New Nash Rod & Reel

[Carpy]

Me and Dave or Buzzard on here. Have just purchased, A Nash Outlaw XS 12ft 2/5 test curve carp rod, and the Nash Outlaw Br6000 freespool or baitrunner reel.
We are thinking hard on which line to install on the reel, We will be using it mostly on the pool and venue's with medium sized fish up 20lb.
What line would you fit and why.

[Andrew Burgess]

Frank, Dave and Buzzard.

Your rod is designed and sold specifically for carp fishing usually have a 'test curve' rating along with the manufacture's logo immediately above the handle. This provides a guide to the rod's power and therefore suggested line strenghs to go with it so that both rod and line stretch in harmony like one enormous elastic band.

To find out the suggested line strenght for a particular rod you simply multiply its test curve rating by 5. For instance - a test curve of 2.5 lbs will result in a ideal line strength of around 12.5 lbs. It is simple as that. To find the lower limit of lines that can be used with the rod, multiply by 4 (10 lbs Test) and by 6 for the upper limit which will be 15 lbs.

So the ideal line I would go for 12.5 lbs Breaking strain

[Carpy]

Cheers Andrew we bought right then we gor 12lb line. . just need to catch the big fish. A nice 23lb carp caught on the pool last week, witnessed by a few anglers. good to see.

[Andrew Burgess]

Frank what sort of makes of line have you got to put on the reel?

[Carpy]

I dont know mate i should  globwhore What do you recommend. The line i got from the corn stores was £6.99 a spool not cheap.

[Andrew Burgess]

Yes Frank, ;D

Fishing lines are very exspenive but let me tell you about any sort of line.

Contrary to all the advertising hype accompanying every new line as it arrives on the market, very little has changed with monofilament line during the last few decades. This is possibly because it is, quite simply, a commodity which can be developed no further. It is now abrasion-resistant, as fine and as supple, with a suitable degree of stretch, as it is ever going to be. The plain truth is that if you pre-stretch monofilament of a certain test and diameter, it will become that much tinner and therefore easier to fool the carp with. But at what price - and this is what everyones seems to forget - because it will have greatly reduced elasticity, and it is the elastic-band action, or 'stretch', of regular monofilament that permits the landing of big fish on light lines.

Remove the 'buffer',as has happen with so called revolutionary, much tinner lines (which have been reduced to minimal stretch) and the line parts when you don't want it to: with the fish thumping away beneath the rod tip on a short line, about to be netted. It has been my experience as a carp/pike angler have seen more parted with big fish hooked on low diameter, pre-stretched lines than for any other reason.

Having said all this, low diameter pre-strecthed monofilament does make excellent hook lengths. A thinner line tied to the hook is bound to encourage more bites , especially when presenting floaters or fishing in clear water. Only when fishing at extreme range, however, (100 yards plus) would I consider filling the reel with a pre-stretch lies; and then only because regular mono, due to it inherent stretch, inhibits hook penetration on the strike.

I have for many years relied on Maxima Chameleon for all my carp/pike fishing. They are smooth, have just the right amount of stretch and are extremely supple.

When I am winding new line right on to the reel, I increase its suppleness by removing any coil caused by being stored on the spools. This 'relaxing' process make fishing with a brand new line a pleasure intead of a nightmare because the 'spring' has been taken out. After filling up the spool and fixingthe reel to the rod, thread the line through the rings and tie a large loop on the end. Slip it over a gate post or something similar and walk away 30 yard away. Then wind down gently down and slowly bend the rod int a full curve, holding it there for serveral seconds. Now point the rod at the fence post and wind until the line is tight to the reel with the rod straight. Walk slowly backwards a few paces 'feeling' just how much stretch there is in a new monofilament. When it is really tight, obviously long before full elasticity is reached, hold it there for ten seconds. Afterwards, it can be wound back onto the spool nicely limp and ready for work. This may sound a bit a rigmarole but I can assure you it is well worth the effort. ;D

[vickory]

Thanks for that information. Its time i changed my line. Will try your suggestions. Will i catch more fish.  cant catch less.

[Andrew Burgess]

When I buy line, I make sure that I buy it from the biggest, busiest tackle shop I can find, for I know that if I get a spool that's been on the shelves of months from a shop with a low turnover it could lost as much as one-thirds of its stated breaking strain. And that loss is invisble. You pull some line off the spool and it look fine. it's only when you part company with a fish, and afterwards test some on a spring balance that you have realise that your 12lb line is breaking at 9lb. Old line deteriorates fast when exposed to daylight and a couple of outings can make its breaking strain drop dramatically

It's high time that sell by dates were introduced by the fishing line manufactures, and anything left on the shelves after that date has expired put in the bargain bin so that anglers can make allowances for strenght loss and buy much heavier than they need.  

If I find the tel-tale sign of abrasion - any roughness to the touch or sign of shedding - I ALWAYS change the line, swapping spools with one ready loaded. It's not worth risking losing a big fish for a sake of a spool of line costing from little as £2 or £25.

[Carpy]

All spooled up with 12lb line And thanks to Andrew now the proud owner of a Optonic bite alarm. cheers mate . All ready to try it out.

[Andrew Burgess]

You are not quite ready yet Frank, ;D Have you got a large landing net for landing big fish? If not this what you want - The landing net, of course, be very large, having arms of at 36" (90cm) in lenght and a depth of about 48"(120cm). The handle needs to be at least 5ft (1.50m) long