Ginger9991

Hi Guys, So this weekend on the lake i will be fishing i can use 3 rods, And i feel like adding the helipcopter rig to my armoury. So i will be fishing to an island which is about 2 ft deep, I have fished pop ups to it before and have been out fished by bottom/balanced baits SO, im going to use a Helipcopter set up with a bottom bait.....What hook lenghs would people suggest for this (little to no weed or silt). Im kinda thinking i dont want my rig drapping over the lead on the cast as i might get tangles, I also dont want my rig to be fair away from the lead as distance from the island is key. THANKS ALL!

Hii all, So having spent the weekend chucking 19 wraps on 2.5tc rods i have decided i need some new rods for the job. So whilst i was making 19wraps, It sometimes took a few casts, it wasnt the most accurate and adding a small PVA bag made it....a bit of a mere. I have a Free Spirit CTX spod/marker and that was making 19 wraps with great accuracy.....which is a waste of time if my rods are not accurate. So i have been looking at the free spirit range, And to be honest im a bit lost. Whilst i love the orange and look of the CTX rods, I have noticed they are at the lowest price point, The E and the Lite S are a little bit more expensive....So better?? I dont intend on buying rods very often so they need to last. Anyway, Anyone using free spirit rods recommend them? whilst ideally i would like to try them out, Its hard to find a shop with them all in and i think waiting for a session with Mark might take an age. Also TC.....I will be keeping my Greys prodigy 2.5tc rods as they are lovely (in my opinion) should i be looking at 3.25 or 3.5 with 50mm butt rings, These rods may need to do some bag work...... Obviously out of all this im aware my technique can be improved and obviously but casting further i am working on it, but higher TC rods will make fishing at range a whole lot more comfortable at the moment!

Its all about the car spares for me! Leads, Spods, Sweetcorn, Some shelf life boilies, random end tackle, All hiding in with the spare wheel. saying that i have about 10 leads with me, mixture of sizes and shapes.

Cheers Yonny. I did have a rig out there with a size 6 but typically that rod remained silent all night. I still use 8's for most of my fishing so jumping to 6 was quite a jump, let alone 4's!

How come the price has dropped so much?

So, Went full Korda last night. I recently brought my dad all the gear they use for the ronnie rigs they were using (at his request), And because im a good son...and i knew he would ask anyway i tied a ton up for him. Stole a few for myself as well to have a little go. Done the night on a bit of a runs water, Had 2 bites 1 fish i guess was about 6 and maybe one a scraper double by the looks of it.....but i bumped them both off under the rod tip. So i dont usually lose many fish at all, and without landing one of these i couldnt tell where the hook hold was (both bites were at night) so im a bit confused. I was using about 7" of boom onto a size 6 (i know the korda vids were using bigger hooks, but for the stamp of fish i didnt really think it neccessary. I didnt drop the lead otherwise this place would cost a fortune! so i was just wondering if thats a bit of a characteristic of a flurocarbon hooklink or if something else could have been wrong. Going to have to get back to that lake again and play about with longer hook links and bigger hooks..... 7" is surely long enought though....confused!

Have a look on Adam Pennings twitter his going mad about these and the damage they do to the fish. I have to admit he seems like a decent bloke in front of the camera's but on his twitter page he does come across as very up his own bum and not the most...friendly of blokes. I havent used these hooks, so i have no opinion.

I have been looking at the Extricator for ages and i would buy them HOWEVER, You cant get a rod back for them. I have been in touch with wychwood and they dont plan to do one as its "to expensive in the current market". They also mentioned to me that there reel placement means its wont fit into most genic 9 ft bags. So i havent brought them!

So excuse my ignorance. I have been using 10lb like with a 35lb shock leader with my spod rod... I recently snapped the line due to a knot and since then i have been putting out the spod with braid....A really rubbish braid i believe as it knots quite often..... So im looking at new line for the spod and i was wonder what people thought was best, Mono with a shock lead or braid with the shock leader. I was shocked when i looked at the korda braid A) by the price and B) seeing the diameter was smaller then Mono. So what do people recommend? Im not the best distance caster, so i want something that can do a good job casting!

Not in your price bracket but i recently brought a Free Spirit CTX Spod for £115 i think....blooming brillant. I was using a standard 2.75tc rod before and the difference and improvement it has made is huge.

Did anyone get the ridge monkey head torch? Any reviews?

Someone I know is selling for £200 for 3..... thoughts on these? I’m currently using greys prodigyys.

Went for the Free Spirit SPM spod.....great bit of kit, All these years i have been smashing a spod out with a 3lb test curve £20 carp rod.....i know know what i have been missing!

Runs waters are a thing of the past, Rave waters now! lol

save up a bit mate and go for the better head torch! You will cope with a cheap one, but a better one just makes life so much easier! if you want cheap, Go to Matalan! i have had a few out of there as spares and they have done the job when needed.

I like the feature of the the receiver lighting up the bivvie if theres more then x amount of beeps. I wont buy them, im happy with my little solaces but thats a feature i would be after if i had to replace mine!

Cheers lads, Any recommendations on a reel to go with it? An actual spod reel or maybe just buy another XTA medium Lc.

Whats everyone using? its time for me to stop using my £20 "carp" rod as its........theres a lot of movement in this rod now its on its last legs! so time to buy stuff! i dont really want to go mad, if i can keep it under £150 that would be great for a rod i chuck around!

If im prepared to sit with a coat on then i just need the below. i cant recommend both enough. sundridge sleep suit trakker core multi suit

Might find the carp go quite now the cats have been introduced, Thats what i have found on waters. I have caught a cat on carp gear, Loved it mate. I will do some proper cat fishing at some point so dont worry! Just pack some forceps.

What look lengths do people use in a bag? I thinking 3 or 4 inches should be the right size for this? going to give one a go tonight, it will be dark when i arrive so a slightly educated pub chuck will be in order.

Follow thier FB page mate its a lively group. I havent fished it but i can tell you from the group that its hard, and the people catching are people that dont set up until they see fish. Seems like they fish pretty long as well.

Jesus Rich its like you read my mind! I was thinking exactly the same thing yesterday. after looking at some videos and some articles, You can do with with a lead clip no problem, the problem you face is that you cant pre make the bags unless you have some sort of loop to loop knot. Not a massive issue really unless your like me and only fish after work through the night before going back to work. I made 2 bags and they are already on my rods (rods are marked up as i know where im fishing) so i can just chuck them when i arrive, Then will just use mesh for the rest of the night should i catch.

That's what I'm looking for something that can fit in the boot so I don't have a massive rod bag next to my head or near my little one!

Hi guys, Looking to get a 9ft set up so i can get it in the car on holidays with the wife and baby......So im going for the wychwood Extrictors as a rod but im i need a spod rod that will fit in the same bag......thinking taking a 12ft spod rod would kind of defeat the object. Can anyone recommend one?