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That's almost a new set up mrmud. I've got 10k cell 10k isopro sweet. Hydrotuff in 20lb (had this on since 2020, with no issues at all, just need to reload the spools), tungsten putty and a replacement fox silk swinger. Got 6-7 nights on the res this weekend. Full moon next week (I'm hoping that might give me an advantage??) Happy hunting.

Got myself a few bits n bobs to keep me occupied since I've quit smoking. 2 weeks now. Got a set of sonik herox 12ft 3.25tc rods with matching 10000 reels and the spod rod n reel. New carplife rod bag to keep it all tucked away nicely. Also got some dot spods and a air spod, distance sticks, prologic finger stall, glow in the dark butt grips. Syncro xt 18lb, more bits like tungsten tubing, run ring kits, Nash longshank twisters. Blake's baits 5kg of hemp, 5kg of tigers, 10kg of maize and 20kg of pigeon conditioner. 20kg of outlaw pro boilies and pellets n match the hatch wafters n pop-ups and some of they're fluro pop-ups. Also grabbed some NS minis to give them a whirl. Off fishing on for the weekend. Not even checked the weather. Just want to fish since I've been ot of action for a bit

Off the mark with this one at 19lb 8oz. Wicked bite really, was having a brew watching some fish show to my right, 5 minutes later it went off 🤙

Hi mate I've got the temu version of the wolf spombs and they are wicked 👍 they open pretty much every cast, I've only broke one but that was down to hitting a duck lol.

24lb 12oz, first time using my dslr, image quality is so clean lol

Good luck mate, hope you bag a whacker.

Wicked mate, It's took a lot of googling (don't have a manual) but got it set to your settings, I've had a little go but realised I had the single point to the bottom right instead of the middle 🤦‍♂️anyway it should be good to go, will test when it stops raining 👍 Wader shot using your settings Happy days 🤙

Almost 😁. New set of bite alarms next and a one man bivvy for the solo sessions Was between the xt and hydrotuff and landed up choosing the XT. TBF I swear by the gardener braid

IMHO the best line on the market 👌

Hopefully you catch a real biggun now and you can show us your new found camera skills, good luck

Spot on. See how the waders pop from the blurry background. Much better mate. For info to all, if you click on any photo on here, you get the higher quality original versus the heavily compressed version that appears on the thread.

Same as works a treat, much better than a genuine spomb tbh 👍

I'm gonna have to digest this post, is it similar for canon lol, I'm an auto man 😳 Great post though will have a look at my camera when I get a minute. As I've not been so happy with my shots lately. Smashing it @jh92 cracking fish keep em coming.

OK. First thing - get your manual out. I know how to do all of the below on a Canon, but not a Nikon. You'll likely have to go into menus to do some of this but the manual should make it clear. So.... Change from ‘Auto’ to ‘A’ mode (aperture priority mode). This will mean you control the aperture, and the camera will do almost everything else for you. Set your ISO to ‘auto ISO’. This means the camera will control sensitivity to light on its own. Change your AF (auto focus) Area mode to ‘Single point AF’. This will prevent the camera from trying to focus on multiple items (your face, the trees in the background etc). Change your Focus Point to ‘Centre point narrow zone’. This means it will focus on the centre of the shot i.e. the fish. Zoom the lens out to 50 mm focal length - a great length for trophy shots. Set the aperture size at the largest it will go at 50 mm focal length. The larger the aperture, the smaller the ‘f number’ – so you’ll be looking for the lowest f number you can which is probably around f4. Make sure the centre spot on the viewfinder is on the fish and off you go. This will focus on the kipper, your face will be very slightly out of focus behind this, and behind you you’ll have a lovely blurry background. I strongly recommend you practise all of this, and take shots with a prop like a bag or something. You obviously don't want to be playing with all of these settings with a fish on the bank.

I'm a Canon man. Let me google your camera model and I'll come back with some tips.

I did a casting tuition with Terry Edmonds and he said the The Shimano Velocity 13 ft 3.5 TC, and the Fox Horizon 13 ft 3.5 TC (the cheapest version (X3?)) are the least expensive means of realising your maximum casting potential. I would expect the Kiazens to be decent too - Korda know what they're doing and very rarely release rubbish. This will have a decent impact. I go down to 10/12 lb mainline with a shock-leader for spring before the weed is up. Adds quite a bit onto my cast. For sure. Maybe drop down to a wafter? Don't go too small as you need a bit of weight in the hookbait to prevent tangles when chucking long.

Free spirit helicals are pleasing so far, I haven't really had to chuck one far yet but they feel decent and still nice to play fish on.

It's deffo about the rod I've been on 12.6ft 3.5lb rods for over 10 years now and whilst I'm not a big caster by any means they really help with distance and accuracy, noticeable from the first chuck. The braided marker rod absolutely flies - much further than I can cast mono. I'd like to try using braid on the main rods but no venue I fish allows it. Lower the BS of the mainline to 10-12lb if your using a leader and can get away with it.

No better feeling than that! Well done mate.

