Our Nexave Barbel Rod competition closes at the end of April, so if you want to enter, you had better be quick.

It’s no surprise that the barbel, a proud and hard-fighting fish, has a strong and growing following among Britain’s anglers.

Equally it will come as no shock that the top tackle companies are bringing out gear for those who target them.

One such firm is Shimano, whose 12ft Nexave barbel rod has all the features a barbel specialist needs.

There are two rods in the range. Firstly there’s the 1.5lb test curve Nexave Barbel Classic (RRP £84.99), which is suited slower, deeper river swims and use with leads and swimfeeders up to 3oz in weight.

Its sister rod, the Nexave Barbel Power, is more powerful at 1.75lb test curve. It’s the rod to use for longer-range work and in fast-flowing water with leads and swimfeeders up to 5oz.

The rods are two-piece models and come with two top sections. Firstly there’s an Avon type top suitable for tough legering, trotting or rolling a bait along the river bed, or for fishing in flood conditions when weed or water pressure can make normal quivertipping impossible.

Also included is a section for standard work. It has a built-in solid fibre quivertip with the top 9cm finished in fire orange and includes a fitting for an isotope for night fishing.

Both Nexave barbel rods are suited to main lines from 4-10lb and hook lengths from 3-8lb. They are finished in matt black with low-build, high impact resistant whippings. They are made from relatively slim, high modulus XT100/60 carbon blanks and come with quality Fuji guides, a reverse taper slim cork handle, a keeper eye at the butt and a Shimano’s new screw-lock reel seat.

The rod is not just a barbel tool either, and would also make an ideal rod for Method feeder work and for the baggin waggler.

What You Can Win

We have two of the new Nexave barbel rods to give away to two lucky readers, one Nexave Barbel Classic (RRP £84.99) and one Nexave Barbel Power (RRP£89.99).

How to win
All you have to do to win is CLICK HERE and answer the simple question by filling in the field at the bottom of the copy. Winners will be notified in the first week of May.