barbelbarmy

Tigger, that is a real shame, not been on this site for some time but when did first place to check was your thread. Love to see the wonderful array of tackle you use.

Natural England have not agreed yet. Local experience of them is they only like things with fur or feathers.

I rarely use an umbrella for myself but will put one up for the tackle and dogs. The pole for the umbrella is the same diameter as that which comes with the Dinsmore bank stick that has a 'thread' at the bottom end and a hole through the top for a tommy bar. This has never failed but have had the umbrella pole bend above it before due to a sudden gust of wind.

where abouts are you?

Used to love fishing ponds, for Tench, Crucians, Rudd and the odd Carp. Now i would only consider it if the pond still contained all the species. Too many waters just full of Carp actually competing to get hooked! Not the fish or the water managers fault, it is the danglers fault, that is how they prefer to spend their time. Still enjoy catching a carp from a river.

Yes, I saw that one. Must admit I just thought he did that as it was the type of thing in the Crabtree books, out of shot he probably changed it to plastic!

I can't watch river monsters, he would try to make out a gudgeon was a man eater. Plus all that "fish on, Fish on". never watched a Robson all the way through as he is so damn noisy. The program with the ex-athelete was as bad. At least this was close to what i think fishing is about. The only other recent program enjoyed was 'in the footsteps of Mr Crabtree with John Bailey. I have not seen any of the 'catching the impossible' series so cannot comment.

Stand corrected. in episode 5 one has a conquest but the other has an ariel type reel. Couldn't catch which one. Maybe a Lythe or Mills.

Certainly do not look like the latest unless you mean the fly reels. They have been trotting a few times with pins and every time another type of reel. The session after roach had fixed cages. None looked like the conquests either old or new. More like a new version of the flick'em

So, seen a few of these. Does any one have any idea what makes of centrepins they have been using. They have used a few different makes and I have not identified any of them. Get a feeling they all belong to Whitehouse.

Thanks everyone, I have always used tubes, was only enquiring as this is so padded I will struggle to fit them in and even the thinnest tube will fit in the supplied Velcro. John, it is actually the Hardy Marksman holdall.

No problem with Velcro strap as have some that I use for keeping cables tidy, just wondered if you all thought the tubes were necessary.

Hi, Merry Christmas Everyone. Hope your all having a great day I had a quick question which was really looking for a consensus of opinion. Got a Hardy Conquest lay flat rod holdall for Christmas and the Velcro straps are too short for the rod tubes. Just wondered if most anglers use the tubes or just had the rods inn their bags. My uncle never used tubes and this case seems well padded but would bend. Adrian.

Hi, Has anyone come across one of these yet? https://www.maunvalleytackle.co.uk/ They are made for them by Garry Mills. I was interested till I saw one (ebay) with all the screw heads 'mashed' like my Avon Perfection. Really needs to get the right sized driver for the slot or someone less 'cack handed'. Lovely reel but for near £400 I would expect a bit more care.

Chesters,your spot on, i thought i had actually brought one intended for left hand use! Had to throw it away in the end, just couldn't get on with it.

Not nice to google 'maggot bags' get pictures of little bags of maggots being stuffed in open wounds!

Absolutely Brilliant. Been looking for something to replace the bait aprons that only seem to last a season and, because i'm a short arse, end up getting wet when wading. Then a chance comment by you two and problem solved, maggot bag. I was in process of making one!! As regards the reel, progress i'm afraid. Plastic replaces 'last for ever' engineering.

A work colleague of mine went fishing a lake in winter. Set up in pitch black and cast too his prime spot over the far side of lake. Fished there many times so could judge cast easily in the dark. After a fruitless night he watched the sun come up to find that section of the lake was frozen over and there was his bait sitting on the surface!

I assume you mean your rod or environment agency liscense? I answered never but it was a slight lie. I have been fishing for 40 years last July and have fished free (council) waters and club waters and have actually been asked once. However, on the one occasion asked i wasn't fishing and didn't have any tackle with me. I was walking my dogs by the river in the local park.

I have a Harrison 15ft SU and wouldn't dream of using it for silver fish. It is far to unforgiving and has the wrong action. You can use it but it is the wrong tool. Like said earlier, you can use pliers to tighten a nut but you should really use a spanner. New rods are great but they are produced for what is required in the market. So, yes new carbon can give an action like a spliced tip but how many are actually produced with this action? I have been experimenting a lot recently, with new and old rods, and have come to the conclusion that an older blank, specifically designed for river work, is far better than a modern general or carp puddle rod. I like the Acolites, but the guides cause wear with my style of cast. By far the best rod I have picked up recently is a Harrison Evolution which i got as the only bidder. This is a beauty but even so might have guides changed to larger stand-off guides to suit the pin (line off bottom). I have got the Youngs, too stiff for me, bumps too many grayling off, so if anyone wishes to buy it let me know, only used three times. Rods are personnal things dependant on style, type of fishing, the fish expected etc.

Aussie type leather hat most of the time for me.

My first carbon was a 12ft Daiwa Match man Mark Downes in 1981. I received it for Christmas as a surprise from my Dad. I sold it at a car boot just before I got married in 91. Recently one came into my hands again and I can't believe I fished with it although holding it brought memories flooding back. I have recently come across two of the Sundridge rods Kevin Ashurst rods and two of these Winfield rods and am ashamed to say, they went to the tip!! They were in a sorry state.

Perhaps its an oddity from the transition period, the reel seats are silver.

This one seems different to any others I have seen on the internet. All of the Normark rods I have seen have a part cork part duplon handle with a rubber stop end. This is full cork down to the end with a rubber button. Was this usual or is it a cheaper later version. Blank is green with green whipings with a light green band. Bag is a shocking light green.

I am not sure I would trust the Daiwa but the Sterling seems to be of a different design. Surely as long as line has not looped over the tip then any strain should be transferred through to the hollow lower sections. I know they say that with modern carbon rods you do not need a spliced tip but how many modern rods are designed for river trotting use. I have 'modern rods' with hollow tips that are supposed to be as fast as a spliced tip, but when the top section has broke I have inserted a splice tip which has improved there action rather than spoiled it. Saying that, it has improved it for Grayling, roach and Dace, not for Barbel or Chub.