South East Thank you Wingnut!

[ouchthathurt]

Good evening all, after a quick few hours at work this morning and Lidl in the afternoon, I decided to take the lad fishing for an hour or two this evening. Now I have to thank wingnut on this forum for selling me a set of Leeda Icon Elite Match rods, this was their maiden outing (ever - they still had their tags on!) so I coupled them with my trusty Diawa 7ht multis with 2 hook clipped down rigs and I set my boys sonik 13ft beachcaster up with an old Diawa fixed spool reel with 2 hook clipped down rigs also. Only problem, no bait! As it was just hitting low tide, I whipped out the trusty lug pump and got to work. 15min later and enough bait was secured for a quick few chucks. I whacked out the sons rod then took in my hand the first of my new rods, well with 5oz and bait the tip was flexing nicely, on the cast, I was surprised how the fibreglass tip folded away very quickly, quicker than I was expecting to be honest! The carbon blank quickly snapped in and fired the lead out - unfortunately a mighty birds nest was the result - didn’t set the brakes for the conditions! ? popped that rod in the rest and grabbed the next. This time I took my time with the cast, going for a long slow thump, the tip folded away as expected this time then the blank came into play and on the release chucked the lead a good distance into the slight blustery headwind. The surf was building nicely while I quickly whacked the spare multi on the first rod and redid it, whacking that one out there too. I had a proper rattle that the tips really showed up well, the tips sit nicely in the tide and show up every little nibble. We didn’t blank, 2 small schoolies were the result, so we came away happy. My boy didn’t manage a fish, but it’s a team effort and there’s always next time! So very many thanks wingnut for a bargain, and a lovely guy to boot. ??

 

[Warby72]

Nice one mate, fish on a Maiden outing is surely a sign of great things to come. ?

 

[chesilpete]

Always good to hear of a good bloke selling good gear..... I have also bought a couple of bits of mr wingnut and hes straight as the come!.
Great report, father and sons sessions always epic. .....

 

[ouchthathurt]

That he is mate. My boy tried to pump lug, hitting every little cast he could, but kept nipping off the tails. The more frustrated he got, the more erratic his technique became! I had my first issue with a Gemini lead link too, cast my boys rod out, yet when I went to tighten down, I couldn’t feel a lead!?! Brought it back in to find that the 5oz lead had popped off the Gemini link. Never had that before, must have been a freak occurrence as I check the links and bait clips etc are all sitting pretty before launch.

 

[Topwater]

Good start for your new rods! I've had a cast with a mates and it was a nice easy to use blank imo. Had the same issue with Gemini links - cast out on to a shallow flooding sand bank with a 125g gripper and the lead must have come off the clip as it landed! Couldn't work out what was going on for a second or two when there was nothing to tighten down to! I only use the genuine Breakaway fast links now (not the cheap copies that are made of cheese) as these are very reliable, plenty strong enough and get reused until lost.

 

[wingnut55]

Hi Matt,

This had made my day, so happy you have given the rods their maiden outing, and caught as well, very happy for you. Long may you continue to enjoy them.

It was a real pleasure meeting you, and doing business, a real gent.

Ian.

 

[ouchthathurt]

Had the same issue with Gemini links - cast out on to a shallow flooding sand bank with a 125g gripper and the lead must have come off the clip as it landed! Couldn't work out what was going on for a second or two when there was nothing to tighten down to!

I think that was the issue this time, I was casting onto a sandbank at low tide on this occasion!

Hi Matt,

This had made my day, so happy you have given the rods their maiden outing, and caught as well, very happy for you. Long may you continue to enjoy them.

It was a real pleasure meeting you, and doing business, a real gent.

Ian.

Many thanks buddy ??

 

[Tatunka joe]

Nice report mate well done and sweet rods

 

[Warby72]

That he is mate. My boy tried to pump lug, hitting every little cast he could, but kept nipping off the tails. The more frustrated he got, the more erratic his technique became! I had my first issue with a Gemini lead link too, cast my boys rod out, yet when I went to tighten down, I couldn’t feel a lead!?! Brought it back in to find that the 5oz lead had popped off the Gemini link. Never had that before, must have been a freak occurrence as I check the links and bait clips etc are all sitting pretty before launch.

Good start for your new rods! I've had a cast with a mates and it was a nice easy to use blank imo. Had the same issue with Gemini links - cast out on to a shallow flooding sand bank with a 125g gripper and the lead must have come off the clip as it landed! Couldn't work out what was going on for a second or two when there was nothing to tighten down to! I only use the genuine Breakaway fast links now (not the cheap copies that are made of cheese) as these are very reliable, plenty strong enough and get reused until lost.

Is there any chance that instead of the links failing it was the wire loops on the leads that gave way. ?

 

[ouchthathurt]

They are fully formed loops on the lead and the lead itself was brand new, first cast. Obviously this doesn’t rule out the loop giving out somehow, but I guess the loop survived the cast as the rig and lead hit the water together, but tightening up and the lead was gone, it was only 2-3ft deep max where the lead hit and I wonder if the lead hitting the sand having not had the water pressure to cushion and slow the decent pushed the lead along the link and popped it off. The link wasn’t new though, it had been used a few times before, maybe there was some metal fatigue which made the clip more “springy?” If that makes sense.

 

[Topwater]

Is there any chance that instead of the links failing it was the wire loops on the leads that gave way. ?

No