Spindle

Well, after considering every rod in the shop... I bought something completely different! In the end, I bought a lurrrrvely Drennan MkIII Tench Float rod. Now role on the glorious tench summer (when no doubt it will rain!)

Peter - do you have one yourself, and if so, what do you use it for? I like spinning occasionally, and if it's suitable, would match it with my new 300X - what weight lures would you cast with it? I'd also want to use it with a centrepin for chubbing, and maybe even as an occasional carp rod on the canal. Either way, tomorrow is the big day, and today I'm having a "last day of my 20's" mid-life crisis!

Peter - do you have one yourself, and if so, what do you use it for? I like spinning occasionally, and if it's suitable, would match it with my new 300X - what weight lures would you cast with it? I'd also want to use it with a centrepin for chubbing, and maybe even as an occasional carp rod on the canal. Either way, tomorrow is the big day, and today I'm having a "last day of my 20's" mid-life crisis!

I appreciate the fact that so many copies of them, but I wonder how many are bought simply because they are the only weeklies available? There are only two that I know of (certainly only two that you can wander into whsmiths an buy every week). I know I'm not keen on either of them, but I'm a bit of a magazine addict, and simply find myself buying them for something to do. I can say that I don't enjoy them as much as I would like. That's why I would like to see some improvement.

I appreciate the fact that so many copies of them, but I wonder how many are bought simply because they are the only weeklies available? There are only two that I know of (certainly only two that you can wander into whsmiths an buy every week). I know I'm not keen on either of them, but I'm a bit of a magazine addict, and simply find myself buying them for something to do. I can say that I don't enjoy them as much as I would like. That's why I would like to see some improvement.

I was worried I was being a bit controversial with this post, but it seems lots of other people feel the same way as me! I wonder if anybody from the weeklies reads this site. If so... as has already been stated in another thread, there are over 1 million rod license purchasers in this country. 1 million! And this doesn't mean 1 million half-wits. It means, on the whole, 1 million people, from all walks of life, and of all ages, passionate about the sport they love. We surely deserve more than what you are printing at the moment. I'm sure if you realised this you would increase your distribution numbers no end. I'd rather a 25p or even 50p a week increase on the front cover if it meant that what we got was worthwhile! Here's hoping!

I was worried I was being a bit controversial with this post, but it seems lots of other people feel the same way as me! I wonder if anybody from the weeklies reads this site. If so... as has already been stated in another thread, there are over 1 million rod license purchasers in this country. 1 million! And this doesn't mean 1 million half-wits. It means, on the whole, 1 million people, from all walks of life, and of all ages, passionate about the sport they love. We surely deserve more than what you are printing at the moment. I'm sure if you realised this you would increase your distribution numbers no end. I'd rather a 25p or even 50p a week increase on the front cover if it meant that what we got was worthwhile! Here's hoping!

Now before I start I would like to make it ABSOLUTELY CLEAR to any magazine sponsored legal team that these are my opinions only, and not those of this excellent website or it's owner(s). OK. That's the disclaimer over! Right... here goes: When I was a lad, I used to get Angling Times delivered every week. It might just have been that I was young and impressionable but I'm farely certain the quality of the magazine back then was far far superior to what it is now. I still read both AT and AM occasionally, but I always feel that I've wasted my pound. So what would you like to see in the weeklies, and what you like to see removed? How can the weeklies regain the quality that I'm sure they had before? I personally would like to see the following: More "beginners guides". Not just to fishing itself, but taking a different aspect of fishing, such as "how to fish a weir", or "how to target river perch", or "how to read different waters". And no, pictures of a bloke sat on his bivvy chair, looking at his rods, do NOT help me. I want to see clear pictures (preferably clear drawings). I want to see easy to understand lists of tips/techniques. I do NOT want a "this is how you must catch carp, and this is the tackle you must use, because I (and my sponsors) say so". This one is important to me. I want to see less tacky language. We don't all read the gutter press. Then again, we don't all read the Times. Surely there is some middle ground - or do we all want our kids growing up with a reading impediment? Less sponsorship-driven writers. I'm sure the people who write for the magazines are highly talented individuals, who can outfish me any day of the week. However, I refuse to read/listen to them if every second word is their bait company name, or their sponsor's name and address, or the name of the latest rod they are paid to push. If I want to know what tackle is out there, I'll read the 100 free tackle guides which are glued/nailed/stapled to the magazine. I don't mind the brochures, I enjoy reading them, but surely that is enough product pushing????? And if they do need to highlight what tackle they use, surely they can just put it in a small box, titles "Joe Bloggs used the following tackle/bait", or a "Joe is sponsored by the following companies". That way, if I want to read it I can, or I can ignore it. Maybe a page or two of "reader's stories". These don't need to be paid for, they don't need to be written brilliantly (I can accept it in this section, because this section isn't written by paid up sponsored full-time bivvy dwellers, so they can get away with it). I never want to see a full page advert for cigarettes in these magazines ever again. I'm not anti-smoking, but I do think there is a time and a place for advertising them, and it isn't in a magazine which is targetted at adults and kids alike. OK. I've said my piece, I'm sure there are other points I can't think of right now. I might have said things other people disagree with. Just say your piece (but be nice to me!).

