looking for a sleeper setup

[Darren T]

I am looking to pick up a rod and reel that i can set up in the margins or to a feature and leave to its own devices while i persue my float fishing as normal. While i am just glad to accept any bite that comes along it would be nice to hook into the odd larger one during the day for a bit of variety.

 

Does anyone have any speific reccomendations or a setup like this themselves? It doesnt need to be top of the range by any stretch of the imagination.

 

I'll need to get:

Rod

Reel

Line

alarm

and the end tackle not used for float fishing.

 

any help will be most welcome

[Steve Burke]

I'll leave it to others to recommend other items of tackle. It would help though if you told us more about the waters you intend to fish.

 

For bite alarms I'd recommend those from Good Fishing. Regulars have probably got fed up with my menntioning these again - I've been doing so almost since Angler's Net was formed.

 

They're British-made and highly reliable. What's more, you buy post free direct from the maker and so they're exceptional value or money. Go to http://www.goodfishing.ltd.uk/

[Darren T]

Thanks for that Steve. The waters i am going to be fishing mostly are those of the Crawley Angling Society. i have included the descriptions given out then the site for those waters

 

Ballast Hole, Pound Hill, Crawley offers a 3 acre lake (20 swims) stocked with Carp (up to 15lb), Roach, Rudd, Perch, Pike and Tench. This is a good lake for night fishing. One of the best CAS Carp lakes. Surrounded by fields, access to this lake is a short walk across fields, and a new footpath has been installed, which is suitable for wheelchair disabled. Live bait is allowed at this lake.

 

Buchan Park, Crawley is stocked with Bream, Carp (30lb+), Pike (30lb+), Crucian Carp, Tench to 8lb, Roach and Rudd. This 5 acre lake (36 swims) offers the angler a good day’s fishing. Night fishing is NOT allowed. Fishing from dawn till dusk only. Set in the heart of Buchan Country Park, this is an ideal lake for disabled anglers as access to the lake is on concrete paths, just a short distance from the car park. Being a lake with “special scientific interest” (SSI), this is the only CAS lake which maintains the statutory close season.

 

New Pond, Pease Pottage (at the end of the M23) is a firm favourite with existing members. Set in a valley in quiet countryside, this lake has been refurbished and restocked and has Pike up to 35lb, Common and Mirror over 20lb, plus all the common varieties. You will need the combination for the lock to the gate if you wish to take your car to the lakeside car park. The lake is only 50 yds from the car park and a disabled access ramp suitable for wheelchair disabled and those with trolleys makes easy access for anyone. Live baiting allowed. Restricted night fishing.

 

River Mole, Horley. Four and a half miles of the River Mole is available to fish in 3 sections. The statutory close season still remains on this river. Barbel and Chub in abundance. Parking is close to the river at the Horley Anderson Pool site. Excellent summer and winter river fishing.

 

Weirwood Reservoir, Forest Row, East Grinstead has been added to the venues available for CAS members. A 280 swim reservoir set in the heart of rural Sussex. You can arrange direct with the Weirwood management hire of one of their boats or trout fish. Your CAS membership covers you to pleasure fish only.

 

Stubpond Fisheries, Lingfield has 5 lakes for CAS member’s use. For this lake only, you pay on arrival £2 for 2 rods on 4 of the lakes, and £5 for 2 rods if you use the SPECIMEN lake. Stubpond has a club house on site where you can purchase food, drinks, small amounts of tackle and bait. Toilet facilities (including disabled) are on site with 5 swims suitable for wheelchair disabled. Anglers under 16 must be accompanied by an adult here. Night fishing is by arrangement between you and Stubpond. There are 208 swims between the 5 lakes, so you won’t have trouble picking a good spot!

 

Most of the waters have some nice sized fish swiming about but no absolute monsters as you sometimes see and as i said previously, it's just a setup to leave at its own devices while i enjoy my float fishing.

