Review Daiwa 150 SB seatbox - UPDATED 23.9.15

On my return to fishing after a 3 year break I found my old Penrose Seatbox in a  slightly sorry condition. I tidied the box up but on using found the old niggles of wooden boxes (I.e sticking drawers when wet) made life a little harder than it could have been.

So a new box was needed ! I had a budget of £200 but found limited choice for my needs. Ive always used a base unit for reels, pole cups, etc.so I wanted similar. My old box had 5 drawers and I couldnt see me coping with much less (although I do admit I carry too much gear).

I looked online at the Ultimate boxes which seemed great value, but reviews seemed split between excellent/awful which seemed too risky. Matchbox also had a few options that appealed, but in the end after actually sitting on one I went for the Daiwa 150 SB, slightly above my price range at £220.

Shallow front drawers

Base Unit

The box has the requisite detachable base unit (15cm deep), with 2 shallow front drawers and 2 full length cross drawers plus underseat storage.

2 Cross Drawers

I went to B&Q and bought some black L-shaped plastic to make drawer dividers with and a cheap storage box from Poundland which, after removing the lid, gives a great divided area for underneath the seat.  I also added 2 spirit levels to assist with setting the box up.

Underseat Storage

The seat is brilliantly comfortable and I can open any drawer whilst sitting down. The box is rock-solid and coming from the Penrose where I could tighten the screws until they bit into the legs,  then still find it slipping during use, this is a revelation.

The legs have never moved once in use and that's with still not feeling like I need to over-tighten the knobs. The legs themselves are 25mm round ones so any accessory that can fit the Preston Off-Box Rive (green) insert or similar, works a treat.

The footplate being a cassette type stows away nicely for transport but in use is also perfect.  I thought id miss the adjustability of a folding system but the height is just right (for my legs at least) and I can stand on the footplate without it folding up too..

I can honestly say this is one if not the best item of tackle I have ever bought and I really cannot recommend this box any higher for the price. Whilst a good seatbox will not make you a better angler - it's just made my fishing that bit easier and more comfortable meaning I can concentrate on other aspects more.

Thanks

Robin

* 2ND UPDATE 23.09.15 *

Nearly a year on from my update regarding slipping leg blogs and I'm pleased to say the legs haven't slipped the slightest in use. When i look back at the issue I had with the faulty 2 blocks,  I now remember that at that time I had used a bike lubricant in the blocks. Where I keep my box is not a totally dry environment and I didnt want any of the threads to corrode. Perhaps the oils reacted with the plastic somehow  or more likely the extra ease of movement meant I had unknowingly overtightened the hand knobs. Of course it still could have been a fault but its strange how 2 blocks failed so suddenly and totally. 

Anyway the upshot is that I haven't heard of any seatbox that doesnt have some kind of niggles. I still think that if you shop around and get it for a good price that there is nothing out there better for its price and size. I think any upgrade would cost at least £350 while I paid £220. So it gets a reprieve and returns to being superb in my eyes. 

http://www.daiwasports.co.uk/product/accessories/seat-boxes-accessories/daiwa-150-seat-box

(Old) UPDATE - 1.11.2014

Earlier this year I posted a glowing review of the above seatbox. its been perfect over the last 11 months until my last trip, when 2 of the legs on the main box started slipping; to the point it would slip with the slightest pressure.

This has really disappointed me as the box has been used less than 12 times and I'm not exactly vast at 13 stone. 

The box was returned to Daiwa who have replaced 2 of the blocks but as its now out of warranty I can't have confidence that the other legs won't fail as well.

It's a pity as I hate to give bad reviews, but I cant now recommend a product with such a major potential flaw.

Robin

Nick Gilbert Hollow Elastic - Review

I first started pole fishing well over 20 years ago fishing local waters for roach, rudd, perch and tench if I was lucky. Carp were a mystical creature that you might hook for a few seconds before they inevitably snapped your line or elastic. In fact when i first started pole fishing it was really meant for fish under 2lbs; the elastic was all imported latex and IIRC a no.8 was the heaviest I could get.

