Looking for a new reel for 2014 ?

Browning Xitan FD  940 Reel

Impressive reel with large spool diameter for match angling. The ultra smooth and progressive carbon drag system and carbon handle, with an additional double handle supplied, will satisfy even the most demanding angler. The specially desgned line clip has a protective coating to prevent line damage. The line roller runs on ball bearings making the reel incredibly smooth and powerful.

  Standard features

9 bearings for a silky smooth action.
Wide and easy to use line clip.
Non twist line roller with ball bearings.
Sensitive carbon multi-disc front drag.
Continuous anti-reverse.
Shallow aluminium spare spool.
Supplied with sing and double handles.

Black Magic Burner

The Black Magic® name is synonymous with quality match and feeder reels at reasonable prices. The new Black Magic Burner features high ratio gearing to speed the retrieval rate which is particularly useful to save time and energy, when fishing at longer distances. The reel also features a very smooth gearing and a reliable drag system.




Standard features
• Flat long-cast aluminium spool
• Nylon ABS spare spool
• 5 high-performance stainless steel ball bearings and 1 needle bearing
• Continuous anti-reverse
• Gear ratio of 6.1 or 5.5 : 1
• Balanced rotor, producing silky smooth action
• Finely adjustable large-surface front drag
• Compact housing design
• Outstanding line protection line clip.

 

Ultimatch Competition Reel

A compact, top-quality and good looking front drag match reel with a large diameter spool which stops line coiling and bedding-in – a common problem when using the thicker lines that are now common in match fishing. This reel has been purpose designed for modern competition fishing and is packed with features like a one touch folding handle for convenience when carrying rods ready assembled. Perfect for both float and feeder fishing. Performs as well as it looks. The deep spool supplied has TWO line clips for „double clipping“ – for accurate fishing at distance.

Standard features

• 6 bearings for super-smooth running and winding power
• Metal body construction
• Shallow over-sized metal spools
• Line friendly clip in a wide recess
• One-touch folding handle
• Non-twist line roller and large diameter bail
• Sensitive multi-disc front drag
• Continuous anti-reverse
• Supplied with spare spool

Jeffries Cup Old Nene 6th November 2013

Still catching up with my blog so here is another match that sticks firmly in my mind

Having picked Ben Bentley up at 0330 we made way up country to March in good time, having time to stop off for a McDonalds and a brew.

Having met everyone and having a good chin wag and catch up I learned that I would be fishing in the Army C team. With the draw about to take place off went the captains to draw for the teams, I had managed to get A section which for those who know the area well was pegged behind the BMX track. A quick drive in the van saw Ben draw peg 2 and me on beg 12 just over the bridge and down to the right with a quite a bit of space to play with.

On getting to the peg I had a boat far bank left and right and the run off of some ones back garden (bound to hold a few fish around there)

Looking at the colour of the water is was quite clear and my main plan of attack was to fish bread short and down the track with a hemp line towards the far bank and a bonus line at the edge of one of the boats looking to snare a few decent sized perch.

For my punch line I went with top 3 plus one where it was around 4ft deep and free of weed fishing 4 inch off bottom. For this my set up was as follows my trusty Tubertini Stix 4x14 with Browning Cenex 0.10mm main line to a 4inch 0.08mm hook length. Bulk shotted to get the bait down to where the fish tend to feed. As with all my punch fishing a B511 hook size 20 was used. Elastic choice was size 4 solid Cenex (a slight step up to what I use on a canal in general but there is a good stamp of fish if you can get on them and with everything it needs to be able to do the job)

Another rig was setup but a step up in float to a 4x16 should it start to flow.

My punch line down the track consisted of a Tubertini Concord, I tend to use this float a lot when fishing down a track on a canal or very slow moving river. A sensitive float that I find I can hold back if needed. The same set up was used as per my short rig however this time I started of with a 4x16 shotted with an olivette and a few droppers to get the bait down. And should the flow picked up had a 1.0gram concord set up as well. Elastic was again size 4.

My hemp line was about 2 meters of the far bank where I had found 3ft of water. My setup consisted of the following a Sensas Auchy 0.2gram float shotted using a strung out pattern of number 12 shot. Main line was 0.10mm with a six inch 0.08mm hookength tied to a senses 3405 size 20 hook. The plan was to feed this initially via a pole cup then ping approx 5 grains of hemp over it every 5 minutes and have a look on that line once I had moved onto my track line and keep going over and having a look to see if the roach hemp had turned up.

