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Not the biggest tench I've had from the water by a long way. However, there's a good chance this is the biggest tench I've had that was bred in the lake. I was far happier to see this little pup at 2lb 3oz than the 4lb 12oz fish I had an hour before.

At a guess, South Yorkshire. Is that too far from the Death Star?;)

Some folks appear to have a happy knack of catching when others don't. However, all may not be as it seems. We generally don't know whether that angler has fished the swim hundreds of times, watched someone else fish it a week ago, pre-baited for a week or was provided lots of information by a...

I've seen barbel, carp and golden orfe with kinked spines. I'd guess that it's a genetic deformity common to cyprinids. However, I'd also wonder whether fish reaching maturity with such deformities is more likely in farmed fish.

Spool diameter steps up incrementally from 3000 to 4000 to 5000. 3000 is 46.5mm 4000 is 51mm 5000 is 54mm The 3000 body and rotor is significantly smaller than 4000 and 5000. The bodies of the 4000 and 5000 appear to be the same size, but I've not actally measured them. I'd assume that the...

Pedantic point of order, that's not an abbreviated handle. I also didn't say that I'd never seen an abbreviated handle on a float rod. I have, I've just never seen or heard of anyone actually wanting one (or one like the link with a shrink wrap handle, though I suspect it might work better than...

The XT Maggot hooks are simply an eyed version of the Acolyte Maggot Plus hooks. I've been using Acolyte Super Spades, Acolyte Grippers, Acolyte Maggot Plus and Acolyte Silverfish for nearly as long as they've been available (Surprisingly, almost three years for some, less for the Super...

That's the first time I've seen or heard an advocate for an abbreviated handle on a float rod.

Drennan's overseas facility is in Mauritius. However, I understand that rods are produced in a Chinese factory.

If you like the rods enough and the only issue you have with them is the rings, then replacing the guides might not be a bad idea. However, only you can make that call. It might be a good idea to get some quotes for the job before you decide whether it may be worth it.

The EA have stocked small barbel into the Tees tributaries (Skerne and Clow Beck) several times over the last ten years or so. In a similar time frame, I've been told that they refused to stock the Swale and refused to allow riparian owners to stock commercially sourced fish. A few years back...

Dave, 13' two piece, 228g. (Good job I checked again as I hadn't remembered despite weighing it about five hours ago.🫏) That's about 3oz more than my lightest 13/14' rods. 13' Acolyte Specimen is 168g. I hope the 1lb 2oz and the 12' version will be a fraction less, but I can't say if they are.

Being particular about two piece 13' rods leaves you with Hobson's choice. As far as I'm aware, you've currently got Freespirit (Tamer and Hi-S) and TB Darent Valley. If you are prepared to go second hand, you might get some older FS models and perhaps others. However, you won't be falling over...

I hope it's a Microlight. If not, my interest is diminishing before they are even in the shops.

I appreciate that. The reason for not liking them is nothing to do with them potentially damaging reels. I simply do not want to have my hands in contact with a metal reel seat when fishing. If you could get a decent centrepin made of a lightweight polymer, I'd be all over that too.

I don't have an issue with the power of the newer Freespirits. They've got plenty of grunt down the blank for decent sized fish. Their downfall is that the action isn't tippy enough for my preferences in trotting rods.

Not my idea of fun either. Largely useless combined with a centrepin the way I use them. I don't want a metallic reel seat on a float rod. Same goes for those fitted to Hardy Marksman and the original Preston Carbonactive Asaki float rods.

The original Air AGS match rods were largely ignored. On the face of it, the Air AGS Z replaced the Tournament reel seat (which is no bad thing) with an Alps reel seat and little more. I'm a little puzzled as to why the Air AGS Z is gaining so much traction. Despite the line rating, I wouldn't...

Slot it in side on and one of the Greys rig board/float sleeves slots in nicely in front of it. I've never used one of the Greys rig boards yet. IIRC, I've got one of the large ones and one of the mini ones somewhere.

I use the small Klip Lok in a Drennan Specialist Roving bag when I fish the river. The big Klip Lok goes in a Greys Prodigy On The Move bag when fishing stillwaters. I get set in my ways and don't like change much. I've got spares for the bags and spare boxes too. The latest Korum bag doesn't...