Hello from Cumbria

[Merseamudboy]

Just to make it plain, I am a complete novice at fishing even as I approach an age I never imagined. As a young lad I'd dangle lug and rag worm over the side of a boat and catch flatties but that was a while ago.

I recently visited Loch Earn. My lady and I hired a boat and all the gear we needed to go 'trolling'. I caught one brown trout and I absolutely loved it. With spinning for trout in mind I bought a rod and reel online and gathered together some odds and ends. 

I realised that my 9' Okuma rod rated at 15-45g casting weight was probably not suitable for spinning with lightweight spinners so my local angling shop was visited and a Shimano Catana rod with a 2-5g CW was bought. With my Okuma 30 series Helios SX reel I spent nearly 4 hours sorting out my casting at an extremely low Thirlemere with a variety of spinners and I didn't have a single bite.  I still loved it.

I'm learning all the time. I'm planning a visit to Estwaite before the end of September. I was thinking of spinning from the bank but they recommend hiring a boat. I'm really enjoying the cast and retrieve type of fishing at the moment and I'm not so sure about sitting around waiting for a bite or ground baiting etc.

I'm not sure about other types of freshwater fishing. Is there a use for my Okuma rod? I live in Kendal in the Lake District and I have a rod license although I haven't joined a club. Any advice would be appreciated.

Peter

[S63]

Welcome to the forum Peter

 

Ive only been back fishing for a few years after a short 40 year break! I freshwater fish and in the past couple,of years have started spinning for bass from my local beach here in Whitstable.  You could certainly put that rod to other uses, drop shotting and spinning for perch etc.

[BoldBear]

Hi Peter and welcome to the forum, and to the sport of Angling 

your 15 to 45g spinning rod can be used for Pike using Plugs and Lures and at a push for Carp and Barbel allthough you’d be better off using a dedicated Barbel type rod.

 

And as S63 said your light spinning rod could be used for drop shotting or spinning for Perch, and even for fishing for Very small sea fish off of a harbour wall or off rocks; as long as the fish are not too big.

keith

Edited September 7, 2021 by BoldBear

[Martin56]

H Peter, welcome to the Forum bud,

You might consider using an  "Inline, Back Lead" with your 15 - 45 g Rod. You could then use your small spinners & also cast further near/along the bottom. These are Tungsten (Non Toxic) ones as Actual Leads below 1 oz are Illegal in Freshwater.

You get 18 of these for £3.99??

https://www.anglingdirect.co.uk/

Edited October 5, 2021 by Martin56