Bought the wrong one?

[nottskev]

I had a problem landing big fish from swims with high banks, so I thought I'd try a longer (4m) net handle. Holding a shorter one out in the flow by the end of the handle gave me some barbel-fishing equivalent of tennis elbow that's taking months to heal. Anyway, I read up on them, deliberated, mail-ordered one and decided within minutes of getting it I should have plumped for a different one. Luckily the shop said they'd swap it, no problem, so I'll spend the day driving there and back. I couldn't bear to faff around with further postage etc.

Anybody done anything similar, and taken an instant dislike to what they just bought?

 

[steve2]

Yes and the rods are still in the tackle shed unused apart from one session when I said to myself these are rubbish. They just didn't feel right to me.

 

[nottskev]

Yes and the rods are still in the tackle shed unused apart from one trip.

That's always the risk - so I'm going to change it straightaway.
I've had some high-end margin pole sitting bnwt, as they, in the corner for a few years; no more of that.

 

[mikench]

Not fishing tackle but clothes and garden equipment. At least you can try the proposed replacement now.

 

[bullet]

Yes, a Gardner 3m extending net handle, very robust but very heavy......makes a good pole for strapping a pruning saw to, though.

 

[Keith M]

I had a problem landing big fish from swims with high banks, so I thought I'd try a longer (4m) net handle. Holding a shorter one out in the flow by the end of the handle gave me some barbel-fishing equivalent of tennis elbow that's taking months to heal. Anyway, I read up on them, deliberated, mail-ordered one and decided within minutes of getting it I should have plumped for a different one. Luckily the shop said they'd swap it, no problem, so I'll spend the day driving there and back. I couldn't bear to faff around with further postage etc.

Anybody done anything similar, and taken an instant dislike to what they just bought?

I bought a new reel off of the net which has some great write ups (Diawa Ninja) but when it arrived I hadn’t realised how small in diameter it’s spool was, plus I hadn’t realised that it didn’t come with a spare spool either; so I sent it straight back and received a refund then went out and bought another reel with a much wider spool diameter plus a spare spool (Shimano-Aero-4000FA) from my local tackleshop.

I won’t buy another reel off of the web unless I already know everything about it first.

NB: There’s nothing wrong with the Diawa Ninja I just much prefer a spool that’s a bit wider in diameter than on the Ninja.

Keith

 

[108831]

I bought two Ninja 3012 size Keith,that is what I consider the same sort of diameter,they are spares at present as I am using 4000 cadence CR7 & CR10 reels,as for the OP,far too many times,sometimes on advice,sometimes on reading bumph,sometimes as companies suddenly change spec as happened recently with a Preston side tray,always gives a reason to practice your cursing...

 

[nottskev]

Yes, a Gardner 3m extending net handle, very robust but very heavy......makes a good pole for strapping a pruning saw to, though.

I did the same with a few sections of an old pole.

 

[nottskev]

It cost me a trip to Sheffield but I don't mind a drive. The shop was in a bit of a maze, though. When the SatNav told me I'd reached my destination, I still had to phone them (twice) to get directions. Firmly establishing myself as the customer who doesn't know what he wants and can't find his way around. Still, got the right one now. Great looking shop, mind - big stands of quality rods set up. But I don't hang around in shops these days so I was out in two minutes.

 

[108831]

Bought a Phillips trotting rod,had it made after seeing a guys rod on the H.Avon,when it arrived it was the biggest load of pony ive ever seen,it bent like Geoff Boycott's famed stick of rhubarb and was a horrible creature...

 

[mikench]

Go on Kev name names.?

 

[nottskev]

Ok. I bought a Daiwa Airity 4m handle. With some misgivings. I've bought plenty of good rods for less. But I plumped for the lightest in class, even though the shop, on the phone, tactfully mentioned the Free Spirit as exceptionally strong if not quite as light. Before it arrived I was questioning my priorities - it's going to be landing small numbers of big fish, not being waved around all day. The clincher, trivially enough, was the Daiwa silver colour. I really don't like bling on any gear; I've got a Spectron rod that fishes brilliantly but I've considered taking a spray can to its silver and candy-stripe butt. The Free Spirit looks classier and is reassuringly solid in build. The shop was Billy Clarke's in Sheffield - but for Covid, I could have spent the afternoon in there.

 

[markcw]

Kev ,not seen the free spirit handle ,but heard good things, but I bought the Drennan Acolyte 4 metre handle after putting it up against the Daiwa Airity and Tournament.
I fancied one of the Daiwas because I have the Team Daiwa 3 metre. The Airity sections are very similar to the Team Daiwa, Don't worry about the silver ends, they fade in time,
But the Acolyte just shaved it for me. I thought it felt lighter and stronger.Plus I had seen one in use landing a large carp.

