salokcinnodrog

Muggas are one of my favourite hooks, along with Solar 101's. I know the Cryogen range are supposed to be one of the sharpest straight out the pack, but I found the Muggas hold that title as well😉 Strangely I never played with the ESP hooks despite working in Gladwells, as I was happy with what I was using mentioned in the first paragraph. I don't like chopping and changing, until I have tested, checked and thoroughly pushed a hook (or any item) to its limits, so my experience with the current ESP range is limited. I will say, when I used ESP hooks years ago, they held their point for fish after fish. I think one hook landed over 10 fish until I cast the rig up a tree trying to catch roosting fish and never got it back.

Swearing will not be Tolerated on the Forum. I have removed and edited posts to remove [censored] language. There is no need for it. If you cannot post without swearing then simply do not post! As for Swearing, I don't care if you use asterisks, @, figures etc to replace a letter. The Implication is there and as far as I'm concerned counts as Swearing. If you cannot post without swearing then simply do not post! The post will simply be removed and the Member who swears will be BANNED INSTANTLY.

Asso is a subsidiary company of Italian company Gruppo, who have made fishing lines for other companies, and design the packaging for them. I think there are a total of 6 fishing line manufacturer factories in the world, and between them they make every brand of line.

It may well be the same as P-Line Floroclear. There are only so many line manufacturers in the world, and most tackle brands all sell the same lines under their own name, and at different prices, so I am pretty sure Asso do not manufacture lines😉.

I have the stainless standard P1, and I love it. It comes in its own carry bag, with a separate holder for the central extending bar. Everything locks together easily, is all easily adjustable, from the P1 leg banksticks. You do have to buy the buzzer bars separately, but they are the best fit. I did have some longer Solar banksticks which I can use if I need to increase the height of the rear or front, and as they are Solar, do not look out of place. The legs can be adjusted in angle, over 100 degrees of movement, so it is stable on every bank. Stable, easy to adjust, whats not to like? Personally, I prefer metal over carbon, I would be too likely to stand on a carbon stick and break it. It may weigh more, but the weight of stainless is its longevity.

Says it all really😉 While I do use my The Ones, I really do prefer the 2.75 NG's. I don't think I can cast much further with 3.25's than I can with the 2.75TC rods, and I seem to get more butt ring frap-ups with The Ones and the 50mm ringing compared to the 40's of the NG's, although I know the newer models from Century do have 50's, but that could be down to the stiffer line (P-line Floroclear is not the best casting line). When I used it on my SP's and 40mm, no problems with Aerlex's, but with it on Beastmaster 7000's it has caused a couple of frap-ups and crack-offs. It may be my timing and technique though, although thinking back I recall smashing a ring with the Beastmasters and the P-line on my NG's on a miscast. The Ones are essentially a mid price rod, compared to top range rods in the SP's and NG's. I did have my NG's custom built for £690 by Century, the ball stop on the butt before it was standard. Playing fish I notice a difference, but I feel and watch the rod and line on both, although with the stiffer higher 3lb test curves I don't feel in control as much as with the lower TC. In fact, one of my nicest looking 20's was caught on a Daiwa Pro-Specialist 1.5lb TC rod where I was very comfortable playing it away from an overhanging tree. That same rod landed numbers of fish, carp to 20+ and chub to 5lb on ledgered, float fished and floater fished baits. Sadly my hurry broke the tip as I put it in the car😖😳 My rods last a few years, I had the SP's from 2005 to 2012, the NG's I still have and The Ones are 2years old. I also have a very cheap set of Carp Kinetics in 2.5 for a small runs water, where the fish don't run to anything above doubles, and the park lake where I worry about thieving a...holics...

There is a trade embargo and sanctions that China does not get access to various grade carbons. The carbons produced in China are not as high a quality as those produced in Japan, and Korea and Taiwan ( Republic of China), are not allowed to deal those carbons with the Peoples Republic Of China, which is the big mainland. In fact, America and Mexico produce 48% of the Worlds carbon cloths, Taiwan 8% China 13%, and Britain 5%. British quality carbon cloths and prepregs are the highest quality in the world, and have been used in the Aeronautical and Space Industries, are still used in F1 and Indy Car racing. I think you will also find, a certain British Rod manufacturer is also the only one who uses autoclave technology to remove air trapped in the blank between carbon and resin, and excess resin.

