Posted by keens on September 25, 2009 under Sea Fishing | 
Winter approaches faster than we would like. The dark nights and cold weather will soon set in again. Species change, and the glimmer of hope that we may actually land that elusive monster cod still remains.
To most anglers comfort and warmth are jsut as important during these months as the best tackle and baits. Thermal clothing and waterproofs are donned and off we go. However, a major part of safety is a lantern. And they do not come better than the Coleman Northstar.
Staying warm
Okay, a headlamp offers the safety aspect of light, but it won’t allow you to warm your frozen hands after you have released a fish into the icy water. It is even pro-active with a headamp offering a base light, something a headlamp cannot do.
The Northstar upgrades upon its predocessor by having a single mantle rather than two, which offers 25% more brightness. It has a cage armoured glass, just incase you don’t look behind you as you walk back with a fish on. and incorporates an electronic ignition system which is priceless when your hands are freezing cold and also prevents you inadvertantly poking a flint through the delicate mantle.
The lamp runs as the predocessor did on Unleaded Petrol or Coleman’s own fuel. It’s tank when full can burn up to 8 hours on maximum, but i found just by turning a couple of notches back on the valve you can make it last an extra 4 hours without sacrificing much light. The lamp is now supplied with a foam filter system and if this is constantly used then these lamps take very little servicing.
Dispelling a Myth
This is not under the new release section as it is not, just improved. Anyone who had pre owned a northstar previously may have encountered a ignition problem with the plastic unit becoming brittle. This was first believed to be due to excess petrol corroding the plastic, that is a myth! It was simply down to expansion and contraction of the plastic due to heat. Coleman never intended for the ignition modules to be left in the lamps once lit, they just simply overlooked the fact they needed to inform their customers! And a metal ignition module is not available and i’m sure I don’t have to explain why.
Still the best
Even with the little teething problems these lamps are by far the best available to the modern angler. The only fault with them was that Coleman’s instructions were not great. However, any shop worth it’s salt will talk you through how to use, service and store your lantern, especially us here at Keen’s Tackle.
Posted by Keith on under Carp and Coarse Fishing, Catch Reports |
Keith Supple recalls the capture of a Personal Best Catfish from Hazel Court Ponds
The session was a short over niter which only came around because of a cancellation that occurred in my diary this week. With the Mrs and sprogs all having a dose of the dreaded flu lurgy, it meant that the usual 4 day excursion to Berkshire had to be put back a bit.
Never mind a quick session on a local pond with a few pulls was pretty much all the doctor ordered.
I decided to fish as close to home as possible as money’s been a bit tight this last few weeks and running back and forth to Reading cost’s a few bob I can tell ya! Venue choice…..Hazel Court Ponds near Cowbridge.
I popped into the site shop and purchased a bag of 24mm halibut pellets and headed round to the swims. This time I had the lake to my self. Pukka! A quick drive round with the bait boat and a few likely spots jumped up.
Quickly deciding on the places to plant my traps, I sat back with a sandwich and awaited some action which only took around 3 hours to come.
Propping my eyes open at 9.30pm wrapped up snug from the rapidly cooling air in my 5 season bag. I was sure something was soon going to happen.
The air was chilly, misty and had the feeling of fish action to it! I’d just shut my eyes when I heard a few quick bleeps ring out from the receiver perched on my bait bucket.
I looked at the middle rod which had been placed about 2 yards short of a lily bed in a slight bottom depression. The bobbin was slammed to the rod blank.
I flew from my bag and kind of ingested my Skeetex boots, picked up my headlamp and grabbed the rod all in one fowl swoop!
It instantly felt like little else I’ve hooked before on rod and line…..The first run it made left me with sore knuckles and fear of a broken finger.
The rod squirmed under the pressure I was having to apply to keep her from snagging me up.
After about 3-4 minutes of arguing with the fish over who was going to give in first….she buckled and let me gain a few yards.
This felt great and I was sure I’d got the upper hand. Ummmm, not likely….off she blasted again and I was just left in awe of the shear immense power of whatever was on the end of my line???
A few more serious pulls with the rod under some of the most load I have ever put it under and she was nearing the spreader block.
I lifted the head under headlamp light and saw it was definitely a catfish. My first thoughts were that it may go 30lb?
My first attempt at trying to net her were almost laughable as I got the head into my 45″ net, thinking she was all but in the net I lifted…….oh god!
There was another 3 and a half feet of fish still to get in and certainly not enough net! Another 2 attempts made me quickly rethink my approach.
She came close to the bank with her nose up so I gave her a tap on the nose.
She sat quite still so I threw the rod down and chinned the fish. I slid her onto the waiting wet mat and nearly fell over when I saw how long it was!
I somehow managed to weigh her on the tripod and after watching it spin around twice…..It settled on 63lb 14oz!
Keith Supple UK PB 63lb 14oz Catfish
My first coarse fish over the 60lb barrier! I can’t honestly describe how I felt.
There was a massive feeling of total overwhelming excitement, contentment, fear,……….I must have woken the whole of Glamorgan up as I let out the biggest ‘Hoorah’!
Tight lines Guys
Keith
Nuts about Carp
Posted by Keith on under Carp and Coarse Fishing, Help and Tips |
Question sent in via email from Ed Collins of Bristol: Please could you explain how to tie up a Chod rig?
Thanks to Ed for his question.
Use a quality Flourocarbon or Bristle Filament
The Chod rig is a very useful rig to have in our armoury of tactics for approaching difficult waters and even tougher carp! The chod is usable in many situations but its primary one being to keep the bait well clear of silt or bottom debris that may hinder the presentation of lets say a bottom bait or just a standard Pop up style presentation.
