River carp and multipliers.

[Peter Waller]

As someone else has already pointed out, probably more a question of fashion!

 

Retrieve rate, old chestnut this one. Line per turn of handle really isn't, I don't think, the main issue. Firstly, I can wind a multiplier faster than I can a big, ungainly, but fashionable fixed spool reel. Secondly, with a fish on the end of my line retrieve rate is almost imaterial! And really, does it matter? Most carp anglers only retrieve once in a blue moon! Fishing a river, well, just how much line will be retrieved?

 

The spine of a rod, another old chestnut! I agree that the position of the spine is important but I respectively suggest that, just maybe, it doesn't matter whether the reel is on top or underneath the rod. Put the reel underneath and when you cast the rod bends one way, when you retrieve a fish it bends the other. Now, put the reel on top and when you cast the rod bends one way, when you retrieve a fish it bends the other! However, I do agree that the ringing might be less than ideal, but it doesn't make the rod unusable.

 

Me, I like catching big fish, and that is where the multiplier really scores. Landing on a multiplier leaves a fixed spool standing.

 

[ 08. September 2003, 10:15 PM: Message edited by: Peter Waller ]

[Newt]

DF - I know what you mean about some rod companies ignoring spine. And I've learned to ignore their rods.

 

Since you have to line the rings up at some point on the blank and since I have yet to feel/test a blank that didn't have an easily locatable spine, I really don't see why the rings shouldn't be placed to work with the natural bend of the blank.

 

And FWIW, I use almost nothing but multipliers for all my fishing. The one exception is in a river when the current is running really fast and the clicker won't hold. Then I break out the baitrunner reels and adjust the baitrunner tension to just barely hold the bait against the force of the water.

 

Budgie - help me out here. I understand why you'd need a "fast" reel for some types of lure angling when you need to be able to easily "burn" the lure back to you. Less strain if the reel is designed to do just that. But with bait fishing, I prefer a lower gear ratio on the reel. Easier to deal with a big fish and you can't get in a hurry with those fellas anyway. I got the set of Abu 7000C3 reels I normally use now because of the low gearing rather than getting similar C4 reels that had a higher (faster) ratio.

[Dick Dastardly]

You are quite right Peter with the bending one way whilst casting and the other when playing a fish.But this is where the actual use of the rod must be taken into acount and the requirements prioritised.A good example is a high performance beach rod.The stress the blank is put under by a modern power casting style like the pendulum is far in excess of any stress reeling in a fish would put it under.I have seen rods where the reel seat/rings have been put on the wrong side of the spline (for whichever reel has been used) where all the whipping finnish has cracked as the rings have moved around the blank where the blank has tried to flex in the direction of minimum resistance.In extreme cases I have seen composite blanks (very common in top of the range beach rods)starting to break down.If you look at the 2 most common styles of power casting (pendulum and back cast)they need oposite spline alignment to each other,even with the same reel style! On the other hand my cat fishing rods which have a through action are under a lot more pressure whilst playing a fish than casting so I always ring them on the soft side of the spline.Extreme examples admitedly.Now for the old chestnut,Wot about when you cast with a fly rod I hear people say Ah erm!!!!!In all fairness in most cases it doesnt really matter if you ring on the spline or soft side but never ,never on the side and make sure any matching rods are the same.As I said it only takes a few seconds to get it right.

 

[ 08. September 2003, 10:35 PM: Message edited by: BUDGIE ]

[dogfish]

Hi again

It is perhaps also worth considering the cost of some reels.The last multiplier I bought was an ABU Ambassadeur 6501C which I bought in a Kmart in Oregon for about £30.The same reel in the UK cost around £110 at the time.This may also affect their popularity.To be honest I don't use one for coarse fishing either.I don't know why! Fashion again I suppose.

[Peter Waller]

Thanks Budgie! I was expecting a response from Diamond Geezer, you got there first, and quite right too. I was being a bit dogmatic for DG's benefit .

 

Tell me though, do you use a fixed spool for catting from a boat? No catches, just interest. Just seems to me that that is one time when surely a multiplier rules, but I still see pictures of fixed spools being used with 200 pound fish being chased!

[poledark]

Having spent several hundred or more hours tournament casting and practising, using the pendulum cast, I can tell you quite categorically that it is the casting action that twists the rings around the rod. The cast is following one line and the lead is being dragged behind and twisting the blank.

 

Den

[Dick Dastardly]

NEWT-When you have a fast fish running towards you.

PETE-Yes I do some times!You are quite right a multiplier is a much stronger reel and the big cats certainly screw up the Shimmano 6500's we use.But in general I stick to the fixed spools.And why,GULP fashion I supose......oh er gets us all in the end I suppose!

DEN-A valid point "cuting the corner"on the pendulm cast is a big factor in this.I too base this on my tournement casting days.Also long conversations with the likes of Terry Carroll.As an ex rod builder I have seen hundreds of examples of this.Bad casting style coupled with incorect spline alignment can literally tear the rod apart.Most common in the area where the softer tip section is grafted into the higher carbon.Your a Kent man arn't you? did you used to attend the tournements at Hawkinge Aerodrome and Southlands school?