Steve King
Well-known member
Around twenty years ago I used to regularly see an old guy on the Teme legering for barbel and using a Diawa closed face reel. Not the intended purpose of the reel, but it seemed to work for him!
Doh ... just zoomed in on the photo1973 World match on a lake in France.
Bigger Avons, Loafers will pull the line off fine but I like using small wire stem sticks 6 No4 and less type floats at times, always nice to hold a float back a bit so the bait is slightly in front of the float and presented lovely.If your using a big float tbh the line should just peal off the spool. On the other hand if your using light sticks floats in slow flows it's better to feed the line off the spool with the left hand, this ensures a smooth trot down the swim. I have always done it this way its very easy when you get used to it.
I would regard a 6no4 wire stem as a fairly substantial float with a float of that size in a moderate flow I would really expect it to trott down the swim without much intervention from myself. Light floats to myself are anything lesser than a 4no 4.Bigger Avons, Loafers will pull the line off fine but I like using small wire stem sticks 6 No4 and less type floats at times, always nice to hold a float back a bit so the bait is slightly in front of the float and presented lovely.
I also find as the day goes on the line will not be so fluid when casting or trotting, its a build up of residue in the rings and on the spool cover from constant casting and winding.
I would not pay that sort of money for a new model 506 tbh. Your better off going for a couple of mark 1s imo.Most odd,a few weeks ago I looked online and new 506's were selling for £62-65,I went into Angling Direct today and £90+,also it seems that they never have the Wychwood folding landing nets in anything but the large size,ever,over 8 months,sometimes I wonder what use they are at all....
You can handle decent size fish on them,I have very little problem with chub and the odd barbel I catch round here. Admittedly the 501 ,506 reel is not the reel to use if your into double figure stuff as a regular catch. Not really what it's designed for let's face it.Well,I certainly did not,thought that was a large increase imo,especially when it wouldnt be used unless it was a windy day,if you were a canal match angler a closed face reel would be very handy in my eyes...