Search results

I'd use a 15' rod if I could comfortably use a proper landing net when wading. However, the places I'm wading are either bedrock or cobbles. I've yet to find any way of securing a net and handle that I'm happy with.

I know you do, but equally, you don't like 15'+ rods (for any purpose). I also know that you use a wading net with a longer handle that I'm remotely comfortable using. My wading net of choice is only fractionally longer than a traditional trout scoop net. I'm not comfortable using a rod longer...

The bulk of my float rods are 13' and 15'. I also have a smattering of 11' and 17' rods. I do have the odd 14'er, but that is invariably because there was no 15'er in the range. For no particular reason, I do not own a single 12' float rod. I won't use longer than 13' when wading (save for a...

You'd have to send me one. I don't really do 14' rods.

I don't have a 13' Hi-S for a direct comparison. However, compared to the 15' Hi-S, there's a bit more rigidity in the mid section of the Acolyte. The Acolyte Specimen is closer to what I like to see in a trotting rod. Hi-S are more my idea of a stillwater waggler rod.

Here's one for the insomniacs. It may give some insight as to what's been beefed up, and where, on each rod. 13' Acolyte Ultra ------ 146g (Butt = 113g, Mid = 24g, Tip = 9g) 13' Acolyte Plus ------- 150g (Butt = 115g, Mid = 25g, Tip = 10g) 13' Acolyte Specimen - 168g (Butt = 129g, Mid = 30g...

How far you might trot will depend on the rivers you are fishing. I can well understand someone fishing somewhere like the Warwickshire Avon believing that putting fifty yards of line on a pin as being a bit excessive. I recall fishing a match down there and being a little surprised to get an...

Larger might mean that the club has more members, but it's not always safe to assume that it will result in significantly increased footfall. Most of the clubs, and even a syndicate, I'm in have seen increases in membership over the last few years. This did result in more anglers on the banks...

James actually said "neoprene lined wellies from jack pike". There are loads of neoprene lined wellies, from numerous brands, that are completely covered in rubber. Jack Pyke certainly produce at least two types. https://www.jackpyke.co.uk/products/ashcombe-gusset-wellington...

I feel that Drennan's marketing has a lot to answer for when it comes to some perceptions of the Acolyte float rods. The fact that they brought the Ultras out first led many to believe that they were the standard match/float rod. The Plus arriving later was perceived by many to be a power...

The arbour on the Fox BJ is 100mm give or take a mm or two. With a similar margin for error, the arbour of the 475 Kingpin Zeppelin is 104mm. The 4.5" (modern) Hardy Conquest has a similarly shallow arbour (to the Kingpin Zeppelin), it's about 97mm across. For greater context, 4.5" Young's...

Not for me I'm afraid. It's the old fashioned equivalent of a bite alarm. The noise can be exciting in that it signals a run. Beyond that, the actual sound of either sets my teeth on edge. It's a bit like listening to someone play a decent fish on a fly reel. That gets wearing after a while...

I'm not keen on the prospect either. I'd go for dowel first. If you encounter one for sale, please let me know.

Not by turning either nut or bolt it out it can't, but it might give you something to grip and more even pull than prodding about with some form of hook does. However, if you've got good access to both sides you may as well just gently tap the bearing out with a suitably sized flat headed punch...

Sorry, your question seems to have got lost somehow. That can certainly work when you have unfettered access to both sides of the bearing. If not, it's a bit difficult to get an appropriately sized nut or bolt head through the centre aperture of a bearing you'd like to remove.

OK, but can you not achieve the same with a fixed spool reel? I can think that it might sometimes be a pain with a single handled reel where the handle may "drop" forward in some situations. That might be alleviated by using a double handled (or counterbalanced handle) reel. Alternatively, you...

I'm not knocking anyone's preference. Choosing to use a centrepin often has an aesthetic aspect to it. However, I simply don't see anything but disadvantages in a stillwater environment. As far as I'm concerned, the only reason to use a centrepin on stillwater is because you enjoy using a...

Yes, No more rumble and it's a good deal quieter. It's not true pin quiet, but it's as good as any of my other bearing reels. That's not something that I took any particular notice of before or after. To that end, I couldn't really say either way. I had no concerns before, I have no concerns...

I had absolutely no desire to make the reel more free running. It ran well enough as it was. My sole aim in replacing the bearings was to reduce the noise and rumble that was emanating from the originals. As far as "true pins" are concerned, I've no idea how many are sold. I know that there's...

I've just done my reel. However, it was largely just a dry run for another much more expensive reel that I'm yet to work out how to get into. With that being the case, I opted for far cheaper bearings than Richard did. I was partly swayed by mutterings about some expensive bearings actually...