salokcinnodrog

Not loudly when it's something useful.😉

While it is not carp fishing, BBC have produced a fishing podcast about perch. The Facebook link is https://www.countryfile.com/podcast/perchandperfection/

A few rod blank failures at reel from rods built with ALPS reel seats when giving a big chuck. I've only ever had wooden or plastic reel handle grips. I don't know or particularly care what the winding handle itself is made of.

Bet you still get a 2oz perch trying to eat that.... Fairly hooked on a size 2...

I'm always organised, to the state last trip I left my scales at home and couldn't find my stove. I'd packed it into my rucksack and it had somehow gotten into my smock pocket under the protective flap and through the gap where the zip pocket wasn't quite closed. The scales had been moved into my pike fishing bag, and I forgot to put them back in the rucksack. I do actually take my metal sugar and coffee containers from home. Screw on lids so I don't end up with a mess everywhere.

Welcome to Carp.com

I have had rings break and bend, on both Sonik and Avid rods, allowing the liner to pop out. The Sonik SK-TEC chair is only good on perfect flat ground as the spring lock legs slide back in with any weight on them. I'm not as heavy as I used to be, around 70kilos compared to the 85kilos I used to be when playing American football, so around 10½ stone, a big weight loss 📉 . The rings popped within a few trips, yet my RH rods are now around 6years old and in the same rod holdall sling as the Sonik and Avid rods. They were strapped together, but the RH rods have no damage. Big Dave used Shimano rods for pike and carp when he was getting back to fishing, no problems with the Alivio stuff of the time, and we rarely had any Shimano kit returned in my years working in tackle shops. Daiwa rods or reels, few returns. Oh, and WELCOME to Carp.com.

Some brands I would avoid. I'm lucky in that I get to test some rods and have been through a few. If they can stand up to 'Nick use and abuse' I will recommend them. Some brands despite positive comments from others I will not, one of MY brands to avoid is Sonik, along with Avid rods. I personally found the inners on the rod rings fall out and/or break. My recommendations in the first buy range are Fox Eos, Shimano TX, Daiwa. Reels are more difficult, in that Shimano build quality has gone downhill, and the £100-150 price range is pants. Look at the current Beastmasters, Daiwa or Penn reels, although I did have a play with the latest Fox Eos today and that seems OK, but it was a play as it was a mates new buy.

Sounds like sidecutters time! A right pain in the rectum, not nice to deal with. I've snipped a few hooks over the years, the 28lb 2tone from Nazeing was hooked hard, and it was safer to snip the hook, but that is the only big fish I can remember. That was on a curved longshank pattern as well. I seem to recall snipping a few Patridge Piggybacks.

Long shank curved hooks causing mouth damage has been a problem on a few waters, even big fish. I think Luke Moffat banned them at Les Graviers, in fact all curved shanks. It seems that you may be getting 'double hooking', like the Bent hook rigs used to do.

CLO should be a good binder in its own right. I have c&p'd it's properties:

Welcome to carp.com Your reels are fine. Don't be conned you need to upgrade every few years. My advice is use your gear to destruction, until you NEED to upgrade. I have some Shimano Aerlex 8000's I bought in 2003 that I still use for fishing and spodding. They actually cope better than some newer reels. I also have Shimano DL's I purchased in 2010'ish, still being used for pike fishing. My Shimano Beastmasters must be 5 or 6 years old. The one thing you might find, is that the current trend for 8/9ft rods don't cover everything. Your casting distance might be compromised. A longer rod (within reason) casts further than a shorter rod. Just a point of note, most of the Sonik items I bought have not stood up to Nick normal use/abuse. Sonik SK-Tec recliner that the extending legs retract under any weight, Sonik Vader rods where guides have dropped or broken rings. I use my gear regularly, no other rods by Rod Hutchinson, Century, Shimano, Daiwa, Shakespeare or even Dragon have had eyes break. The one exception was a rod guide on an Abu rod where spodding with braid grooved the tip and butt rings. It may pay to think about upgrading/upsizing your rods for France or larger waters in UK to 12feet.

I'd be Daiwa 7HT or Abu 6500 Mag Elite. The 7HT is a bit slower, easier to control than the faster Abu Rockets

I saw him crack-off at a casting competition, a few of us went to find the leader, we walked over half a mile looking for the leader. Never found it, it must have travelled beyond the fence, over a road and into the fields opposite.

I get in trouble being the old man, heaven knows what I can do as a new man🤣 Problem is I'm early 50's so the waiting list is longer. This was Sky enjoying the time out.