[Andy Marquis]

I went out last night to a mark where I thought I would find JP. (Wakeford). He wasn't there but I started anyway, after half an hour I had 3 pollack on the board and then JP and mate turned up.

We had a chat about internal van design and my hame made rod rest system then got fishing.

Both using small lures but me on the lightweight rod.

Didn't it make a difference!! I took another 4 fish and JP blanked. So 7 for me and nowt for him :-D:evil:

As he had a go with my rod, it became clear what made the difference. THE ROD!!!!

He was amazed by the bite detection, even fishing into a F7 NE headwind with slack braid. Every single little bump from fish was felt.

So there we have it. In a completely unscientific test using similar size and weight lures, the light rod and braid made ALL the difference.

Best fish about 1.25lb and smallest about 4 inches... And even the baby pollack had inhaled the lure!!

 

[Simon L]

Nice. Just remind me Andy, which rod was it ?

 

[Mark Sleep]

Nice Andy. Thats the Salty Shot right?? The amount of feel I get is incredible. Have been using mine with 3.5g heads and it feels delightful.

 

[Keith White]

Another convert. Well done.

Like I've tried to explain to all our guys..

It's not that the fish follow me, Paul or Kev around, it's cause, no matter whether we stand here, there or anywhere...

We are feeling the bites.

Since I bust my rod, bite detection is down maybe 70% and it has showed.

Now I have the new tools we are back in business though.

 

[Andy Marquis]

I was using a 1g head and the Saron Rouge

Could feel absolutely everything. If I hooked every bite I would have had 40 fish. And would have had more if I downsized the lure no doubt.

 

[Andy Marquis]

Oh yeah. Salty Shot in 2-10g. Even a 4oz pollack makes it bend!!

 

[Tim Griffin]

Good work again, Andy. You are braver than me fishing in the dark in that sort of wind! What sort of mark was it?

 

[Andy Marquis]

Rock mark standing on boulders but there was plenty of light from the harbour. It's normal for here to stand on boulders or wade through weed in the dark. Worst is hopping round the land reclamation in the dark. That's not much fun!!

 

[The Squid]

Nice work Andy

 

[John-Paul Wakeford]

yeah I have to agree the bite detection on that rod was more than I expected, where the gear I'm currently using is OK it just isnt good enough for the small lures and even on larger lures I dont get that kind of detection from it. So now on the lookout for a new rod and lighter reel to pair it with for the ultra light stuff and possibly one for the heavier work with the rockies on SP's.
I just have no idea what to go for at the moment as the choice locally is'nt that great and I'm keen to try some alternatives before buying something that isnt exactly what I'm after via mail order. I've also realised that I need to go lighter on the braid for this type of fishing so will have to look at that next, too many options and not enough money when reading about all the differeent gear on this site.

 

[Andy Marquis]

I reckon the Infeet might be a good halfway rod JP. You'll have to try mine next time we meet up down there or if you see me out it will be in the van so ask. It will handle the heavier stuff, 7-21g I think it is and I have found it good for smaller SP's, not sure about as small as last night but it would be better than the standard spinning rod as it's designed for SP's??

 

[John-Paul Wakeford]

This is the problem, I deff want to be able to fish the small lures and more so if the mackerel turn up like in the last 2 years as they gave a good account for themselves on the mullet gear and can only be more fun the lighter the tackle.

I am keen on the Shimano diaflash 0.6g to 7g but it may be a tad too much to spend at the mo with me only just getting into this. Plus I guess its worth seeing what the lads from the forum find when they are away in france as there are bound to be a few more options opening up after they test some of the gear over there.

 

[Keith White]

We are trying to sort through a range of rods now m8.

It's all so new, its a bl**dy minefield. Most info is in Japanese so, i'm slowly sifting through that too.

However, we are getting the bigger picture quite quickly simply because, this time, me and Kev aren't out there alone. Others are adding much valued info into the mix and the wheat and chaff are being separated.

Shimano Salty Shot, MC Zaltz, Shimano Diaflash and the Cormorans all seem fine at the light end whilst still being quite different and individual in flavour.
Trying a solid tipped version later so again, we'll know more.

I do ultimately see a need for 2, maybe 3 rods to cover the bases and the whole season. Compromise will of course be possible but...when you seen just how good a true LRF rod is...

Can you honestly tell this forum that it isn't worth an extra few quid ?

I couldn't. The Daiwa Cormorans start at around £70 and so far, the most expensive LRF we have is the Diaflash 228L 0.6 - 7g at around £140.

HRF and we have the bushwhacker £50 ish, Daiwa Infeet around £170 and the Tenyru Injection and super distance at £350 ish.

Middle ground ? Well, I'm not sure here and so far, we haven't seen a 'wow' rod in the middle 5 - 15g range. I like the tech spec on the Red Luck Tactical though but again, we are talking monopoly money if building a set of 3 outfits. I realise this and WILL make sure I get to bend a few arms to test as many realistic rods as possible.

Thanks must go out to Mark, Mick, Paul, Squid and Liam for loans of rods. Without this brilliant sharing, one person wouldn't have been able to make direct comparisons on rods, reels etc.

 

[John-Paul Wakeford]

Cheers Keith, and to those on the forum for putting so much info out there, all the extra info's much appreciated.

Iv'e been slowly going through the tackle posts on this forum and looking at the links to the different rods and I'm sure I will get there in the end. It is all so new at the moment but and is a massive learning curve.

