robbie
Active Member
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Post by robbie on Oct 8, 2007 15:55:58 GMT
I recently posted a poll on spinning, and about 2/3rds of respondents fished the Spinner at some time or other. With this in mind I felt that a thread/section on spinning and associated tackle may be a valuable resource. Spinning tackle, like fly fishing tackle, varies widely in price and quality. With that in mind would people describe what tackle they use and why, and if possible approximate costs? Spinners and lures is another area to look at. Pike anglers now carry dozens of lures with them, when among Salmon anglers you tend to only hear of Flying Cs, Devons and the odd Toby or Rapala. When would you use which and why? regards Robbie
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Speyducer
Advisory Board
Release to spawn another day
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Post by Speyducer on Oct 8, 2007 16:35:00 GMT
Despite the fact that I don't like spinning. and have done little else apart from fly fishing for salmon, trout and seatrout for years, the very best reel that I ever used, and I still have 2 or 3, for either spinning, worm or shrimp fishing is the Shimano Aero 3500 baitrunner.
Superb medium sized reel, and smoothe, with a good drag system which is easily adjustable at the rear of the reel during any fight with a fish, and it has the quick release baitrunner facility, which I used to make liberal use of.
Unsure as to whether they still make these reels, but you can pick them up second hand, usually with a spare spool, for about £35.00
I'm no expert with the spinning rods, but for worming & shrimping (when I did this way back when), I used a Drennan specialist 12'9" rod (actually designed for tench!), and this was very good for detecting delicate takes, yet had sufficient power through to the butt to subdue salmon up to 23lbs in my hands.
For mono line, I would select Maxima chameleon line for use in peaty rivers, and for non-peaty rivers, I would use Maxima green.
For such bait (non-spinner) fishing, I would use 8 or 10lb bs line only.
The above rod is NOT suitable for spinning; better with a shorter rod made for spinning work, but I never did possess one, so recommendation is difficult.
Mike
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Post by Roobarb on Oct 8, 2007 16:45:34 GMT
I think a separate spinning (and bait) section would be a good idea. Those who think the acme of fishing skill is to be found in downstream wet fly fishing can get a bit sniffy when they read about more rounded anglers using a wider repertoire of skills. Having a separate section would make it easier for them avoid the horrors of whirling blades and wriggling worms Andy
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Speyducer
Advisory Board
Release to spawn another day
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Post by Speyducer on Oct 8, 2007 17:06:02 GMT
I also think that a separate spinning & bait section (?sections) would be a good idea.
As admin is away this week, the creation of such a section will have to wait meantime anyway.
Please do, however, post on these matters before then, as all such posts can be moved later.
Mike
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robbie
Active Member
Posts: 882
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Post by robbie on Oct 8, 2007 18:21:28 GMT
Can any of the lure/spinning anglers,provide us with a piccie showing the different lures available. If it is possible to put most on to one picture, a descriptve, prescriptive index could maybe placed beneath. This would certainly be useful for newcomers to spinning. I agree about a seperate Spinning Section. As stated we can move these posts into it if needed.
