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Well I was very happy when the Mrs let me out for a quick morning session at the weekend. It's only my second time this year on the bank so I was buzzing having had a bit of a result last time. Well no monsters this time but did manage to nab one of the VS stockies, this pretty little common. It'll do me.

Been too hot and uncomfortable to fish the lake for a few weeks, so I've been spending some time on The River Wensum in Norfolk. Last night was proper chub time, a 5lb3oz beast caught on a 15mm Rod Hutchinson Monster Crab boilie over pellets. Despite the lack of smile I was chuffed with the fish as it is actually a new personal best by an ounce. For the rest of the night I was smiling as I replayed the fish in my head. It came from an area that has been ravaged by otters over the past few years so it is good to see some big fish still about

Haven't found that I've needed to chuck very far on any of my club waters, lots of snaggy swims and swims with overhanging trees, ease of use with bait boat or bait pole in future, smaller pack down size for fitting in the car and barrowing round the lake to my swim. Still keeping my 12ft rods just in case, but they've felt a bit cumbersome in snaggy little swims I've fished recently.

My Daiwa Emblems are fairly big reels, but I don't think they'll look too out of place on shorter rods. I love the reels and don't want to change them, but I would prefer smaller rods for them to go on, I don't think I need 12ft rods and also in the future I will likely succumb to a bait boat or possibly bait pole and I think that will be a lot easier to manage with shorter rods.

You're probably not making a mistake, people do always talk about well balanced or more to the point suitable for it's job set-up. I go perch and zander fishing on the huge ressies and my rods and reels are super lightweight, I can cast all day long with no discomfort whatsoever - it's vitally important for that type of fishing. Casting a spomb however with a lightweight rod and reel and I'm struggling after a while with back and shoulder pain - so I bought a baitboat to lessen the load lol I also use this setup for my spot finding. My actual carp reels are well heavy but I don't care as they do a job and I'm not sat holding the rods anyway, on shorter rods they would look a bit silly tbf

I'm not sure if it matters, yes they'll be sat on my alrams 99% of the time... I've not used shorter rods before and have read about an 'imbalanced set-up' - I guess I just wanted to just check on here before pulling the trigger, that I wasn't making an obvious mistake.

I’ve got just over 5kg of bollies and a fair amount of particle. That’s good to know

Congratulations buddy, lovely fish. Hope all is good with the brood 👍

What sort of fish will they be targeting with you on your trip Elmo ? Size etc

Thanks for that, I have already got them a whip although a carp snapped the elastic last time we went out with it 🙄, and they have okuma vibe rods and reels for normal fishing, I just want to get them something a little stronger for the carp, I have a week with them in France so I'm hoping to teach Has anyone used kodex rods I've found some of these that look pretty smart and reasonably priced, they do a 6ft kompressor (retractable) or an 8ft opportunist rod that look pretty nice

Go outdoors have some pretty good deals, especially with amembers card (which is only a fiver). I've just bought an Okuma carbonite 40000rd for under £15. They do have an anti-reverse switch I believe. https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/16233013/okuma-carbonite-cr-4000-rd-16233013 Also Angling Direct are doing their free whip kit deal again now. Get a free 3 or 4m whip, rig and bait. Just spend a tenner with a child under 16 with you in store. Pic snipped from email below.

Elmo , you know Tacklebox do a combo set up for those 6ft tree rods don’t you ? I would think the reels would be ideal for use with the tree rods hence the combo deal ? https://www.tacklebox.co.uk/rods-en/stalking-rods/combo-deal-tb-darent-valley-6ft-2.5lb-tree-rod-kit-bp-4.html at least you know the quality will be good.

Some big names he’s got there 😳