smufter

Personally I'd rather do without the remote and put my money into something with a "name" and a bit more of a reputation. Therefore, like Dayvid above I'd be going the Fox Micron route. Prices start around £25.00 each (new) or there are plenty of listings on ebay for 2nd hand sets, you might get lucky if you have a hunt around! Fox alarms are bullet proof. Nothing fancy, they just do the job. Simple toggle on/off switch so you can see at a glance whether they are on or off, therefore easy enough to switch off when you are retrieving or adjusting your bobbins etc. so that you don't annoy people the other side of the lake! This facility alone makes them worth their weight in gold. When I first started out I bought some cheap "no name" alarms off the bay, they did this, they did that, on paper they were the dogs doo dahs! In reality, they were a pain in the butt. I could never tell when they were on or off, (to the annoyance of aforementioned anglers on the other side of the lake) and on more than one occasion actually had them going off in my tackle bag on the way back from a session! I now have Fox alarms and wouldn't swap out for the world. They have never (ever) let me down despite some serious drenchings. Even if I won the lottery tomorrow, I wouldn't change them. I might treat myself to a trio of top range custom rods, maybe even some top range reels. But my good old Microns do exactly what I want them to do, which is make a row if I get a run.

I had some Free Spirits a couple of years back.... not the CTX but the TS versions. They were absolutely superb. Brilliant build quality. For some stupid reason I sold them. One of life's regrets. I'd buy some more in a heartbeat if I had the money.

Get this out of the way before we get there!!!! Spawning under the willow trees........

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GREYS-UNIVERSAL-LINE-CLIPS-X-3-CARP-FISHING-ROD-CLIP-FIT-ON-ANY-CARP-ROD-1325585-/112405047540?hash=item1a2bdce8f4:g:SD0AAOSw44BYK1ch There you go. Pack of three (ooerrrrr!). I used them on some rods I had without clips and they work perfectly.

Another vote for the Tribal Velocity. I've got 3 and love 'em. They are a little bit heavier than others I have handled, but only by an ounce or two. But as they spent the vast majority of their time sitting on rests/alarms it doesn't bother me one iota.

I tend to use a size 4 with everything from 18mm bottom baits to a couple of pieces of popped up corn. The only time I might consider going smaller is if my pop up rig is playing up due to the weight of the hook, but I never change on a bottom bait. I do tend to prefer black finished hooks. Blend in with the crud a bit better

Bolleaux (as they say in France)

7 weeks to go! Wife said she fancies "having a go" this year, so I have just bought her a cheapie Shakespeare reel off the bay and will lend her one of my spare rods. Plop a bait down in the margins and see what happens. Knowing my luck, she'll bag the biggest fish of the holiday.

I used to fish slightly longer rigs but find about 9" is the ideal for me. I used to worry a lot about trying to keep the hookbait away from the lead, but concern myself more nowadays with matching the hooklength colour to the lake bed, swapping between weedy green or silt coloured depending on venue.

Can't believe how quickly a year has passed. Only 9 weeks to go and we're off again!! Just paid the balance and bait has been ordered. Taking a variety this year......... 5kg of Northern Baits "Krill" in shelf life. 5kg of X-Cel baits KSC (Krill/Squid/Crab) and 5kg of Solar's "Seafood Takeaway" (both in Frozen). Can't wait!!

I did say "most".

Ah you didn't word it like that! Yes, I've had to reel in one of the other rods (or at least had to remove it from the pod and place it down low on the ground) to avoid a fish running across my line, but never (ever) have I had to throw my pod out of the way, or have I ever seen anyone else do anything so daft. And the only way I could see you not having to do something like this is if you were using single bank sticks spaced out quite a way apart, with lines going out at all angles. Who fishes single banksticks? Most people using sticks will have a two rod buzz bar fitted. Which is no different to using a two rod pod!!

I can honestly say that I have never seen anyone get their inactive line tangled by using a pod.

Absolutely. Not my "ideal" type of pod, I prefer the ones with a "goalpost" type leg set up, but it will be fine. I never used to get tangled on one of these.....

I'll second Fox Microns. I have 3 x MX+ alarms that have never given me a moments problem since the day I bought them. I have no need for a receiver as I bring my rods in at night and am always "on" them at other times. You can pick them up new for under £35.00 each if you shop around, and I personally think they are great value for money. Separate tone and volume controls, and a very simple "toggle" on/off switch which I like. The blue LED light is very bright (repeat VERY!!), you can see it instantly. In the dark it will easily light up the surrounding trees so you can even run them on "silent mode" The other bonus with them is that they run on simple AAA batteries, which are available anywhere. My Daughters previous alarms (she now has the same Microns as me) required a tiny little battery which wasn't available everywhere, and it was a right pain in the butt if you needed replacements in an emergency. I appreciate that Delks and the like have a following, but I can think of a lot more things I want to spend my hard earned on, and a hundred ££££'s or more saved on alarms would allow me to buy "better" reels, landing net or luggage for instance.

Absolutely love mine. Used it in France last year and the magnet is very strong, ideal for attaching to the top of my brolly. Move it far enough back and the fish can't even see it.

I've had this problem before because I leave my rods set up in the bag and the lead has given one of the eyes a clunk in transit.

I've got about four of the smaller ones and one of the larger ones. Much better in the bright green rather than black because they are harder to lose. But it doesn't stop me losing them (usually to my daughters tackle box)

I seem to recall sellers doing this when they are "out of stock" because it saves them having to go through the agro of "re-listing" when they get some more. I use those and they are great.

I'd personally go for it, unless you are completely anal about all three rods having to match (as a lot of us are lol!!)? Only you know the different tc, the fish won't have a clue... Plus, as you say, there is always the ability to throw one bait out a bit further than the other, but I personally don't think there will be that much of a difference between the two test curves. Be different if two were 2.25 and the other was 3.25....

A bit like golf. I've lost count of the number of guys I've met who can "regularly" drive 300 yards plus. Most professional golfers are averaging less than that!!

Bingo http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wychwood-Carp-Fishing-NEW-C-101-Rods-All-Sizes-/401080271039?var=&hash=item5d623f40bf:m:mB9b_3dL5_MjAU85wrgSUlA 2.75tc will do you fine and bang on your price range.

But should make life easier for overnighters etc....

Genesis.