match rod and reel fittings

[tigger]

Personally I would remove the hook keeper from the acolyte and fully unscrew the reel fitting, I find the hook keeper ridiculously small anyway, next to useless.
QUOTE]


If it where between a reel foot or hook keeper I would also dispose of the hook keeper. I would never destroy the integrity of a reel by chopping off parts of the foot, and deffo not because of a poxy hook keeper.
I agree the hook keeper on the acolyte is a bit on the pathetic side mg:.

 

[edsurf]

Never had a problem with both my centre pins on my acolyte , one is an Okuma the other a Young's BJ.

The old speedia is a different story but I only use that with a cane rod.

 

[Richox12]

Personally I would remove the hook keeper from the acolyte and fully unscrew the reel fitting, I find the hook keeper ridiculously small anyway, next to useless.
QUOTE]

I agree the hook keeper on the acolyte is a bit on the pathetic side mg:.

I can get a sizer 10 in one easily. However, why bother with a Keeper ring anyway ? Put your hook in the butt guide/frame. If that's not far enough then thread your hook back through the ceramic lined butt guide and then pass it up to whichever guide is the right distance away.

 

[Molehill]

I can get a sizer 10 in one easily..

You are quite right, I went to the shed and tested mine, I fear it is my eyesight to blame because I've never managed to get a damn hook in there when on the river bank.
In laboratory conditions (my shed) with a strong light and best reading glasses, it does.

 

[nottskev]

I have a few rods with these fiddly accessories attached, but I never look beyond the frame of a ring if I need a hook-keeper.

Are they fitted to somehow imply you are getting Rolls Royce levels of spec?

As in this old joke:

Passenger holds up golf tee found in footwell to RR owner "What's this?"

RR owner: "It's to put your balls on when you're driving."

Passenger: "Wow. RR think of everything!"

 

[sam vimes]

I managed perfectly well without hook keepers for decades. However, I've got used to them now and I'd rather not be without them. I definitely won't be defacing any rod that has them. Then again, I don't need to because I don't own any reels with outlandishly sized reel feet.

As for using line guides as keepers, we all did it before proper hook keepers came along. However, I won't be going back to that though, not even on rods that don't have fitted hook keepers. I've seen ceramics cracked, painted legs chipped, and guides bent out of shape due to line guides being used as hook keepers. It's only one step above the cringe worthy use of the fore grip to bury the point of a hook into.

There's just no need to risk any kind of damage, even on a rod that doesn't have a hook keeper. Clicky.

 

[nottskev]

Phew! I can't imagine what kind of tension those anglers must have been putting on the line, having lodged their hook in the frame of a butt ring, in order to deform rings like that. Were they doing it whilst walking around with heavy leads swinging about, or what?

I've always used a ring frame and it has left no mark on rings of rods I've used for decades. Must be one of those things that depends on whether a person has a light or heavy touch with their gear.

 

[sam vimes]

Phew! I can't imagine what kind of tension those anglers must have been putting on the line, having lodged their hook in the frame of a butt ring, in order to deform rings like that. Were they doing it whilst walking around with heavy leads swinging about, or what?

I've always used a ring frame and it has left no mark on rings of rods I've used for decades. Must be one of those things that depends on whether a person has a light or heavy touch with their gear.

Cheap line guides, overly heavy line, overly large hooks and wandering overgrown banks aren't a great combination, especially for the terminally clumsy. It doesn't help when not everyone restricts themselves to just using the butt ring, not all butt rings are double legged, and single leg rings are often not overly robust.

The state that some folks let their gear get into beggars belief. Cracked, chipped or totally missing liners are common. Cracked varnish, bent legs (especially on single leg rings), snapped legs and totally missing rings are surprisingly common.

 

[Molehill]

I think hook keepers may have come from the game angling side, I seem to recall them on fly rods from way back. Certainly as a youngster I and others were in the habit of sticking a fly into the cork handle and ignoring the keeper, not very bright.

A decent sized hook keeper is ideal to hold a fly, without damage to hackles, wings etc. Just a theory of how the came into coarse fishing rods - but don't know for sure.

 

[tigger]

Phew! I can't imagine what kind of tension those anglers must have been putting on the line, having lodged their hook in the frame of a butt ring, in order to deform rings like that. Were they doing it whilst walking around with heavy leads swinging about, or what?

I've always used a ring frame and it has left no mark on rings of rods I've used for decades. Must be one of those things that depends on whether a person has a light or heavy touch with their gear.

I do put my hook on the leg of my bottom guide, and even on my rods that have hook keepers. I've been doing it with one rod for over a decade and there isn't any sign of a mark where the hook has been placed, only sign has been a bit of maggot juice after leaving some on the hook lol.
I suppose Chris is right and it is better to use a hook keeper. I don't like the drennan accy ones though as whichever way round I put my hook onto/into it the hook is pressing on the blank which I don't like.