Elastic

[S-Kippy]

I must say I've followed this thread with a fair degree of bewilderment. I get some,maybe even most of it but there is a lot that goes way over my head. I do fish a pole occasionally but it is only occasionally and I'm perfectly content with what I use....which curiously is Slik having been recommended it by a very good pole angler. I dont do pulla thingies and it does seem a bit stretchier than what I used before but, on the whole, it seems pretty good gear.

 

[mikench]

Likewise except with total bewilderment. It's just so cumbersome imo. Definitely not for me ever.

 

[markcw]

I never use pullers ........ I’m not knocking them but I have my own way of doing things....

Funny enough I have brand fitted side pullers in most of my topkits for elastics of 10 and above, I rarely use them, preferring to play fish on the elastic, What i have done though is have short length of elastic coming from the side that is tensioner by a rubber buffer bead, This means i can either have the elastic set soft or tensioned, The light elastics as stated are on winder bungs, All tackle is balanced. And elastics on pullers are hollo, winder bungs are solid,
I can state that Maver poles can withstand being held just past vertical at 13 metres with me stood on top of seat box trying to net a high teen weight carp. Managed to do it.

 

[Paste paul]

Funny enough I have brand fitted side pullers in most of my topkits for elastics of 10 and above, I rarely use them, preferring to play fish on the elastic, What i have done though is have short length of elastic coming from the side that is tensioner by a rubber buffer bead, This means i can either have the elastic set soft or tensioned, The light elastics as stated are on winder bungs, All tackle is balanced. And elastics on pullers are hollo, winder bungs are solid,
I can state that Maver poles can withstand being held just past vertical at 13 metres with me stood on top of seat box trying to net a high teen weight carp. Managed to do it.

I normally use solid elastic it’s the right price to be honest......
I originally started this thread because I felt the hollow from srg was good value at £3.99 ....... it also works really well ...
I’m not knocking other brands as most of them are pretty good but I can’t justify paying over £10 for pole elastic......
The slik is going in the right direction price wise and usability....
I’m convinced this hollow I’ve mentioned is made with the same material as the slik just as a point of interest.......

 

[rayner]

Like you, P Paul, I used solids with no thought of using hollows. The need for pullers came from bumping fish because of using small hooks /light lines with unbalance elastics. It became impossible for me to cope with lighter elastics until I changed my methods.
Using pullers allows me to use lighter elastics.
I know other folks manage without pullers easy enough I too could cope easily with light elastics lifting the pole but that tactic is beyond me now. The use of a puller for me have become a godsend.
There are plenty of cheaper elastics available from hollow through to hybrids, make your choice. I had a couple of seasons with hydro in my kits, it was very good just far too expensive for me. SLIK is half the cost of hydro and to my mind, there's only one choice.

 

[markcw]

Rayner, are you using side pullers or puller bungs at base of the section,
All mine are side ,only because that is my preference, also dont have to unship to a top two if the rare need arises for me to use them. In fact most times I forget they are fitted.
I sold a spare pole recently that had bottom pullers, I shortened the stem on the puller so it was a couple of inches long. I found that doing this didnt bend the stem as much and put less pressure on the edge of the section.I used the bottom pullers twice when I caught large carp on a club gravel pit. I found they were awkward to use I think this was because I was down to a top two and stripping lots of elastic out. I think if it was a side puller it would have been easier due to the fact I had could put a short number four into the top two. I landed both carp but I think it still would have been easier with side pullers, The elastic used was black hydro. Also what made it seem harder was the depth of water, I had 15' at 10 metres out, the carp kept making for the deeps.

 

[rayner]

Side pullers Mark, roller pullers to be exact.
It would be impossible for me to use bottom pullers, I have to put my pole in the crook of my elbow to enable me to strip elastic or break the pole down. My hand is of little use.
When side pullers came into use that prompted me to commit to pullers, bottom pullers like I said were of no use with how my arm works I just couldn't manoeuvre the end of my top kit to reach a puller stem with my left hand.
It's not an issue now I've learnt to cope. I'm aware a lot of what I do to in fishing sounds ridiculous to some, it's just how I'm able to cope.

 

[markcw]

Rayner if it works for you ,just do it, but if you find you have to strip more elastic, try getting a short number 4 for your pole, Maver call them fighting fours,Daiwa and other brands as far as I know just have them as short fours. These give you that bit of extra length ,stiffen the pole up, and allow you to still strip elastic.I use them if fishing either down the side or up against the rushes on far side if after carp. My pullers are the standard Daiwa ptfe bush, in Daiwa G50, and matrix roller pullers in matrix margin pole, these are brilliant, very smooth running.

 

[rayner]

The pole I've just discarded was a MAP, that had a short No4 that was useful when fishing up in the water, it stiffened the pole up very well, the MAP needed to be a little stiffer it was a little sloppy. The short four shortened my top kits, it replaced the long four. I preferred the stiffer end to the pole because it took the bounce out of the pole when fishing shallow.
I like my long top kits that my Browning has, I don't think I need a short No4 in any case because the pole is quite stiff.
Stripping elastics isn't a problem, I'd sooner strip elastic than fish too heavy to prevent stripping.
I can see how your advice can work for some.
Roller pullers are very smooth in a similar fashion to Matrix, Preston produces the roller puller it's a very good product also.

 

[markcw]

I did toy with the idea of converting Daiwa bush to a Preston Roller , but the thought of putting a 10mm hole in the side of my topkits put me off. Again its psychological due to going from 5mm to 10mm, because I have not heard of any sections breaking, The MAP bushes are supposed to be good as well .
Did you not get short 4 with Browning, and slk topkits. ?

 

[steve2]

Just checked on the net it appears to me that no matter what elastic you buy it all come from the same manufacturer. Just the name as been changed, just like other types of fishing tackle.

 

[rayner]

I did toy with the idea of converting Daiwa bush to a Preston Roller , but the thought of putting a 10mm hole in the side of my topkits put me off. Again its psychological due to going from 5mm to 10mm, because I have not heard of any sections breaking, The MAP bushes are supposed to be good as well .
Did you not get short 4 with Browning, and slk topkits. ?

No, I didn't I bought the pole second hand I believe there are a few sections missing but the price was good. I only got 4 top twos I know the full package consists of top 4s, short 4s and more top kits than 4. The pole protector which is a section that fits the end is heavier, I could have done with that for me to balance the pole better, that was also missing.