Edited May 26, 2008 by Darren T

[dant]

I'll leave it to others to recommend other items of tackle. It would help though if you told us more about the waters you intend to fish.

 

For bite alarms I'd recommend those from Good Fishing. Regulars have probably got fed up with my menntioning these again - I've been doing so almost since Angler's Net was formed.

 

They're British-made and highly reliable. What's more, you buy post free direct from the maker and so they're exceptional value or money. Go to http://www.goodfishing.ltd.uk/

 

Cheers Steve. I must of missed your plugs in the past.

 

I'm going to order a couple of those. They look good value and decent alarms. My poor little fox mini has pretty much seized up due to a lack of action..

 

Darren T.

 

Looking at the sort of waters you may be fishing I would suggest a stepped up avon or Barbel type rod or even perhaps a light Carp rod. Look for something maybe between 1.5lb tc to 2lb's they should be fine for light to medium weight Carp, Tench or even the Barbel in the river.

Pair that up with a smaller baitrunner reel. Think 5000 sized Shimanos or similar. A bait runner will be handy as if you're float fishing with the other rod just out of reach and a 20lb Carp picks up the bait your other rod could be off across the lake..

Dependant on the rod you go for, 8-10lb lines should be fine.

 

If you're careful you might be able to pick a good set up for around £100 that'll last you years..

 

I'll leave it to others to suggest brands/makes..

[Darren T]

thanks for that dant. i was definatly thinking baitrunner style to give me a few second to get a hold of the rod and also funnily enough about that kind of size as i dont think i am going to be casting out crazy distances.

 

i understand that a rods TC is just how much weight it takes to pull the rod through 90 degrees. i assume that with a higher TC you can cast out further because you can use a heavier weight?

[dant]

Hello Darren

 

You're right about the TC but it's not always as scientific as that as a lot depends on the action of the rod. A softer through action 2lb t.c rod isn't going to put an ounce and a half lead the distance of a faster actioned 1.5 or 1.75 t.c rod.

 

A rod of 1.5, 1.75 or 2lb's t.c will be a very versatile tool.

 

Maybe if I had to call it. I might suggest a 1.75 through actioned rod, a shimano 5000 baitrunner with a spool of 8 and one of 10lb line, one of those alarms from Steves post or a fox micron of some kind and a selection of leads between an oz and say 2 1/2.

 

Have a chat to your local tackle dealer and they should put you on the right track.

[Peter Waller]

Got to say that I have reservations about this idea of intently float fishing whilst leaving another rod to fish for itself. We used to have a known thirty pound pike that was caught by such an angler. The pike rig did not get the attention that it should have, our nurtured pike became a dead pike, pitiful finding her floating in the reeds a few days after the event. Personally I think that anglers should stick to one species and give them 100%.

[Darren T]

While I understand your concerns Peter i have to confess that this was not an idea that i came up with. It was actualy one of the feature articles in this months IYCF. With a real life story like that i would be inclined to contact them with your concerns as they will probably at least print it and allow more people to see the potential dangers.

 

I will add however that i'll never leave the rod unattended in as much as not being within 2 feet of it and wide awake at all times. As a beginner i take the welfare of the fish and my environment very seriously.

[Peter Waller]

Perhaps, Darren, you shouldn't take IYCF to seriously. As a beginner I would suggest that you master one technique before you take on another. Float fishing is a wonderful technique, it really needs 100% to get the most from it.

[Peter M]

To be honest i have tried to do this and if the waters you are fishng have quite a few fish in them you will be up and down from one method to the other as the fish come fast on both methods and it can be exhusting. fishng last year on a club water i had the problem of playing a four pound bream on the float rod and a double figure carp on the carp rod, i had two landing nets so just managed to do it but it was hairy. if though you are fishing for carp and there are only a few carp in and you want to amuse your self catching slivers then why not. on runs waters though i either fish one carp rod or one float rod but not both at the same time.