elmoputney

My boilies pre soaking in smart combo

I am a lot more fussy these days,with my casting close enough isnt good enough, I will take more casts to get it spot on if I need too, I'll recast onto fizzers and will recast at night if something is bothering me,I've learnt I can't relax unless it's perfect, take the other week as an example, my first take went through all my lines, just into darkness, I had to redo them all, but 3 rods went out back onto the spots perfectly in darkness and I got a take on the distance rod first light, that had taken a couple of casts but hit the clip and got the drop I needed, I know I wouldn't have slept if it wasn't bang on. After the first light bite I got 2 rods on the long spot, spombed it up and 2 hours later got a take on the extra rod I had put out there. I think a lot of the reason I don't mind spombing is because of my spod mix, washed out boilies flaked maize and pellets, some stodgy, some fresh into the mix, a good helping of lake water, smart liquid and squid brand fish sauce makes a hell of a cloud and not loads of actual big food. I have run out of smart liquid now so might sub it out cos it's stupid expensive but it has worked pretty well. and the boilies are washed out but actractively primed for them to eat,

Phwooar nice collection.

I used to do try and avoid casting and still would mainly at first light, but if something is niggling at me that it isn't right, I will now just recast, and I'll spomb at first light too if I need too quite happily, I quite like knowing my spot is bang on and freshly primed for the morning bite time.

That one is a beaut.

Cracking fish well done Kev.

You won't regret that purchase, great alarms

Yeah I looked at some other reels it's comparable to other loads more expensive reels from shimano and daiwa on weight and if it performs better than the 8k it would be a great reel.

The obsidians are a 12000 size so I think they are bigger than the 8k. They do look amazing though and a lot lighter than the 8k weighing in at a mere 520g. @B B is a user of the Inc6000 I believe.

Okuma Reels mate = trendsetter 👍😎

Yeah it seems pretty decent for the money tbh.

I havent done it yet, don't worry.

I just went through the archives and found this shot from a time before chairs and rod rests were invented.

You have to remember until the 70's they used sticks and bits of cane from the garden with bent nails to fish with. The progress has been immense 😂

I think technology has changed I work in carbon fibre in the aerospace industry and I know technology advances different fibres, resins are constantly being invented I had some 3lb rods 20 years ago that were like broomsticks my free spirit 3. 5lb tc are far more forgiving yet I can still cast further than ever. I'm not a great caster but with the correct rods i am starting to be able to fish more accurately at distance. I also had 3lb rods that felt soft like an old 2.5lb tc ,fishing can be an expensive hobby nowadays you are looking at £500 a rod for a comparable century these days. I paid under £300 for my last set of free spirit. I bought them because of the pricepoint and I have used toray fibres through work. Some people like shorter rods, some people don't, I think it's unfair to call them fashion victims for their preference.

What are non fashionable anglers?

Chub 12ft spod rod off ebay for 15 quid. That will keep me ticking over for a bit, collected it today, looks hardly used bargain.

I've just realised I've owned my Okuma 8k reels for over 4 years now. Firstly where has that time gone? Secondly they are still as smooth and brilliant as the day I got them. Normally I get bored with tackle or fed up with it limiting my angling but these reels do it all. The simplicity of the drag, the line lay is perfect and they are a joy to use. Even with 0.40mm line the line falls of the spool with ease when casting. I can honestly say they are the best reels I've ever owned and have no desire to change them. You know what I might even oil them as a treat for being such loyal servants.

Well done Kev, cracking fish

I've seen one of the winch cameras in action, very good bit of kit, too expensive for me though.

Any weekend fishing is pretty great but it is nice share it sometimes. I think my eldest is slightly more keen though. Her casting is getting better, that's what she enjoys most tbh. I think I like casting too, satisfying when it's bang on,the best when it ends in a bite 😂

Very good, i didn't see the point of a boat camera until I watched this but I can now see I was wrong, could be useful for identifying far bank snags. would be interested to see how the hopper works 👍

Yeah same, even on the syndicate if its busy, most people have respect for one another, when i pitched up Friday I was next to one guy I'd never met, he had forgotten his kettle and stove so I lent him mine, we got chatting and all was good, i asked if he minded me setting up next door and he didn't. I walked round with the family bumped into some other members and had a good chat, no one was stepping on one another toes and everyone was friendly. Can't ask for more than that really.

Went with the kids this weekend. Blanked the first 24hours. Then we got focused. Decided I wasn't happy with my main spot, so I put my big boy pants on and went for it 18.5 wraps, 2 rods or the horizon and one on the edge of some reeds where I had seen some bubbles, I had prebaited my daughters spot the night before with some boilies and left it, naturally that one was the first to go at 10pm, she cast it and felt for the drop herself and we baited it with 5 x spods and a few extra boilies she pulted into the zone, it ripped off when we were tucked in and listening to a book on audible. The summer I robbed a bank by David O'Doherty, if you have kids it's a great book. And naturally it decided to wipe out all my other rods, but we got it in and I cleared up the mess it made. (yes I was done in and a bit sun rouged) We lost her rod in the carnage and she wanted to sleep so one of mine went onto her spot, one to the long spot and one to the left. We were awoken to a savage take from the long rod. This came in like a ball of weed until it got in range of my other lines. Took the right one out. During the photos I had an out of body experience. Then I ditched the right hand rod spot and went long, so with 2 on the spot I whacked out another 10 X spods and had breakfast. Then the right hand long rod was away,we had spotted them all showing in the middle the evening before and this spot gave me the best shout not being able to move, this one came in well and we moved the other rods out of harms way, fought hard close in but without hassle, and although the smallest of the trio of commons but finished off the trip nicely. Lovely weekend with the kids, had lots of fun and caught 3 and lost none, we did some bird spotting, saw some fish on the other lake spawning and caught some fish Happy days.

Yep it did it all the time. Not sure why, the spool was really shallow, maybe the braid wasn't right for it, dunno, but had the same braid in the aerlex and it was fine. Always wetted etc. Sweat bands worked well, was nice having moist line from the off.