robtherake

They're brilliant. Whether anyone ever paid the RRP for one is open to debate, but believe me; you'll be hard pushed to find a better pin for 26 notes.

I agree to a certain extent, Phone. If I was still using the same top of the range fibreglass float rods available in the early eighties when i first had (as a single man) unlimited funds, and had never experienced the ease which modern equipment enabled me to fish, then I'd never know the difference and would still be thrashing away with the same old kit. Having to some extent succumbed to the hype and experienced what good design and modern materials are capable of it would be difficult to have to return to the limitations imposed by the gear of the time. The freedom given by more capable and responsive equipment is to take the onus away from the limitations imposed by inferior tech and allow the angler to concentrate on what really matters; ie presntation, watercraft and so on.

I agree with all you've said. The point I tried to make is that all too often a young or inexperienced (or returning) angler will only consider the current retail price of the latest equipment when they could get far better value by buying top of the range ( tried and tested) second-hand gear which has seen very little use for far less than their stated budget. Edit- I apologise if I sound contrary; it's an addition to your post, not a a contradiction.

Both the rods I've mentioned are capable of lifting a 1kg deadweight straight off the floor; try that with most rods and it's curtains. Not that anyone is going to lift out a 2lb fish to prove the point, but for a float rod they can exert an awesome amount of power without sacrificing the sensitivity necessary for fun with smaller quarry. Despite their price tag a used example in mint nick can be had for less than the RRP of a cheap rod.. Simples.

A used Maver Reactorlite No 1 match or Preston Innovations Carbonactive would be my choice. Both have a sensitive enough tip for silver bashing but have a progressive anti-lock action easily capable of subduing an animal, should you encounter one. Current price on Ebay; £50-70.

A teetotal Scot! Whatever next

That would be unusual, to say the least, Phil. On front drag reels the clip holds the drag washers in place and shouldn't be removed unless you need to change the washers themselves (a rare occurence). When changing spools, all you need to do is to unscrew the drag knob and remove the spool, pop on another one and refit the drag knob. Make sure you've reset the drag to your liking and that's it.

Trefor West's "Barbel - A Lifetimes Addiction" is a good place to start. It's well written, thought-provoking and an absolute must for barbel addicts.

I have some somewhere that I made for fishing on a very silty bottom, Andy. They're fashioned from balsa; roughly arlesey bomb-shaped, with a swivel glued in one end and a bomb glued in the other. It took a little while to get the proportions right, but when balanced they sink very slowly and it was not uncommon to get bites on the drop. They're also useful for fishing on top of submerged weed.

I've had some nice all-weather gear from Craghoppers, Mike. They aren't cheap, but I'm a thrifty chap and find that TK Maxx have returns and older stock at huge discounts. They do Berghaus and others too. You'd probably struggle to get a waistcoat there, but for more general clothing it's worth a shufti.

Bump. Where's Worms when you need him!

I've resurrected this thread as I've just taken delivery of a 440 and would like to upgrade the drag. It never bothered me in the past, since I used to play fish off the handle, but the old fingers aren't as nimble these days so a good clutch is a necessity.

Is that a Drennan waggler rod, Tigger? I bought one back in '88 when they came out and have regretted parting with it ever since it was sold. Of late, I got around to wondering whether it really was as good as I remembered, so when a decent example came up on Ebay it was snapped up. In terms of action, balance, weight and finish it's as least as good as I remember and every bit as as impressive as its modern counterparts; perhaps better. Drennan made some fabulous rods in that period. Edit - Top angling, BTW

Another cracking read. I remember the eager anticipation of opening my weekly boyhood comic; opening your posts gives me a not dissimilar feeling. Splendid stuff

Thanks, Matthew. Candle wax was the first thing I tried; sadly it didn't work, but a smear of super glue did the trick. ;

Andy, you may find this video useful, mate. It's the Wychwood Solace reel but the ACS system is the same as for the MAP reels. I've been using them (the Wychwoods, that is) for a while now and have to say that I'm well pleased with them.

Most larger DIY stores provide a wood cutting service and are a good source of free sawdust, if you're passing. Damn it! It looks like time to look out a biscuit tin and breed some mawks at the allotment, where the smell won't matter - curse your enthusiasm, Coyle! Just enough for hookbaits, though, let's not get carried away here. It'll be interesting to compare their effectiveness against shop-bought maggots.

A charming tale, Mark, and one which transported me directly to some happy childhood memories; I thank you for that, Sir. The pictures are excellent - were they taken on a phone?

Phone, Since it's a fibreglass rod - and a carp rod at that - the blank above the handle is as thick as my thumb! The male ferrule was coated last night with a single coat of super glue, applied with the finger of a latex glove. Amazingly, it was all that was required and the rattle has gone altogether. How's that for the quickest and cheapest repair ever Thanks, Andy, for the miracle cure, and thanks again to all who gave advice.

Thanks for your suggestions, gents. A very thorough inspection with a magnifying glass has all but ruled out a split or damage to the female side of the joint. The whipping is 100% intact, and I've looked as far up the inside of the blank as possible. If it's a split, it must be less than hair-fine. So it looks like I don't need to do any surgery and I'll try super glue first, followed by epoxy if that doesn't work. Phone, The male ferrule is scratched in places back to the brown base colour (the rod is factory painted black) so I suspect that there has been gritty dirt in the joint at some point in its life and that the previous owner didn't know or care.

I bought a minty fibreglass Sundridge carp rod ( 11ft,1 3/4lb test) from the boot sale for a couple of quid, intending to strip the (excellent) Fuji rings from it. After getting it home and having had a play with it, I find that it's a surprisingly good rod - light and well balanced with a nice, progressive action - so I intend to make use of it. The only fly in the ointment is a slight rattle from the joint when the rod is waggled. It's a spigotless overslide joint, and there are signs of wear to the male section on the mating surface. Is it possible to build up the joint with the stuff pole anglers use, or is there another way? (BTW, I've tried candle wax, without improvement!).

I hooked a waterlogged piece of wood on a size 8 Animal - must have weighed 3 stone - it took ages to slowly pull in (I couldn't lift it out and had to reach down to unhook it) and not only was the hook unmarked, it was still sharp enough to fish with. It's still my biggest catch.....

Great hooks, Andrew, but very thick in the wire.

A friend's uncle used to turn up occasionally with his own maggots. On the odd occasion that he had enough for us to beg some, our catch rates improved dramatically. He used the remains of filleted fish as feed for them. They were big, fat, super-lively and ponged bloody awful if you burst one! They sank much more slowly than a regular maggot, and perhaps this was their attraction.

Mike, Drennan wide-gape specialist hooks might just be what you need. As far as rods are concerned, have a look at the Maver Reactorlite No 1 float rod. Plenty of give in the tip and real power lower down the blank for when you need it. Line pick up is good, too. You can find them on the bay for as little as fifty quid (£140 retail - if you shop around - normally £160).