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LRF gear advice....

hullcitytilidie

hullcitytilidie

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I'm putting a bit of LRF gear together over the winter and looking for advice. I've loads of spinning rods but nothing as light as I need. I'm looking at the Rapture Vivid SS ULS-792 0.5g - 7g?
F42262A2-CC54-4752-B309-DCAADB8A8A66_4_5005_c.jpeg
I've thought of being able to use my Shimano Stradic Ci4 2500HG-K with this rod, which I bought cheaply new but have never used, preferring my Sustain and Rareniums when using lures, or would this be considered too large? I'm thinking 6lb line is the most suitable for my venues? all in Scotland - old stone piers and suchlike.
I would appreciate any thoughts or other recommendations. I've bought a couple of Savage Gear LRF kits, minnows and worms. Regards Geoff.
 
hullcitytilidie said:
I'm putting a bit of LRF gear together over the winter and looking for advice. I've loads of spinning rods but nothing as light as I need. I'm looking at the Rapture Vivid SS ULS-792 0.5g - 7g?
View attachment 2135
I've thought of being able to use my Shimano Stradic Ci4 2500HG-K with this rod, which I bought cheaply new but have never used, preferring my Sustain and Rareniums when using lures, or would this be considered too large? I'm thinking 6lb line is the most suitable for my venues? all in Scotland - old stone piers and suchlike.
I would appreciate any thoughts or other recommendations. I've bought a couple of Savage Gear LRF kits, minnows and worms. Regards Geoff.
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I use fluorocarbon line 4/6 lb and I use a 1000 Shimano reel on my ultra light rod
 
Because I expected it to a very occassional use I went budget and bought a shimano hyperloop 100 and put 6lb hto rockfish braid on it. Wee reel sems fine, braid not briliant would probably go for j braid 8 strand next.
 
I've just won an auction on eBay. A Shimano Rarenium Ci4 1000 SB loaded with 8 strand j braid. I already have a rarenium in 3000 size and rate them highly.
 
hullcitytilidie said:
I've just won an auction on eBay. A Shimano Rarenium Ci4 1000 SB loaded with 8 strand j braid. I already have a rarenium in 3000 size and rate them highly.
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Bet the blennys are shaking in there rockpools!!!!!! Lol hope you have good fun.
 
Cfish said:
Bet the blennys are shaking in there rockpools!!!!!! Lol hope you have good fun.
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Even the tiddlers feel "big" on such lightweight gear. While I fail miserably when it comes to Perch, I'm not too bad at hooking things in the sea. I was blown away at the difference between mono and braid, first decent Mackerel felt like a 300lb tuna. Every fish is fun on a LRF rod. I've no doubt that the big wrasse and bream that you get down your way would be a pant wetting, knee knocking experience. I can't wait to get back over to the west coast for a serious assault at the mullet with my "winkle picker+dental floss" outfit (that's what my mate calls it) ridiculous fun in knee depth water. ?
 
Warby72 said:
Even the tiddlers feel "big" on such lightweight gear. While I fail miserably when it comes to Perch, I'm not too bad at hooking things in the sea. I was blown away at the difference between mono and braid, first decent Mackerel felt like a 300lb tuna. Every fish is fun on a LRF rod. I've no doubt that the big wrasse and bream that you get down your way would be a pant wetting, knee knocking experience. I can't wait to get back over to the west coast for a serious assault at the mullet with my "winkle picker+dental floss" outfit (that's what my mate calls it) ridiculous fun in knee depth water. ?
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It's amazing what you can hook up to on lrf gear! A seatrout would be interesting???
 
Cfish said:
It's amazing what you can hook up to on lrf gear! A seatrout would be interesting???
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I reckon you would be playing it that long that you'd soon have a heavy hand on your shoulder? My sea trout sessions tend to be land it quick then run like fook! :LOL:
 
Rarenium arrived today - I'm very pleased with the condition. Real wee dinky little thing, can't wait for rod to come? - It's like Xmas as a lad? - I'm getting all excited! :LOL: The marks on it must just be from the flash - it is unmarked - I didn't pay anywhere near the box price either, well chuffed.

88CECCCA-0B52-488B-9737-FFF69305FE83.jpeg
 
WooooHoooooo! Father Xmas just been - The eagle has landed - LRF rod is here! ;)
It balances lovely with the tiny Rarenium. Feels as light in your hand as a Cuban cigar!:)



087A0F09-1F78-4FED-A602-B75913000175_1_201_a.jpeg75BA05EA-2AD4-43AE-A418-6E6E136E8B6A_1_201_a.jpegD96CF697-637B-4F03-BA97-C98ED915F412.jpeg4B75FA2F-98CD-4638-9057-CD87D86B50FB.jpeg
 
Hi Geoff

You will be fine with the Stradic 2500, I use the Stradic 1000 as my rod is very light and the small reel balances better. In terms of lines I fill up my reel with strongish line and use 6lb leaders that make it easy to jump between drop shot set up and spinning set up. The Leaders are around 1.2m long and I keep them on small line winds that are easy to store access. So spinning quick hitch at end of the main line and a small swivel at the end of the leaders. This makes it simple to change set really quickly.

Hope this helps, can send you some photos if want.

Cheers
Jamie

hullcitytilidie said:
I'm putting a bit of LRF gear together over the winter and looking for advice. I've loads of spinning rods but nothing as light as I need. I'm looking at the Rapture Vivid SS ULS-792 0.5g - 7g?

