[Ben Field]

Plenty of rods around at the moment. A few newer ones from Shimano etc:

http://www.fishing-mart.com.pl/sklep/en/spinning-rods-shimano-g5-a3-p208.html

Nexave CX, Catana BX, Alivio Super Sensitive - less than 20 Euro!!!

Also nice ones from daiwa (Ryukon Ultralight), Dragon (http://www.fishing-mart.com.pl/sklep/en/dragon-guide-select-g5-a3-p27-k6052.html) and Jaxon.

I guess most are probably hollow tips, but one or two might be solid (Nexave CX etc)

 

[Keith White]

You need to be very careful because not all light rods are suitable.
The very light 0.5 -4g and 0.5 to 5g carbo star solid tips are very much niche rods. Not all round LRF rods by any stretch.
Yet my Zaltz 0.5 to 5g is. It's all about the taper and available low down power.

For micro plugs and metals (like vib baits) solids are next to useless unless straight retrieving. Yet, OTD (on the drop) fishing is seriously enhanced by the use of a solid tip.

People need to be aware that it's the combination of tackle and technique that is bringing in the fish, not one, or the other alone.

This said, take a good look around as alot of gear will be just fine adopted for LRF.

 

[Ben Field]

Or coarse. Definitely not making recommendations at this point, just pointing out that there are more light rods available that most probably won't have noticed yet. I'm sure none are dedicated LRF rods but as has been said before, for anybody looking to find their first light rod, going with a hollow tipped allrounder is probably the best place to start. It won't be ideal for every technique in the book, but will do most of them better than most would expect from them. Most people are never going to go as far as having dedicated rods for each technique - realistically just a very small percentage will bother with the perfection that you or I may look for.

 

[Keith White]

Definitely not making recommendations at this point, just pointing out that there are more light rods available that most probably won't have noticed yet.

I know that Ben, no worries m8. Just don't want guys buying blind as LRF encompasses a wider range of equipment than we first thought.

 

[Ben Field]

Tis cool. Just a post for Mick and yourself more than anything. The Shimano rods especially are new (CX) so may become available over here if we're lucky. The Diaflash has proven that they can make a decent light rod, so if Mick can get hold of these then they may be a useable cheaper option. Not quite as light, granted, but may well be worth a look at. Definitely wouldn't recommend that people just go and buy blind from Poland.

 

[Keith White]

Yea, is good info.
You'll see where I'm coming from when you start fishing the various styles and you get to handle a few different rods.

You wouldn't believe that so many rods rated the same could be so wildly different.

 

[Ben Field]

What differences have you been finding so far? Just a wide variation in lower down power and action? I guess that very few actually come with suggestions on the action? I definitely haven't seen too many European light rods with action specified. I can't quite see the use ANYWHERE for a very light rod with a slow action and no power, but I'm sure there are probably some around. You'll know better than I.

 

[Keith White]

It can be like chalk and cheese Ben.
The differences are like, vast. Good differences some, but not all LRF allrounders.

I have used quite a few now and they all have their place.
I'm just about to go out for a few hours scouting but I'll add some action thoughts to this thread later m8.

 

[Ben Field]

Nice one. May even deserve a thread of it's own. Fingers crossed I may even get out and fish tonight!

 

[Mike Kennard]

Just to add my thoughts on this.
For the last few years I have been using a JDM Daiwa Finesse bass rod for my UL fishing in saltwater. This rod has had to do a multitude of different tasks as it was the only rod I had up to the job. I had older or heavier rods but nothing as good as that one. It is only 6ft so that limits it for some duties, it casts up to 1/4oz so covers a similar, if slightly heavier, range than a true LRF rod and is rated for 4 to 8lb mono.
Now when I bought this rod it was a very popular spec for Australian bream and finesse bass fishing.

So where is this going? I just think that this style of rod still has its place in OUR LRF style of fishing and in some situations may be better than some other more specific LRF rods which after all are designed for Japanese LRF not ours. For plugs and metals it still feels like a better rod to use than my Daiwa LRF rod even though the new one has a hollow tip (I think).
I just think we should not ignore finesse bass rods when compiling our list of UK LRF rods as for certain situations they may be worth tracking one down.

 

[Nick Rowe]

Hi,
What order of preference do you have for the specifictions of an LRF or HRF rod?
is it:
a) the weight rating
b) action
c) length

I am totally new to LRF/HRF, but as I have been steadily scaling down my Bass lure rods to use much smaller lures and lighter lines, I think some of my current Bass gear may well get me started in this new style fishing.
From what I've read so far I think these would do for HRF:

8' Berkley Skeletor (series 1) 7 - 28g
7' Bushwhacker 10 - 30g

but would these two rods be any good for LRF:

6' Berkley light spinning rod 3.5 - 14g (spincast/biatcaster rod)
10.5' Cortland Noodle rod, 1 - 7g

The Noodle rod I think it is essentially a fly rod with spinning reel seat intended for Mepps type spinners for Salmon and Steelhead, I've not fished for either of those fish but it easily tamed carp to 7lbs while dog biscuit floater fishing last year, so it has some low down power.

Would these rods do to get me up and running?

 

[Ben Field]

Hi Nick.

I don't think we really need to get too hung up on strictly categorising rods, but personally what I think is that rods should be ordered by maximum casting weight. Like Mike says, rods with pretty much any casting range will have certain uses, and even rods casting weight of 30g+ can fish weights down to 3g or less. Looking at it like that, millions of rods out there could be used for LRF, but obviously the more suitable a rod is for the technique you're trying to fish, the better or more efficient your fishing will be. Saying all that, I think if you were to really pick out a characteristic of a dedicated LRF rod, it's upper casting weight would be 10g or less. Action has less to do with it and is only relevant to the technique you're fishing.

The rods will definitely get you started. HRF wise you're spot on. LRF, The long rod could come in very useful when you find yourself high above the water. And the 6 footer will be fine with most stuff.

 

[Nick Rowe]

Thanks Ben, will let you know how work

 

[Ben Field]

First noticed these a while ago but Quantum actually do some decent looking, reasonably priced light rods in the LRF and 'MRF'(?!) categories. I know you can get Quantum stuff Mick, which is why I'm mentioning it. They look pretty decent I reckon.

http://www.askari-fishing.co.uk/__W...ercast-pro-tour-spin-xl-ul-twist-2/detail.jsf
http://www.askari-fishing.co.uk/__W...ercast-pro-tour-spin-xl-ul-twist-1/detail.jsf