BBBs with Pete Foster Drop-Offs

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Fentiger01
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BBBs with Pete Foster Drop-Offs

Post by Fentiger01 »

I've finally after 5 years or so been getting out for a bit of river bankfishing a bit this season, mainly short sessions after work for an evening or two midweek. I've been fishing using my BBBs with Pete Foster Drop-Off arms and I have to say they have been superb. The alarms are great as most who've used them will testify, but the PF Drop-Off arms really do take away any awkwardness or fiddliness in setting them up. For me, I make sure I have a play with the nut which activates the alarm and I'm also careful to put the arm in positioned straight off, so as to be in the optimum setting (generally facing straightforward) to clip right in without setting it off. If needs be (i.e. its windy), I'll move the alarm further up the rod rest, so the lot can settle tight underneath the reel and bingo, then wait for a run to occur. If not windy though, I'm happy to fish with the drop-off bobbin a few inches underneath the reel, the arm only needs move a centimetre or so either way and off it goes.

Image

With regards to Pete Foster's Drop-Offs, I think the line clips on them are absolutely fantastic. Fishing the venue and the way I do, most of the runs are in fact drop-backs and very positive at that. That said, they certainly ain't shy in unclipping either when the run takes them. Having fiddled about with the Drop-Offs at home when I first got them, I do seem to recall taking them apart in a way that made me think not to mess about with them too very much on the bank just in case I lost a spring or whatnot, but they definitely are very adjustable as long as you aren't too heavy handed with them.

In short, I reckon for bank work this combination is a real winner and for Pike and Zander fishing, they'll do me for sure! :thumbs:

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Re: BBBs with Pete Foster Drop-Offs

Post by Nige Johns »

Tried one of those drop offs but couldn't get along with it,the clip was too big for a Gardner bank stick ' j didn't like the ball bearing line clip,much preferred a Gardner run clip glued into a poly ball painted blaze orange,call me a dinosaur but each unto their own ,there's a lot to be said for catching a fish using something that you've made yourself
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Re: BBBs with Pete Foster Drop-Offs

Post by Fentiger01 »

I made my own for years Nige, modifying clips to fit the line (hair grips with beads glued on the end etc, pretty good) and also modifying arms to fit Ghettoblasters etc which generally meant adding a bit of weight to them, or a bit of length. The Pete Foster arms I have clip straight into my Billy Backbiters direct, no need to clip them to the rodrest - the BBBs clip on a treat to my banksticks.

What I should have said, I mostly fish after dark and have done for many, many years, therefore I need something which has both an audible and visible alarm.
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Re: BBBs with Pete Foster Drop-Offs

Post by Nige Johns »

I see where your coming from I just thought for £18,think they are,there was no improvement on what I had already,and I actually enjoyed making my own,obviously I use mine with front alarms,old bamford converted optonics,proper old school.
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Re: BBBs with Pete Foster Drop-Offs

Post by Fentiger01 »

Fair doo's mate! :thumbs:

I guess we all get towards something we're comfy with.
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Re: BBBs with Pete Foster Drop-Offs

Post by Ian Crook »

I have Pete's original line gate arms for my BBBs, they are bloody superb :thumbs:
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Re: BBBs with Pete Foster Drop-Offs

Post by Barbelist »

Another glowing endorsement for BBB's coupled with PF drop arms.... :thumbs:
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Re: BBBs with Pete Foster Drop-Offs

Post by Brassneck »

Barbelist wrote:
Another glowing endorsement for BBB's coupled with PF drop arms.... :thumbs:
Plus one.

I wouldn't use them for zander though :wink:
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Re: BBBs with Pete Foster Drop-Offs

Post by Barbelist »

Brassneck wrote:
Barbelist wrote:
Another glowing endorsement for BBB's coupled with PF drop arms.... :thumbs:
Plus one.

I wouldn't use them for zander though :wink:
Rod tops high for Zeds....BBB/PF arms for Pike :thumbs:
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Re: BBBs with Pete Foster Drop-Offs

Post by Fentiger01 »

Brassneck wrote:
Barbelist wrote:
Another glowing endorsement for BBB's coupled with PF drop arms.... :thumbs:
Plus one.

I wouldn't use them for zander though :wink:
Interesting that Brassneck, on the fairly fast flowing river I fish, I have the rods up and look for the taps but on the rather slow flowing river I fish, I tend to have the clips set light and the rods pointed at the bait. Used to work a treat on the Fens and on this venue I generally get decent, very positive indications. I also fish after dark normally so maybe the fish are a little more inclined to have a go. I have had some scream off at 2am on the delks on the faster river though.....

Great fish to fish for and my god, what an awesome picture you have! :thumbs:
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Re: BBBs with Pete Foster Drop-Offs

Post by Mick Cobb »

Nige Johns wrote:
Tried one of those drop offs but couldn't get along with it,the clip was too big for a Gardner bank stick ' j didn't like the ball bearing line clip,much preferred a Gardner run clip glued into a poly ball painted blaze orange,call me a dinosaur but each unto their own ,there's a lot to be said for catching a fish using something that you've made yourself
Been there with the Gardner clips years ago, there's about 6mm of two flat edges that come together that can trap the line and prevent drop backs showing, had to file one side so they contacted each other in one small area to prevent line trap. :smile:
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Re: BBBs with Pete Foster Drop-Offs

Post by Fentiger01 »

Mick Cobb wrote:
Nige Johns wrote:
Tried one of those drop offs but couldn't get along with it,the clip was too big for a Gardner bank stick ' j didn't like the ball bearing line clip,much preferred a Gardner run clip glued into a poly ball painted blaze orange,call me a dinosaur but each unto their own ,there's a lot to be said for catching a fish using something that you've made yourself
Been there with the Gardner clips years ago, there's about 6mm of two flat edges that come together that can trap the line and prevent drop backs showing, had to file one side so they contacted each other in one small area to prevent line trap. :smile:
My own experience with the Gardner clips Mick were that they could be a bit of a nightmare if they were very wet and/or the line was trapped - very much amplified if the actual indicator arm wasn't really heavy. Another drama I had with them was trying to adjust them in the dark, the little screw fit would often fall out and if you dropped it, you were often er, screwed.......

