod?

The difference in feel is huge. (Makes the old Sealey feel like a bit of
leaden overcooked spaghetti)

Up here (when I used to fish for them) we used to average around 2 or 3
grayling to the pound in the Clyde, with an odd one to perhaps 2.5lbs tops.
The Earn average was far better than that, with 1 to 2lb fish being common
and an odd bigger one. The old Brit record was from the Isla (Tay tributory)
and was far bigger, can't remember its weight now, so with a bit of good
luck I could be in for a bit of fun?

Thanks all.
Alex

"Derek Moody" wrote in message
...
Date: Mon, 4 Sep 2006 18:11:35 +0100 (BST)
From: Derek Moody
Subject: Match Rods

In article , Alex
wrote:
Hi Derek, thanks for the reply.
All understood, but it's the *weight*, not the action, of the oldies
that's

Understood - it's just that I've not (yet) found a CF rod with an action
and
underlying strength that suits -me- for that sort of fishing (in my area
there
may be other, larger fish in with the grayling and even a 2lb grayling
makes
the line sing in a heavy current.) Maybe I should start looking again...

I've a couple of elderly Abu closed face reels I want to resurrect as
well
as an old pal of a Rapidex, so it's not only pins I'll be using.

OK. As long as you can feather line without jerking.

Cheerio,

--
Fishing: http://www.fishing.casterbridge.net/
Writing: http://www.author.casterbridge.net/derek-moody/
uk.rec.fishing.game Badge Page:
http://www.fishing.casterbridge.net/urfg/

In article , Alex
wrote:
Success - by chance found that Argos were punting off some previous

Well done.

Up here (when I used to fish for them) we used to average around 2 or 3
grayling to the pound in the Clyde, with an odd one to perhaps 2.5lbs tops.
The Earn average was far better than that, with 1 to 2lb fish being common
and an odd bigger one. The old Brit record was from the Isla (Tay tributory)
and was far bigger, can't remember its weight now, so with a bit of good
luck I could be in for a bit of fun?

Over 7 wasn't it?

Depends on the year but there's usually a 6oz-ish class growing on. I'd
call it a disappointing session that didn't turn up some bigger ones and 3lb
plus is always on the cards. When you used to have the old record we never
really thought about it but several over 4lb were caught by lads poaching
after school - and then the record was delisted and someone moved a bunch of
electrofished grayling into a local pond where the new 'record' was caught
before they died the next summer. If one of the estates would open the
middle water the really big fish would be available...

Cheerio,

--
Fishing: http://www.fishing.casterbridge.net/
Writing: http://www.author.casterbridge.net/derek-moody/
uk.rec.fishing.game Badge Page:
http://www.fishing.casterbridge.net/urfg/