First pole

[magellan]

Hi guys, some of you may remember answering similar questions from me before. If you require an explanation as to why I’m asking again just ask, but you will wish you hadn’t.

Right then I’m thinking of buying an 8.5mt margin pole, it comes with 2 top kits and I want to buy 2 more. Should I buy 2 top kits? Or 1 top kit and a short stop, why? And how should I elasticate them? Probably using Matrix Slik.

I’m purely a pleasure angler, I fish my local club waters with an occasional visit to any one of my local commercials.

Cheers

Mike

 

[john step]

I too am a "pleasure " angler who has recently dabbled with a pole after many years without one.
I cannot recall if I answered your last post but as a non match angler I have come to the conclusion I dont need many tops.

Ask yourself do you actually need them.

Depends on your venues and size of fish.
I have 3 that came with pole a Browning 11 metre Black Magic Gold.
1 For silvers at the canal. I I remember its no. 4 which seems fine.
2 For things a bit bigger if I dont know whats in there exactly. 6 I think.
3. For lumps and attempts at river tench a 14 with puller kit. I feel it would take pasties and bream as well OK.

I have a Browning Pit Bull 6 metre with 18/20 and a puller kit which would be good for a tug of war competition.

 

[magellan]

Thanks John, reading up on this it seems short stops are aimed at match fishing; in which case it won't be an advantage to me. My thinking was to devide the range between fine and heavy into 4?
Mike

 

[john step]

Thanks John, reading up on this it seems short stops are aimed at match fishing; in which case it won't be an advantage to me. My thinking was to devide the range between fine and heavy into 4?
Mike

Sounds good. Just go for what you catch on your local club lake plus if the fish in the commie run bigger then beef up? I think we can all over worry about having the tool for every instant but in reality only use a couple of tops. Bit like floats I think. We carry a shed load but revert to a few favourites most of the time?

 

[markcw]

What's you budget and preferred brand. ?

 

[magellan]

Last year I bought a Preston edge monster plus all the bits and bobs, but it was all destroyed in a fire without ever being used, so I'm planning on going down the same route.

Mike

 

[Peter Jacobs]

I've always liked Preston poles esecially those in the mid range as I think they are probably the best value for money around.

I reckon that many pleasure anglers lose sight of just why we go for extras top kits and end up buying far more than they truly need.

Extra top kits are only used to give us different options for the presentation of a bait; be that at full depth, mid water or on the drop as well as different types of float for different conditions.

My margin pole is a Drennan with just 2 extra top kits and I've never really felt the need to add any more as for pleasure fishing I can take the time needed to change rigs or presentation styles.

 

[magellan]

Thanks chaps, seeing as nobody has top kits in stock thats made the choice for me. I'll order the pole, a couple of elastics ((10-12 14-16) and half a dozen floats to kick off with and grow as needs and experience dictate.
Again thank you very much.

Mike