I was tempted to send away for the 4 metre Vespe Italian handle, heard good reports on that as well.
Good look with the Airity ,you won't be disappointed.

 

[108831]

Landing nets for me are at the shortest length possible,for swims with high or awkward banks I have four 3m poles,all extendable,so when feasable I can use them short...

 

[nottskev]

Kev ,not seen the free spirit handle ,but heard good things, but I bought the Drennan Acolyte 4 metre handle after putting it up against the Daiwa Airity and Tournament.
I fancied one of the Daiwas because I have the Team Daiwa 3 metre. The Airity sections are very similar to the Team Daiwa, Don't worry about the silver ends, they fade in time,
But the Acolyte just shaved it for me. I thought it felt lighter and stronger.Plus I had seen one in use landing a large carp.

I was tempted to send away for the 4 metre Vespe Italian handle, heard good reports on that as well.
Good look with the Airity ,you won't be disappointed.

I swapped the Airity for the Free Spirit. The silver Spectron is 2006 and looks as silver as ever. There's something not right with silver fishing tackle

 

[sam vimes]

Yes, a Gardner 3m extending net handle, very robust but very heavy......makes a good pole for strapping a pruning saw to, though.

I never understood the fuss about the Gardner or the similar, possibly even more heavy, Lone Angler. Might be handy if you want to vault across a small watercourse, or maybe recreate the Aysgarth Fall staff fighting scene in Robin Hood - Prince Of Thieves.

 

[Philip]

Drennan FD 3000 reel.

Somehow got talked into buying it by the tackle shop & hated it from the first second I fished with it. Gave it a second go, hated it even more. It now lives on a shelf unused as I cant be bothered to get round to trying to sell it.

I occasionally pick it up and give it a few turns thinking it wasnt THAT bad was it ? ...but yes it was that bad...

 

[fishcatcher60]

Drennan FD 3000 reel.

Somehow got talked into buying it by the tackle shop & hated it from the first second I fished with it. Gave it a second go, hated it even more. It now lives on a shelf unused as I cant be bothered to get round to trying to sell it.

I occasionally pick it up and give it a few turns thinking it wasn't THAT bad was it ? ...but yes it was that bad...

I had the exact same thing with the drennan reel.

It felt lovely and smooth in the shop but first time out fishing a 3AAA waggler for silvers it sounded like a coffee grinder on the retrieve and that was without a fish on.

You live and learn but it just goes to show even when you have tried something in a shop you never really know what it's like until you actually try fishing with it.

 

[rob48]

Ok. I bought a Daiwa Airity 4m handle. With some misgivings. I've bought plenty of good rods for less. But I plumped for the lightest in class, even though the shop, on the phone, tactfully mentioned the Free Spirit as exceptionally strong if not quite as light. Before it arrived I was questioning my priorities - it's going to be landing small numbers of big fish, not being waved around all day. The clincher, trivially enough, was the Daiwa silver colour. I really don't like bling on any gear; I've got a Spectron rod that fishes brilliantly but I've considered taking a spray can to its silver and candy-stripe butt. The Free Spirit looks classier and is reassuringly solid in build. The shop was Billy Clarke's in Sheffield - but for Covid, I could have spent the afternoon in there.

I bought the Free Spirit 4m handle last winter and I'm really pleased with it. Compared it with friend's acolyte and a daiwa model whose name I don't know, and it was marginally (a few grams at a guess) heavier than the acolyte and similar to the Daiwa. What was noticeable was the improved stiffness and balance in the hand over the other two, which became even more apparent when the nets were attached.

 

[nottskev]

I bought the Free Spirit 4m handle last winter and I'm really pleased with it. Compared it with friend's acolyte and a daiwa model whose name I don't know, and it was marginally (a few grams at a guess) heavier than the acolyte and similar to the Daiwa. What was noticeable was the improved stiffness and balance in the hand over the other two, which became even more apparent when the nets were attached.

Nice to hear you like it. I get by with 3m ones as a rule, and for bigger fish I've got a Drennan Specialist which I find great. But in a couple of high bank barbel swims I like, you're having to hold it out by the end - more like down, in fact -at arms length with a good flow dragging the net and that does your elbow, and everything attached to it, no good at all, I found this autumn. With a longer handle a bit behind should balance it a bit, and I can hold it under my fore-arm with less stress. It might come in handy for other things, too. It's a handsome looking creation, too, which never hurts.