You are right about spending that extra bit and getting the right rods for my needs and not 1 OK'ish rod, and after feeling the difference in using Andy's Shimano Salty Shot I am pretty sure I will end up splashing the cash. I spend too much on fishing gear anyway so I may as well get something that I will enjoy using.

 

[Keith White]

Cheers Keith, and to those on the forum for putting so much info out there, all the extra info's much appreciated.

Iv'e been slowly going through the tackle posts on this forum and looking at the links to the different rods and I'm sure I will get there in the end. It is all so new at the moment but and is a massive learning curve.

You are right about spending that extra bit and getting the right rods for my needs and not 1 OK'ish rod, and after feeling the difference in using Andy's Shimano Salty Shot I am pretty sure I will end up splashing the cash. I spend too much on fishing gear anyway so I may as well get something that I will enjoy using.

Absolutely the right attitude to take.
I think the Nantes crew have spotted and purchased some great gear by the sounds of it.

I fished the Shimano Diaflash last night. Loads of power and super sensitive !!!

 

[Gary A]

Absolutely the right attitude to take.
I think the Nantes crew have spotted and purchased some great gear by the sounds of it.

I fished the Shimano Diaflash last night. Loads of power and super sensitive !!!

How would you rate the diaflash compared to the cormaran Keith. It surely can't be more sensitive than the cormaran I felt with only 1 gram? I understand they all feel different but which is your favourite so far?

 

[Keith White]

How would you rate the diaflash compared to the cormaran Keith. It surely can't be more sensitive than the cormaran I felt with only 1 gram? I understand they all feel different but which is your favourite so far?

Its a tough question Gary.

Why ?

Well, without boring you....

LRF isn't just jigging with soft lures. If it was, the Diaflash and my new solid tipped Zaltz would win hands down for those 1g thru 5g heads to detect 'on the drop' takes.

But, it isn't just about jigging.

I've also LRF'd with small metals, vib and flutter. Both rods above suck at both compared to a lighter, stiffer tipped rod.

Let's be clear, I have an old, what was £25 shakespeare 2 pc 6' 6" rod that works metal vib baits better than both above rods.

Based on what I now know....

For your first LRF rod or your ONLY LRF rod...

Buy a tubular tip.

However, to maximise bites and cast 'tiny' sub 2g lures accurately, have lightening response etc, the solid tipped rods win out.

When my cormoran is returned, I'll have both, I'm fortunate. I'll carry both when on LRF sortie's too.

I'll let you see Gary as we can all get together in the week if this damn weather improves. I'll let you see what the difference is.

Basically, if the lure moves the tip too much, you loose activation energy. Remembering your physics, energy is never lost, just transferred. In the case of the firmer tubular tipped rod, you move, the rod moves, some energy is lost in 'flex' and the lure moves. You feel it vibrate, or dive, wobble etc..
Solid tipped and the flex and transfer loss is far, far greater. Feel on the 'vib' is still there but, you might need to move the rod 4, possibly 5 times further through the arc of activation to get the same lure response.

When you see me, and try it, you'll know exactly to what I'm referring.

So, basically, LRF...

0.5 thru 7g.

2 rods, solid and tubular. Both nice, great in fact but...
If you want one only, buy a tubular. The cormoran sits in the latter but get the shorter 7ft one for the flutter/vib stuff.

For really ripping these light metals, we might even find a use for the HRF rod with LRF end gear. That is yet to be tried by me but plugging experience leads me to make these conclusions.

Sorry for the long post but I want to inform you guys without misleading because...it could get expensive if people buy blind.

 

[Gary A]

Many thanks once again for a very informative post Keith. Being a bear (or should that be Aubert) of very little brain, at the moment I'm just thinking about light jigging with soft lures purely because at the moment, I'm finding it very difficult to get any sort of feeling with either my super distance or the wifes bushwacker below 7grams.

I tried last night at the harbour, using both the rods mentioned above, The super distance I fished mostly deadstick with a gulp sandeel and on the bushwacker tried various heads with grubs and tiny xlayers fished at various speeds etc. I only felt one knock on the xlayer (which I missed) and on the gulp sandeel I had several bites at rest about halfway across the harbourmouth, one of which bit clean through the last inch of the lure. Needless to say I wasn't quick enough again.

I know it's early days with finding which rod is the best (although I'm sure there probably isn't an LRF rod that will do all things best) I would like to buy a rod that I will feel the tiniest taps using say 1 - 7 grams.

Gary

 

[Ben Field]

Middle ground ? Well, I'm not sure here and so far, we haven't seen a 'wow' rod in the middle 5 - 15g range. I like the tech spec on the Red Luck Tactical though but again, we are talking monopoly money if building a set of 3 outfits. I realise this and WILL make sure I get to bend a few arms to test as many realistic rods as possible.

these rods exist in the form of the Smith bream rods Keith. For light rods, the best I have seen at the show!

 

[Mike Kennard]

these rods exist in the form of the Smith bream rods Keith. For light rods, the best I have seen at the show!

I agree, that rod was a real stand out rod for me. Super sharp action, very light and well balanced. the only problem is that I don't know if it is a production rod or still just a prototype. Either way, there are a few bream specific rods in Japan so I doubt that is the only good one out there. It is very similar to an eging rod but with a faster taper so an eging rod might just be the answer if you can find the right one. Then we are back to the problem of buying blind again.....