salokcinnodrog

I always used to take my floater rod and dog biscuits to Brackens when I fished there in the summer as there was always the chance of catching a fish from the surface. I'm still using my barbel rod, guess that's around 1.5lb from memory, and is good with 12 or 15lb line and a standard controller or small interceptor.

Try it with a heavy lead and a good bend in the tip of the rod; as you get a take and the lead moves, the tip springs straight, pulling the fish away from the snag. It also works fishing to other features, (far bank, islands etc), but again you do need to be on the rods

Those Interceptors and the Nash version are a good piece of kit; I've used the small ones and had plenty of fish on them on floaters. Not used the larger ones though as not needed the range. Also used a normal controller on the river for chub when floater fishing in a slightly faster current when you need to keep dog biscuit in the right line

If you do get any feedback, shop around as prices differ big time. I did notice Tackle up Felixstowe had them in Medium at a very low price compared to other shops.

Korda have confirmed: https://www.facebook.com/1255637286/posts/pfbid026gizoHoLMHkUt1Kg1dLMZGDwvR4SUNNLD1q56ULP5LPuKbWvQgEXCphXt9CkXYssl/

I do like most of the Drennan and ESP luggage and clothing, lasts and lasts.

That looks familiar for some reason...

Gardner and Speero confirmed so far: https://www.facebook.com/100064731726883/posts/pfbid0JvbAkuvApmdL7mhunxqE1EkZUdwKoRAZGeubU2LGWxi1YshqcFsRZnpWAHhsGgaJl/

Technique is everything, but it seems that 'The Korda Boyz' pushed heavier test curve rods as the long casting answer over practice. I'd frequently get back from fishing Sunday lunchtime and then spend the afternoon casting over the field. If we go back to the 1990's I was casting over 100metres with 2¼lb test curve rods and original 4000 size Baitrunners, 2½oz leads, shockleader and 8lb mono. The 2¾lb Armalite mk.ll update saw 10lb line being used with leaders, to 2.75lb SP's and 15lb line and 3oz leads and reaching over 125metres, using bags and stringers. ** The Korda Boyz, a tongue in cheek remark about tackle brand sponsorship pushing heavier rods because they simply couldn't reach the distance because technique is lacking. Easier to buy new gear over spending time practicing.

4x Delkim ST's 2 red led, 1 green and 1 white. 3 Delkim TXI'D's in red, white and green.

Fishing up tight to a snag where you can't let the fish take any line off the reel, nor allow line stretch to let them get into the snag. It can be fishing to a treeline with roots growing into the lake, an obvious dead branch in the water, a serious weedbed or lilypads. I fish to snags slightly differently to @kevtaylor, by pointing my rod directly at the snag, line tight, and the baitrunner switched OFF. It only works with mono at short range, as mono has about 15-25% stretch, so as Kev says, look at braided mainline if at any range. The theory of the tight line is that on the take the fish is pulled in an arc away from the snag, then you can get back to playing it normally. I'd also say, don't snag fish at night, or if you are sleeping. You need to be instant, right next to the rods at all times. Even straying away for a pee can be enough time to lose a fish or rod!

I still use mine for spodding on my proper spod rod, the marker/spod rod has a Beastmaster 7000 XTA on it. I'm trying to work out when Shimano went so wrong with quality. The original DL10000's weren't as robust as their Baitrunner predecessors and I bought mine around 2009, yet the Beastmasters I think I bought 6 or 7 years ago and are the danglies, but not the top range, more bargain basement. In fact I think the ST10000 are a better bet than the next price model.

If you want a bulletproof spod reel, go old school: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/225802633024?hash=item3492e2bf40:g:eIoAAOSwGJllHYBP&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAAwEaDJzcdq1D%2ByJmTj%2BWCltx2oau%2BpCfQUZ6D0OSNQWgHd5D981ssJhU0EIbF3g5cUQdEVXDG%2Fs3AnmwntBrfKzTDXPiXUg7lrtuRDiP7ymZqYIpI6D1qoJ%2Fv6n3vp0Cez1JfFldcFuBm%2Fz4chib0u9%2B%2F5H0MlCGnh5fX7P1pJNS07Flt%2BX%2FJ0MT14%2BavXsnK8D6ipBQKSEV%2BUIy9rvZtRJq7pzZBcWkRoH2m2%2BPWQ6Mdfd86MK0PddreAd8g5YIPFQ%3D%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR5D1i5jjYg I'd also have a search (ebay search Shimano Aerlex) and see if anymore come up. They hold their price better than new ones! The older Shimano models are so much better than the current ones.

Nice write-up. Really wish I could have been there, and hope that another can be arranged and that I can get to.

I've lost fish on a bad knot I've tied, or more correctly hadn't checked the rig after landing a 20lb fish on it and just recast the same rig. That's MY fault, I knew who to blame. I choose my own hooks, I use the right strength, pattern for the waters I fish. I know how strong they are, whether they open out, break or flex. Unless you are physically disabled tie your own rigs, that way you know what hook, the hook knot or swivel knot is good and even the length is right.

