smufter

Because of my preference for light leads, I tend to use my line clips all the time. I like to think that the initial resistance that a running fish feels when it hits the clip helps set the hook, something that a heavier lead would be doing. It's also easier to get your bobbins nice and aligned if your line is leaving the business end from the same point on all 3 rods. Plus, if you have been distracted for whatever reason, a quick glance at your line clips will tell you if you have missed anything....

Mmmmm. Okay. But you won't see the red one properly! 😉

His are the best. But stick with green ones. They are the brightest. You can hardly see the red ones at night, and it will depend on which colour blue. Green ones definitely the brightest.

As mentioned above, it's going to boil down to the type of fishing you are likely to be doing. Big pits are going to be absolutely no use at all to you if you are only casting 40/50 yards with small baits or flicking a dog biscuit out. Give us a little more information and we'll help you decide. 😉

Yes Steve. Reading great reviews on it. I'm going to try it because it's not a fishmeal and I'm trying to avoid the cats in the lake we're going to. I know nothing is guaranteed but in for a penny (as they say).... 😉

Bit of confusion here I think mate. It's not XCel who are bringing out a test bait, it's ABS. Sorry, didn't make that clear did I?!!! My VNF arrived yesterday and it's in the freezer now. If the smell of bait caught fish, this is a winner. Smells absolutely gorgeous to my nose. But it doesn't work like that does it (sadly!). As I say, I'm going to introduce it to the Cottage starting from next week, as far as I am aware nobody else is on it, so hopefully it might just give me an "edge". But like I say, I'll be taking a couple of K's of it to France with me as back up to the new ABS test bait. It's available to order from 10th June so I'll be phoning them and ordering sometime next week. Sorry for any confusion.

Don't think so mate. I bought mine direct from Pallatrax.... https://www.pallatrax.co.uk/our-products/gripz-hooks/ Like I say, I will be using these in France as the lake we're visiting has a barbless only rule. I've got two weeks off work, and the 1st week will be spent at home. Amongst other things I'll be getting everything ready for the trip. Going to tie a few rigs up and fit a day in at a local day ticket where you are more or less guaranteed to get a bend in the rod. This will give the Gripz a good work out. Trust me......if I have any reservations at all, I've got some Bank Tackle Continental's in reserve....😉

I'm trying these out at the moment Ian, as the lake we're visiting in July has a barbless only rule. I originally ordered the wide gape version, but am put off by the angle of the point so have now ordered some straight points. But you're right............. they are seriously sharp.

Ours started getting Jiggy last Tuesday when I was out, so packed up and came home early. Have cancelled next weeks session will wait until the week after to give them chance to get over it....

They haven't given it a name yet.... and it's not a fishmeal, that's why I want to take it (trying (trying!!) to avoid the cats!). It's similar to Plan b with some added attractors apparently....

I've just order 5 kg of the VNF to pop into the freezer. Might introduce them to the Cottage on my next trip out, but I'll take a couple of kg with me to France in July as an alternative. I'm planning on taking their "test bait" with me as my main bait. Catch reports are awesome and I've been assured it will be on general release by the time I go.

As Stevo says Muft, ABS will be able to sort you out. Or another good one is this. https://www.xcelbaits.com/shop/ They only offer two baits, the VNF (Vanilla/Nut/Fudge) is awesome, and Shaun, the owner, is spot on.

I certainly wouldn't have taken that chance. I'd have boated it out.......

I did, of course, mean the number of wheels.....😉

I watched a fella using a 3 wheel barrow on my lake the other week trying to negotiate a bridge. One of the funniest things I've seen in ages. I'l stick with one thanks 😁

Both mine, and my daughters pb's were caught on what were possibly the hottest days of the year, mid summer, at around noon. Not a breath of wind on either day, like a millpond. Both caught on bottom baits so just goes to show that even with the highest pressure fish do still feed. I'm off to France in July, not the best time to be going. It will be high pressure, and common sense tells me to bring my rods in during the heat of the day to rest the swim. But experience tells me that one rod out might just entice a run.

Thank you for that. For a new member you seem very, very helpful. I think we'll get along just fine......😉

It's not twist as such, it's just spilling off the spools (which would normally indicate over filling). I might just take 30 or 40 yards off to see if that makes a difference. It straightens out okay when I've cast out a few times but it's not filling me with confidence if I'm honest. Not too excited by the colour either. It's standing out like a sore thumb under the surface, the Technium Black can't be seen usually.

Well just to let you know how I'm getting on with them....... Lovely reels, really enjoying them, but I think I've overfilled the spools and I'm not happy with the line I've put on them. I usually use 12lb line at home, upping to 15lb for France. I don't have spare spools for these ones yet, and with a French trip on the horizon decided to go straight to 15lb and spooled up with CM90 to try it out rather than my usual Shimano Technium Black. Suffering quite a bit with line coil, so much so that on one reel in particular it's finding it's way up under the spool and wrapping itself around the spindle. Not ideal. The line itself is quite springy, so I've just ordered a spool of Technium Black in 12lb and am going to swap it out as soon as it arrives. I know from experience that the Technium breaks way above it's quoted BS but do I risk it and leave it on the spools for the French trip???? The lake we are visiting is not snaggy at all, but the fish go to mid 60's which are obviously a lot bigger than anything I'm likely to encounter at White Cottage. 🙄

Morning chaps! Just bought a new Tempest V2 brolly and contemplating getting a couple of accessories for it, namely the skull cap and mozzie insert.Looking at prices, I can get the Cyprinus versions for £108.00 compared to the Trakker jobbies at £145.00. Quite a saving!Does anybody know whether the Cyprinus parts are identical to the Trakker's with regards quality and colour??I don't want my new brolly to end up various shades of green or buy inferior products!Help appreciated.Rob

I prefer shorter rods myself, and find 11' are ideal for my style of fishing. I think a slightly shorter rod aids a little with accuracy, (it certainly does with me lol!), and I certainly don't feel disadvantaged in any way. Some people will argue that you can exert more leverage on a fish with a longer rod, or that you will get quicker pick up of the line. But again, I have never personally found this to be a problem. I max my tc out to 2,75 too. I like to feel the fish a bit more.

Get yourself a Chub Outkast 11' "Small water" rod. 2.25tc and great fun to fish with. You can flick a piece of crust out with one, and they are so light you could hold one all day and not get fed up. Highly, (and I do mean HIGHLY) recommended. Just make sure you get the 11 footer. https://www.anglingdirect.co.uk/chub-outkast-plus-smallwater-rod

I've sold my Shimmy X-TA's (medium longcasts) and was going to "upgrade" to the newer X-TB's but have been reading about these Emblems. They review very well, they're a little more compact than the Shimano's, and a tad lighter too, which would suit my 11' rods a bit better I think. Line capacity is about the same. I like the fact that they have the 25mm spools, like their more expensive cousins the Cast'izms. They are a little bit cheaper than the Shimano's, although that isn't a deciding factor. I've had Daiwa reels in the past, albeit cheaper ones, and have never had a problem with them.

Anybody use them? Thoughts????

Thanks for your input lads. Ended up going for this, which seems really good. Went for the 23lb based on line diameter (0.37mm)