Pit reel

[Rigg'd]

I'd be wary of thinking that by replacing your normal baitrunner type reels with big pits you'll suddenly be able to cast an extra 50 yards. Depending on what rods you're using, you may even find that you can't cast as far! As Budgie said, they're horrible to fish with, weigh a ton and quickly unbalance your set-up.

 

I remember reading an article a couple of years ago where someone compared distance casting with the same rod but once with normal baitrunners and then with big pits. He actually cast slightly further on average with the baitrunners.

 

I use big pits on my marker and spod rods. I use a 3lb tc distance carp rod and a big pit (Daiwa Emblem) with 15lb line to cast a marker set-up of a 3oz lead and the float, and I've yet to get that to a distance that I can't then cast a 2oz lead on 10lb line with a 1.75lb tc rod to!

 

Assuming your current reels are decent and balance your rods, I'd spend some time simply practicing casting, perhaps with a shockleader and lighter mainline and more streamlined rigs, and save your money

 

Yeah i guess so, or i might just go down to thorpe lea with a marker float and discover some hidden spots! close range fishing is what i really prefer, but in the summer it doesnt do me any favours in the deep water.

[Rigg'd]

Im just goin to stick with some new tfg force 8 freespool reels, 10 ball bearings (upgraded from my 4, i believe ) with max power rods for a decent price of 120 for 2 sets.

 

What line do you recommend using, fishing in a place where 14-18lb fish are catchable but also 24-28lb?

18LB? 15LB?

[Anderoo]

Im just goin to stick with some new tfg force 8 freespool reels, 10 ball bearings (upgraded from my 4, i believe ) with max power rods for a decent price of 120 for 2 sets.

 

What line do you recommend using, fishing in a place where 14-18lb fish are catchable but also 24-28lb?

18LB? 15LB?

 

What's the lake like, rigg'd? Big, small? Snaggy/not snaggy? Etc? And what test curve rods are you using?

 

WIthout knowing any of that, I'd say something like 12lb (mono). But if it's a really snaggy pit you'd probably want to go higher. If it's not snaggy and long casts are in order, you might want to go lower.

[Rigg'd]

What's the lake like, rigg'd? Big, small? Snaggy/not snaggy? Etc? And what test curve rods are you using?

 

WIthout knowing any of that, I'd say something like 12lb (mono). But if it's a really snaggy pit you'd probably want to go higher. If it's not snaggy and long casts are in order, you might want to go lower.

 

Thorpe lea fishery, 18 acres silt/gravel not many snags, most people i see using 15lb, i use 2.5lb test curves.

 

I use a hybrid stiff braid hooklink so im not sure if it matter so badly if its 15lb or 18 line??

[RobStubbs]

Im just goin to stick with some new tfg force 8 freespool reels, 10 ball bearings (upgraded from my 4, i believe ) with max power rods for a decent price of 120 for 2 sets.

 

What line do you recommend using, fishing in a place where 14-18lb fish are catchable but also 24-28lb?

18LB? 15LB?

 

Line strength is completely independant of fish size. Line strength is dictated by a combination of casting distances and weights and lake bed conditions. 12lb is ample for the vast majority of waters and circumstances - unless you have snaggy areas, weed or sharp gravel bars. I use 15lb straight through as the lake I fish is very weedy and has a few snags.

 

Rob.

[Rigg'd]

Line strength is completely independant of fish size. Line strength is dictated by a combination of casting distances and weights and lake bed conditions. 12lb is ample for the vast majority of waters and circumstances - unless you have snaggy areas, weed or sharp gravel bars. I use 15lb straight through as the lake I fish is very weedy and has a few snags.

 

Rob.

but my hooklinks are 20lb stiff braid ?

[Dick Dastardly]

but my hooklinks are 20lb stiff braid ?

 

And this is where modern carp fishing goes tits up!

 

You should be using the material for its other properties rather than just its strength.The actual breaking strain being pretty irrelevant when compared to its stiffness or softness or whatever.

 

One of the "real" reasons that carp anglers developed "safe" type rigs was because these materials had higher breaking strains than the main line.Before this obviously the "safety" factor was that a lower than the mainline BS hook link would have been used.

 

Without any disrespect to Rigg'd as its hardly his fault when/how he started carping/fishing! but this whole thread shows the lack of general fishing knowledge modern carp anglers have.In the "olden" days all these types of query would have been answered by practical experience of other fishing.Coupled to the massive range of tackle/rigs/baits etc etc now pushed in new carpers faces as "essential" it is no wonder they are so lost! I know I would be! Even all the hundreds of "how to" type articles that are about these days just serve to confuse even more.They simply have no experience to fall back on so get easily sucked in by the "carp machine".

 

There's a reason for doing an "apprenticeship"..................................

[RobStubbs]

As Budgie says, in days of old - and in general match / coarse fishing we use hooklengths of a weaker bs than the mainline - for obvious safety reasons. In carp fishing we have moved away from that for a variety of reasons. And that is one of the reasons safe systems of lead release and/or barbless hooks are used in the vast majority of places. Oddly enough my PB was landed on 12lb hooklength and 15lb mainline (& barbless) - because that's the rules of the French fishery where I caught it from. By all means fish that way, but not if it means using 18, or 20lb mainline !

 

Rob.

[Anderoo]

Mine (not massive, mid-20s) was on 10lb soft braid hooklength, 10lb mono mainline and a 1.5lb TC barbel rod when tench fishing! I had to heave it over some big gravel bars too. But obviously it was a fluke and if I was after carp I would have used heavier tackle.

 

To be fair to Rigg'd at least he is asking the right questions and looking for answers, many don't bother.

 

It's not fashionable or even the done thing now, but it still makes sense to use a hooklength material of a lower (or equal) BS than your mainline. The trouble can be finding the right material in a low enough BS though!

[Dick Dastardly]

To be fair to Rigg'd at least he is asking the right questions and looking for answers, many don't bother.

 

Yes fair play to him.Even more he doesnt get the hump when people tell him his idea might not be the best.To many seem to post "What do you think if I do this" type post and don't like it if you don't agree with them! They don't want your opinion or advice just someone to agree with their plan to give them confidence.

 

I often knock "new" carp boys but the ones with a real desire to learn I will gladly pass on the little I know.