Funny thing is on my 2.75lb NG's and SP's I was casting a 3oz lead and 30bait stringers up to around 100metres with no problem. Now admittedly Century aren't a cheap or budget brand rod maker as the rods cost me £600 and £750 respectively for the 3, but at no point did I ever need 'more grunt'. I have used my barbel specialist rods for roach on Alton Water, landing fish to over 2lb on groundbait feeders, size 14/16 hooks. They have also landed 20lb carp on freelined dog biscuits and method feeders,12lb bream, 5lb chub and the occasional rogue pike (plural) that took a liking to slugs and a roach that I'd hooked on sweetcorn.

Your big problem is fashion! Since probably around 2010, test curves have increased to 3, 3.25 and 3.5lb, where (in my view) the best through action rod has a test curve of 1.75 to 2.5lb. Even a 2.75lb TC rod is a rarity today, and most of these higher test curve rods are faster taper tip action rods, frequently built for long distance casting rather than fish playing. If you want a more through action rod, look at Barbel rods, which, while being able to cast big leads and feeders, are certainly capable of landing and playing carp.

Of all the alarms, when I considered replacing my Delkims, I only looked at or thought about TLB's and Atts', but stuck with brand loyalty

I won't be voting Green, they have no idea on actual environmental issues, and are against angling and other outdoor pursuits. Nor will I be voting Lib Dem, Labour or Conservative. Sadly the political system is not suitable for purpose. Until we can get rid of political parties we are screwed. We almost need a benign dictatorship, or a King Alfred the Great circle of elders representing everyone.

Believe me I am disgusted and have signed gawd knows how many petitions, barracked my MP, who is a virtue signaller, against his vote to continue to allow sewage to be pumped into waterways, (then made a newspaper article to clean up the local river, ignoring why its in such a state).

Littering is an antisocial habit, you can be fined for it, ergo illegal. Throwing rubbish on the ground is an eyesore, pollution etc, pick your description, but because dropping the lead is not so 'obvious' or seen in the water it became mainstream advice from various tackle brands. Leadclip's were originally designed for creating a semi-fixed set-up, with the advantage of being able to take your lead off at the end of the session, or change the lead size mid session.

As @framey says, change one thing at a time. It does, it's called littering, fly tipping, pollution... Strictly speaking it is illegal! Personal thought, I do not like leadclips, nor dropping leads, I still use running leads or inline leads and the only leadclips I own are those I have found and retrieved, attached to other people's break-offs, most still had lead attached. I've found 2, 2.5oz, 4 and 5oz leads, but strangely none of the sizes I prefer, 3 or 3.5oz. In weedy waters, an inline distance lead will frequently not catch up on the weed, whereas even an empty leadclip does.

Lots to look at! 10feet 3lb TC rods? That in itself could be part of the problem, even though you say you don't play fish hard. If the rods are tip actioned, then you can be putting a lot of hard pressure on the fishes mouth at short range in the fight. A through action rod could be a better option, or a lighter test curve. A 10feet rod can be very stiff! The same test curve on a 12feet rod could be nicer! Your hooklink braid, what is it? I've used various Kryston braids for over 30years, Merlin, Supernova, Silkworm in 15 or 25lb, no mouth damage. Sadly when Kryston was sold their braids became hard to get hold of, so my stocks are now running low. If you use a mainline braid, that can be a totally different material and could cause damage. Extremely short hooklinks, my minimum is 15centimetres, 6inches. A short hooklink with a lead bouncing around very close to the hook... Extremely sharp, hand sharpened hooks, on soft mouthed silt feeding fish, no need, just an ordinary hook out of the packet, my choice of hooks are Gardner Muggas and Solar 101's in size 4 and 6, only dropping smaller for floater fishing or to comply with lake tiles.

The swim itself was ignored😉, most anglers preferred the bigger double swim next door that had the plateau as its main feature. The small swim was only just big enough for 2 rods, a brolly and bedchair, and even that was tight around a tree trunk. Taverham is still available to fish, under the Anglian Water season or day tickets. It was originally run by Dave Plummer who managed to get some Redmire fish when that had successful spawning year, don't know if any of them remain, but they were cracking fish. I ran it between Brian Hewitt who ran it for Malcolm Schroeder the owner, until Brian left and Anglian Water buying it. It is mentioned in John Bailey and Martyn Page's Carp: Quest for The Queen book.

I used to have one, in the days of Broadland Bait Boats. When I was working at a fire alarm company they used to buy their sealed lead acid batteries from me, so I got a deal... I actually got put off bait boats by how far it pushed me closer to 'dangerous' fishing, too far under trees, at silly long ranges (I used to play with electronics and radio signals, (my dad was a radio amateur and television broadcast engineer) so I had come up with some tweaks). It was physically seeing how far tree roots can come out from the islands, during low water and realising I'd been fishing miles too close. Most of the waters I fish simply don't allow them, so that with my choice not to use them makes life easy for me. Not sure on that though as I try not to fish the obvious features, or even swims. Taverham was a case in point; most anglers would fish to the islands, or big obvious gravel bars, and from the 'usual' swims. I used to prefer the swim to the right of the plateau swim which was the entrance to the backwater channel, and cast to a fallen tree trunk rather than the corner or gravel bar a little further up. On Cowtail point, most people aimed to the corner of the island, but my aiming point was left towards the lily pads, where a gravel bar had a gully across it.