Elastics

This is a reply to a post in the HDYGO thread

My main margin pole has 10/12, 14/16,and 18/20 in the topkits, all Drennan bungee on side pullers
My two "shove under foliage " short hit n hold margin poles have a short length of solid 18 through No.1 section. Daiwa yank n bank has 4 kits with 2 more to elasticate, has from solid 8 through to solid 12.
Main pole 16 topkits, solid 6 and double 6 in two of them, solid 8 and solid 10 in other two match kits
Interlastic power kits have white hydro in one kit black hydro in another, the rest have preston hollow upto 17 hollow , all solids are preston slip, two match kits on puller bungs the other two on standard tension bungs, these topkits cover all my fishing from maggots and bread for silvers through to chunks of meat and paste for lumps upto 20lb. I would never take 16 kits with me, only take what I need for venue and that could be as little as 3 kits.

Wow!

I’m not sure I could cope with all that choice!

My mantra is keep it simple and hence I have one pole with 3 elastics and that’s it.

Since returning to fishing a few short years ago I’ve only used hollow elastics not solid, but after experimenting with hybrid (matrix green 8-10, it’s more 6-8) I’m committing to this for this year.

I certainly find imposing limited choice on myself helps me make better decisions though the temptation to chop and change is always alive!

I use Nick Gilbert elastics by the way, superb vfm.

Elastication is a lot simpler if you're happy to swerve waters full of carp, or fish to avoid them, as far as that's possible, in waters that have some. I was reading your elastic inventory, Mark, and it dawned on me that my heaviest elastic - with one exception - might be lighter than your lightest! My elastics, from the museum of 20th century pole fishing, go something like Middy HiViz 3/4 in a couple of (thin) top ones; 4/6 in a couple of top two's; 6/8 in a couple of top two's; doubled Slip Flouro 4 in a couple of top two's. These get what I'm after out very nicely, get out quite a few of the things that I'm not after, but come off worse with occasional large examples of the second category. When I'm after tench specifically - and they don't get much over 4lb where I fish - I've a pole with Black Hydro through two, and that's proved just right. I don't have any top kits with pullers, although I see their obvious superiority for commercial carp/match use, and I like it when you manage to get your fixed elastic just right for the fish you're catching.

I do sometimes fish for carp, but I prefer to fish float and centrepin or even bomb or feeder rather than a heavy pole set up.

That Matrix Green hybrid elastic you mentioned, Golden Eagle; is that the one that I've seen Jamie Hughes rave about in his videos? Does it lend itself to puller kit use (ie soft with lots of stretch) or is it suitable for fixed use, like the ones I use already? Just wondering.

Kev I have had carp to around 5lb on the double 6, I like the way it powers up with good fish on. Had a rogue carp on single 6 and took ages to get in, If I go on a canal it's mainly 3 kits, single and double 6 and a hollow elastic , The others are mainly for commercials , kept in rod tubes, marked light and heavy elastic , for a grab to go. Margin poles for places like Newlands on linear complex or Hampton Springs near Malpas

I use slik elastic in all my top kits. They range from 4 to 6 to 10 to 12. Slik is a solid that performs more like a hollow. Plenty strong enough for carp to mid doubles. The use of puller kits sorts any angry carp, 4 to 6 for silverfish stronger 8 to 10 and 10 to 12 for pellet and paste, depending on fish sizes.

Anyone remember Zim elastic ?

Golden Eagle said:

I use Nick Gilbert elastics by the way, superb vfm.

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His elastic is amazing!

The fact he’s a good fishing pal has absolutely nothing to do with the above statement.

Hi Kev
I’m possibly the worse person to ask as I don’t use ‘traditional’ solid elastic. However I’d say it must be more akin to hollow than solid. I have side pullas on all my kits and wouldn’t want to use it without, personally.

I think his rig line and floats are top notch too, and I’ve never met the guy!

I’d say 10-12 slik should really be labelled 8-10, and that’s a little light for my taste in fishing paste? What hooklengths are you marrying it up with?

markcw said:

Anyone remember Zim elastic ?

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Lol how many times did you hold them up to the light and say "hey, which one of these is thinner?"

Yea I remember, I dont miss it I'm not going to lie

I’ve got Daiwa Purple Hydro in one top kit of my Shimano Beastmaster Margin 8.5m. In another top kit I’ve got Preston Hollo Green and I use this fishing out in the water on the deck, with the extension to 10m, where there’s F1’s & carp. In my third top kit I’ve got Preston Hollo Red which I mostly use for pellet fishing up in the water when it gets frantic. All top kits have side pullers so the Preston Hollo can cope with virtually anything.

Well I'm largely with Golden eagle in the keep it simple and Kev in the light elastics but I fish for carp on light kit, I honestly dont know how you get fish out on the solid 18 and 20. Back in the day when i used solids double 8 or single 14 was as heavy as I went. I've had carp to high teens with little bother.

My lad taught me (I'm not as good as him) how to play fish on soft rods and light elastics. I use more powerful rods than him but elastics I really dont like heavy elastic. My rule is simple, everytime I strike into a target size fish I want to see a foot of elastic minimum be than an 1 oz roach or a 5lb carp. With puller kits it's easy to adjust tension, I've completely changed now I use hollow NG and Preston for everything. I dont fish for blades on the cut anymore so my now so my slip no2 elastic dont get used anymore.

My kits are in strength order

NG 4-8 blue - small fish elastic
NG white amber core - fantastic elastic for this time of the year
Preston 11h - all round catch everything in summer, carp in winter
Ng green amber core - carp
Ng black amber core - big carp

Margin lump pole
Preston 15h - for lumps 8lb plus

That's pretty much it, most of my fishing now is done on 11h and white amber core

Golden Eagle said:

I’d say 10-12 slik should really be labelled 8-10, and that’s a little light for my taste in fishing paste? What hooklengths are you marrying it up with?

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With 10 to 12 slik I use .15 for carp from small to15lb, it's a snag free water. Of course bigger fish take a little longer to get out but I'm never in a rush.
I have always thought to fish lighter lines affords more bites, if I'm getting bites I know I'm on the right track. I like big hooks with paste and small hooks with pellet. Pulling fish before they are ready is not how I fish.

One water I go on, the carp are at side of platform in the rushes, the platform sits in the water so basically you can fish behind yourself, this is where the hit n hold short length of 18 comes in. The 17h is for far side mudline and stick ups , others mainly for open water,

markcw said:

One water I go on, the carp are at side of platform in the rushes, the platform sits in the water so basically you can fish behind yourself, this is where the hit n hold short length of 18 comes in. The 17h is for far side mudline and stick ups , others mainly for open water,

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I've fished venues with those horrible platforms, I try to avoid them. I absolutely hate them anyone who has read my posts regularly will know that mg: one of the problems with these platforms is the support poles at the front of them. These act as beacons for running fish to head towards, particularly perch. Therefore in these circumstances i can see your need for heavy kit, unfortunately I dont understand why fisheries fit them? I mean it's not good for the fish heavy kit, the heavier we fish the more pressure we put on the fishes mouth. And let's be honest there's a grand total of zero reasons why we need them with modern boxes with all the features on them.