Fast forward to 2015 and the pole is used to regularly land everything that swims and elastics range from natural (and double) latex to solids and hollows and most of the elastic I use now, starts at a No.8. In my opinion (and I know a lot of anglers prefer solids)  hollow elastic and more recently the addition of puller bungs has revitalised pole fishing. Having an elastic covering a range of grades and a puller to add some backbone has transformed fishing. I first discovered hollow elastics as Daiwa Hydro over 12 years ago and instantly it was an unbeatable upgrade for my fishing over what had gone before, now big fish could be specifically targeted and landed whilst the flexibility of a hollow meant smaller fish could also be caught on the same top kit.

However Hydro has always been at the top of the table for cost. This wasnt so important when I had 2-3 top kits and the elastic could easily last 2 years. But then I noticed a change. In certain grades Hydro seems to degrade quicker than at one time so the longevity now affects its cost. I have since been though virtually every mainstream brand of elastic in some form or another before a  few years ago deciding to try some of Nick Gilbert's hollows following lots of positive internet reviews. I have found them to be excellent both in performance and value for money and although i dont keep elastics in my top kits for years at a time now, Ive had no issues with the product degrading over time.

Most branded elastics seem to cost between £10 and £15 for 3m, while the NG hollow is available in specific lengths (to minimise paying extra for length you dont need) from £4 for 2m to £6 for 3m.TBH I'd rather pay more for the right product than get an inferior, cheaper replacement.

In this case I truly believe this product is equal to, if not better than the original. Hydro is the only elastic that can legally have a liquid in its core (as sold)  but in comparison I cant tell any difference in use.

Nick's elastic comes in a range of sizes as you'd expect but also some subtle variations :-


Amber Core - This elastic starts of quite soft but powers up quickly so has a wider rating than the                               other hollows. Nice to stop smaller fish splashing on the surface too easily.


Twin Core -    Soft but a more consistent stretch to give more control over a running fish.


Micro Bore -   Newest variation which as the name implies has a finer central hollow bore. This leads  to a much thinner elastic and helps alleviate any flattening of the elastic under pressure

Personally I like the micro bore blue (4-8) for winter silver fish on commercials; the twin core green 10-12 is absolutely gorgeous and soft but with a strong backbone and the new pink micro bore 6-10 seems great as an allrounder.

As I've said before - this review is my personal opinion. I haven't caught 300lb bags on this elastic (or any as you can tell from the blog !) but I believe it's outstanding. To elasticate 6 topkits costs me a maximum of £36 as opposed to £60 for most other products - that's a big difference. But as I said at the beginning of this post; if the elastic wasn't up to the job - price would be irrelevant.

Finally on my last trip to the Angel I was catching 3-8lb carp on a top kit using the Amber Core Black 12-16 for the first time. Last year fishing the same venue with a Middy 12-16 I lost over half the fish I hooked through pulls. This time using the same terminal tackle on the NG elastic I lost 1 out of over 20 carp. I need a bit more usage on the bank of course and maybe in the past I'd had a large amount of foul hooked fish - food for thought though ?


Thanks for reading

Tight Lines



website for Nick Gilbert Elastic


http://float-store.co.uk/NG-Twin-Core-Amber-Core-Hollow-Elastic

MAP Flexi Pole Pots Review - 12th August 2015

MAP Flexi Pots

Pole pots, CAD pots, toss pots call them what you want but basically a great idea for feeding your swim via the pole tip to ensure the loose feed is bang on your pole rig. Since starting fishing with a pole a long time ago I've tried them all, home made 'Blue Peter' specials with a 35mm film canister (google it if you're under 25 !) And araldited carbon sleeve, through to deodorant spray lids and moving onto the legendary Fox Toss Pots. I even remember buying Kinder eggs, just for the plastic 'eggs'; my wife still hasnt forgiven me after our (then) 4 year old son discovered and ate my Kinder egg stash on the way to my brother's wedding as i stayed stoically on bridegroom duty while she had to deal with a hyperactive toddler with a milk allergy !

I digress.  Basically I've tried them all. Now a pole mounted pot isn't the best option for feeding in every scenario but it is the method i use the most often. I'd  been using Frenzee's soft pots and thought they were perfect,  then i discovered these beauties from MAP.