My last line was my bonus line just of the far right boat hopping to catch a few perch later on in the match if my other lines started to get quiet. For this I used a Richard Lattimer Squat float 4x12 with a 0.12mm mainline and a 0.10mm 8inch hook length to a B983 size 14 hook. This would be fed with worm and caster with a fat lobbie on the hook.

With the all in being called I set to work priming all my swims before settling on my short bread line. The fish seemed to come fast and furious with positive bites leading the way. There had been one or two boats moving up and down but this didn’t seem to cause much problems for the fish and they were more than happy to hang themselves on my hook.

By now I was in a rhythm but noticed it needed a positive approach to keep the fish coming and was feeding a tiny ball after every 3^rd fish to keep the bites coming. I knew that sooner or later that my short line would dry up but whilst it was still going I was going to catch every fish I could of it before moving lines. All the time 5 grains of hemp were being pinged over to the far swim in the hope the roach would turn onto it.

After 2 hours and with approximately 3-4lb in the net fishing short the swim died, but at the same time so did the flow. Moving straight down the track saw a few fish in the net but nothing as positively as what had happened in the first two hours. Having a look to my left I notice I wasn’t the only one that had slowed down catching. With me adjusting the rig moving up and down within the water and changing the size of the punch saw a steady run of fish in the net, but now I was having to work a lot harder to put a run of fish together. I noticed that the flow had still stopped which I was surprised due to the amount of rain we had had over the last couple of days and with the old nene being controlled by slues gates.

With 2 hours left it was time to have a look on my hemp line to see if the fish had moved onto it. First put in brought an instant bite and a fish in the net (great I thought if there and they are having it I could soon double my weight due to the stamp that hemp normally brings. Another 2 fish in the net then saw the bites tail off, after setting on it for a while trying to work the rig and change it around it was time to move across to the bonus fish line which I had topped up every hour and then left to see if the fish moved in and started feeding with a bit of confidence. A nice perch or tench would see me push my weight up just that little bit more.

A steady run of smaller perch over the last hour kept me catching and entertained but no big tench or perch this time round.

With the rain now picking up I was glad the all out was called so I could get my kit packed up and away before the heavens opened. Moving around the section saw some good weights come out but with Matt Hall on over 10lb it was always going to be a struggle to get near that. Ben had 6lb 15oz and with a shinny pound on the highest weight between us I wasn’t sure I had that much to compete with. With the scales coming to my peg I put 6lb dead on them 15oz behind Ben and minus £1. I had managed to beat my left and right which I was happy with but felt with the flow dropping off the fish didn’t really seem interested after that. Section winner was Matt Hall with over 10lb.

Still always next year and where I always look forward to any time I can spend on the Old Nene having fished it a few times when fishing in the AAF Gp 3.

BROWNING POLES FOR 2014

Perfect angling equipment and accessories for champion anglers of the present and future.

Place your trust in the experience of a global brand whose equipment is synonymous with quatlity and winning championships.

Click on the link below to see whats new for 2014 

BROWNING POLE 2014 PDF DOCUMENT  

AAF GP2 Kennet & Avon Canal Bishops Cannings 16th October 2013

Its been a while since I updated by blog and now 2014 is upon us I will endeavour to keep it updated from

This was the first match of the Army Angling Federation Group 2 for the 2013-2014 season and saw us fishing the Kennet & Avon Canal down at Bishops Cannings. Having had plenty of rain over the previous night and with it still raining on route down to the canal I sort of gathered that it could be a difficult day for some.

Having had breakfast and getting the draw out of the way it was a quick chat with the other 2 lads within the team before setting off to our respected pegs.

I had managed to draw near enough mid section on peg 9 out of 15 peg section but still felt if I could get my head down and work at it I should be able to pull a few fish in.

Having made my way down the muddy towpath to my peg I noticed the wind was getting up and it was still raining (nothing worse than setting up in the rain) Having looked at the peg it was just over 13 meters wide with a tree just off to the right of me with a boat to my left and right. With the wind picking up and dropping off the plan of attack was to go short fishing punch on a match kit plus 1. With the water quite clear this is where I intended on catching from the off until I had fished it out then moving down the track. My other options were to fish bottom of the far shelf and also far shelf towards the cover of the tree and have this as a bonus fish line as I would be able to fish it all day with the wind.

