Acolyte users??

[Roy Daintith]

Correct Richard. Sorry - obviously meant to write 'Revengers'. Apologies for any confusion. I could do a better pic but not sure it would add. Whippings are black with gold tipping so mimicking the Normark style of that time

 

[Christian Tyroll]

I don’t disagree the GTI su is very capable with big fish, I just couldn’t get on with the weight of it.

The original free spirit has been brilliant to be fair. I always knew it was good but never really appreciated just how good it was until i started catching one or two from the nene this year.

the average fish is around 12lb and they don’t need to travel much more than 5-8 yards to find a snag. That’s a different ball game completely to having fun, letting them run around freely, tiring themselves out on the Trent.
It Just would be nice to hook more of them. You wade through a good few blanks on there before the float sails away with a barbel.

Richard, not having much experience of fish at that size or in that situation I’m genuinely interested how you play them. I’m aware you use a pin for the float fishing so is it hit and hold from the start, giving very hard won line when you feel you can? What strength line are you using?

I’ve only caught the one double in a tiny hit and hold situation and it was with 12lb underrated mono, rapidex and 1.75lb rod, unbelievably exciting but also harrowing.

 

[Neil Watson]

I'll bite because I'd like to know. Are these new rods from a freshly resurrected Normark brand (owned by Rapala VMC) or are they Milo Titan 2024s/Milo Titanics?

Not sure where the blanks originate from, other than they were Normark prototypes

 

[Richard Isaacs]

Richard, not having much experience of fish at that size or in that situation I’m genuinely interested how you play them. I’m aware you use a pin for the float fishing so is it hit and hold from the start, giving very hard won line when you feel you can? What strength line are you using?

I’ve only caught the one double in a tiny hit and hold situation and it was with 12lb underrated mono, rapidex and 1.75lb rod, unbelievably exciting but also harrowing.

That is a difficult question to answer because you don’t really know what you’re going to have to do until you set the hook and see how it’s going to respond.

If I had to generalize then I’d say the 6-9lb bracket of fish are most likely to give you trouble initially.
They charge off in all manner of directions with no real predictability of where they are going to head to. While they are doing this I find side strain with a low rod is best to slow them down and often submerge the tip itself. You’ll feel them roll over the line and that’s when you’ve managed to turn her.
If she’s hugging the bottom them you obviously play them with the rod as high as possible to avoid your line coming into contact with any nasty stuff on the river bed.
Despite being more trouble initially, you’ll put them in the net a lot quicker.

Bigger fish come with their own set of problems but they are more predictable and give you more time to respond generally.

they will try and stay as low as possible and often you are spending the majority of time playing them with the rod high. When they do go for a run it might be slower but it’s a lot harder to stop them and you do have to trust the tackle and the rod to do its job. Sometimes you have to stop them and you should be geared up to do so. Again side strain and very low if it’s charging off to try get it to turn, then up nice and high once it’s turned to keep it off the bottom.

Netting up is obviously the danger zone. Pin or fixed spool be prepared to give line quickly because it’s very unlikely she’ll slip straight in first time.

Sorry it’s a bit of a duff reply. I don’t really know how to answer your question better.

I use 0.23 line for my float fishing for barbel.
It’s about 8lb in most brands

 

[Christian Tyroll]

That is a difficult question to answer because you don’t really know what you’re going to have to do until you set the hook and see how it’s going to respond.

If I had to generalize then I’d say the 6-9lb bracket of fish are most likely to give you trouble initially.
They charge off in all manner of directions with no real predictability of where they are going to head to. While they are doing this I find side strain with a low rod is best to slow them down and often submerge the tip itself. You’ll feel them roll over the line and that’s when you’ve managed to turn her.
If she’s hugging the bottom them you obviously play them with the rod as high as possible to avoid your line coming into contact with any nasty stuff on the river bed.
Despite being more trouble initially, you’ll put them in the net a lot quicker.

Bigger fish come with their own set of problems but they are more predictable and give you more time to respond generally.

they will try and stay as low as possible and often you are spending the majority of time playing them with the rod high. When they do go for a run it might be slower but it’s a lot harder to stop them and you do have to trust the tackle and the rod to do its job. Sometimes you have to stop them and you should be geared up to do so. Again side strain and very low if it’s charging off to try get it to turn, then up nice and high once it’s turned to keep it off the bottom.

Netting up is obviously the danger zone. Pin or fixed spool be prepared to give line quickly because it’s very unlikely she’ll slip straight in first time.

Sorry it’s a bit of a duff reply. I don’t really know how to answer your question better.

I use 0.23 line for my float fishing for barbel.
It’s about 8lb in most brands

Thank you, I think that is how I would have gone about it but good to have some confirmation for when it happens.