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I've just realised I've owned my Okuma 8k reels for over 4 years now. Firstly where has that time gone? Secondly they are still as smooth and brilliant as the day I got them. Normally I get bored with tackle or fed up with it limiting my angling but these reels do it all. The simplicity of the drag, the line lay is perfect and they are a joy to use. Even with 0.40mm line the line falls of the spool with ease when casting. I can honestly say they are the best reels I've ever owned and have no desire to change them. You know what I might even oil them as a treat for being such loyal servants.

That's a good point Elmo. My beast rods (Trebuchet Lite ( 13ft 3.75)) are out-and-out casting tools but they're nothing like the broomsticks of old. The tip recovers mega quick on the cast but they do maintain some playability. Obviously it can't compare to playing a carp on a 2.75 but they're nowhere near as bad as I expected when I bought them. First season using them I ended up playing a 30+ common on a zig with 8lb hook-link. I absolutely pooped it on the take, but they dealt with it easy. Modern rods are miles ahead of where they used to be.

Chub 12ft spod rod off ebay for 15 quid. That will keep me ticking over for a bit, collected it today, looks hardly used bargain.

48 hour social at Bluebell lakes. Sandmartin Lake. Managed one on the first evening but despite looking good for more the following day no more bites.

It has been a while since our bankside cuisine has been on show so as Google does not like old threads, I'll start afresh. Last night I had rump steak, so tonight's dinner was the steak trimmings turned into a curry with a diced potato, baby corn, chopped mangetout, fine green beans and half a tin of chopped tomatoes and Garam Masala and a dash of chilli powder.

My next set of reels are going to be Okuma or Penn.. Either Inc's 6000 Or Rivals ,gold spool 6000

You can’t go wrong for that price 👍

There you going again spoiling them 🙄 Nice reels 😎

I had one for a couple of years and it got the job done 👍

Tank aerials 😅

You have to remember until the 70's they used sticks and bits of cane from the garden with bent nails to fish with. The progress has been immense 😂

I think technology has changed I work in carbon fibre in the aerospace industry and I know technology advances different fibres, resins are constantly being invented I had some 3lb rods 20 years ago that were like broomsticks my free spirit 3. 5lb tc are far more forgiving yet I can still cast further than ever. I'm not a great caster but with the correct rods i am starting to be able to fish more accurately at distance. I also had 3lb rods that felt soft like an old 2.5lb tc ,fishing can be an expensive hobby nowadays you are looking at £500 a rod for a comparable century these days. I paid under £300 for my last set of free spirit. I bought them because of the pricepoint and I have used toray fibres through work. Some people like shorter rods, some people don't, I think it's unfair to call them fashion victims for their preference.

Best to expect to use them the following year at the latest after order would be a good industry standard for rod builders. I know when Malc Rooker used to build rods it was more about the blank as it was difficult to find rods for large European waters 13 foot high test curve was his main market, reel seats and whipping would of been good for then but not the same choices as today.

125m is nearly 140 yards. I would suggest that if you're hitting that comfortably with a 2.75 then you are a way above average caster. You need to bear in mind that not everyone can cast that far. It doesn't make them some kind of fashion victim. I myself fish distance a lot but I'm not scared to admit I'm not as good a caster as I'd like. At 140's I'd be looking to use my 3.75's. I wouldn't even use my 3.25's, let alone 2.75's. It's about using the right tools for the job. While I agree on the short rod thing, I don't buy the high TC comments. It makes sense that the 90% of anglers who can only afford or only want one set of rods get a set that can do anything and a set that can do anything has a high TC. Regardless of that, all the of the great blank manufacturers (Harrison, Free Spirit, Century) offer low TC blanks for those that want them. Of course it might be more time consuming getting a set built but what's the point in ordering custom rods and having them built with off-the-shelf components that every man in a shed has in stock. Not true mate. You have these to start with: Harrison Torrix 12' 2.5 Harrison Accurix 12' 2.5 Harrison / Mark Tunley Dark Carbon 12' 2.5 Century Armalite mk3 12' 2.25 Century Stealth 12' 2.5 Freesprit Hi-S 12' 2.5 Freesprit CTX 12' 2.5 Freesprit E Class 12' 2.5 Of course they're buying in the parts after receiving the order. Most of your custom rod builders are a bloke with a fancy shed and they certainly don't have an accounts department. Even Roger Hurst (the UK manufacturer for Free Spirit standard/factory builds) works out of a shed with a couple of young lasses helping out. For sure he'll have standard Free Spirit components in stock but if you want standard components why would you be getting a custom rod instead of a factory build? As mentioned by everyone else.... great quality, poor service. I had a pal that ended up cancelling his order it was that bad. Tbf most of the custom builders are in the same boat.... overloaded with orders, not enough resources. That's no excuse for poor communication though. I sent a set in to a very reputable builder for re-build a couple of year ago.... it took nearly a year to get them back (!) but they were great when I finally got them.

Think they have all but stopped selling a 2.5tc I'd say the higher tc rods are more bought for casting pva sticks and bags the 2.5 is not strong enough for anything other than the lead. Last time I can recall using a 2.5 rod was a used hyperloop tip snapped on the first cast 2 oz lead and a small pva bag, got 3lb to rods after that.

picked up a new NGT dynamic baitrunner 30 size for fishing the small pond 10 BB reel super smmoth shallow spool for 6lb line on float and deeper spool for 10lb line for bait runner fishing, nice bit of kit, super smooth