Experience with feeder rods

[CaptainBlue]

I recently bought 3 feeder rods below and have a few questions.

 

1 x 13’ Trabucco Sygnum Super Power with 2oz, 3oz and 4oz tips

1 x 12’ Shakespeare Mach 2 medium/heavy with 1oz, 2oz and 3oz tips

1 x 11’ Browning Syntec Force Feeder with 1oz, 2oz and 3oz tips

 

I’m not pleased at all with the Trabucco rod, the blank is thick, heavy and the balance is way off.

 

The Shakespeare rod is a nicely balanced medium action feeder rod with the Browning Syntec rod having a bit more fast action in the blank. Pleased with both.

 

Now I’ve used the Shakespeare and Browning rods about 10 times with the 2oz tip. With a 1oz feeder and 1oz of bait = 2oz. Now I reckon the 2oz tips are too weak, the bend in the rod is far too great for the cast in my opinion. I know you’re not supposed to whack the feeder out because of line break. The 3oz tip should be far better. Bite detection shouldn’t be any worse.

 

As far as I understand about 90% of all feeder rods have 1,2 and 3oz tips as standard. So what’s the idea behind it all ? Does anyone use a 1oz tip for feeder fishing ?? The same 1oz tip that comes with a rod with an 8lb line rating ? Is a 2oz tip for 2oz of bait ?

 

What I really wanted to buy was 2 rods, preferably same make with the same line rating and tip alternatives (2,3 and 4oz) but at different lengths, 11’ and 12’. Korum do a Neorotic rod with 2, 4 and 6oz rated tips at 12’ but none at 11’ and I thought then that I'd never use a 6oz tip.

 

As said, I’m pleased with the Browning and Shakespeare rods and I’ll probably try and get 4, 5 or 6oz tips that will fit. Although surely at these ratings and when you’re using a heavy feeder and hair rig with boilie or pellet, you might as well get a light carp rod and use a bite alarm set-up.

 

Lastly, does anyone understand the 13’ Trabucco rod. It’s provided with 2,3 and 4oz tips but on the blank it says casting weight up to 150 grams.

[Anderoo]

I'm not scientific about it, but I almost always use the lightest tip I can when feeder or other leger fishing. A heavier tip may sometimes be needed to counter a heavy current, but the quiver tip is for bite detection rather than casting. It's the rod further down that handles that.

[clintwalker]

I'm not scientific about it, but I almost always use the lightest tip I can when feeder or other leger fishing. A heavier tip may sometimes be needed to counter a heavy current, but the quiver tip is for bite detection rather than casting. It's the rod further down that handles that.

I agree, if I can get away with a 1oz tip, I'll use it. Just be careful with the cast, ensure the line isn't wrapped around the rod tip and you should have no problems. I will use a heavier tip in strong winds, fishing at long range or in waters with a current or undertow, or if fishing 'the mathod'. 15Og is 6ozs.....thats a lot of weight, some sea fishing rods are rated to that! A 25g feeder full of bait probably weighs 75g all in, so don't worry about using the 1oz tip.

[ayjay]

The weight rating of the tips is an approximate test curve not a recommended casting weight.

[Steve Walker]

The weights given for the tips are their test curves - that actual value doesn't relate to the terminal tackle you would use, it is just a measure of stiffness. So ignore the "oz" and just think of them as a #1, #2, #3 quivertip, with a #3 being stiffest and least sensitive.

 

As a rule, use the most sensitive quivertip you can get away with. If the current is pulling it right round, or you are being bothered by little knocks and rattles from small fish that you want to ignore, use a stiffer one. If you find you are missing bites, use a less stiff one. And don't worry, it isn't rocket science

[Jeffwill]

A little tip for anyone new to feeder fishing.

 

There's nothing worse than casting a feeder and hearing the crack as the line parts and your rig dissappearing into the distance....

 

So...just before casting out its worth checking by reeling the rig right up to the rod tip and then leaving out an inch or two of line....so you know the line is free running and not wrapped around the top eye.

 

You can then cast confidently and concentrate more on an accurate cast to build up a bed of bait.

[Guerilla]

So...just before casting out its worth checking by reeling the rig right up to the rod tip and then leaving out an inch or two of line....so you know the line is free running and not wrapped around the top eye.

 

Very good advice, speaking from a recent bad experience and I'm not new to feeder fishing - just lazy.

 

As the others have said, fish the lightest you can if you need to register slight bites. Also, different tips are often coloured differently. Fishing with my rod tip in the air, keeping line off the water the other day was difficult as I kept losing the tip in the trees on the far bank. For the sake of 1oz, If I had am alternative coloured tip with me this may not have been the case. As it was I had to fish with the rod parallel to the bank.

 

4,5 and 6oz tips are probably more useful for fishing for barbel in fast water conditions - as Steve said, not being bothered about small fish.

[CaptainBlue]

Thanks lads for the info. I couldn't get my head around it so that's way I had to post a question. Obviously the penny has dropped at last. I'll just have to put it down to old age or literally not using the feeder all that often.

 

Be sure I'll be given it a good go next spring on the River Hossmo in Sweden. That is if I can get a swim. Monster bream down there. One young lad had 27 bream between 7lb to 12lb one night.

 

Here's a pic of just one of them (don't think you need need the pink wolly hat).

[Andy Macfarlane]

Don't worry too much if the tip is well bent with the weight of your feeder. The quiver isn't there to handle the weight of the feeder. It's a bite indicator. As long as you don't overload the rod below the quiver tip, you shouldn't have a problem. My quiver is often bent to nearly 90 degrees with a feeder on but the rod itself shows little or no sign of strain.