On the pole day tomorrow.

Well after my comment about never fishing the pole ( and to be honest not worrying about it) and wondering if I was missing something,

Andy (fruitfowl) has offered me a day out on a local pool. I'm taking my normal ..proper rod....just in case but I'll give it a fair crack ( not the pole please!)

I'll report on my experiences.

Most importantly, it's a real benefit of FM that these sort of offers come about. I'd encourage others to tie up days out together where possible.

)

If he puts you on a "banker" swim, Graham don't listen to him !

Not too far to cast by all accounts Skippy...

I've thought about my banker wye swim. I'm thinking that possibly due to the heat sunshine etc. That they simply wouldn't move out from the cover.

I reckon I should have lent you a proper barbel rod the Harrison Torrix with a decent reel like the Shimano 5000 xtea to get tighter to the far bank

( G hides and goes offline for a week)

They were certainly in the cover but that great forest downstream I think. That's where I'd have been anyway. Just one of those days.

Have a good day tomorrow. I think you might like it.

BTW I have a Torrix now. I was pretty impressed by Clarkies so I had one. Need a reel for it now but none of that old Shimano nonsense.

Graham Elliott 1 said:

Well after my comment about never fishing the pole ( and to be honest not worrying about it) and wondering if I was missing something,

Andy (fruitfowl)

)

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You seem to be a bit confused John, I thought Ian was "fruitowl" and I was "sagalout".

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S-Kippy said:

Have a good day tomorrow. I think you might like it.

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I hope for your sake you don't, Graham, it's a bl00dy expensive way to fish.

Half decent pole £500-1000
Pole rollers £50 each
More top kits £50-80 (bit like rods, always need another one)
Elastic £1-15 (each top kit)
Pole floats £2 each (I just started to make me own from bits on ebay, about 10/- each)
.
.
.
Lout 360 chair priceless

S-Kippy said:

They were certainly in the cover but that great forest downstream I think. That's where I'd have been anyway. Just one of those days.

Have a good day tomorrow. I think you might like it.

BTW I have a Torrix now. I was pretty impressed by Clarkies so I had one. Need a reel for it now but none of that old Shimano nonsense.

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You need some Barbel to go with it as well.

You can get a perfectly serviceable pole for less than that !

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Ray Daywalker Clarke said:

You need some Barbel to go with it as well.

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Yes I do. Unfortunately they're a bit thin on the ground wherever I am at the moment. Like not there at all !

S-Kippy said:

You can get a perfectly serviceable pole for less than that

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I agree but a lot depends on what length you want to fish. The cheaper poles I've had were good at 10m, acceptable at 11m and horrendous at 13m. Price performance has improved dramatically in the last year or two, but I would be surprised if less than £500 allowed you to fish comfortably at 13m plus.

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S-Kippy said:

BTW I have a Torrix now. I was pretty impressed by Clarkies so I had one. Need a reel for it now but none of that old Shimano nonsense.

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Which Torrix did you get? I am thinking I might neeeeeeed a new barbel rod being as my heaviest rod is 1.25 tc and was struggling a bit heaving a 2oz feeder, even on the shortened cast that I had on the Wye fish in.

I agree. I have a 13m Shimano which I've no intention of fishing at 13 M . Pole fishing for me is all about close range presentation so if it's good at 10m I'm fine with that.

My Torrix is 12ft 1.75lb TC. I've any number of 1.5lb TC rods, more than a few 1.75 too but none with the power in the middle that the Torrix has. I can't see me needing a 2lb TC rod other than very occasionally so if I ever find or feel I need one I'll get a Korums for £50-60 notes.

For all round barbel fishing I think a decent 1.75lb TC is about spot on. Heavier than that in floodwater or near snags but nowhere I fish currently suggested I needed anything heavier than 1.75lb. You might though as you're on the Wye.

Graham's the man to ask.

Anyone wanting a 1.75tc Barbel rod, and don't want to break the bank, then the Korum Rods are very very good for the price. Not just the barbel rods, but the whole Korum range.

Take all the graphics off, and you would have trouble telling them apart from top of the range rods.

Ray Daywalker Clarke said:

Anyone wanting a 1.75tc Barbel rod, and don't want to break the bank, then the Korum Rods are very very good for the price. Not just the barbel rods, but the whole Korum range.

Take all the graphics off, and you would have trouble telling them apart from top of the range rods.

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Oh....cheers Ray ! I'll take that Torrix back then !

S-Kippy said:

Oh....cheers Ray ! I'll take that Torrix back then !

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I didn't say they perform as well as top of the range, just people would be hard pushed to tell the difference without the graphics.

As we were saying about the `Darrent Valley rods.

Ray Daywalker Clarke said:

I didn't say they perform as well as top of the range, just people would be hard pushed to tell the difference without the graphics.

As we were saying about the `Darrent Valley rods.

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Cracking little rods and no money at all. Highly recommended.

I found a Procaster btw......in Germany !

S-Kippy said:

Cracking little rods and no money at all. Highly recommended.

I found a Procaster btw......in Germany !

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Christ, you got to have long arms to turn the handle mg:

Great reels, shame they changed the colour, to silver. Happy with my two gunmetal ones.

Andy. I told you I had a crappy afternoon and a worse broken nights sleep.
My lad has got to have a transfusion tomorrow.

Anyway. The Pole.
Andy (sagaloutfowl) was a fantastic tutor.
Explaining the basics very clearly. I did manage a few tiddly roach perch and gobios as well as a couple of carp. Yes he has got all the gear and more including the swivel chair.

It took him an hour to pack up!!

He allowed me plenty of time whilst he watched and offered advise.

Noted the following.
Excellent presentation. Accurate feeding via a cup.
Bigger fish hooked themself. Very positive bite indications.
Very easy to get tight to margin overhangs and no worries about line from reel catching in branches or on casting.

The fight was interesting 2 no 5 elastic. But far longer to me as against rod/line fishing and didnot really feel engaged with it.

So. I have no doubt that it would beat standard float fishing in a match 9 times out of ten.

I changed to normal rod line for last 3 hours a la prawn and managed 4 carp between 4 and 8+ lb. I think Andy had around 14.

The problem.

Im not organised. I just want to arrive and fish. Tackle in a bunch behind me. I simply haven't got an organised mind or the specialisation required to make the effort to set up all the gear.

Andy was great and I really appreciated his guidance for the day.
I probably will keep the thousand pounds in the bank.

Followed onto the Wye as old famous angling pal had struggled for 3 days.

Helped him bag 6 to just over 9lb between 5 and 7.45pm.

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S-kippy. The 1.75 will cope with pretty much all your needs on every river.
Hope you got a 12ft.

Happy if you want to come again and I'll arrange.

Graham

I hope your son gets well soon.

sagalout said:

I hope your son gets well soon.

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Second that and yes I got the 12 footer and yes I'd like another crack at the place. Bit worried about that hill though.....I honestly don't think I'd get back up even with minimum gear. The mind is willing but the legs and chest are not.

I'll be a sherpa Skippy.
Let me know.
Graham

Thanks Graham....I'll be in touch. Seriously loved the place.

Graham Elliott 1 said:

I'll be a sherpa Skippy.
Let me know.
Graham

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mg:mg:mg: You don't know what your letting yourself in for Graham.

If he takes the trolly, your both in trouble