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Post by deckchair farmer on Jan 28, 2011 2:27:15 GMT
Was it around the third eye from the top?
Mine went on a big blonde and my mates went on a very large smut... both a couple of feet from the net. Obviously that batch of suvs didnt like proper fish ;D
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Post by turborat on Jan 28, 2011 8:44:06 GMT
I was steered away from rods made from far eastern blanks and bought British, mainly Conoflex. They don't have the same level of Bling that some of the other manufactures do but up to now seem bulletproof.
I have a Demon uptide which I also use for gilling. It is my favorite rod to use as the handles are not of a size suitable for hands like spades (Which I don't have), its light and has a good action with a fish on.
I general I have up to now found that unless fishing for rays in a big tide I determine which rod to use by what weight I will need to keep a bait on the bottom rather than the quarry sort.
I had a 48lb Tope in Jersey...I mean whilst fishing there, it wasn't wearing one..........., using the Demon downtided with 14 oz of lead which was all that was required to keep half a mackerel on the bottom. That was just the best, rod looked like a Hoola Hoop with a bit cut out and the reel was all but empty at one stage.
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Post by Sunny on Jan 28, 2011 9:24:18 GMT
Was it around the third eye from the top? Mine went on a big blonde and my mates went on a very large smut... both a couple of feet from the net. Obviously that batch of suvs didnt like proper fish ;D Yeah both were around the 3rd eye. I had the two good rods remade with Fuji Greens - on recommendation from Jack (castefromthepast). More rings than the original fit and better balanced spacing As I say they have been the dogs nutts - fish them in all but the biggest tides If I'm in 60m plus then I go to 50 gear to match the lead If I'm after blondes in the main run then again I step up to 50...... But straight back down as the tide eases. |
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Post by spud on Jan 28, 2011 11:59:29 GMT
my choices ;D
rods :- shimano antares 20/30 braid rod for most things
northwestern 30 for general
northwestern 50 for sharking
reels :- shimano tld 15 covers most things
shimano charter special
shimano tld 50 for sharking
did have a 30lb northwestern snap but the sent a new blank so i could get it rebuilt
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Post by phish on Jan 29, 2011 6:46:54 GMT
[/quote] I was steered away from rods made from far eastern blanks and bought British, mainly Conoflex. They don't have the same level of Bling that some of the other manufactures do but up to now seem bulletproof. Lucky chap to have had such good advice. You are sort of half right on the rod rating thing. The 12,20,30 thing is meaningless but rating downtide rods by the weight they can handle would also not tell the full story. The only way to suss out what you need is the one you seem to have very adequately worked out for yourself experience, observation and unfortunately a measure of trial and error. Now the last part is not so much a problem if you have my affliction which is GAS (gear acquisition syndrome)  , but I have learnt to avoid far eastern rod blanks. People keep telling me they are now very good but I still keep hearing about or seeing breakages. Tip snapped off a club members Antares boat rod just before Christmas, again as reported here (but about another make) just as he was getting it near the boat. Well done on the tope by the way, beats my best of 45lb |
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live life to the max
, but I have learnt to avoid far eastern rod blanks.