For my punch lines I set up the following rigs

Short line consisted of a Tubertini Stix 4x14 on 0.08mm Browning Cenex line to a 0.06mm 4 inch hook length finished off with a size 22 B511 hook. Elastic choice was a size 3 solid Browning Cenex elastic. Approx depth was 4 ½ ft deep. Shooting arrangement saw one rig set up strung out and another with a bulk with 2 droppers. If I have time I will always set 2 rigs up that way I can see how the fish like to take the punch. One rig gives a nice slow fall whilst the other one is more positive getting the bait down quickly. Both rigs were set 4 inch of the bottom and this is where I always start then adjust accordingly depending on bites.

Down the track rig consisted of a Tubertini Concord 4x14 using again 0.08mm mainline to a 4inch 0.06mm hook length finished off with a B511 size 22 hook. This was a positive rig with a bulk and a couple of droppers to get the bait down due to having just over 6ft of water. This line would be used once the fish had backed off or the short line became dry. Punch would be the way forward again on this line with a bit of fine gravel mixed in to get the bait down due to the flow but still slow enough to create a cloud on the way down.

Bottom of the far shelf consisted of a Richard Lattimer Squatt float 5x12 same line and hook length but this time on a no 2 solid Browning Cenex elastic. The plan was to use this as a Ground Bait and squatt line should it become hard and I started to struggle. A reversed tapered shotting pattern to help ease with the bait dropping slower, starting 3 inch off the bottom.

 For my bonus fish line tight across I managed to find 2ft of water which was ideal and what I was looking for. For this line I chose a Richard Lattimer Squatt float again this time 4x12. Reason being is with the light conditions it has a very visible tip which can be seen easily. Main line was 0.14mm with a 6inch 0.12mm hook length. Size 7 solid elastic, heavier than the rest of the rigs but should I hit a decent perch I didn’t want to lose it. Hook was a B983 size 16. This line would be fed with worm and caster and with a fat lobby on the hook.

Having sorted my peg out the all in was called, far bank line was fed with worm and caster and left to settle, Squatt line was fed and left with the line being fed by a catapult and 5-6 squatt every 5 minutes.

I began on the short line and cupped in a golf ball size of punch onto the short line.  

Straight away the float went under and it wasn’t long before I settled into a rhythm of catching short and feeding my squatt line. With the fish taking the bait positively I soon moved from my strung out rig to my bulk rig where I was able to catch slightly quicker. After the 2 hours I had managed to catch at a steady rate with the odd top up and a smaller ball of punch added to the swim. With next to no boat traffic all was going well until I had a walker behind me with approx 6 dogs. With the dogs causing a hell of a lot of noise and with the wind picking up the fish seem to move on, don’t know if it was the wind or the noise which unsettled them but the short line had dried up and the fish had moved.

Straight onto my down the track line saw me yet again catch steady for about another hour before that then went dead due to boat traffic. I came short again to see if the fish had turned up again to no avail so it was now over to my squatt line after re-feeding my bonus line.

This brought a steady run of fish to the net but nowhere near the stamp I was catching on the punch, but looking to my left and right it was better than nothing and it looked like some anglers were struggling to get a run of fish together.

With the wind starting to pick up I made the call to get over to my bonus line and see what was there should I not be able to fish it later on. With the float settled it wasn’t long before it went under and small perch was in the net. This continued at a steady pace but nothing of a decent stamp which the canal holds, still fish in the net so I couldn’t complain. With this line starting to get slower with and hour to go I decided to start back on the short line and split the last hour down moving around the swims to see if any fish were still willing to feed. A slow last hour with a few more fish from each swim saw me finish with 119 fish as the all out was called.

Looking at the angler to my left and right I knew I had done well but was interested to see how the end of the sections faired. Had they run away with it or would it be tight at the top for a section placing ?

Moving around with scales it was evident it was going to be close with just under 100grams separating the top 3.

Once everyone had weighed in I learned that I had managed to come 3^rd in my section 10grams of 2^nd and 70grams of 1^st. A result I was happy with considering 1^st and 2^nd had come nearer the end of the sections but a few more fish would have seen me take the section.

Results Top 3

1^st 3.050 kg Danny Jones

2^nd 2.930 kg Ben Bentley

3^rd 2.920 kg Chris Glover