Views on bank sticks and stage stands or pod

[Carp123_0]

As above mute get fox compact pod or solar p1 or bank sticks any opinions 

[B.C.]

If you can get away with banksticks, I'd go down that rout. I've got a stainless pod/goalpost/cross bar set up. And although it's indestructible and has lots of options, they do tend to be quite heavy. It was the best I could afford at the time (12 yrs ago ).... If I was buying today, the Fox Black label pod and sticks would be my preferred choice, just because it's light and compact and descreet. And suits the smaller lakes that I tend to fish.

But you also have to take into account that you may want to use it on more than one water which might involve carrying a few different options , regarding front sticks, so price and weight, will come into play when you want to make additions to your set up. This is where the higher end stainless will cost a few bob and weigh a bit more with extras.

My first choice is sticks, followed by sticks with stage stands (if the swim will accommodate), then if I can't use either, then the cross bars come out and the sticks with snag bars are converted into a pod, which I try to avoid as it can be a little fiddly if you are OCD with getting it all plumb.....

Stainless will last you a life time and looks and feels brand new with a clean up, even after 12 years of abuse. ( Matrix Super Slinky, was my choice a good while back ).... One thing I'll add is, don't be taken in by cheaper stainless options, you'll find the screws, threads and overall build quality is far more inferior compared to a higher end set up which will be more solid and "tighter", if you know what I mean.

[salokcinnodrog]

For years my preferred set up was banksticks with a goalpost setup, but I carried a pod in case the swim could only be fished with pod (or stage stands).

 

Then I went out and bought the Solar  P1 pod, and it is set up in every swim now, simply as I have no need to be carrying extra banksticks and buzzer bars just so I can go back to my favoured goalpost setup.

 

As BC has said, stainless will last a lifetime; I still own my original Solar banksticks that I bought in the 1990's, and despite abuse they are still straight as a die, even Sky has not managed to bend one, and rust free, although I have probably replaced thumbscrews where I occasionally mislay one, or it falls out in the holdall.

[Donnygooner]

I have the fox compact and fox stalker pods. For my light fishing day sessions the compact pod is so handy. Generally I take stage stands and some inserts just in case aswel. Not long ago the screw insert on my euro buzz bars broke, coming off and being stuck in the stick rendering me in a rubbish situation. I now always take spare sticks. So in my opinion have both sticks and pod available always. U never know what swim u may end up in tracking the fish, or if the water is busy. In regard to the compact pod, great bit of kit. Small and very light. 600g if I recall. I can't see my other pod getting much daylight now

 

I also saw it reduced from 160 to 130 yesterday. If you want a bit more space inbetween rods at the sacrifice of extra weight, though definitely more sturdy, the fox stalker is good. And much cheaper.

Edited November 25, 2017 by Dannygooner

[...]

90% of my fishing is 2 rod banksticks

But i do have a 3 rod Qdos rod pod not used yet...

[kevtaylor]

Think you need both tbh

Pods for hard ground, stage stands for wood and singles for soft ground or well spaced rods.

There's no fix all unfortunately 

 

[Donnygooner]

47 minutes ago, kevtaylor said:

Think you need both tbh

Pods for hard ground, stage stands for wood and singles for soft ground or well spaced rods.

There's no fix all unfortunately 

 

I agree and have had to learn to be prepared. 

[Gazlaaar]

I've pretty much used pods exclusively for years, I started with the early Gardner Tru Lock and Black Shadow Pods right the way through to Solars Globetrotter in the early days. Now I have one of the original Fox Euro Pods. It took me quite a while to hunt one down and I like the convenience of pods, and I've used it on a number of waters. I've never used single sticks, I've used bank sticks for a goal post set up but always felt a pod would be better.

Everyone to their own I guess, I just like pods.