Now before I start I would like to make it ABSOLUTELY CLEAR to any magazine sponsored legal team that these are my opinions only, and not those of this excellent website or it's owner(s). OK. That's the disclaimer over! Right... here goes: When I was a lad, I used to get Angling Times delivered every week. It might just have been that I was young and impressionable but I'm farely certain the quality of the magazine back then was far far superior to what it is now. I still read both AT and AM occasionally, but I always feel that I've wasted my pound. So what would you like to see in the weeklies, and what you like to see removed? How can the weeklies regain the quality that I'm sure they had before? I personally would like to see the following: More "beginners guides". Not just to fishing itself, but taking a different aspect of fishing, such as "how to fish a weir", or "how to target river perch", or "how to read different waters". And no, pictures of a bloke sat on his bivvy chair, looking at his rods, do NOT help me. I want to see clear pictures (preferably clear drawings). I want to see easy to understand lists of tips/techniques. I do NOT want a "this is how you must catch carp, and this is the tackle you must use, because I (and my sponsors) say so". This one is important to me. I want to see less tacky language. We don't all read the gutter press. Then again, we don't all read the Times. Surely there is some middle ground - or do we all want our kids growing up with a reading impediment? Less sponsorship-driven writers. I'm sure the people who write for the magazines are highly talented individuals, who can outfish me any day of the week. However, I refuse to read/listen to them if every second word is their bait company name, or their sponsor's name and address, or the name of the latest rod they are paid to push. If I want to know what tackle is out there, I'll read the 100 free tackle guides which are glued/nailed/stapled to the magazine. I don't mind the brochures, I enjoy reading them, but surely that is enough product pushing????? And if they do need to highlight what tackle they use, surely they can just put it in a small box, titles "Joe Bloggs used the following tackle/bait", or a "Joe is sponsored by the following companies". That way, if I want to read it I can, or I can ignore it. Maybe a page or two of "reader's stories". These don't need to be paid for, they don't need to be written brilliantly (I can accept it in this section, because this section isn't written by paid up sponsored full-time bivvy dwellers, so they can get away with it). I never want to see a full page advert for cigarettes in these magazines ever again. I'm not anti-smoking, but I do think there is a time and a place for advertising them, and it isn't in a magazine which is targetted at adults and kids alike. OK. I've said my piece, I'm sure there are other points I can't think of right now. I might have said things other people disagree with. Just say your piece (but be nice to me!).

Mmm... I'm quite taken by the Shakespeare Aerial Power Match... Anybody got one? Happy with it? I don't think I've owned anything from Shakespeare since I was a wee lad, well, except for a bait apron. Are they any good these days? I'm not exactly taken with their reels... they seem OK, but not exactly very exciting, but their rods look like good value for money. What do you think? Decisions decisions...

