yonny

I used to use rig foam religiously but stopped a year or 2 ago. I'm very, very particular about hitting the right spot, hitting the clip perfectly, and getting the right drop - this means casting as many times as it takes to get it absolutely spot on. It used to wind me up reloading the rig with foam time and time again when it was taking several casts to get the right one. I ended up thinking that I was wasting my time i.e. if I'm recasting until it's 100% perfect anyway, there's no need for the foam. Even in heavy weed I don't bother now, I just cast again and again until I'm convinced my presentation can be no better. Since I stopped using foam I cannot say I've noticed any difference to my catch rate.

I'd be lost without mine. I use an Anker Powercore 20100, miles cheaper then the RM (which imo is overkill for a couple of nights on the bank, decent for a week in France though). It'll do me 4 nights easily. About 30 quid odd.

This is like deja vu lol..... I also bough them for choddies but never got round to using them....... and like Chill the only thing I ever used them for was cutting...... rings off swivels in my case.

I've never heard of anyone suffering any issues whatsoever with the older models bud. They were, and continue to be, 100% bombproof. That surprises me as I've never heard anyone mention any problems with Microns (where as if you ask 3 or 4 owners of newer Delks you'll find someone that's suffered). I still have a set of the original Microns, in fact I used to carry one around with me as a spare for when my Delks went wrong. Twenty years old, changed the battery once in that time, never let me down. It's what convinced me to go back to Fox which turned out, for me, to be an excellent move.

Looks like we all have one sitting in a box somewhere lol..... I don't use mine either.

I didn't use any cases at all in an attempt to prevent water ingress from lasting (I'd heard all the horror stories). I took them out of my kit and dried them after every session, stored indoors. Still happened. Imho opinion that is not the case Nick. Sure there are thousands of anglers that have had no problems, but it's no secret that newer models can go wrong in the rain. It's a fact. Problem is, when you try to warn people you're labelled as a Delkim hater lol. The guys on here know I won't have a dig at anything unless it's proven (to me) to be poor. I loved the Delkims performance, I'd still be using them if it wasn't for reliability issues, but the fact is that some of them go wrong in the rain. When (if?) they bring our a replacement I have no doubt that these issues will be addressed (they continue to deny they exist even though they're repairing them every single day). When that happens I'll seriously consider going back to Delks. Until then, not a chance.

My first rod bag was a blue jobby from Argos💪👌

Similar to my TXI +'s then mate. Delkims are not what they once were buddy. If I was you I'd ditch them now and get some of the older models or switch brands completely.

How old are they mate?

Two repairs I expect and that's just the start of it buddy. If you've been using them for years you'll also now need to send the receiver in for a software update (another 20 odd quid). The same beeping problem happened to one of mine then the other 2 did the same within a season and a half. After repairing the last one they hit me with the software update so I got rid after that. TXI +'s perform excellently but reliability is terrible. You're better off selling them and getting a set of the original TXI's imo, they were bomb proof.

Maltbys on ebay: https://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/maltbysstores?_trksid=p2047675.l2559 I've used their tigers, peanuts and hemp and all have been good and at a decent price.

Yeah it's the Lites in 13ft I went for lads. Really impressed with them. They're a bit of an animal but had thirties on zigs and under the tips now with no issues. I did suffer 3 hook pulls in one night (the only losses I've had on them in several months which is odd) but I'm convinced 2 were down to rigs and the other was me being a noddy.

That.

Well Jel!

You're not wrong buddy! I think you have to write this one off mate. Without knowing what's wrong you can't possibly put a price on a fix. If they were any good the seller would likely have fixed/kept them anyway.

I understand they're all Terry's own recipes and although Geoff B used to roll them for him that finished some time ago. I found it interesting that despite the mark-up (gross profit was sizeable) the net was poor. Just shows that people might not be getting ripped off as much we sometimes suspect. Business is business at the end of the day.

Yup, I've still not switched back to my lighter rods. While I do prefer playing fish on the others the Trebs do everything I ask of them so I'm in rush to change back.

All apart from the JAGs which I somehow managed to lose having found a buyer for them🤦‍♂️ Likewise, when I was a nipper....... Star lites on the quiver tip for river chub and on the float when poaching the local trout lake lol.

15 lb minimum mate.

I must admit I'm going to have a quick peek myself next time I'm near a tackle shop.

I see they've bought out mini versions which look pretty cool!

I always get isotopes but they've never come in handy for me. Purely a tart thing for me I'm ashamed to say.

I don't disagree mate. I've used all-sorts over the years, spent a small fortune, and my resulting mindset is: In fact @B.C. you're whole post reflects my thoughts very closely indeed. I used the old Fox swingers for years which were good, then I changed to the standard Solar bobbins which were also good, then I changed to carbon Bugs (because I thought they looked cool lol), also good. I then changed to JAG Safeliners due to their effectiveness when slack lining but they were so poor at range/with tight lines I ditched them. Moved over to MPS Defiant MKII Mag Heads, more of a classic bobbin but with a magnetic mechanism so you could fish them fixed to the line (best of both worlds). Then realised I'd gone nearly full circle and ended up getting the most basic of basic bobbins you can get, those being Korda B&W's. There's several more I've not mentioned too. What has all this taught me?: That when you've fished well enough to get the carp feeding confidently it doesn't matter what you use (imo), you know about it when you have an angry carp hooked. I fish my lines as tight as I think I can get away with without spooking the carp (which at short range might not be very tight at all), therefore indication is normally pretty good whatever I use. I do use the interchangeable weights that come with the B&W's to spot drop-backs more easily but tbh I'd not be bothered if I didn't have them. Imo the bobbin is just an aid to allowing the alarm to beep and if I get one single beep it is enough for me to know that the rod/line has to be checked/observed very closely to ascertain what the score is. I'll get down to the rods and check the line where it enters the water for movement, any signs and I'll pull the line very gently to check for resistance. I'll know if a carp is on. Basically I'm not waiting for the bobbin/alarm to tell me I have a fish on - I use them as a signal for ME to figure out if a carp is on. Nine times out of 10 the alarm screams anyway, there's no mistaking a carp is responsible. So basically I think they're all a complete waste of money lol...... BUT: It's sad but true😂. I pride myself in not being a tart - I use whatever I think is the best on the market for what I do, regardless of looks, and stick with it...... but having been through so many bobbins I cannot deny that there must be an element of tartyness to it!

Not recommended for eating..... gutted lol.

This should be a good'n as I predict we'll all have very different opinions on what's important. I went first last time so I'll let one of you guys kick it off........