[Dave Felce]

has anyone got experience of these? it's a (to the UK) peculiar size, but i'm thinking it could be sweet for close range carp & pike?

[Sandy Nelson]

Hi Dave

Not had much experience of the Bandit, I have built one and I tried it in the garden, it was an awesome casting machine with Buckets of power. Very strong blank as well for pumping up big fish from deeper water
The one I built went away to be used for Tope fishing of the west coast and I could see it doing that job really well.
I would imagine it would make a good pike rod, but might be a bit too much for Carp. I know a couple of guys who use them For Golden Dorado in South America.
The guys I know who use Epics for Carp fishing use the 888. Its another brilliant casting machine and extremely versatile, it gets used for Bonefish and Tigerfish as well. I still have my own one to build up, which I plan to use for anything from Saltwater to Carp and Pike if I get the chance.
I'm not much use I'm afraid due to lack of experience with both products, But if you speak to Carl McNeil I'm sure he could point you to folk to ask

 

Sandy

[Dave Felce]

cheers Sandy!
i'm not talking small carp here (& not UK) , as you may have seen from other posts, so it sounds like it could be a go-er.

currently i'm using my hardy proaxis #8 (which is far more like a #10) for the biggies, and a sage tcx #6 for smaller (10lb or so) carp. both of these are great for distance & power

it's the delicacy of presentation close up i'm missing out on, which of course isn't what the proaxis is really designed for. the other issue is the ability to absorb the initial rush of a big carp smoothly without a hook-pull, which is another thing the ultra-fast action rods aren't ideal for.

it would be great to have a play with one, so if and when you complete yours would it be possible to have a waft? if that's a bit cheeky, just tell me where to go! 

[Sandy Nelson]

Hi Dave

Its an 888 I have sitting waiting to be built. But if I get round to it, then you can of course have a try no problem.

I would reckon the Bandit will absorb any run with no issues (even from Serious fish), this is what the glass does best and while protecting the hookhold as well. As for presentation, I can't say I ever tried with the Bandit, but all the Epics I have tried, present beautifully, you get much more input into what the rod is doing so you can soften the presentation to whatever you need just by varying the degree of how much work the rod is doing.
Something that Carbon can't really achieve.

Sandy

[Dave Felce]

thanks Sandy! 

yep, it definitely sounds like the right idea. reviews elsewhere have also suggested that's it's quite versatile as far as line weights go, which could be interesting...
i'll have to work on getting hold of one for my next trip to Gran Canaria in October, if i can find a builder. can't wait to see my mate's face when i pull it out of the bag !!   

[Rob Brownfield]

thanks Sandy! 

yep, it definitely sounds like the right idea. reviews elsewhere have also suggested that's it's quite versatile as far as line weights go, which could be interesting...
i'll have to work on getting hold of one for my next trip to Gran Canaria in October, if i can find a builder. can't wait to see my mate's face when i pull it out of the bag !!   

Plenty of builders on here..including that chap Sandy

Back to the Epic, the 888 is used by a few of the guys I know in the US who fly fish for carp up on the Great Lakes. A couple of them use the 686 as well.

The Echo Badass glass rod is another that seems to ne popular as well. Again, 6 and 8 weights.

[Dave Felce]

it would appear that i'll be taking an  Epic 888 on my next trip to Gran Canaria......   

thank's Sandy! 

[Rob Brownfield]

it would appear that i'll be taking an  Epic 888 on my next trip to Gran Canaria......   

thank's Sandy! 

Watch out for Sandys build...what he does not tell you is that you have to pay extra for the pixy dust! Liam paid for the dust and he has been doing amazingly well, I did not, and well, I can't catch a thing!

[Sandy Nelson]

The one you got Rob was built for me, i take my own pixy dust with me so don't need to add it to the rod.
Order one from New and you get the pixy dust as standard

Sandy

[Liam Stephen]

I didn't pay Rob it was free for me! What rod have you got?

 

[Steven Sinclair]

Rob,

Just throwing it out there, perhaps Liam is more of a fairy than the rest of us and therefor creates his own? 

 

Steven.

[Rob Brownfield]

I didn't pay Rob it was free for me! What rod have you got?

 

Don't worry Liam, I still have not got a bendy glass rod! I bought a 3 weight Sage XP off Sandy a good few years ago. Not done it justice yet but it will be out with me on Thursday Just noticed they are going for over £400 on ebay...dum de dum 

[Liam Stephen]

Jesus what you waiting for!?

£400 on eBay,  that sounds like an Epic to me...... 

 

[Rob Brownfield]

Jesus what you waiting for!?

£400 on eBay,  that sounds like an Epic to me...... 

 

No chance...I like it too much!!