Mmm... I'm quite taken by the Shakespeare Aerial Power Match... Anybody got one? Happy with it? I don't think I've owned anything from Shakespeare since I was a wee lad, well, except for a bait apron. Are they any good these days? I'm not exactly taken with their reels... they seem OK, but not exactly very exciting, but their rods look like good value for money. What do you think? Decisions decisions...

You missed a trick there... if you'd just hooked the old lady, carefully played her in, and put her in your keepnet, nobody would have stood a chance... 6oz roach or no 6oz roach!

You missed a trick there... if you'd just hooked the old lady, carefully played her in, and put her in your keepnet, nobody would have stood a chance... 6oz roach or no 6oz roach!

Wise words... I wasn't thinking straight Alan

Wise words... I wasn't thinking straight Alan

Beating the wife... Alternatively, I thought the Wanderer would be good for general chubbing and wandering about at the river - probably with a centrepin, plus occasionally spinning and pike fishing. The match rod I'd probably use for trotting the river. Also, I like fishing corn for bream and carp on the canal. I've got a fabulous match rod, a Silstar Edge, but it's very light and best for very small fish. If I need something more beefy, I generally use my Allcocks Wizard, or my JW Avon, but at 11ft, I sometimes feel they are little short, especially when trotting where I need the reach to get past the reeds and weed at the water's edge.

Beating the wife... Alternatively, I thought the Wanderer would be good for general chubbing and wandering about at the river - probably with a centrepin, plus occasionally spinning and pike fishing. The match rod I'd probably use for trotting the river. Also, I like fishing corn for bream and carp on the canal. I've got a fabulous match rod, a Silstar Edge, but it's very light and best for very small fish. If I need something more beefy, I generally use my Allcocks Wizard, or my JW Avon, but at 11ft, I sometimes feel they are little short, especially when trotting where I need the reach to get past the reeds and weed at the water's edge.

My birthday on Friday - the big Three Zero! I've already had a Mitchell 300X from my wife, and I'm still waiting for my Chris Lythe 'pin which is due around April time. However, I've asked for vouchers for my local tackle shop from everybody else, and I think I'll get myself a new rod. Well, I've only got about 20 odd, so I probably need a new one! I might get the John Wilson Wanderer Stalker 9ft rod. However, I might instead get myself some kind of power match rod, preferably 13 or 14ft. I reckon to pay about £60-£70 quid. Any recommendations? Happy Birthday to me...Happy Birthday to me...

My birthday on Friday - the big Three Zero! I've already had a Mitchell 300X from my wife, and I'm still waiting for my Chris Lythe 'pin which is due around April time. However, I've asked for vouchers for my local tackle shop from everybody else, and I think I'll get myself a new rod. Well, I've only got about 20 odd, so I probably need a new one! I might get the John Wilson Wanderer Stalker 9ft rod. However, I might instead get myself some kind of power match rod, preferably 13 or 14ft. I reckon to pay about £60-£70 quid. Any recommendations? Happy Birthday to me...Happy Birthday to me...

I had to give this one a bit of thought (not something my brain normally copes very well with!). Why do I post? Well I've suffered from Agoraphobia for the last 10 years, and so while I'm not too bad now, I'm not, and never have been, your "go down the pub" kind of bloke. My friends don't fish, and nobody at work seems to either. For that reason, there isn't too many people around me who I can have a good old natter about fishing too. And if anybody knows me well, then they know I eat, sleep, and dream about fishing. I started posting originally on the standard alt.rec.coarseblahblah news groups, but a) never liked the interface to it, and never really enjoyed it. However, when I first found this site it was a total revelation. The interface was and is great, the content was interesting, and looking at the history, it was obvious that there was some long term posters on the site, and some good friendships that had developed. So, why do I post? First of all, nobody is perfect (except Bushwacker ) and there are many things in fishing I don't understand, or would like to know more about - even after 27 years of fishing. If I post a question, there are usually lots of people with good ideas and opinions, and I really enjoy the discussion/argument/violence that occurs in order to get to the answer). Sometimes, I post when I (think I) know the answer to somebody's question, or feel that I can be helpful. This gives me a good feeling, and make me feel useful and worthwhile (deep psychological thing going on there somewhere!). Maybe I'll post an answer that I believe is right, and somebody might point something out to me that I didn't realise, and allow me to adapt my own fishing. Usually though, I just like to be part of a crowd, particularly this crowd! Elton has brought together a great collection of people from all walks of life (and all over the world). Some are just people who pop in, post a few questions, and pop out again. Fine. That's what this site is good for. However, there are many others who are "permanent residents" who are the real community here. It's just nice to be part of this community of friendly caring people with a similar passion. Sometimes I post simply to be part of that community. Like I'm doing now! So there you go. A big thanx to Elton for this (my number one favourite) internet web site. And a big thanx to the many of you who make up the community. One day, when the panics stop, the phobias die away, and the wife lets me I'd like to meet some of you at one of your fish-in's. Until then, happy fishing.