The pots are made from a very soft plastic. This means that the fit is very forgiving for different diameter top kits. I still have some of the original Fox pots and ifyou had a variety of top kits you really had to have a selection of different diameter pots with you.

The pot slides onto the pole tip and the lid (either open or latticed for dripping in bait) locks the pot into position. Being flexible there's much more of an option as to how far up/down the kit you want to position them, without risking damage to the pole.

The thing that sways me the most with the MAP pots though is their balance. I did love the Frenzee soft pots when they first came out but as they clip on at their base and are quite tall, they are very susceptible to catching any wind blowing. This top heaviness also seems to mean that unless the pot is fitted on very tightly they seem to rotate with gravity to be upside down. The MAP pots dont have this issue. As the pole runs centrally through the pot they're much less obtrusive to the action of the pole and any wind. This also seems to mean less spillages due to bait bouncing out in my view as well.

To me these a simply the best pole mounted pots I've ever used and just seem to make the process of feeding easier and more precise which is surely our aim.

One last thing is currently they come in 3 sizes; small, medium and large. The small pots are tiny - as in a few micros dripped in during the winter months tiny. I'd recommend medium or large for the rest of the year.

MAP Flexi pots c. £3.99 for 2 

http://www.mapfishing.co.uk/video/6g7W82myv0Y

Matrix Power Micron

About 12 months ago i realised that the line I was using to make pole rigs and hooklengths from was a total mixture of different brands and types. For a few years I'd used a product that hadn't really let me down, but there was a lot of information on the net that this line was at least 0.02mm thicker than stated. "But fish don't read labels" is a common statement.

True, but I'm still a great believer (rightly or wrongly) that the thinner the line the more natural presentation with the way the hookbait acts, so I'll always err on the side of a lighter line than a heavier one (within reason of course) If i decide that a 0.12 hooklength is right for the conditions and size of fish I'm after, then I want to be fishing with something close to that diameter and not nearly at 0.15. It may not be that vital in the grand scheme of things but it gives me more confidence in my gear if i know its as described. Added to this I also wanted to try and stick to one make of line, so i could get used to its characteristics.

I tried a variety of lines and most of them were ok but some either just seemed to kink a bit easily when tying hooks or others a were a bit stiffer than I'd expected.

I decided to try Matrix Power Micron in a couple of sizes and have never really looked back since. In my opinion the line is very supple, strong and resilient and seems to resist kinking when I tie spade end hooks in my customary brusque manner.It seems as abrasion resistant as anything else I've used and has very low memory - Its nice to take a pole rig off a winder and see the line nice and straight and not looking like a big 'Z' shape ! I now use this line from 0.08 to 0.20 diameters which covers 95% of my fishing.

In fact i cant fault it at all. I did suffer a few breakages recently but this was my fault for fishing too fine a hooklength which snapped when the elastic bottomed out by an angry carp building up a head of steam in the opposite direction.

I use the line for pole rigs and hooklengths ( pole, float and feeder). Its usually priced around  £5 for a 100m spool which is par for the course.

The product doesn't seem to have a lot of a following at the moment which i find strange. However, I've never seen it in a tackle shop and have always purchased online which could explain things a bit if its not that common.

If you're looking to try a different rig line from your usual one then i really recommend this product from Matrix...highly recommended.

http://fishmatrix.co.uk/catalogues-products.php?section=1&product=183&catalogue=7

Robin

Maver Enigma 1 Carp Pole 16m

After returning to angling 12 months ago I always new that an upgrade to my existing pole would be difficult to resist.

I'd had my Shimano Technium since 2006 and it had never let me down. However it had of course been superceded by newer technology and was "only" 12.5m long. Factoring in top section cut backs and the fact that you couldnt really fish it at full length meant I had a usable pole of around 10m in reality.

This in itself isnt a problem. How often do I, someone who doesnt fish matches,  really need to fish longer ? Well I was starting to fish some snake type lakes and was only able to reach 2/3rds of the way over, meaning a lot of options were blocked off to me.

So, I wanted - if not needed a new pole, as I could now justify a reason to upgrade to myself !. At first I bought a Maver Grim Reaper. A great budget pole but in reality not giving me the length advantage over the Technium, as I found back on the Oaks I was still 6 feet away from fishing near the far shelf.

