Tackle recommendations...

[peter crabtree]

Which rod for blah blah? Which reel, line, pole etc.?

Common questions on forums but...

Surely unless you have tried and tested every particular product, in every manufacturers range of the tackle item in that category, or price range, to destruction, how can anyone really give a true or honest recommendation?

[chefster]

Originally Posted by peter crabtree

Which rod for blah blah? Which reel, line, pole etc.?

Common questions on forums but...

Surely unless you have tried and tested every particular product, in every manufacturers range of the tackle item in that category, or price range, to destruction, how can anyone really give a true or honest recommendation?

You can only give a view from a reputation point of view not an actual factual review unless you have actually fished with something,ie "waggling a pole in a tackle shop does not count,as you know testing poles in a tackle shop is a waste of time.....

[S-Kippy]

Originally Posted by peter crabtree

Which rod for blah blah? Which reel, line, pole etc.?

Common questions on forums but...

Surely unless you have tried and tested every particular product, in every manufacturers range of the tackle item in that category, or price range, to destruction, how can anyone really give a true or honest recommendation?

You can't...well you can... but only really that a certain whatever is suitable for a certain job. That's a recommendation but it cannot be truly objective for the reasons you gave. Too often people want to know "what's the best...." which is impossible to answer. It depends.

Its not likely that you can "try" everything on your shortlist at your local shop so you are,to a degree,reliant on other people's views if you cannot go see and form your own opinion. That is if you are doing your homework properly before parting with your hard earned.

But if somebody asks "has anybody got X rod and what do they think of it for X job" then if I know the rod in question I'm happy to offer my opinion.

Quite often on here you see people offering others the opportunity to borrow a rod to try it out. I think that's great because that's the only real way of knowing how a rod truly performs. I've bought 1 or 2 rods that seemed really nice in the shop but proved to be absolute pups on the bank.

[binka]

Originally Posted by peter crabtree

to destruction

A good point.

I've only offered my recommendation (I think?) on something after i've taken it to that point and it is a cheek clencher to say the least when you're digging in with a few hundred quids worth of gear at stake and relying on what you believe should be the outcome against what feels will be the outcome, otherwise I think many comments are a reflection on how something handles generally with a bit of imagination thrown in for just such a time.

I'm with Chef, recommendations make you look in the first place along with your own thoughts but the proof of any pudding is in good selection and the eating

[tiinker]

I think rods and even reels to a certain extent are very difficult to reccommend even when you have used one for some time .What suites one angler is not necessarily what will suite another angler if it did we would all be using the same outfits and that is not the case is it. You can say you like or dislike a product but with rods it is a very personal and individual tool.

[frothy]

You get a general consensus on whether something is any good or if its a a load of pony, New products are always a difficult area as they nearly always have some degree of bias media reviews plus all the marketing bs, what surprises me is how often I see reviews on products that people have owned five minutes and only used a couple of times if any I'm guilty of this re: 506 mkII but it was so bad straight from the box I felt it fair...

[sam vimes]

Originally Posted by peter crabtree

Surely unless you have tried and tested every particular product, in every manufacturers range of the tackle item in that category, or price range, to destruction, how can anyone really give a true or honest recommendation?

Have you been reading my post in the Marketing thread?

I don't have a problem with someone recommending anything provided they do actually have experience of it. The problem arises when they state X is better than Y and Z when they've barely clapped eyes on Y and Z. However, that's not paricularly prevalent on forums. Likewise, stating something is the best on the market, without a clear knowledge of the market, is usually a daft assertion. It can be possible when it comes to a fairly narrow section of market where there aren't too many products. Extendable specimen carbon landing net poles are one that springs to mind. It's a choice of two as far as I'm concerned and, although I know others will disagree, one is better than the other. I actually have both.

Likewise, you don't have to test something to destruction to recommend it. Most professional reviewers don't get to do that.

So, as far as I'm concerned, it's quite possible to give a true and perfectly honest recommendation of a product. However, the reader needs to bear in mind the potential limitations of the person making the recommendation.

[Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC)]

The best person to ask is Mark Brailsford because he owns all of them so can recommend based on personal experience. However, they say he is a major share holder at Preston and Daiwa and has a small stake in Billy Clarkes, so some of his recommendations may be somewhat biased.

[Paul Boote]

Personally, when it comes to Tackle (and Travel) I look to Hale and Pace (not "You don't want to do it like that" Harry Enfield) - Harry Enfield - Yorkshire Airlines Comedy - YouTube

Once you know this, you a) Think, tackle up and fish for yourself, and b) don't get into internut threads like this.

[chefster]

Sometimes you have to take review information into account,for instance,buying a pole ,you cant really test it before you buy it.Its never the same just holding it in the shop as when you get the power kits on with elastic,bungs etc,all the balance goes(on some)also that does,nt prove its strength and reliability,some poles feel strong walled ,but have problems with no4 or5"s snapping..whch you dont find out until you,ve parted with your cash.....