I agree with Kev, although I do have a tarty P1 Pod. For ages I stuck with Century's, I have had Armalite mk.l's, mk.ll's, SP's, FMJ's and NG's. The SP's were a real casting rod as well, although I made the error of selling them to a mate when I got the NG's, in 2.75 when I was fishing mostly ranges at a maximum of 100metres. The NG's will still cast over 100, but I do feel slightly undergunned at times, so I bought a set of The Ones in 3.25, for £50 each new. I prefer the Century's! As others have said, there is a pricepoint at which rod quality seems so much higher, feel, casting ability, build standard. I made the point on another thread, I can drive at 120mph, but in a good car, a Ferrari. I would not manage it in a Nissan Micra! There is also something to be said for British quality as well, imported blanks don't have the same high tech carbons as available with British blanks.

Maybe because you had 13 footers rather than 12😉 The only Century rods I found heavy were a set of FMJ's I had. They could cast to the moon, but were very heavy. Really wish now I hadn't sold them for the distance casting I'm doing now. Sonik or Greys? Neither, I would be going back to Century given the choice❗️

About 76yards, so not a real big chuck, dependant on your technique. I gave up on semi-slack, its tight or slack, no in between. Indicators as tight as I can get them, or at maximum drop, with no upwards creep, and line running along the bottom of the rings, and straight down from rod tip. I found I was missing out at times by using a helicopter set-up. I lost fish because of it! A couple of bleeps, and the fish had run 30 yards into a snag. I had had a run the night before, landed a 28, but the next take dumped me in a snag. A mega dropback, that basically, even with tight line didn't dropback on the indicator, and my Delkims, despite being set sensitive didn't give more than two or three bleeps. Hence my dislike of helicopter set-ups unless I absolutely have to. Hooklength material, coated braids, fluorocarbon, or mono are all more tangle resistant than normal braid, or go combi-rig.

Unless it's a long cast, I would honestly forget about using helicopter set-ups. Firstly you are fishing to an island, so you want quick indication; unless the helicopter rig is fished bowstring tight you may well lose indication, especially on a drop-back. I have see a carp take from the corner of an island, move the lead in a perfect arc, with absolutely no movement on the indicator, and (pre Delkim) no sound from the buzzer. It was only seeing the line, in daytime, move that gave notice of a run. Unless you had vibration sensing you may well miss the take, especially at night. Even a normal semi-fixed lead can result in less indication of a take. Personally, if there is no undertow, I would be going to running leads, and slack lines.

To be honest a couple of cheaper lines are better than most more expensive brands: Daiwa Sensor Brown and Gardner Pro Blend, both are only around £10 for a bulk spool. Too many anglers weaken their lines themselves, albeit not intentionally, allowing line twist by playing fish on the clutch, line coming off the baitrunner, long casting, hitting the clip and then not replacing their line often enough. 'I've paid £20 for that, it is going to last a year'. I replace my line regularly after testing it, if that means every 3 months, then change it. Loads of 15lb lines on the market are sold with a given diameter of 0.38 or even 0.40mm. They are not actually 15lb lines at all, but incorrectly rated 18 or 20lb lines. 15lb Daiwa Sensor brown, has a diameter of 0.36mm, and from my personal tests, broke at over 18lb consistently with the knots I use. White was not as good, I could not get the same knot strength, it is also stiffer. Gardner Pro Blend 15lb was the same; high abrasion resistance, good knot strength although the 15lb diameter is 0.35mm. Something for you, many or most lines, the dye used to colour them is in there for a simple reason, and not one you might consider, not to camouflage it in water, but to make it softer, better to cast, and easier to knot. The fact they use colours supposedly to blend in the water. Tackle Box line tests

The Hardcore system can have the front off it, it unzips or folds back. It is a pretty good bivvy system. I would actually find it a bit big for day only sessions. Inside it is like a palace, the space is massive, a lot bigger than a Fox EasyDome, which is around the same size as a TFG Force 8 I think. The brolly gives me protection during a day and I'm usually in a fairly low chair, but haves the advantage of taking an overwrap as well for full coverage. I do sit on a chair across my bedchair on long session. I don't put the rear legs down, and sit it across the bed. I do sometimes have a spoke in my ear. Bivvy, from the term bivouac, a temporary camp, without tents or cover. Anglers however have added the shelter, a brolly system is a form of bivvy.

The Royale is not a bad piece of kit, as has been said the Pop up personally I think is a bit lightweight for any length session, although I do like how small it packs up. My reason for a brolly on day sessions is if I see fish move somewhere else, or fancy a move, its easy to fold down, sling in the rod sling and move. I do also use my brolly for roach and pike fishing, so I do move around a bit. I found a full shelter means I don't necessarily want the aggro of moving, which may cost me fish.

Have a look at an Oval brolly. Most come complete with stormsides already fitted, and you can get an overwrap to convert it into a full brolly. I have the TFG version, and overwrap. The only downside is the brolly only comes with a 'half' groundsheet, but I had a groundsheet from another bivvy for when I fit the overwrap. An alternative is the TFG Hardcore Brolly, which is the top picture. The plain oval is underneath. I have set the brolly up just to keep my gear dry, so its not particularly tidy.

