[My Rod Restoration Project]

An update on progress, pics to follow.

 

Scraping/sanding of all three blank sections is almost complete, a tedious task but necessary if the final finish is to be any good.

 

The cork handle was coated with washing up liquid, wrapped in cling film and after being left overnight given a good scrub. The results are remarkable and I was tempted to leave as is but there are lots of dings and ‘crevices’ so it’ll be filled and sanded back.

 

Where I’m a bit stuck is deciding which blank varnish to go for. Ideally I’d like a simple non-mix product that can be applied by brush, my local tackle shop suggested Humbrol enamel but there are a number of different products available. It’ll also need to be compatible with the whipping finish which’ll be slow Araldite.

 

Any ideas?

 

 

 

I used some varnish called pro rod varnish. It's got a yeollow sticker on the container. I think it's usually available on ebay. I think humbrol's ok also and there are lots of people who use it.

 

Here's the item number of some pro rod on ebay 350281524549

[What mono?]

I use Daiwa sensor for both still water fishing and trotting the river (never had a problem with it sinking as it doesn't for me). If using it for still waters then to sink it i just dip the rod tip in the water and wind in till it's submergerd (overcast your spot so you can do this and have your float sitting where you want it with your line submerged).

[Testing rigs to destruction]

Just a word of warning! I believe doing this is very bad for your scales! Make sure you do it with a pair you don't much care if you ruin!

 

Rich

 

 

 

I have heard that before but I've also heard it doesn't do them any harm. It doesn't seem to have damaged mine anyway. I suppose if you did it over and over everyday it might damage them.

 

Yes, thank's Wyeknot I already have that on my favourites.

[Testing rigs to destruction]

I tied on a spade end hook hooked it over the scale hook and pulled the line (Daiwa sensor 6lb) slowly until it snapped. The sensor snapped at 7 1/2lb and then repeated the process with maxima chameleon 8lb and it snapped at bang on 8lb. Next I tried tying the line direct to the scales via a grinner/uni knot and got the same result. I trid it with nash bullet in 12lb (tied direct to the scale hook) and it broke at 17lb plus. I tried them all several times and got the same outcome.

[Flavoured fake corn anyone?]

Sorry i just spotted it in the AT which said it was new. Maybe they test it on wiganers first, as if they can catch with it....

 

 

I only used the stuff once at wingham and actually .......I caught nowt, zero, zilch

I'll try it again possibly to aid presentation (pop up) but the fish round here arn't as easily fooled as those daft southern fish, it seems they'll just take ewt

[Flavoured fake corn anyone?]

I know there was some interest in flavouring fake corn a bit back and i have just spotted Enterprise tackle have started doing it.

 

Click here.

 

And it comes in Esterberry, a classic big bream flavour.

 

 

I got some tuti fruiti last year, i think it's been out for yonk's Brian. Come outt'a them there hills more often bud lol.

[Testing rigs to destruction]

However, on a straight pull I was able to break these quite easily, in a variety of places...

 

 

Did you not test at what weight the line etc broke ?

[Robin red]

Probably the most successful bait additive ever. I have caught loads and loads of tench when using it as an additive to method mixes,and in boilies, over a period of maybe 30 years. I would hazard a guess that at least 50% of bait manufacturers add some to their mix/baits.

 

And of course a few million bream

 

Den

 

 

As far as I was aware it's mainly just a red dye with a bit of peppery spice.

 

Just rememberd my friend miroku used it in his ground bait mix at wingham last year......eels seemed to like it

[Giant Ebro Roach]

Ive just been reading this weeks AT and there is a story about the roach fishing on the river Ebro. It claims catches of 3lb, 4lb and 5lb roach are possible and that there is even rumours of them pushing 6lb. Sorry can't find a link.

 

I'm not at all interested really , but just thought i would ask if anyone has fished it for roach or knows anything about the roach in there?

 

 

 

I've heard 6lb roach are common in Holland, don't know how true it is though.

[Robin red]

I think it's just a dye and nothing more. I've used some on occasions mixed in my crumb when tench fishing and some friends have used it bream fishing in Ireland. It's nowt special.

[Ultimate bobbin]

Yeah but A lot of time twitching bait can bring a bite on Den as it brings attension to the bait.

[2 has to better than 1...surely! :-)]

I'd say it depends on the water being fished and how prolific it is. It's pretty pointless/demoralising fishing one rod on a specimine water like say Wingham for example where bites on the majority of occassions (well in my case anyhow) are few and far between. If a water is pretty prolific and action is fast and furious then one rod is going to be enough.

There's always the option of winding one rod in if things get to hectic to leave both out.

[Normark match rods]

Hello JP, thank's for the excellent advice...you are right and I do love them now.

 

Yes Brian, I am now officially Tigger Normark !