So i sold the virtually new Grim Reaper,  reset my budget and after reading reviews, holding one in the shop and finding a price far cheaper than anywhere else I bought the Maver Enigma 1 Carp Pole 16m.

Wanting a 16m pole wasnt even  in the equation, If it was good at 13-14.5m Id be happy. After 4 trips I'm blown away by this pole. Now any opinions I form have to be tempered by the fact I've never fished with any other 13m + poles for comparison. I did compare the Enigma in the shop with both cheaper and more expensive poles and to me, it was the best balanced of all I tried.

So with that statement I can say I love using this pole and it has made my fishing more enjoyable and probably successful compared to its venerable predecessor. 

Its stiff and light. Virtually unoticeable at 13m and fishable all day at 14.5m (particularly if not in a gale as per my last trip !)

Its crisp on the strike and on carp to 7-8lbs has responded flawlessly.  I was slightly concerned coming from the Technium, which is built like a Land Rover of the pole world, that any new pole would shatter in use as im obviously used to being heavy handed.  However up to now the only issue has been a small crack at the top of the No.4 section, caused by my clumsiness - trying to stop a running carp on a top 2 by adding sections and not getting the pole together properly.

The pole finish is lovely and whilst it doesnt have some of the features of the more expensive Mavers it ships beautifully in my opinion.

The Enigma comes with 1 match kit and 3 power kits. The power kits all have side puller slots and are re-inforced at this point and work very well on the bank. Added to this is a very good quality holdall, mini extension for 13/14.5 and 16m sections and cupping kit with cups.

One huge benefit on purchasing this pole is having the top kits pre bushed. All my kits and cup kit are now the same length. No need to try and adjust where I drop bait when cupping in anymore.

I've added another match kit to the collection and have fitted a variety of elastics from blue hydro to 14-16 Drennan. Originally I was going to keep the Technium for margin work but sold it to help purchase the Enigma and I have no qualms about using it for this task, or indeed as a silver fish pole either.

I havent needed to fish longer than 14.5m but it seems manageable if not desirable for too long a session. 

As I said im not able to review the Enigma as a comparison to other poles in its price range but as an upgrade from my old pole the difference is amazing.

Im very satisfied with my purchase

Thanks .

Robin.

Posted via Blogaway

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Review - Nick Gilbert Pole Floats

It's a well used adage in angling that pole floats catch more anglers than fish and its certainly true in my case.

I have dozens of floats that have never seen water and probably never will.Its also true that a handful of patterns would more than likely 'do' for the type of  fishing I partake in , however using the right tool for the job gives me confidence in my gear and presentation.

There is a trend at the moment for hand made floats to be en vogue and I've tried a few makes. Surely there are great mass produced floats out there as well ? Well there are. But again it comes back to confidence again. Trust that the float wont break or bend and do what's asked of it.

Which brings me on to the handmade and Commercial XT pole float range available on-line from Nick Gilbert.

I can easily say that Nick's floats are the best I've ever used. They are beautifully crafted and look good (enough reason on its own for some anglers !); they are strong enough to cope with commercial fish abuse; they carry the shot stated on the float (if I shot 1 float up in a tube, I know others will shot the same without having to go through the full process again) and they are all stable and do the jobs they are meant to do.

The 3 floats shown above are (from top to bottom):-

NG Mini Gimp - 1.5mm hollow tip and wire stem. Lovely short float ideal for fishing shallow, far banks on canal type lakes, or even as a margin float.

NG XT Mini Diamond - 2mm hollow tip and carbon stem. Ideal for bigger baits. However I have used this small float with paste and found compared to my usual long bristled paste floats that bites were more positive. From Nick's commercial range but with the same build quality as the hand mades floats IMO.

NG Decker HD - 1.7mm hollow tip and glass stem. Ideal for fishing on or near the bottom with bigger baits like meat or corn. Very stable float.

NG Gimp Glass (not pictured) 1.2mm hollow tip and glass stem. Tremendously versatile float, great for maggots, pellets etc for F1s and silvers on commercials. If I could only choose 1 float for all my fishing, this would it. Another stable, sensitive float.