There is another debate to be had about how Zander in different venues feed. I've been lucky enough to have caught a fair few from many, many different types of venue. On stillwaters I always favoured a bobbin or similar set up, often all you'd get was an inch of movement and bang, you were in. On slow flowing fen drains/rivers, (even when pumping) I enjoyed a fair bit of success with rear based back-biter alarms. On the fast flowing rivers I like to get my rods up in the air and watch the tips go tappety tap.

I just wonder how the actual Zander approach their prey under certain circumstances surrounding flow, depth and perhaps different light levels.

Here's a Fen 11.10 which took a line clip out after dark with no worries at all back in 98':
Image

Here's a Midlands Stillwater fish of 11.9 which moved the bobbin only an inch or so back in 94':
Image
PS I wish I could catch the real big ones though :laughs:
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Re: BBBs with Pete Foster Drop-Offs

Post by morph »

I brought a Pete Foster Drop off at convention this year. Used it a few times and although nothing wrong with it, I just don't get on with it and don't think it offers anything over my other set up of Delkim fronts with Delkim ES indicator.

I did have one run where the rod tip was being pulled round and I looked back at the drop off and it wasn't moving an inch. :scratch:

Will be fishing with my usual Delkim ES indicator next time.
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Re: BBBs with Pete Foster Drop-Offs

Post by LINUS »

I use Pete foster drop offs but with a front alarm for zandering which works pretty fine.
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Re: BBBs with Pete Foster Drop-Offs

Post by Fentiger01 »

morph wrote:
I did have one run where the rod tip was being pulled round and I looked back at the drop off and it wasn't moving an inch. :scratch:
Wherever possible, I'll always try to point the rodtip directly at the bait and keep it as low as possible. Generally of the Zeds I've had using this setup this autumn, I tend to get an indication with the arm moving a bit either up or down (drop-back) and either I get to the rod and unclip feeling the line for the run to develop, or by the time I get to the rod it has unclipped.
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Re: BBBs with Pete Foster Drop-Offs

Post by Neville Fickling »

Nige Johns wrote:
I see where your coming from I just thought for £18,think they are,there was no improvement on what I had already,and I actually enjoyed making my own,obviously I use mine with front alarms,old bamford converted optonics,proper old school.
Nige did you buy the BBs?
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Re: BBBs with Pete Foster Drop-Offs

Post by Nige Johns »

No I wasn't after any,think you may have picked up the wrong thread,old school optonics for me
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Re: BBBs with Pete Foster Drop-Offs

Post by Neville Fickling »

We call the Pete foster drops offs Ball Grippers i meant BGs!!!!
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Re: BBBs with Pete Foster Drop-Offs

Post by Nige Johns »

I did try one but couldn't get on with it,make my own as per the second post
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Re: BBBs with Pete Foster Drop-Offs

Post by Neville Fickling »

You couldn't get on with Petes drop offs? They are best iIve ever seen
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Re: BBBs with Pete Foster Drop-Offs

Post by Nige Johns »

Still prefer the Gardner run clip
I didn't the ball bearings and Springymagig
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Re: BBBs with Pete Foster Drop-Offs

Post by Fentiger01 »

Neville Fickling wrote:
You couldn't get on with Petes drop offs? They are best iIve ever seen
Having seen what has been offered in the past (for similar prices), ball grip, too light, not long enough, rubbish clip and my own homemade jobs, I would agree with you on that Nev, the Pete Foster drop-offs are great! :thumbs:
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Re: BBBs with Pete Foster Drop-Offs

Post by Neville Fickling »

Dave its so obvious Petes drop offs are the best and no I'm not pad to say this. Getting Pete to pay? You cannot be serious!
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Re: BBBs with Pete Foster Drop-Offs

Post by Fordey »

Weighted or unweighted Pete Fosters?
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Re: BBBs with Pete Foster Drop-Offs

Post by Neville Fickling »

the bobbin head is heavy enough on its own
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Re: BBBs with Pete Foster Drop-Offs

Post by Fentiger01 »

Fordey wrote:
Weighted or unweighted Pete Fosters?
The head itself is heavy enough for what I'm doing Fordey, it drops-back a treat.
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Re: BBBs with Pete Foster Drop-Offs

Post by LINUS »

Fentiger01 wrote:
Fordey wrote:
Weighted or unweighted Pete Fosters?
The head itself is heavy enough for what I'm doing Fordey, it drops-back a treat.
Perfect weight, even when the Trent is towing some
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Re: BBBs with Pete Foster Drop-Offs

Post by Fordey »

Thanks guys, appreciate it.
You didn't come here to talk to me about button mushrooms or birds
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