 

Not be long m8 and you'll be a Normark fan n'all

[Ultimate bobbin]

Tigger - If you only want to pin down your line a few feet up the line then I would suggest you look at the new Korda Sinkers. These are float stop shaped weights that you slide on the line in the same way but are heavy so they sink the line. they come in two sizes, I think, and are dark in colour so they will blend in with the lake/river bed.

 

Steve C.

 

 

Thank's for that Steve but the kordas are one use only arn't they and the flyers are re usable until lost ? I want to pin my line as much as poss from the rod tip to the bait that's why I was thinking of useing both a captive and a flying back lead. I've got some of the fox flyers and some fox and gardner captives, so I'll give em a whirl when I get the opportunity.

[Ultimate bobbin]

Rarely used the flying ones, they never seem to fly back for me

 

The tethered backleads I use are my own design, and weigh 1 1/2oz. They usually come off when I get a take/run, but sometimes when the pickup is very slow, they stay on until I pull in to the fish. They actually formed the basic design for the Fox Springloks

 

I have had one instance where a fish dived under one of the other backleaded lines, an almighty tangle, but without a backlead I often got in a mess with 3 lines tangled up............................thats when I designed my backleads 3 lots of expensive Powerpro tangled in the dark is no joke.

 

Den

 

 

 

I was thinking of putting a float stop several feet up my line (back from my rig) so even if the flying lead doesn't slide back down my line it's still doing a job inbetween the captive backlead and the bait (if you get me).

[River Fishing In The North West]

The thing is on a hell of a lot of waters during the closed season for coarse fish fly only is the rule. The chap must have a club book to look up the waters rules or contact the club secretary as Alan has already said.

[River Fishing In The North West]

Just received the following from the same person, I believe. Any sensible answers?

 

 

He's from the travelling circus....he must be

 

I wonder what club he's in ?

[Ultimate bobbin]

Den, have you ever used flying backleads and captive backleads together ? It's something I'm gonna try out myself. Just curious what type/weight of backlead you use also ?

[Bait feeder reels]

As I ssaid before, the planning is almost as good as using them.

 

 

Yeah, your right about that.

One thing I do like about the spro 's is the gearing (worm gears) being the same as the older abu reels like the c4/c5 etc and even the brilliant later models like the suveran.

[Bait feeder reels]

I know it's nothing to do with me but personally I'd give both of those a wide birth. I think if I didn't get shimano's I'd got for the Okuma reels.

 

Check this out 230371017325

[Bait additives]

You could Ian, but personally I think its an expensive way of summer fishing as i use a lot more bait in summer so i tend to use a feeder more then.

 

 

I used a method feeder last year Brian and did ok, not as good as you mind but pretty good for me.

I think this year I deffo want to have a good go at them with the trotting gear. You'll have to show me some good runs

I only got one last summer and that was on my local stream where there isn't supposed to be any.

I intend to have some sessions after tench in the comeing weeks(when It warms up a bit) n'all, if you fancy a dabble you know where I am.

[Bait additives]

Maybe, but its pike and eels that spring to mind.

 

 

You only need to watch fish in a pond or fishtank and virtually every species will munch on bits of fish.

[Manly rod names, do we need them?]

So is Savage Gears advertising right, is it super stiff, yet sensitive

 

 

used to have the super fast action but it's played out a bit now

[Manly rod names, do we need them?]

have you got an 8ft Boner"

 

 

 

YES as it happens !!

[Bait additives]

I might be getting a bit of topic, but that's something Ive played around with for winter barbelling on the river where Ive always thought sent trials being washed down stream worked well.

 

A bait that Ive been using and done OK with which comes in boilie and paste form along with a glug is what used. First i tried the glug in a foam filled feeder as you say, but it didn't seem to help much. Mean while I decided that the paste which seemed to catch barbel well work better with out glug on it. Not keen on the look of this glug (the paste was freezer bait the glug wasn't) i made my own glug by adding water to some paste in the liquidizer and tried that. Sadly despite giving it few good go's my other rod which was fished with broken up boilie of the same flavour in a PVA sock still seems to keep on winning.

 

I know shark anglers seem to do OK with liquid attractor's (blood) and the carp lads....., but i can't think that they have ever help me coarse fishing much.

 

 

 

I'll get some pva sock then Brian for this summers river sessions. I've often thought (but never put into practice due to the mess) about useing chopped liver in a feeder and a peice on the hook and see if that does any good for beards.

I've started soaking trout pellets and making them into paste then mixing it with crumb as an attractant(mixing in corn, pellets or maggots etc), making it quite sticky so it stays firm, sinks to the bottom well and breaks down slowly releasing a scent/attractant for a decent spell. I reckon it all boils down to a basic burly really just the same as sea anglers use. I bet fish chopped up and some liquidised would be better than all the others put together, lets face it I think all fish eat fish.