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Post by Roobarb on Oct 8, 2007 20:04:36 GMT
This is just my take on spinning tackle for small rivers. By small I mean the typical Westcountry streams from Dorset down to Cornwall. Streams where a 25yard cast is a very long one. Almost all of my spinning is upstream so my choice of tackle may reflect that. RODS They cannot be too long! Everyone uses a long fly rod for casting and to control the line and fly as it fishes, yet you can’t mend a spinning line so I think you should have as much length as possible in the rod. The extra length helps when it comes to steering the lure around rocks and weed beds, reaching around near bank bushes/reeds when fishing near bank lies. Also you can stand a bit further back from the edge and be less visible when circumstances force you to fish at very close range (stealth is all on a small river). The long rod shouldn’t cause problems casting on an overgrown river because casting distances are so short. A quick flick is all that is needed, not a bloody great overhead thump that sends the lure half way into orbit like a holiday maker feathering for mackerel. For the last couple of years I’ve used a 12 foot Greys Greyflex bait rod, rated 7lb-11lb (whatever that is supposed to mean, it seems fine with fish up to 20lb). It’s only fault is that like all long spinning rods it has too long a handle. The bit behind my elbow in the photo below is of no earthly use, why do they insist on making them like this. If the reel seat was moved down the rod would effectively be 8” longer. You might think this is all more theoretical than practical but several people who have fished with me with the usual 9footers have said they can see the advantages of the longer rod at the end of the day. REELS Shimano 4000 and 5000’s for me, without the baitrunner. Recent reports say the latest shimanos aren’t up to the standard of earlier ones so I may look elsewhere when mine finally wear out. LINE Go with braid, I use Berkley Fireline in 20lb, save the mono for the trace. It casts further than mono for the same effort and I find I’m more accurate with it as well, probably because it needs less welly in the first place. For a trace use whatever mono you have confidence in. SWIVELS Sharps ball bearing (one is enough). WEIGHTS Are the work of the devil on small rivers, I don’t use them ever. They make far too much disturbance on hitting the water and destroy the action spoons. They also make accurate casting more difficult as the lead and the lure whirl around each other in flight. I’ve never had any trouble getting right down either by letting the lure sink before winding or pushing the rod tip down into the water, right down to the handle in extreme cases, it does make the takes feel a bit weird though. I also hate the noise leads make rattling around in a box in my pocket as I walk along! LURES As I mostly spin upstream I don’t have much use for devons and plugs. I like the Irish Lanes minnows, they have the weight to get down quickly but I can never get them to land without a great splosh so I don’t like them on quiet water. My usuals are mepps in size 3 and 4 and the dreaded flying C in 10gram. I’ve not found the need for a heavier lure and the lighter ones make less disturbance on landing, even then I always try to drop them on rough water or close (inches not feet) to the banks. If you cast them with a flat trajectory you can feather the line and take most of the forward momentum out of the lure so that it drops quietly onto the water (in much the same way as you cast a fly onto the water and not into it). I spoke to Sportfish once and asked if they could supply them with double hooks but they said no. So I just snap one leg of the treble off and squeeze the other two together a bit to give a double hook. All the barbs get squashed too. Tobys don’t seem to swim very well in the small rivers I fish, they certainly aren’t the best attractor of salmon down here. That said they do seem to have at least one day a year when they are the must have lure. When I used to do a lot of pike fishing I always found a homemade copper spoon with more action outfished a toby, maybe I should dig them out and polish them up for next year. There you go, I expect everybody else does it differently Andy
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Post by robmason on Oct 8, 2007 21:46:55 GMT
Having fished with you Andy I have to agree that longer is better when spinning, certainly on our small west country streams. In many ways "control" here is more important than on the larger open north country rivers. My much lover but sadly missed Daiwa 9ft rod handled Tweed salmon to 11 lbs but couldn't much cope with the Frome weed!
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conwyrod
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Autumn on the Conwy
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Post by conwyrod on Oct 8, 2007 21:56:45 GMT
I used to spin on the Elwy, which is a small tree lined river, and got most pleasure out of using an old 7' Milbro solid fibreglass rod - used singlehanded, it was great for flicking a small Mepps upstream.
I ended up with an 8' rod on a Fibalite blank, but I still preferred the old 7' rod which landed a few salmon up to 7lb.
Used a Mepps 3 or 4 on higher water, but had success with a Mepps 1 on lower water.
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hornet
Active Member
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Post by hornet on Oct 12, 2007 21:29:10 GMT
Anybody who likes to spin and is planning a trip to the states should visit Walmart.
Xrap rapalas for $5.00 & Fireline braid for $13.00. Compared to UK prices it is ridiculous. Shimano multipliers and Fixed spool reels were also really cheap at $35.00.
Well worth a visit.
Hornet
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robbie
Active Member
Posts: 882
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Post by robbie on Oct 18, 2007 18:09:11 GMT
Hornet There will not be room in my suitcase for lures etc as it will be full of waders and reels!!
Exerod - great , informative post, thanks Any one else going to add?
Braid Can people make any recomendations? I have used Fireline before, it works ok but the noise in the rings takes some getting used to.
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Speyducer
Advisory Board
Release to spawn another day
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Post by Speyducer on Nov 4, 2007 11:43:55 GMT
I have used a variety of different braids for pike, and more rarely carp and barbel.
I'll look out the old spools and see if I can list the makes.
Mike
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