Trotting rod

[Bully]

Oh I agree Budgie - but I have used open face for the few times I have tried waggler at distance and it was OK. I guess it depends how often he may use this style.

Personally I hated it (waggler at distance)so I limit myself to near bank or, when I finally get my waders, wading out.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

I would guess that somewhere approaching 70% of my fishing in the last few years has been by trotting a float.

My preferrence for rods is something at least 15 feet in length with a spliced tip as opposed to a hollow tip which is better suited for waggler work. I have a Bolo'rod which I really don't like in use (for many reasons) and I also have an MAP 20 foot rod but you need to have biceps like "Arnie" to fish with it all day.

I use both centrepin and closed face reels depending of the conditions. The windier the day then I will opt for the closed face reel although I will often persevere with the 'pin purely because I like to fish the 'pin.

I have quite short fingers so I have a real problem controlling line coming off of a fixed sp[ool reel and all that opening and closing of a bail arm I find quite a pain.
Providing that you change your line regularly and keep your closed face reels in good order then you really should never have any problems.

I am in discussion with a rod builder at the moment to design a 17 foot trotting rod for me to use on the Avon, and as this progresses I'll keep you informed.
So far it looks like being based on a Harrisons blank - so watch this space

 

[Bully]

Peter - what is your view on the rods that can be adapted to various lengths ?? i.e. by changing the butt etc you can have either 13,15 or 17 ft? Is there too much compromised ?

 

[Peter Jacobs]

Bully,

I have "played" with the Carbotec 15-17 foot model and it is absolutely beautiful, but then at around ?500 it ought to be

In fact the Carbotec range from the 13'to 15'to 17'models are all excellent and the "dolly butt" pieces do not seem to alter the action much at all.
The additional weight is next to nothing and being at the butt end has l;ittle or no impact on the action, but then these are progressive action rods anyway.

I have the 13'number 3 float rod from Carbotec and it is as responsive with a 4 ounce Roach as it is with 5lb Chub.

I had hoped to have a 15 to 17 foot model designed and made but we cannot seem to get a Harrison blank to fit, so I have decided on the 17 foot model.

The one thing I do have a problem with is to make sure that my rods are balanced to the reels in use, so I tend to have a removable plug in the end of the butt in order to add/reduce counter weights as necessary.

 

[yoggy]

Many thanks,,i appreciate ALL your views having taken everything into consideration i"m gonna take the bull by the horns and stick with my "pin",and keep my money in my pocket!!!.i do like the Bewick but i"m still going to look at a few others before i decide...i suppose the length is another factor i should look at seriously.

 

[Gary Blackwell]

YOGGY

Your terrible little BLACK PRINCE, was an Intredid marketed by K P Morritt of Falmouth, it would have cost about 10 shillings at the time ( for u young-uns 50p ), and was a rip off at that price lol!!!, they made many budget reels at that time, Elite (not bad), Diplomat (bad), Prince Regent (worse), and a few Beach reels Sea Streak, Surfcast, Cresta, Pirate and Buccaneer, some are now collectable WHAT !!, yes they are, I used my old plastic geared Diplomat as an one off duck scarer.....SPLASH !!


GB

 

[yoggy]

WOW!!!!..Cheers Gary!!!........i know it didn"t last long i eventually upgraded it for a shakespeare model!! i cant remember the model but it wasn"t much better!!,,even though it was a few years ago all i remember is that the "black prince" had this awful sound when you was winding in,,and an even worse one when a fish was attatched!!!!!!!!!!!.I eventually got a Shimano for my 18th!!!!....what a differance a few bearings makes!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Gary Blackwell]

Hi Yoggy
Yer things have sure got better, reels with rollers and metal gears, LOVELY

regs GB....

 

[yoggy]

I"ve just read an article on centre-pins,as you know i hope to be using mine for the first time very shortly...in the article it said that some anglers load there centre pin with only 40 or so yards of line,,and in some cases only 25yards??...is this normal practice??.

 

[jason fisher]

if you put 100 yards on it will bed in. so yes this is standard practice for that very reason.

 

[Gary Blackwell]

Hi Yoggy
Jason is right, the norm seems to be 45 - 55 yds, Drennen "Float Fish" line takes a hell of a lot of beating (green spool), the 2.6 lbs is good for general type work, such as stick, 1.5 lb bottom with 18 or 20 hook.
If you put on 50 yds, you should get two fills per spool, about ?3.00

I change the line every couple of trips, the last thing I do before I pack up is remove the hook and trot down until the reel is empty, wind it back on, so there is no bedding in, and you are ready for your next trip.

GB

 

[Alan Tyler]

Just in case all this talk of ?150-500 rods is scaring you as much as it is me, have a wave of a Hyperloop FA390. A lot of rod for ?40 or so, a bit like a light avon with a couple of feet extra reach. Possibly a tad beefy for really anorexic dace, but let it loose on a chub...
I bought a Rapidex with my paper-round money in '69 or70 and it's still my usual first choice of reel, even when sanity demands a fixed spool. Just don't give it any slack line to eat, or drop it on its rim! A friend uses his with 12lb line for carping, so they're not fragile.
Enjoy!

 

[yoggy]

Thankyou all 4 comments.