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I've had 8s further up the A1 than York. There's also the odd water where there's a slim chance of a double.

The smaller sizes were the original range. The bigger nets arrived and the "Super" part of the name was dropped. Having recently bought a 20" net myself (I already have the 22 and 24", but the 26" was that bit too big to lug around on the bank), you may well find that the "Super" has recently...

Despite the weight, I'd have had one for the stillwater if the only way to get a screw down real seat wasn't by paying a significant "custom" premium.

I do, but the upscrewing reel seat meant I was never going to buy the mk1.

No, the better big fish 15'ers I own(ed) have 16, 17 and 19, respectively.

I usually expect float rods to have at least one ring per foot. I also expect faster actioned rods to have more. The following paragraph is only in reference to 13' (6") rods. Without a single oddity, which is a float rod that looks more like a fast actioned Avon rod, the 13' float rod I have...

Some retailers have simply got it wrong. The 15' Supera X Float is not a "power" rod. Only the 14' Supera X Power Float rod is labelled as such. There's also a 13' Waggler, 12' Carp Waggler and an 11' Pellet Waggler. I doubt that everything on Preston's website is entirely accurate. If you click...

Learn to cast properly with a centrepin first. Without doing so, you'll limit the distance you can fish. I'd suggest you learn to trot and catch a few fish with a fixed spool reel before you make things more difficult by introducing a centrepin to the equation.

Much depends on how exactly the river flows, wind speed/direction, float type/capacity and the rod/reel you are using. With every factor in my favour, fishing about thirty yards across a river is possible. If maximum distance is a requirement, I'd probably choose to use a fixed spool reel and a...

I usually fish Pennine rivers a bit more northerly than the Derbyshire Derwent. Plenty of the regulars seem to think I'm somewhere between heathen and heretic for not using proper stick floats. I gave up on them many years ago as I don't believe that they are much use on the fast, shallow and...

Precisely that, a friction interference lock between lever and rim is inevitably going to fail eventually. I've had my Conquests a lot longer than nine months and, as you say, the plastic has proven far more resilient than the doom mongers suggested it would.

I suspect that you are largely wasting your metaphorical breath. I gave up on talking about them a long time ago. They aren't without issues that may impact their longevity when used frequently, but they are far better than most give them credit for. I have a few pins that I like the looks of...

That should have read "Stradic Ci4+ FRONT drag reels".

I'd suggest the Shimano Aero XR. Choose the size appropriate to the line being used and the rod it's going to be fitted to. I have a 3000, 4000 and 5000. The 3000 is generally used tor rods of 13' (and less) with lines around 4lb. The 5000 is used on longer rods and/or with lines of 6lb plus...

In some parts of the country, licences to trap crayfish are simply not granted. I've seen two reasons given. One, current thinking is that big crayfish are the biggest predators of crayfish eggs and juvenile crayfish. The second is the concern that many people can't distinguish small signal...

I had a good idea of what to expect before the 17' Acolyte Specimen hit the shops. This time around, I consider the 17' rod to be simply a longer version of it's shorter siblings. The 17' Acolyte Float remains a singular outlier amongst the Acolyte Float rods. The action of it is completely...

I don't tend to tangle with barbel very often these days. Decent tench and grayling are my usual quarry for them, along with the occasional bream and carp. However, I've now put some much bigger bends in the 17'er. The rod will handle double figure barbel quite nicely. Just don't forget your...

Perhaps the German Sportex rods are accurately rated. However, my experience is that you can take many float rod casting weight ratings with a pinch of salt (I don't have great faith in many companies test curve or line ratings either). An awful lot of float rods aren't even given a casting...

RRPs on rods and reels from mainstream brands typically do not last very long. Some are total fiction before the products even reach the shops. I doubt I've paid full RRP on any new rod in the last thirty years. I'm not the type to demand discounts, and I'm also not a haggler. I generally have...