jaypeegolf

Has anyone got any experience of servicing the drag on a rear drag reel please? I have a few reels where the drag has become rather 'jerky' and not at all smooth and with so much time on my hands wondering if it was possible to service the drag? (Shakespeare Mach 3 by the way) I've searched online but can't find any instructions that are relevant so any advice/help gladly accepted. Thanks in advance John

I have a Harrison 13' SU and a Mach 3 13ft Match. Unfortunately the Mach 3 snapped whilst trying to tame a barbel a couple of years ago hence why I purchased the SU. The Mach 3 is much lighter and easier to hold for longer sessions but as my boredom threshold is usually about 3 hours I can cope with the added weight of the SU. I love the Mach 3 but as the majority of my fishing is now in barbel territory I feel more confident with the SU. Good thread guys.

They're like buses these barbel!! 7lb 13oz & probably as big as I like to handle on my float rod! (I'm no Keith Spears!)

Thanks Chris, It's been a long slog for me on the Warks Avon for me, an impatient angler. I didn't know whether or not I'd ever manage to find a barbel of any size on my float set up, not having the patience to sit behind a tip for one! But, at last, with some bankside vegetion dissapearing I've manage to 'find' a new swim. Lovely it is too! Thursday evening I turned up with the wrong rod, a standard 13' Shakespeare Match rod, which when I hooked into a barbel was clearly undergunned. Hence the breakage just above the middle joint. Friday I brought my stepped up Harrison float rod which proved to be the one! Fish in net! Back for some more later in the week when the rain may have spiced things up a bit too. Hope you're well and catching on the Kennet. John

Having enviously read Tigger's posts about his trotting expliots and the fantastic results he yields I have been desperate to try and create my own success. Fishing the Warwickshire Avon I have be trying to catch a barbel whilst trotting with my centrepin. Last Thursday, I nearly succeeded but unfortunately my rod snapped! I returned on Friday evening, armed to the teeth, and finally prevailed. it was a struggle in a fast paced swim, on a 'stepped up' float rod, with 6lb line, but I managed to land a beautiful fish of 5lb 130z. My arm was still shaking when I got to the pub an hour or so later. There were also some great chunky chub to round off a brilliant 2 hours fishing. Hopefully there's many more where that came from.

Can anyone shed anymore light on these creations please? I've seen some very appealing photos on Facebook but can't seem to find out anything more! Does anyone have any info please? Cheers J

Tigger, May I ask which river it is that you have been catching all these wonderful fish from. Don't need to know where! Just which one! JP

Hope you don't mind me asking, but what rod is that in the photos? JP

I've got one and love it. Wouldn't swop it for a plastic box for the world. It's comfortable, carries everything I need and just reminds me of my youth when 'every' angler I watched appeared to have one.

Thank you Alan, Big help! J

Would anyone have any information on the specification of a Shakespeare Ariel CTB Match rod by any chance? I'm interested in knowing it's weight, line rating/test curve please. Thanks for any help you guys can offer. J

I'm making a trip to the Wye tomorrow, between Ross and Monmouth, hoping to target some nice chub and bonus barbel on the float. I made some tentative enquiries to a 'well known river angler' who suggested that pellets were the way forward. Whilst I'm in no doubt that this method has reaped rewards to someone with far better skills that me I'm feeling that I need to take a 'familiar' bait, maggots/casters with me in case I can't make the pellets work for me! Anyone have any thoughts/suggestions? Cheers JP

...meanwhile, back on the 'trotting for barbel' forum post...!!

I've got a couple! One old one, lives in the garage and is purely for fishing now. It's been reproofed and is still a good coat. The other one's a bit more trendy and is for going out only! Wouldn't be without them. JP

I went to the Warwickshire Avon at Stratford, the Lido section, on Friday afternoon. Patience was running thin and I stuck it out for 2 hours, up to my calfs in the river, until my hand was imovable on the rod due to the cold! 1 bite, 1 fish! A chub of 4lb.