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Grauvell Rods


Adam F
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Bob F and I were very kindly lent a pair of these by Weymouth Angling Centre yesterday - for a tackle test on our Shambles trip.

 

For those of you that arent familier with them - these are a new concept to Sea Angling. Approx 7' long - they have a backbone of about a 12lb class rod, but the tip is similat to the 'nibble' tips they use in Austrailia - (Rex Hunt uses a similar job)

This gives you superb bit indication, but enough backbone to use up to 12oz of lead and land the bigger brutes when they turn up. They retail for about 40-50 quid.

 

MY OPINION:

 

Not really for me. A cracking rod, but very specialised. Drifting the Shambles was great, with 2oz of lead, but as the tide increased the tiny tip struggled with 8oz and became redundant. The build quality was average. Whippings we basic and thin. The reel seat and duplon handles we average - increasing both the aspects would greatly help the rod. As for the action - it had numerous 'flat spots' as you would expect when joining a 12oz tip to a 12lb blank!

 

But it wasnt all bad! - drifting the wreck at the end of the day for small pollock and wrasse - it was a real joy! - I'd suggest it would make a superb bream tool also.

 

Personally - Ill stick to my 6-12lb Abu Conolon - or my spinning rod.

 

RATINGS:

 

Looks - 4/10

Quality - 4/10

Fitness for Purpose - 6/10

Value for money - 5/10

 

OVERALL - 5/10

 

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As Adam mentioned, I also had one of these rods to try out.

 

First impressions were not that good for me. I wasn't keen on the colours which were a bit too garish for me. The wippings were purple and sat on top of the rod varnish, rather than included in the varnish like most other makes. However, this may be a more practicle solution because if a ring brakes it will be much easier to remove the whiipping and refit the ring without having to touch the rod varnish. But for me, the method of whipping gave the impression that the rod materials were a bit on the brittle side and would not survive the bumps and knots that a rod gets on a small boat.

 

In use, the rod tip was very sensitive, registering every bite and nibble. But I like to leave my rod in a rod rest, and on a small 5m boat I found the tip a little too sensitive. All your movements and bumps around the boat are registered at the rod tip which gave me quite a few false bite indications until I realised what was going on. However, if you are fishing a competition on a large charter boat and need to register every bite, the rod tip would be superb.

 

If you need to use anyting above 6oz I think the tip will struggle, but that's where the second tip comes into play. Unfortunately, we didn't have the second stiffer tip to try out, so I can comment about its performance.

 

With the sensitive tip that we were using I would say this rod would make a good match rod where quick bite indication is vital, but it's a bit too specialized for general small boat use.

 

I'd like to have given the rod a few more tries before passing judgement on it because the rod tip is so different to what I am used to, and I may have grown to liking it. But, I could never get used to the looks and those whippings.

 

RATINGS:

 

Looks - 5/10

Quality - 5/10

Fitness for Purpose - 6/10

Value for money - 7/10 because you get two tips

 

OVERALL - 6/10

 

 

For a tip action rod I think the Abu Colon or Ugly Sticks are hard to beat for value, or if you prefer a through action rod the Fladden Maxximus range are unbeatable for price and quality of materials.

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Had a chat with Stainless Steve at the Beaulieu Boat Jumble this weekend.

 

He has just started using the Grauvell rods and loves them. Fished with upto 6oz and landed double figure Ling with no problems at all.

 

Perhaps they are worth a second try, but I still can't get over the looks.

 

Bob F.

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tongue.giftongue.gif Bob, Never judge a book by its cover mate. I do agree that drifting with largish leads is not the ideal scenario to test these rods, as you say they are very tippy and give lots of false indications. If you get the chance it will be worth trying one for the Bream and Smoothies. Not allowed to fish Plymouth so I might get the chance to fish your Solent comp, fingers crossed. What are the tides like there on your comp day? BB
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tongue.gif Sorry Bob, Cannot make the Bream comp but will be OK for the Solent Bash, if that is OK with Mark and Paul. If either of you could give me a bell or Message on forum please. I am a bit green on the Smoothies but willing to learn lads. What bait will I need to bring?? What class tackle?? BB cool.gif

 

PS I am fishing the Poole Species Hunt on the 15th, any of your lads fishing??

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Boybilly

 

Can you still get live hermits in the tackle shops at Weymouth?

 

If you can, they are the best bait [bar peelers] for smoothounds.

 

I would be interested in getting hold of some to try them off Poole some time.

So can you check the supply, WAC used to sell them before it changed hands.

 

Perhaps you could come out one evening on my boat and we can try them.

I am sure that another Member or two would join us.

Anyone interested??

 

Charlie

 

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Hi Billy

 

I have tanked Hermits in the past but they are violent little buggers and tear each other to bits, so they are better kept in a sack in the sea.

 

I should not have a problem with that at work

 

Bob/Billy that sounds good. An evening trip on GW always sounds good biggrin.gif

we could try the patch/ballard/Slates for bream/smoothy's.

 

Have to check the family calender for the best night, I will post again soon or speak tomorrow night.

 

Room for one more rolleyes.gif

 

Charlie biggrin.gif

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Hi Bob

Perhaps we ought to transfer these posts to another part of the forum, as its not really now about tackle.

 

I am a fan of smoothounds but have not caught that many locally, best on GW 9.5 lb [ Sam insists that I tel you he caught it]

 

I have had some much bigger ones at Selsey. which would be a good venue for a early summer trail away.

 

Perhaps someone may give us a hotspot to try.

 

Charlie biggrin.gif

 

 

 

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