29 replies to this topic

[kirisute]

ok last week my brother and i sat sharing a peg; and whilst tackle and technique differed very little (same hook size and pattern, similar line weight and diameter,similar shotting pattern and waggler set ups etc) he caught significantly more fish with significantly more ease than i did.
i just couldnt seem to "hit" the bites i was getting even though they were sure and definiate bites that dragged the float well under etc i would strike but simply not connect to anything..whilst he baged himself 11 bream up to a good 5lb each! LOL

anyway the main significant difference is rod length; i was using my trusty shimano tribal take down (7'6") and he was using a waggler rod of 11' i think.
the lake involved is a good 5 foot deep and more in places and striking distance was maybe 4 to 5 metres

so i sit here thinking is it worth my time grabbing a longer rod?
i know line gathering is going to be better and faster on a longer rod....but is it really that much of a significant difference?
my trusty shimano's are superb rods and ive never really struggled to catch anywhere on them no matter what style of fishing was involved. but maybe a longer rod could fit into my arsenal somewhere?

i dont like long rods if im honest....but maybe a 10 foot job would be justified? primary targets would be carp up to mid 20's down to roach,rudd,tench and bream etc
thoughts? ideas? discuss as you see fit....all thoughts welcomed
whatever it is i would prefer a multi piece/telescopic rod that can collpase down to easy travel size, nothing 2 piece or suchlike; max price maybe £50

Edited by kirisute, 26 June 2012 - 12:13 PM.

[chavender]

personally i'd go for a 11ft rod ,partly because 10ft is niether here nor there ,it'll be ok but just ok and you might lack control .plus 11ft rods are more common and have a greater choice of rating of rods .

i think what you'd require is a lightish avon type rod (with a Tc of 1.25-1.5lbs Tc) ,preforably for you a 3 or 4 piece rod ,which lets out your best choice a Jw wilson avon/quiver ,these style rods avon /pellet waggler /power carp are what you should be looking at

firstly a rod too your specification ,10ft 3 piece pellet waggler rod & under £50

http://www.mullarkey...andeslam/12066/

i've other sugestions i'll post up later

[Newt]

Chavender - you make a good case for 11' vs 10' in terms of choices and availability but is there any real advantage (other than casting distance if you need to cast a mile) in using 10' vs 7' in terms of hookups, casting precision, or any of that?

That's a real question too since I'm also a fan of shorter rods in the 6'-8' range because they are easier to manage and, to me at least, just seem to feel more comfortable to use.

[Chris Perch]

Were you fishing at any distance as a longer rod should pick up the line quicker at distance but at short range it should not make a great deal of difference I cant help thinking maybe your feed was different and the bites may be bream line bites IE pulling the float under by brushing the line or shot bites - were you feeding hemp or a bed of groundbait and did your hook bait differ?
These are all things I would consider???

[Sportsman]

I have been playing around recently using a short rod for float fishing.
My pond is pretty overgrown around the edges and I have to say that a long rod (14') makes it much easier to keep the terminal tackle out of the undergrowth. It also makes it much easier to control and net fish.
The short rod was fun as a novelty but for serious fishing I prefer a long rod every time.

[Phone]

kiri,

11 to 0 is not kit alone.

Your brother is probably younger, better reflexes and much faster on the uptake. (Or, he's older and more experienced) I wouldn't even think 11-0 would be all luck. I suspect he's just better.

Assuming the physics are indeed identical execpt for the angle of the strike that is the only difference you have suggested. If you were both using "bobbers" the strike would not have been affected by rod length. It is affected more by depth from bobber to hook.

Line weight and line stretch are two different animals. He wasn't using a "fast" braid or fluoro was he? (whilst you are using a 25% stretch mono)

No question in my mind - - - you're leaving out some key element. Did you try trading swims?

Rod length is/was not the cause. You were sight fishing the bobber.

Phone

[kirisute]

bait was presented in the same way either worms or maggots.
we fished side by side on a single peg. to start with i fished a little shorter than him, maybe 3 metres out, laying about an inch on bottom.
he fished maybe 5 metres out laying again an inch or so....because i was struggling to such an extent we even fished side by side at the same distance, our floats ended up about a foot appart! LOL
again he could hook into bites but even as my float sailed away i simply couldnt connect with the fish.

the main question here is if rod length would be a deciding factor in such a position....i happily use the shimano's for surface fishing at a good 10 metres plus and can hook fish easily....
so im simply thinking is it a case of the depth of the lake coupled with the distance and possibly sunk line resistance that is causing slow hooking potential? or something else?
i know line bites could account for some, but the bites struck at didnt resemble line bites at all..they were sail away bites after a bit of finicky picking.

is there any thought on speed of line pickup on longer rods?

[kirisute]

kiri,

11 to 0 is not kit alone.

Your brother is probably younger, better reflexes and much faster on the uptake. (Or, he's older and more experienced) I wouldn't even think 11-0 would be all luck. I suspect he's just better.

Assuming the physics are indeed identical execpt for the angle of the strike that is the only difference you have suggested. If you were both using "bobbers" the strike would not have been affected by rod length. It is affected more by depth from bobber to hook.

Line weight and line stretch are two different animals. He wasn't using a "fast" braid or fluoro was he? (whilst you are using a 25% stretch mono)

No question in my mind - - - you're leaving out some key element. Did you try trading swims?

Rod length is/was not the cause. You were sight fishing the bobber.

Phone

Phone; we fished the same swim! side by side....and as above we checked shotting patterns and hook type etc...wagglers differed slightly, i prefer a thicker float because my eye sight isnt great on the thinner tipped ones.
i actually think he might have been using my line because if i recall correctly i filled his reel for him when he bought it! LOL
No~ i agree...rod length isnt the only factor at work here....striking angle because he was on a bench seat whilst i was in a low rider etc all attribute to the factors involved.
but my original thought process and question prevails.....does rod length play a significant issue in line pick up?

[Phone]

kiri,

No, rod length does not play ANY role in line pick-up. It only plays a small role in the ft. lbs of energy delivered at the hook. Ask any experienced fly fisherman. Or do the math.

Phone

[Chris Perch]

Was the hook sharp???