It is a genuine pain most definitely. Stanley knife or razor blade cut the whipping on every rod, taking care not to cut the blank, then removing the old thread completely. Sanding the blank down to get rid of the rubbish left, then rewhipping the rod rings back in the right places, followed by a decent coat of a good resin on top of the whipping. Then, a thin mix of rod lacquer or varnish over the top of everything. The strip and clean will likely take a day in itself, whipping the eyes back on, dependant on how fast you are, and what equipment you have, half a day. Resin the whipping, and allowing that to dry, while having the blank turned regularly (or continually), at least 24 hours. Lacquering the rod, and that drying, again another day. I can do it, have done it, but if I told you I hate doing it, and would charge around the same price as a new mid range rod, £150 ish, then as Yonny says, you are better off having a new rod. Out of interest what make and model of rods are they?

Harpz, I do fish on hardcore banks, and that massive hole by standing on the peg, you then 'kick' gravel, stones and grit to backfill the hole. That peg I pictured, is on a driveway to the sailing club, I don't get the luxury of an inch of bark on top of it, maybe if I am lucky I might get broken down leaf mulch or mud and grit washed from the wood behind the drive.

The rod varnish has allowed water underneath it, probably through a small imperfection, usually where the varnish meets the reel seat or a rod ring. Dry the rod thoroughly, in a warm dry place like the airing cupboard. It should not affect the rod but does look unsightly. If you want to stop it coming back once it's dry, the rod needs to be re-varnished, properly and completely. That is a job in itself and may mean the rod needs to be stripped down and rebuilt. Not really a job for yourself unless you know what you are doing.

In that case I must have arms like Thor😉😅 Don't push them in, screw them in. If it gets stuck on a stone or flint, wobble it, you'll feel it push free, then screw again. You may need to try a different spot or angle within the peg ring, but they will go in. The worst I have had to do is step on a peg to push then down the last little bit. The peg I pictured is just one on the movie bank which are all hardcore, there are 5 more on that bank alone, and many others are gravel based swims. By doing the way mentioned above, I get my pegs in without using a mallet.

Picture of Century's Autoclave on this link:

What are you hitting them with?😱 Mine are over 10 years old, get moved from bivvy to bivvy each time I buy a new one. I am very careful to not lose them, if one gets blown out, I go searching, but have spares, from each new bivvy I get. I have never needed to hammer a bivvy peg in, even in the ground the brolly is on in the pic. By screwing the pegs in by hand they held, and I have fished that swim a few times. It is in softer ground that I have problems, and wish for longer pegs. The wind loosens the pegs and pulls them free. Oh yes, think I paid £8 for 10 of these pegs, complete in a decent individualised carry pouch.

How many? Do better with these: https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/291567489266?chn=ps&adgroupid=57477848528&rlsatarget=pla-414619792718&abcId=1133936&adtype=pla&merchantid=101726052&poi=&googleloc=1006826&device=t&campaignid=1057753829&crdt=0&ul_ref=http%3A%2F%2Frover.ebay.com%2Frover%2F1%2F710-134428-41853-0%2F2%3Fmpre%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.ebay.co.uk%252Fi%252F291567489266%253Fchn%253Dps%26itemid%3D291567489266%26targetid%3D414619792718%26device%3Dt%26adtype%3Dpla%26googleloc%3D1006826%26poi%3D%26campaignid%3D1057753829%26adgroupid%3D57477848528%26rlsatarget%3Dpla-414619792718%26abcId%3D1133936%26merchantid%3D101726052%26gclid%3DEAIaIQobChMI9vifr8nQ2QIVT7ftCh3HeAo1EAQYAyABEgJ9U_D_BwE%26srcrot%3D710-134428-41853-0%26rvr_id%3D1456041847249

Open market on Oval brollies! The most expensive brand is not always the best, and I know that some cheaper brands work just as well. I will spend what money I have or have saved on gear I need, not the cheapest or most expensive, unless it is the best. I refuse to drop to less on my earnings, I can't afford to live on minimum wage, and in hospitality wages have effectively gone down over the last 18years already. If I dropped my expectations, I would be working at NMW, compared to the £20 an hour I was earning in 2002. Not nice as a manager being paid £7.50 an hour, the same as your subordinates.

1 small pike from today that took a lamprey nearly as big as he was. Thought I was on them again to start another early take, but when this came to the bank I figured the mummas were somewhere else so kept moving swims until I had to get back Fishing in the snow and a couple of todays swims, it was bright to start!

Out again tomorrow try another spot along the river. Saw a few roach topping there last week!