Light elastics - Talk Angling fishing chat and tackle advice

Ian.B · 9th February 2008, 09:43 PM

Was fishing with a no.3 again today (practicing for next week) & easily had double figures within 2.5 hours, if I repaet it next week over 5 hours I'm expecting good things.
Anyway, last week I had a carp of about 4 to 4.5lbs on & ended up using a bung hook to pull out the bung so I could wrap my elastic around my hand, bit like a reel ! - had to back wind as well a couple of times, but was concious that the elastic was rubbing against the edge of the top section & risked it cutting in & snapping the elastic (hope that makes sense). Got the fish in & was well chuffed.
Today though hooked into something which must have been a similar size (if not a tad bigger) & didn't want to risk the elastic being cut on the edge of the top section so grabbed the elastic (after 5 minutes or so) to land the fish that way. Had hold of the elastic about 18inches away from the stonfo & the hooklength snapped...ummmm.
I don't know why i rushed it but I did but the whole episode leads me to my next question.
In that situation would you opt to leave as many section together as required (i.e. holding a no6 or no7) to net the fish or handle the elastic - assuming you didn't have a pulla bung in.

Ian

steve (stonecold) · 10th February 2008, 05:47 AM

i would have left as many sections on as required , if it meant landing the fish. Think what you might have done in the match. Mate o mine once had 11m of pole in the air to land a carp on light gear.

jethro · 10th February 2008, 02:11 PM

If you get a hook pull whilst handling the elastic you could spear your hand you'll not do it again it hurts believe me.

Larry Teepot · 10th February 2008, 06:24 PM

i think you have to have faith in your set up....i fish 1s 2s elastics regular and you can land lumps just leave what ever sections on that are required......monster fish just tear off and usually break the hook length not the elastic..although i am not happy with breakages, it is a rare occurrence ....and of course i would adjust tackle to suit i would not knowing fish a venue with light elastics if it was happening constantly .If you are in a match i can see the point of trying to be as quick as you can..but if its pleasure take your time.I am thinking if there are lumps and you gonna hook them regular you are fishing a elastic thats to light you need to maybe step up to one that will do the job and still set the hook in smaller fish.What are you fishing for small silvers.

Ian.B · 10th February 2008, 07:25 PM

Yes silvers, although it's not a silver fish match it's just that they are what's winning.
The past few matches have been won with weights from 26Lb to 34lb with the majority of fish weighing from less than 0.5oz to 10-12oz. There has been a few bonus skimmers to 2lb & a few weeks ago 3 people had a tench each of around 2.5 to 3 lb, not seen the tench since though. Then last week I had a bonus carp of about 4 to 4.5lb (on my no.3 elastic) - but although I got it in by wrapping the elastic around my hand to shorten it didn't seem a bright thing to do.
Yesterday after hooking into another elastic stretcher I thought I'd try handling the elastic at the rig end which turned out to be even less of a bright thing to do. I lost the fish & could've injured myself as pointed out above.
If it happens again i will now follow the good advice given on this thread & use whatever length of pole is required to net it.

Thanks for the advice.

jay411 · 11th February 2008, 01:46 PM

you are also breaking n.f.a rules by handling the elastic tut tut

BaggieDell · 11th February 2008, 02:28 PM

change your elastic for the lightest hollow ellastic from whichever brand you prefer and fit a pullerbung.
Best of both worlds.

baging up art · 11th February 2008, 06:30 PM

i agree with baggiedell, i have three of them setup in my match kits,

the Milo ones and they are just the job when a big carp comes a long.

but i have read that the preston one's are better then the milo one's.. so it is best to get more info on which one to buy....

MattMatchMan · 11th February 2008, 07:07 PM

Pulla kit/ bung with light elastics is the way to go.

stevelockett · 12th February 2008, 06:03 PM

You need to use elastic that is suitable for landing your target fish. When we went through the debate about which one you should use, carp were not part of the equation, nor should they be now.
That fish was a real bonus, you don't want to gear up for the chance of one if they only show once every couple of months, you'll bump far too many of those small skimmers that are your real target fish.

Sounds like you managed to land a carp on that gear, albeit with half your pole up in the air, so why worry? Just take it as a fluke and get on with the job in hand: netting 20lb of little skimmers.