Accuracy with the marker rod

[geoffjohnson]

Hi lads whats the best way of getting back to a previously marked spot with the marker rod is it best to wind the marker down to the lakebed or let it pop up to the surface before clipping up.

[Nige]

Personally I pull it down to the led and clip up, that way it is exactly the same amount of line going off your spool, and it is the same amount of line between spool and lead.

[Blue]

Hi Goeff. I pick a spot on the bank where I cast from, be it marker rod or fishing rod etc, then always cast from that spot. As far as when to clip up, I find the best way is to clip up when the markers popped up on the surface. When you re cast, you'll over cast the area, then simply 'tweek' the marker back until it pops up. One thing to bear in mind though when your 'tweeking' back is to keep the rod pointing out straight, move it back by lifting it instead of left or right movements. Hope that makes sense to you.

[LeAtHeR CaRp]

Originally Posted by Blue

Hi Goeff. I pick a spot on the bank where I cast from, be it marker rod or fishing rod etc, then always cast from that spot. As far as when to clip up, I find the best way is to clip up when the markers popped up on the surface. When you re cast, you'll over cast the area, then simply 'tweek' the marker back until it pops up. One thing to bear in mind though when your 'tweeking' back is to keep the rod pointing out straight, move it back by lifting it instead of left or right movements. Hope that makes sense to you.

i agree this is a better way, if you were to clip up while the marker is to the lead and you sink it on a tight line when you next cast out you would have to un clip and pay the line to the surface. both ways can work but the 2nd is quicker though takes practice

[Chesh]

personally i have found on toomany occasions when using braid one of two things happens when clipping up, a) the braid snaps upon impact of hitting clip and b) the clip snaps off!

so what i do is when the marker float is out there, clip the spod rod up whack the spod rod out as soon as it lands/hits clip i cast out the hookbait, clip that up then reel in and bait up etc as normal!

that way i know that the hookbait is on the money

works for me

[kevw]

Once you've found the spot put the rod onto banksticks and tie a powergum stop knot onto the braid/reel line just beyond the top eye, with the float visible. Next time you cast feed out line until the stop knot is in the same position, if it is farther beyond the eye then bring the lead closer. Leave the banksticks in the same position and you always start from the same point ensuring accuracy.

Is no need to clip up and also you can use two different colour stop knots if you are fishing two different areas.

[Chesh]

agreed with Kev ! power gum does mea you have to keep an eye on your line etc.. however you will know that when you cast out you will be in with a decent chance of getting it within a certain amount of space when casting out

good tip there Kev !

[Julian Grattidge]

To be honest, once I’ve put out a bed of bait or a hook bait to a marker, I would rarely see a reason to put a marker back out to the same spot during the session. When I first have the marker out I would clip-up my spod and/or hookbait rod and line up the exact surface spot with a visual marker (left to right). If you do it that way there is then little need to put a marker back out.

[johnny dry net]

Originally Posted by Julian Grattidge

To be honest, once I’ve put out a bed of bait or a hook bait to a marker, I would rarely see a reason to put a marker back out to the same spot during the session. When I first have the marker out I would clip-up my spod and/or hookbait rod and line up the exact surface spot with a visual marker (left to right). If you do it that way there is then little need to put a marker back out.

I find that this is a good method, i do it myself, the only problem i find is if you are spodding 2 or 3 swims you have to keep moving the line from the line clip so what ever happens you have to get the marker out again, (do you have this problem jules? im guessing theres no way around it......... or have you used your magic and thought of an alternative ) marking the line in different colours is a great idea though , i never thought if doing that, nice 1 fellas

[kevw]

It's sometimes difficult to gauge the distance when conditions change and it's then when the marker comes in useful, especially open waters.

If you cast the marker out when its choppy or rough and then again when its calm to the same spot, it looks much closer in the calm. I do tend to use the spod as a marker if I'm spodding, but in winter when fishing tightly baited spots the marker is much more accurate, especially if you're fishing to an underwater feature like gravel or the bottom of a bar.

[geoffjohnson]

Thanks for the replies lads for using the marker rod a good few tips to try next time i am on the bank.

[gazza]

One thing nobody's mentioned is really simple, and saves having to re-cast every visit. When you have marked your spot and clipped up, use a point in the background as a visual mark ( tree top, roof etc ) reel in then pace out the distance on the bank (using the marker rod ) until you hit the clip. Mark out the two points on the floor, and next visit just pace out your rod (fishing), clip up, find your far bank marker and cast out right on the money!!.

[LeAtHeR CaRp]

Originally Posted by Chesh

personally i have found on toomany occasions when using braid one of two things happens when clipping up, a) the braid snaps upon impact of hitting clip and b) the clip snaps off!

so what i do is when the marker float is out there, clip the spod rod up whack the spod rod out as soon as it lands/hits clip i cast out the hookbait, clip that up then reel in and bait up etc as normal!

that way i know that the hookbait is on the money

works for me

bloody hell!! you're using either the wrong braid or your reel clips are cr*p!!!!

[Julian Grattidge]

Originally Posted by johnny dry net

I find that this is a good method, i do it myself, the only problem i find is if you are spodding 2 or 3 swims you have to keep moving the line from the line clip so what ever happens you have to get the marker out again, (do you have this problem jules? im guessing theres no way around it......... or have you used your magic and thought of an alternative ) marking the line in different colours is a great idea though , i never thought if doing that, nice 1 fellas

I used to have that problem at Betley Mere when fishing multiple spots at distance. The thing is, even if you were marking, you’d have the same problem with having multiple distances to hit with one marker rod. As such, my way around this was to use a gizmo clip on my spod rod and have different (spare) spools clipped up at the exact distance for each spot. That way, when moving from one spot to the other it was simply a case of unclipping the spod, then changing the spool, which takes about thirty seconds, and you are ready to go again on the next spot.

Though to be honest, if I was just fishing two spots I would tend to just have two marks on one spod rod.

For what it’s worth, I use proper electrical insulation tape to mark my lines – cut a small piece off, fold it over your line, firm down and trim. Won’t move, or slow the cast, as I’ve found powergum/stop knots to do.

[Chesh]

Originally Posted by LeAtHeR CaRp

bloody hell!! you're using either the wrong braid or your reel clips are cr*p!!!!

hahahahah agreed !

but with the reels i have now and my way to get to the same spot i.e. marker out, spod out to marker, clip up spod, cast spod, cast hookbait and clip i can can get a good idea of where i am fishing in relation to the bait going out

in my opinion, consistently whacking out a 4oz lead with a big float on doesnt help my chances if fish are already in the swim having a munch

would rather spod bait on top of them than thump a lead down quite a few times in order to get it in the right position.

does that make sense? i dont like marker floats at th ebest of times