I have a hankering for a powerful feeder rod for Bream and Carp at range. Hardy's Marksman Extreme or Shimano Purist Brench? Any body have any experience of either. I would ask the bivvy brigade but the forums are suffering from knobitis

Never ask for advice on a carp forum. I did once and ended up with a tattoo of Kerry Katona on my neck. Chav city, Arizona.

Are you after rod tip bite indication, semi fixed rigs, or PS3 bite alarms?


Or all 3?

Any particular reason for selecting those two? There's loads around, although I'm a little out of touch. Maver and Garbolino are doing some good value ones. I would advise against a poker stiff one though, especially for the bream, you'll just lose fish. In fact a lot of method feeder carp chaps are switching to softer but still powerful barbel type rods - the Fox Duo lite 1.5lb tc one is excellent (I use it for everything from method feeder to barbel/chub river use, but not for extreme distances)

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Thanks guys.
I'm after a good tip for bite indication (I will be using braid however), fast recovery, fast pick up at range and plenty of poke for distance chucking out large cage or method feeders. I'm also a bit of a tart; I like the sound of the Shimano blurb for the rod and the Hardy Extreme feeders are cheap now, good value if still expensive.

I did used to use a Leeda Blue Diamond method feeder, which were very good for their day. It adapted from 11' to 13' and would launch a 4oz feeder to the horizon. It was horrible to play fish on though, lost me several at the net unless you slackened your clutch right off. Haven't used it for a few years now.

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I have read some good things about the shimano rods with the oval section blanks. You turn the rod through 90 deg for casting heavier weights and playing bigger fish.

sounds like a recipe for disaster that why when rods have been made the way they are for centuries ???and they've never failed yet ,oh and if you can get hold of a shimano nexave 1.5 tc twin top rod that will do everything you want and more

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WHEN YOU LEAVE THE RIVER, TAKE NOTHING, AND LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINT'S!!!

THA CAN TELL A YORKSHIREMAN ,BUT THA CAN'T TELL HIM MUCH !!

I do like me Shimanos. I've got a couple of 1.5 Barbel Classics which are canny for up to about 70yds then seem to fade a bit. My first ever Shimano was an Ultegra Twin tip beach caster; that was a rip snorter but the guides were brittle and weren't keen on being bashed off rocks . The Purist Brench has single leg stand off guides which are a bit novel.

Have a read up on them Bruce, it's quite a clever idea.

I reckon it would work for fly rods, a rod that would stiffen as it was rotated. Dummies like me could blast out a #10 line on a 6 weight.