Ian "Barra" Miller Unplugged - From The "Beer With Starlo" Archives

[@franksaunders6534]

One of the all time legends!!

[@StarloGetsReel]

For sure!

[@rookie_lureman]

You continue to produce some of my favourite content, Starlo. Thanks to you and Ian for this interview, it’s a great watch.

[@StarloGetsReel]

Our pleasure! Thank you for watching.

[@jeffbrunsdon7227]

That was awesome starlo, can you please post more like this 👍

[@StarloGetsReel]

More to come!

[@martindekorte6732]

Great interview Steve👌I walked into my local complete angler 3 years ago in Ringwood and asked the question “ how do the Millerods compare to ( a Australian brand I was using and still use to some extent) I got the detailed explanation about the components and materials used and target specific design and it ended with “ be careful they are addictive “ 😂 well 3 years later and 14 Millerods in the rack I can say that the Millerods are a top quality product that in my humble opinion are hard to beat and are value for money amongst top quality producers.

[@StarloGetsReel]

Good to hear! Fourteen!!! That's quite a collection! Nice one...

[@redtobertshateshandles]

I don't feel too bad now. 😂

[@duanesfishn]

Great interview Steve. Really interesting listening to Ian Millers journey and insights. I didn't think I could enjoy fishing any more until I started using Millerods.

[@StarloGetsReel]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@chrisdoran7596]

I have a couple of Ian Miller travel rods range. They have served me well.🎣👌🤙👍

[@StarloGetsReel]

Nice 👍

[@markedwards1009]

Hi fella's. Interesting and inciteful video. Ian actually built my 14 foot beach Jewy rod back in the late 90's. It was on a Snider blank. He did a great job. Keep up the good work Starlo.

[@StarloGetsReel]

Oh wow! Thanks for that. 👍

[@brettverrender3167]

Good stuff Starlo. Interesting guy Ian. I was having a flick through my rods and i was amazed how many Ian had designed. That included my old favourite a Maxspin 721 Starlo Stix. It's still going strong after plenty of abuse.

[@StarloGetsReel]

Good to hear! Yes, Ian has designed and built some amazing rods over the decades, that's for sure.

[@raynewman4904]

Thanks Steve,great interview and interesting conversation. Ian's rods are legendary.cheers.

[@brendanstockwin9652]

Cracker interview Steve 🤙 Top Shelf rods just purchased the Jack X Miller rod too add to my Miller collection 🎣🤙

[@StarloGetsReel]

Nice 👍

[@brettfawkes1582]

I was just going through some of my late fathers old fishing gear this week and came across a Shimano Steve Starling Chronarch baitcaster rod designed by Ian Miller. He would have used it for bass fishing and I intend to do put it to work again

[@StarloGetsReel]

@@brettfawkes1582 They were a great rod. I hope you catch some rippers on it. 👍

[@redtobertshateshandles]

I see blokes grab a rod 1/3 of the way from the tip and swing fish aboard. I know why rods break !! I shouldn't have sold my GH 17 snapper overhead rod or the GH11 (I think) land based game stick that a mate found in the garage of his new house and gave me. But the Miller designed 11ft Tiralego is a helluva lot lighter. Also got a 603 Tropical Shimano Revolution Travel designed by Ian, too, which is light in the tip but super powerful down in the butt. I feel that it echoes the short stroker design. Good stuff Steve. Great to hear someone mention the GH series.

[@StarloGetsReel]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@ianbertenshaw4350]

Ian was wholly and solely responsible for getting me addicted to rod building ! Did you ever manage to corner Bushy for a beer with Starlo ? The man is a messiah!

[@StarloGetsReel]

Not yet! Working on it.

[@scottcox8559]

I wonder what Ian thinks about Daiwas AGS guides, and would he use them. From an anglers perspective, I feel they are amazing.

[@redtobertshateshandles]

How much are the rods using these guides??

[@scottcox8559]

@@redtobertshateshandles the last battler I bought was $700.

[@StarloGetsReel]

Not sure. He's a pretty committed Fuji man. ;)

[@richardmason9097]

The 2-4kg designation of rods gives one an idea of how much drag you can use through the rod. With heavy braided lines use one must use lower rod angles fighting fish unless ya gotta strong ass blank. The old Ugly Sticks weren't that light ,but would bend through the butt no drama. The one Bushy used on a TV series with Starlo was a 4-6kg(?)blank, and he had 50lb line on it! 😅

[@StarloGetsReel]

I think you just nailed EXACTLY why line ratings on rods are largely meaningless... because Bushy did indeed very effectively fish 50 pound (and stronger) lines through his old Black Death (which wasn't an Ugly Stik blank, by the way, although something similar from the Silstar stable, I believe)... Mind you, he DID end up breaking it. ;)

[@gillysable]

Hey starlo I still got a starlo stix rod by Ian miller

[@StarloGetsReel]

@@gillysable Cool! I still have a couple too! 👍

[@brettverrender3167]

Starlo do you ever fish without a leader ? i.e braid straight to lure or hook.

[@StarloGetsReel]

I’ve done it once or twice, but I’m not a fan.

[@richardmason9097]

I reckon the influence Ian has on some Shimano rod designs results in those rod being very similar to rod tapers from the nylon line era. He may be designing rods that HE thinks are appropriate. Perhaps he designs them for nylon?

[@StarloGetsReel]

Actually, Ian hasn't designed rods for Shimano Australia for several years now, so if you're talking about any of the more recent models (say, from the last five years or so), they definitely aren't his designs. As for talking about a nylon "era", that sort of overlooks the fact that a LOT of anglers (perhaps the majority?) still run mono rather than braid on most of their outfits, and even some very good tournament-standard fishers are switching back to mono (typically fluorocarbon) fished "straight through" to their lures in a lot of applications. It's not as cut-and-dried as a "mono era" versus a "braid era". There's lots of overlap.

[@bobking4031]

I have one of ian's rods and it is fantastic

[@StarloGetsReel]

They sure are.

[@richardmason9097]

Long split butt rods are a pain in the ass. They catch on ya shirt. And can be problematic in rod holders. Why so freaking Long! Hopefully, this fad will pass, and shorter butts make a comeback.

[@StarloGetsReel]

I agree that overly long butts are an issue on many off-the-rack rods these days (although a split butt design doesn't, in itself, add to the length). It seems to be something inherited from overseas, particularly in beach/rock rods. However, I've never encountered an over-length butt I wasn't able to fix with a hacksaw...