Continental Rods

[pete1991]

Just wondering......

I've got a 15ft vercelli oxygen and Okuma big spool combo. I've been using 20lbs mainline and 60lbs shockleder with a 5oz weight. It really good rod out of the two and used to target the bigger species further out on the Fylde.

I have a couple of things i've been wondering about.

1. Am I the only person with a conti that uses mono, why have contis become synonymous wiht braid?

2. After doing a bit of reading on contis some people don't recommend them in the harsher months. I was planing on using it throughout Winter for cod, the Fylde isnt really that snaggy? Has anyone else had success over Winter with a conti?

[shacky]

I use my conti (Yuki Taylor Q7) all year round and have not had any problems with it. The rod is teamed up with a Penn Affinity 7000, loaded with 25lb Berkley Whiplash Braid and tapered leader.
I have used it in all weathers and it's been brilliant. Though in stormy weather, i would switch back to a normal beachcaster and multi reel.
Being zero stretch in braid, the bites show up much better, but the tip will bounce in rough weather.
Also braid is much thinner than normal mono, so your distance casting improves.
I think the Continental style of fishing is the Dog's Knackers You don't need to be a fancy caster to achieve good distances.
All i can say to you is try Braid....believe me, you won't go back to mono.

[liphook]

As someone who camps out at Rossall in good cod weather I have to disagree - the four things I definitely don't want are a conti rod , silly guides, a fixed spool and braid. Each to there own eh

[skatenchips]

i think conti rods have their place and the models I've used so far have tamed all the spring/summer species in respect to the time of the season they appear......

The Tronixpro Cobra Gt,s were introduced to me last year by john brown from the England squad and on his appraisal He's used them in south Africa /Belgium .and all manner of uk waters and they have been brilliant.....heavish to hold....buy hey the thin blank is as strong as an ox but the tip for me is the best bite detection in its class....be it smuts sting rays..or plaice and small fish i use em all season now.

but as soon as the winter storms arrive then the century supermatches get dusted off as they are designed for proper beach conditions with big baits big leads.....

braid for beach conditions when weed and big waves are trying there best to bury your reel line
is no place ...IMO...but then i can only offer experience of venues like chesil beach or Dungeness that havesome pretty wild waves actions bashing them up and the abrasive action of the shingle does its best to weaken the fine 30lb powerpro braid.... my past experience with braid being fraid and broken by the harsh conditions and endless crap in the water sees me using 15 to 20 lb mono all day long...

i use shimano ultegra 10000s fixed spools.. 24/7 and they crank on in the best and worst of weathers ..end of.

i prefer to use braid over clean ground but have mates that use it all year on all grounds so i guess you have to experience its pros and cons over a season before deciding..

Gazza

[mac]

Conti all year round and fixed spool , 24lb (.40) suffix tritanium straight through , no problems . No leader knot to gather weed

[liphook]

NO LEADER? I take it you are gently lobbing out or using sub 2oz leads then? If not you are being reckless. A shock leader is essential to my fishing as I power cast and often retrieve over mixed ground and up sea walls etc Add a decent fish into the equation and that safety margin becomes essential.

[craggers]

There's a lot of crap talked about conti rods usually by people that have never fished them for any length of time I have 6 now. after fishing with some top rods and multipliers for 40 years i changed my way of fishing about 5 years ago and never looked back.

So much so that I have six lol three for lesser spices and the rest for cod rays ect i chuck 7ounce with my 3 power tip versions they are capable of dragging any thing out off the Lancashire coast.

And there is a bonus you play the fish not just winch it in. Which is what you see most doing with multi and broom handle rods lol . That's only my opinion so no offence meant

[mac]

NO LEADER? I take it you are gently lobbing out or using sub 2oz leads then? If not you are being reckless. A shock leader is essential to my fishing as I power cast and often retrieve over mixed ground and up sea walls etc Add a decent fish into the equation and that safety margin becomes essential.

2 oz more than that and no i`m not reckless you don`t have to power cast a conti to get good distance

[pete1991]

Mixed responses then!! I guess I will suck it and see, I've got some quality braid on the way with tapered leader. Ill fish that along with my 13ft Diawa on 20lbs mono so I've got the best of both worlds!!! I shall report back in a few months.

[cosierat]

Fished with Mac quite a bit and can confirm he chucks it a fair way. plus no "crackoffs" that I can remember.