The floats are available in a myriad of sizes with different tip diameters (& colours) and stem materials or diameters too, so you really can tailor the float to your own specification.

Nick's website is at  www.float-store.co.uk   The XT range are usually available from stock whilst there is a few week wait for the hand mades. The price for the hand made floats is possibly at the premium end of the scale, but these floats are not one session wonders like some I've used. If you've ever had an eye rip out or the float take on water and sit lower during your session you will know what I mean. The price and small waiting time for delivery are worth it and I'll be expanding my own collection soon !

Thanks

Robin

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Review - Maver Grim Reaper SX (13m pole) £299

I've had my old Shimano Technium XT 12.5m pole for around 8 years and whilst it was in good condition, It was heavy and started getting a bit of a handful at 11m Plus.

I decided the time was right for an upgrade but as unsual financial constraints and limited fishing opportunities meant I couldnt justify a large amount.

I wanted a 13m pole but not an out and out 'carp cruncher' as I still enjoy fishing for silvers. So weight and stiffness would also be a factor.

I'd considered offerings from Daiwa, Preston, Garbolino and MAP. But the MAP 101 seemed favourite from everything I'd read on the 'net.

I went to my local tackle shop Fishing Republic in Sunderland and was pointed in the direction of the Maver Grim Reaper, a pole I hadnt even considered due to its 'lump hauling' reputation.

However on comparing the full length pole to some of the others on my list and even some more expensive poles (such as the Browning Z All Round and the MAP 201), I kept coming back to the Reaper. I even looked at the 14.5m Maver Retribution which was a lot more than my defined price range and even with the butt section off it just didnt feel as "right" as the Reaper.

So the decision was made and the Reaper was bought. I also liked the 3 supplied easy-glide side puller power tops which came along with a match top 3 and cupping kit. I decided to also buy an extra match kit at the same time to bring the pole up to 5 kits.

Chris and Tony in the tackle shop offered to elasticate the pole for me, something im very capable of doing but they did a very professional job and although the tops are pre-bushed, this saved me quite some effort as I just chose the elastic I wanted and they did the rest. FOC. They also recommended dacron connectors which are so much tidier and less tangle-prone than the stonfos I`ve always used in the past.

Power Kits with side pullers

Since then I've used the pole on 2 trips.  First at The Angel Of The North Lakes where an unseasonly cold,  foggy day turned the carp off but I had some nice silvers up to 2lb at 11m and closer. The 2nd trip was to the Oaks and this gave the pole a much better workout, hitting F1 bites, silvers and carp to just under 7lbs from the margins.

The pole did everything id asked of it and feels strong but responsive and well-balanced. The cupping kit is very stiff and overall I couldnt be happier with the whole package.

Obviously there are much better poles out there, but for £300 I think you'd struggle to find anything to compete.The spares aren't the cheapest around, but nor are they the most expensive either and fishing at full length all day would be a bit of a chore but which pole Isn't without a section off ? if you need to fish at 13m a lot then try a bump/spray bar and 2 well set up pole rollers.

If you're looking for a good budget pole  for catching a bit of everything on commercials i dont think you'd be disappointed with this one.

Update... 9th May 2014

After reading a post on Maggotdrowning re: actual pole length, i measured the pole with the supplied power tops fitted. Without the mini extension the Reaper measured 11.6m and 12.4 with the extension fitted. How this compares to other manufacturers I dont know. However comparing the pole with the extension fitted in the shop against some of the other poles without extensions may have been totally different. I still like the pole, just feel a bit mislead.

Review - Kamasan B911 F1 Hook

As most of my fishing is now on commercials,  hooks have to be relatively strong. But due to my fishing ethos background and fishing I'll still try and fish as finely as is sensible to guarantee bites.

The B911 in sizes 16-20 probably ends up  on 80% of my pole rigs. Its my first choice for using maggot, caster and pellets and probably the only times I don't use this pattern is for margin fishing with paste or big baits generally and also for delicate silver rigs in the colder months.

Whilst ive never caught out and out lumps on this hook, ive landed carp to 8lbs and have never had one straighten. It also seems to retain its point very well even after a few fish. As everywhere I fish is  barbless only these days, I think its a great hook. And relatively inexpensive as well.