Couple of shots from my recent 5 night blank on Swan Lake, Bluebell. A case of so near yet so far, the fish were smashing naturals in a tennis court sized area, moved to get the traps closer but chose a bad spot (felt feint gravel but the rods came back with a little silk weed on each) at ranges I shouldn't have been fishing so couldn't check the rods once in place - bad move in hindsight, thought I was being clever. 🤦‍♂️

My current setup is 3lb tc shimano tribal velocity rods paired with daiwa sportsmatic-x 5500, loaded with 15lb long chuck with a sublime tapered leader, I'm using 3.25oz - 3.5oz leads. I can get 25 wraps but I'm really to cast really hard to hit the clip, would it be worth going down to a braided shock leader as I'm sure it's the tapered leader hindering the cast as when there's a bit of side wind it starts pushing the lead with the wind and I lose distance? I'm looking at getting a set of 3.5lb tc rods for next year but is there any changes I can make while on the bank to make it a bit easier? I have a small spool of Gardner abrasion braided leader in 25lb but not if its likely to crack off? Any advice would be wicked 👍

Happy 50th @commonly Hopefully with the new moon and you hitting the magical 50 there's a monster waiting to jump on in your net Tight lines

Thanks Elmo. I was torn to mention on here, as I'm quite likely to blank my but off😄 Really looking forward to it. Only got that long as it was my 50th this year. Work, family life and life have meant things don't always go to plan, but you got to make the most of what you've got. I can at least post a few views from the bivvy door and rod shots though😎

Yup, the above settings can be used with an intervalometer mate.

Thanks would be very handy, I normally use an intervalometer and do self takes at the moment.

I'll pop something up tomoz for you Elmo 👍

Similar yes. On Canon you need 'Av mode' (same as A mode on Nikon). What Canon have you got as some stuff like Focus Point differs from older models to newer ones?

Okay thanks mate 👍

Didn't even notice that mate 🤣 I've got a nikon d5000 with a af-s nikkor 18-105mm lens yeah its in auto mode mate, i don't have a clue what im doing, ive only just managed to work out how to use the intervalometer 🤦‍♂️🤣any help would be great thanks 👍

No.... but for the vast, vast majority of casters, 13ft will cast further. Long, stiff rods with decent technique is the key to distance.

I will have a look and see what I can get 👍 is 13ft a must? For the water I'm on at the moment I'm doing really well with big baits and I'd like to say I'm getting the bigger stamp of fish and avoiding the stockies and bream, so would like to keep things the same if I can 👍 I will see what lines they in my tackle shop after my session and get something thinner 👍

The fish is actually out focus - check out the tail. I think the camera has chosen your face as the focus point. Did you take the shot in auto mode? This would explain the focus issue. What camera and lens are you using? I can give you some tips on how to set it up right.

Thanks for the replies, I expect fishing big snowman baits ain't helping either. I would like to fish up to 30 wraps. I will try changing mainline for the next session 👍 Can anyone recommend some budget 3.5tc rods? I've been looking at the kiazen green rods, but heard they are the same blanks as daiwa black widows? I'd also be happy with second hand 👍

25 times 3.66metres is 91.5metres, not big casting in today's world. I learnt years ago that rods are the key, and 12 feet 2.75tc rods will do it. With 2.75lb Century SP's, 15lb mainline, 30lb Amnesia leader and 3oz leads I was hitting over 125metres around the early 2000's. My current 12ft 3.25lb RH The Ones I was going even further with no leader and 3.5oz leads. Look at your rods, as @yonny says.

Imho changing the leader wont help that much. If it does, you'll be talking a few yards. Tbh I always found the wind can bow braid more than mono (it's lighter so easier for the wind to "take"). How far are you wanting to cast? You're spot on that it's the rods that's your main problem. Big casting is all about long, stiff rods. Get your 3.5's or even 3.75's (worth considering 12.6 or 13 ft length too) if you really want to go big, and up the lead size to 4 or 4.5. The reels are perfect as is mate.

On the spring nose trigger, turn the clip round, that sorts many problems including premature ej, sorry opening I wish I could replace springs, but I keep forgetting to grab them as I kill the spomb. For me it is the tail spring that pops it open is what breaks, pike teeth don't help...

Yeah I've got probably 10 spombs about 4 working and 6 odd in the garage needing new springs. I find once they get old they start not opening and or opening mid flight. Hate the fox one, bringing that in between lines is a joke. Not keen on the look of the nash one as you say looks cheap but supposed to be good. Keen to try the Wolf ones when they arrive. 👍

The Waveney has benefitted from a 'wash-in' of Ocean pit fish. The two were connected from October to January and part of the bank was washed away, despite there being a field in between. Is Marsh Lane near Carlton Colville? I don't think that there are any Mills between Harleston and there, so all species are a possibility

Yeah I've seen the price rise, think I paid 180, absolutely worth 200. I could have bought the Harrison one, but this one is raved about beating rods twice the price. 👍

Good point didn't think of that, I just take one and use for both spod and marker, but then I very rarely use a marker, the other is a spare in the attic. Doubles as a pair of cats rods should I do that one day.

Back on the res for a 48 hour, on the second night now and off the mark with this one 👍 Hovering just over 25lb 👍