View attachment 2135
I've thought of being able to use my Shimano Stradic Ci4 2500HG-K with this rod, which I bought cheaply new but have never used, preferring my Sustain and Rareniums when using lures, or would this be considered too large? I'm thinking 6lb line is the most suitable for my venues? all in Scotland - old stone piers and suchlike.
I would appreciate any thoughts or other recommendations. I've bought a couple of Savage Gear LRF kits, minnows and worms. Regards Geoff.
Click to expand...
 
Cheers Jamie, I'll drop you a PM when I start making some leaders up, just waiting for a bit of gear to arrive. Need some knowledge on drop shotting and such also.

Hope to catch up with you and Warbs next year covid permitting? Always up Scotland touring and camping, canoeing and fishing whenever possible. Usually weeks away at a time with my little dog, can't wait to get away again!:)

PS Check out photos above, I've since got an ultra light rod and a shimmy 1000.;)
 
Ive never used a Rarenium or that rod but i'm confident that you'll have a lot of fun with that set up. I have a Vanquish 2000, a Stradic ci4 2500, and an Exsence 3000 so have a lot of faith in shimmy reels. The Vanquish needed a bit of use to settle in and get smooth and the Stradic still feels a tiny bit 'gritty' on the retrieve bit I dont use it as much. The smoothest reel i own is my humble Daiwa Ninja 2000 though..

The only thing i can really recommend for maximum ultralight fun is a good braided line. I love Sunline Small Game in 0.3 or 0.4PE (5 or 6lb) but it is expensive. I have Varivas Avani 0.3PE on the Ninja at the minute and can recommend that too.

There are good videos on youtube which will set you up with tying dropshot rigs. Some people use tiny clips for metals and jigheads but i mostly tie them straight on to a 5 or 6lb flouro leader with a Palomar knot (and tie my flouro to the braid with a uni to uni knot with more turns on the braid side).

Dropshotting and light jigs/ metals is a great way to test your new gear, and then you start to get into the finery of flex-heads and texas rigs. Carolina rigs are great for species hunting (im definitely doing more of that next year) and some people use caro rigs for exploring the water column (im yet to try it).

Sorry if you know all this. Someone might benefit from it if so!
 
No sea fishing for me this year but I have been doing quite a bit of dropshotting on local rivers for perch. I did find I was dropping a number of fish with the normal dropshot setup so I tie a swivel to the end of my braid, a length of mono to the top eye of the swivel as a snood and a length of mono to the bottom eye of the swivel so I can adjust the depth I fish using a dropshot lead. Doesn't tangle and hook ups have improved. I use a converted 8 weight flyrod plus Shimano 2500 size reel. Probably all wrong but it works for me.
 
AlanT said:
No sea fishing for me this year but I have been doing quite a bit of dropshotting on local rivers for perch. I did find I was dropping a number of fish with the normal dropshot setup so I tie a swivel to the end of my braid, a length of mono to the top eye of the swivel as a snood and a length of mono to the bottom eye of the swivel so I can adjust the depth I fish using a dropshot lead. Doesn't tangle and hook ups have improved. I use a converted 8 weight flyrod plus Shimano 2500 size reel. Probably all wrong but it works for me.
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If you are catching, then it's the right set-up, whatever anyone else says!
 
fiveyardcast said:
The only thing i can really recommend for maximum ultralight fun is a good braided line. I love Sunline Small Game in 0.3 or 0.4PE (5 or 6lb) but it is expensive. I have Varivas Avani 0.3PE on the Ninja at the minute and can recommend that too.
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I've had a look but as you say very expensive - well too rich for my blood!;)

The reel came loaded with 8x J braid about 9lb methinks. I've just received a spare spool for the tiny Rarenium and trying to decide what to use on it?

I'm thinking at the moment about going with Johns suggestion of using 4 - 6 lb fluorocarbon? 9lb seems to be as low as J braid goes and I'm reluctant to go with a different brand to one I trust ( use j braid for my lure and beach rods)

Surely non stretch is not too much of a consideration in LRF ? Tiny fish under your rod tip?:unsure: I'm thinking of 6lb floro on my spare spool and using the leftover for leaders on the j braid spool? What does the team think?:)
 
hullcitytilidie said:
I've had a look but as you say very expensive - well too rich for my blood!;)

The reel came loaded with 8x J braid about 9lb methinks. I've just received a spare spool for the tiny Rarenium and trying to decide what to use on it?

I'm thinking at the moment about going with Johns suggestion of using 4 - 6 lb fluorocarbon? 9lb seems to be as low as J braid goes and I'm reluctant to go with a different brand to one I trust ( use j braid for my lure and beach rods)

Surely non stretch is not too much of a consideration in LRF ? Tiny fish under your rod tip?:unsure: I'm thinking of 6lb floro on my spare spool and using the leftover for leaders on the j braid spool? What does the team think?:)
Click to expand...
I have a spare spool loaded up with 6lb Trilene XT just in case but never used it so far. Amazing how you can feel every feature with braid on light gear. In current thinner line means less lead which will probably let your lure work better and reduce snagging. Will have a play next time I am down the river.
 
Yes I agree Alan, I hadn't considered the diameter of the lines and the effect of the current. It's nice to get such good informative feedback from other members ideas on a forum without folks deriding everything you post!(y)
 
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