Setting up a Spod or Spomb

Spomb Range WhiteBig Alien 3D SpodSpombs & Spods come in all shapes & sizes and are a great tool when you want to get either a few extra hook baits or perhaps even several pounds of bulk feed & particles into your chosen swim. They have certainly become an invaluable part of any carp anglers armory.

However one of the more common issues I hear voiced is the number of Spods or Spombs that some anglers seem to ‘break’ off & lose each year.

Line ClipCheck for Wear.

Perhaps the most common place for break offs to occur is at the point where the line is ‘clipped’ up on the spool. It does not take too many casts, particularly with thinner braids, to begin to fatigue or even wear through the line. This is especially true when punching the rod well beyond the intended casting range so that the spod or Spomb is continually being stopped very abruptly resulting in undue force against the line being held at the spool clip. I would certainly recommend that you use only as much casting force as needed to hit the clip not only to stop the line being fatigued but also to stop the spod / Spomb ‘bouncing’ back and falling short of the intended target.

I would also suggest it is well worth regularly ‘unclipping’ the line and taking a close look for any signs of damage or wear. In a heavy baiting session I also like to move the line back or forward an inch every so often to minimize the wear & tear across a single section of line. If breaking line at the clip continues to be a common issue then it might be worth taking a much closer look at the line clip itself to see if it has any sharp edges.

Another area to look for signs of wear or damage is on the line where it hangs over the tip ring when you begin the cast. A worn tip ring or any other cracked guide surface will soon make short work of any line.

Care in Casting

One way to ‘soften’ the impact is to move the rod about 45 degrees to the left or right shortly after casting. This creates a slight ‘bow’ in the line and as the spod/Spomb nears the ‘target’ simply move the rod back toward the vertical and then drop the rod tip just before the spod or Spomb is about to hit the water. This might seem a little awkward at first bit it not only greatly reduces the force of the ‘stop’ against the clip but also helps the spod/Spomb enter the water from a near vertical which helps ensure that it empties more effectively.

Making Connections

At the business end I like to connect 30 feet of 50lb braid shock leader to a kwik clip (plus a protective sleeve) so I can easily remove or change over between different sized spods or Spombs as needed. I also thread the shock leader through a 15-20” length of rig tubing which not only helps protect the line from abrasion but also serves to ‘stiffen’ the line and help eliminate any tangles.

Kwik Clip & Sleeve

Here’s my preferred set up for heavy duty spodding / Spombing (6-10 oz) :

A dedicated 4.5 – 5lb test curve 12’ Spod/Spomb rod such as a Century NG, Free Spirit or heavy duty Surf Rod. This should be matched with a large spool reel (mine is a well worn Diawa Emblem Pro 5000) loaded with 250-300 yds of 50lb braid. This covers 90% of most needs up to around 100yds. If you really need to cast further then I would consider 20-30lb braid mainline but only when used with with a 50lb braid shock leader. To measure the correct length of shock leader measure from the casting position (usually just above the mid section of the rod) of the spod/Spomb back to the rod tip + rod length and with no less than 4-5 turns around the spool.

Lighter 3.00 – 4.00 test curve rods & reels can cope with smaller Spod/Spomb loads but always be sure to err on the side of safety by testing it filled to half capacity rather than going all out and risk breaking the rod.

Getting it Back…

One drawback of the Spomb is that it floats…but only just! This can lead to frustration when trying to recover one that has broken off. A simple solution is to grab a few of the polystyrene bobbers (I like the Thill versions) that are available in most tackle shops here in North America. It doesn’t take more than a couple of minutes to remove the line clip and plastic center and if necessary open up the hole so that it slides securely ( a drop of super glue can be used) over the connecting sleeve on the Spomb. You now not only have a Spomb that should float nicely if it breaks off but if you chose a bright neon bobber it will also serve as a convenient marker.

Thill PolyBall Float Thill Pearl Oval Float

Spomb FloatSave yourself!

chub_finger_stall_1Finger protection is essential to protect against cuts when casting heavy loads especially with braid. 30lb braid can cut like a cheese wire especially through wet fingers and the wounds are not only deep & painful but like most line cuts can easily become infected and take forever to heal properly. Protective finger stalls are inexpensive or you can wear a golf or other thin leather glove. It is also important to tighten down the drag on the reel spool as most cuts occur with line being pulled off the spool while the rod is under load during the cast.

 

 

Copyright: Iain Sorrell

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