smufter

Have taken the 15lb Technium off my spools and reloaded with the Asso. Initial impressions are good. Plenty on the spool to load 3 XT-A medium longcasts up to the brim. It has bedded down on the spool nicely, and hangs through the eyes of the rods limply, something which the latest batch of Technium wasn't doing. Despite being thinner than the Technium, I had no problem at all threading it through my tubing, and the knots to my swivels (tucked half blood) seem to be strong and neat. Won't get a chance to use it until next Tuesday, (wife is off work tomorrow so no session for me), so will update once I have actually fished with it to let you know if it's sinking properties are as described, and how it casts. Nice colour too, a sort of brown/green which should blend in with White Cottage's lake bed well. Fingers crossed, but looking good so far.

Counting in days now, 'cos it goes quicker..........97

I've ditched the 3 rod buzzbars on my pod and gone back to the two. 3rd rod oinked down the margins sitting on a pair of Cygnet "short and stumpys". Great little sticks, weigh next to nothing and as the name suggests are both "short" and "stumpy" so take up next to no room in the bag.

Just checking the specs on the Mad Dragons and the KNX Colts and I see they are a carbon/fibreglass composite blank, whereas the Black Widows are carbon. There won't be a lot of difference, maybe just a few grams but if you tried the two side by side I can almost guarantee you'd find the Widows a better casting tool. Prologic are a very underated manufacturer, their rods tend to get good reviews over here. My money would be going into the Fox's personally. But watching the video for them they look a bit "tippy" to me, so for distance I'd be tempted to go for the 13ft 3.5 model. That will give you the distance you need and it doesn't look like they are pokers. But what do I know......

Not me Sir. I used the same weights, whether I'm fishing in the UK or France. Maximum would be 2oz but most times it's just 1oz. I up my line when I go to France purely to be on the safe side. For both mine and the fishes sake, I'd rather be using 15lb line fighting a 40 than 10 or 12. Not that I am going to "haul it in"..........but the last thing I want is for the line to give up and leave a fish with a hook hanging out of it's gob.

Coiling up more than usual Yonny, and spilling over the lip. Haven't loaded it any differently to usual, and not over filled. Not as supple as it usually is. My only concern with loading the Asso line is it's a bit of an "unknown" to me as far as stretch is concerned. But I've paid for it so I might as well use it!

Mmmm. It's my favourite line usually but this stuff is proving to be a bit of a headache if I'm honest.

I tend to use 12lb line for my "domestic" fishing and have my spare spools loaded with 15lb for when I go to France. At the moment I am using 15lb Technium on my main rods but it's not behaving the way it usually does, maybe it's a bad batch? I'm tempted to take it off and reload my spools with the Asso line I bought the other week.It's 16lb apparently but the diameter is slightly lower than whats on them at the moment.

B-110 for me Geezer

You won't be disappointed. Cracking bit of kit. Some things you buy and immediately think "how did I manage without this" and the t4 is one of them. A bit like the RidgeMonkey Duo bivvy light or Korda Tacklesafe. Best bits of kit I own.

Oh well. My spool arrived this afternoon. Initial impressions are that it seems a bit thinner than 0.35mm but it must be right! More of a green colour than brown but can live with that. Comes off the spool nice and straight, seems very little "memory" but the spool itself is a lot bigger than a "normal" spool so that could be disguising it a bit. If it sinks as well as they say it does, this could be interesting.......

I've just ordered a spool of 16lb for my daughters rods for when we go to France. I'll let her be the guinea pig lol! Diameter seemed spot on at 0.35mm. How you getting on with it????

Plenty of decent rods around for about £50.00 a pop. Chub Outkast, Sonik VaderX, Daiwa Black Widow G50, Shimano Velocity, plus others from Wychwood, Nash, JRC etc. You need to think about what type of fishing you're going to be doing. Distance work, or heavy baits/rigs and you're going to need a higher test curve than short range work, surface fishing, single baits that sort of thing. I'm a firm believer in using as low a test curve rod that you can get away with.

Their sinking line sounds interesting.....reasonable diameter too.

You won't be disappointed fella. As I say, they are super strong and ultra sharp, straight from the pkt.

Save a lot of time and head off over to here.... https://www.banktackle.co.uk/hooks-41-c.asp 50 "Continentals" for just under a tenner delivered. You know it makes sense Rodney

I use Shimano Technium Black. 15lb is 0.38mm so bang on your new ruling. Great line. Knots well, casts and sinks well, and much stronger than it's "quoted". Possibly one of the best all round lines there is.

Most of my sessions are either days, or 24 hours so I tend to use a brolly. Off to France in July with my daughter, so was looking for something a little more "substantial" for a week under canvas so my wife bought me a Quest 2 man bivvy. It's my 1st "proper" bivvy, and only cost £149.00 brand new, (didn't think it was worth spending any more on something that was only going to get so little use). Gets very good reviews, and doesn't look too bad at all. I could have got another make in a one man version, but fancied the idea of the two man as I don't like having everything cluttered up around me. For £149.00 I think it offers terrific value.

Anyone any experience??? Looks like they offer an 11' 2.75 in their range, could be a "viable" alternative to either Baby Ballista's or FreeSpirit TS's..... http://www.mivardi.co.uk/products/rods/carp-rods-2-piece/spotter-3-30m-2-75lb/

Total fishing tackle also 10% off using the code ebay. And it doesn't run out tonight

Appreciate what you are saying Yonny, it's nice to be as light as possible. But the MHR I have comes in a 5.5kg fully inclusive of poles, groundsheet and pegs. The Trakker Tempest comes in at 4.4kg PLUS the pegs, which would put it around 5kg??? Add a groundsheet to that (which doesn't come as standard) and you're not far off the weight of the MHR. The LoPro is lighter I'll grant you at 4kg (according to the ESP website) but again, that is without the groundsheet, (and again, you have to pay extra for that too) So not far off 5kg all in. At the end of the day mate, you are talking about a kilo here or there, (if that), basically the difference between taking 1 bag of bait with you instead of 2, a few less spare weights in the bag or a few less pot noodles... Also, I guarantee that if you compare the quality of the material of the three, the Wychwood's would be better. And, of course, you get the bullet proof 5 year warranty on the Wychwood. During my research, the only negative I found for the MHR was the length packed down. Not a problem for me, but I appreciate it could be for some. I found quite a few for the Tempest, (which eventually ruled it out for me). To be honest, I didn't research the LoPro because that was never on the radar mate.

Looking for a "comfy" chair, without it costing the earth ( ).Prefer a low one, ideally with a fairly high back so that I can doze off comfortably, doesn't have to have arms but the legs must lock in place (have had a couple in the past where the back legs have collapsed, much to my daughters amusement!!).Lightweight would be nice too and doesn't have to be reclining.Any suggestions please lads???Rob

Thank you

Yep, I reckon I could get my rod sleeve laid out along the back. Got to say, I did seriously look at the Trakker as an alternative, but a couple of reports put me off. Plus my previous experience with the Solace was enough to convince me that Wychwood was the way to go. Being able to sit so far back in the new one puts a whole different perspective on things. Just seems I've got a load more room around me to play with.

Well, sad to say I blanked. Not a beep. Weather turned a bit worse towards the end of the day, wind got up and the rain got heavier. But the brolly performed brilliantly. Well chuffed with it. And here are full details of the "New" MHR that Wychwood launched yesterday, along with some other interesting gear.... http://www.wychwoodcarp.co.uk/news/post/the-best-selling-brolly-range-just-got-better Seems to tick all the right boxes.