I had to give this one a bit of thought (not something my brain normally copes very well with!). Why do I post? Well I've suffered from Agoraphobia for the last 10 years, and so while I'm not too bad now, I'm not, and never have been, your "go down the pub" kind of bloke. My friends don't fish, and nobody at work seems to either. For that reason, there isn't too many people around me who I can have a good old natter about fishing too. And if anybody knows me well, then they know I eat, sleep, and dream about fishing. I started posting originally on the standard alt.rec.coarseblahblah news groups, but a) never liked the interface to it, and never really enjoyed it. However, when I first found this site it was a total revelation. The interface was and is great, the content was interesting, and looking at the history, it was obvious that there was some long term posters on the site, and some good friendships that had developed. So, why do I post? First of all, nobody is perfect (except Bushwacker ) and there are many things in fishing I don't understand, or would like to know more about - even after 27 years of fishing. If I post a question, there are usually lots of people with good ideas and opinions, and I really enjoy the discussion/argument/violence that occurs in order to get to the answer). Sometimes, I post when I (think I) know the answer to somebody's question, or feel that I can be helpful. This gives me a good feeling, and make me feel useful and worthwhile (deep psychological thing going on there somewhere!). Maybe I'll post an answer that I believe is right, and somebody might point something out to me that I didn't realise, and allow me to adapt my own fishing. Usually though, I just like to be part of a crowd, particularly this crowd! Elton has brought together a great collection of people from all walks of life (and all over the world). Some are just people who pop in, post a few questions, and pop out again. Fine. That's what this site is good for. However, there are many others who are "permanent residents" who are the real community here. It's just nice to be part of this community of friendly caring people with a similar passion. Sometimes I post simply to be part of that community. Like I'm doing now! So there you go. A big thanx to Elton for this (my number one favourite) internet web site. And a big thanx to the many of you who make up the community. One day, when the panics stop, the phobias die away, and the wife lets me I'd like to meet some of you at one of your fish-in's. Until then, happy fishing.

Line of 2 lb or less - MAXIMA - still good stuff. When chubbing I use 4lb Drennan Super Specialist. For carping (I don't do long range carping, I'm mainly on the canal) or feeder fishing, I use Big Fish Adventure 11 lb Braid. Other lines I use and rate are Fox Strong Steel, which really impressed me, and for bulk-spool filling I use Daiwa Sensor, which is quite good and very cheap.

Line of 2 lb or less - MAXIMA - still good stuff. When chubbing I use 4lb Drennan Super Specialist. For carping (I don't do long range carping, I'm mainly on the canal) or feeder fishing, I use Big Fish Adventure 11 lb Braid. Other lines I use and rate are Fox Strong Steel, which really impressed me, and for bulk-spool filling I use Daiwa Sensor, which is quite good and very cheap.

Yep, and you can bet your bottom euro that the tax man's a fisherman too, so he's going to spend your hard earned cash on HIS new fishing tackle :mad: Hope he gets eaten by his own maggots!

Yep, and you can bet your bottom euro that the tax man's a fisherman too, so he's going to spend your hard earned cash on HIS new fishing tackle :mad: Hope he gets eaten by his own maggots!