It’s pretty simple to tie and only a few standard components which most of us already have in our box will be needed.
For 99% of my chod rigs I like to use flourocarbon as its almost invisible in the water due to its light refraction qualities. It’s a fairly tough, hardwearing material that can be steamed straight.
Alternatively bristle filament can be used but is a little tough to get through some of the smaller eyed hooks.
Pass the line from the point side of the hook to the back of the shank first
Step one is to choose our hook…..for this style of rig I like to use the specific Chod Hook from the Korda camp. (size 6-10 depending on bait size)
These have an out turned eye which suits our presentation a treat.
The reason for this is that if you apply an in turned eye with stiff link material, the angle of entry to the hook eye becomes very aggressive and less likely to catch hold in the fishes mouth.
Step two Pass the flourocarbon through the hook eye from point side to shank first and start to form the trusted knotless knot.
Form the Knotless Knot with about 6-7 turns
Around 6-7 turns will suffice before putting the line back through the eye from the back to the point side this time.
Place a small stainless ring on the tag end
Step three You should be left with a small tag end where you would normally tie a loop for bait attachment.
Place a small stainless rig ring onto this tag end and push the line through the hook eye as step two.
Step four Take a lighter and gently melt away a small section at a time of the tag end until you reach a sensible size for the bait attachment loop at the back of the hook.
Blob the tag end with a lighter
When this length is reached just blob the end of the tag with your thumb to stop it pulling back through the eye of the hook.
This is basically how to tie a D Rig attachment.
Step five Place a Large Eyed Swivel on the other end of the rig material and form a figure of 8 knot or loop knot as some call it.
Use a figure of 8 or loop knot
Your length of rig is up to you.
I like to fish around 2-3″.
Step six Position the Big Eyed Swivel onto your chosen Leadcore or Tubing and place a rubber buffer bead either side.
Ensure the beads and swivel can exit the leader for safety
IMPORTANT! Ensure that the swivel has freedom of movement up and down and that the beads don’t stop the swively from pulling up the rig and off the leadcore leader or tubing!
If it slides very easily then just use a piece of pva string to hold the rig in place on the cast.
Step seven Position a small lead clip and tail rubber onto the leader before finally attaching the lead.
The Chod Rig
The lead size and shape will obviously depending on the angling situation but remember a long nosed pointed 4oz lead is likely to bury itself very deep in soft silt!
Our only other step is to attach our bait using either a pellet band or dental floss to maintain the baits bouyancy and stop water ingress.
Tight Lines
Keith
Nuts about Carp
Posted by keens on September 23, 2009 under Catch Reports, Sea Fishing |
A Ray and Bass fishing session on Sunday 20th on Ogmore Beach produced a welcome suprise. A 10lb 12oz cod!
Caught at a range of 150yds on a long and low rig baited with a double ammo sand eel. It was also a good christening of his new Century C3 purchased from Keen’s a few weeks before.
The monster came up just 30 minutes after low tide over clear ground. Hopefully a sign of things to come.
Posted by keens on September 21, 2009 under New Releases, Sea Fishing |
Return of a Bass Legend
Back in the 1980’s Derek Townsend put together all his extensive experiences of bass fishing locally and in other venues around the British Isles and Southern Ireland, in a small but informative book which set out to lay to rest some of the myths surrounding the “unusual” conditions of extreme tidal range, heavily silted waters and closed geography in the upper reaches of the Bristol Channel, along with the coast of south east Wales. Major interest generated when copies of Derek’s original book appeared on Ebay and Amazon. This was the catalyst that was to lead Derek into writing a much revised, updated and even more informative edition. Derek, a well known sea angler of the 80’s period was recognised as a specialist and extremely successful bass angler and was also one of the first sea anglers to introduce the pendulum style of casting into the region.
He used his expertise to organise seminars on Bass fishing, instructional courses and demonstrations into the technique of pendulum casting. These started locally, then covered a mass of Wales and became popular into England. Derek was also the author of a weekly fishing column in a local newspaper which led to him contributing with articles to national sea angling magazines.
However, apart from being an expert sea angler he is perhaps most remembered as a professional rod designer and builder of international repute whose business, situated on the local Bridgend Industrial Estate, was the birthplace of his most famo
us and acclaimed fishing rod, the “Bare Bones Mk3 “ bass rod.
The new book “Bass Fishing from the Shore in South East Wales, and more!” once again, is an honest attempt to catalogue those tactics, baits, tackle and mental approach which have resulted in a good degree of consistency and great deal of pleasure within the unusual circumstances of the upper Bristol Channel.
Book Details;
- 82 information filled pages in A4 format
- Watercolour artwork shows off techniques and rigs
- Detailed breakdown off the effect climate and breeding can have on catches
- Baits, terminal tackle and tactics covered in detail.
Derek’s Book is now available at Keen’s Tackle. Tel: 01656 722448 to reserve yours now!
Posted by keens on under Catch Reports |
Matthew Riddler produced yet another Monster from the legendary White Water 4. this huge 160lb blue shark capped off a day which produced 18 sharks in total, with another 8 being missed. 6 were landed by Matthew.
The blue was landed on a Daiwa whisker 20/50lb rod and a shimano tld20 reel.
http://www.whitewatercharters.co.uk/
Posted by keens on September 19, 2009 under Sea Fishing |
A brand new member of our online team is Lee Watts. Lee is a member of the AAPGAI (association of advanced professional game angling instructors) and will be one of our online authors for our game section.
Hello, my name is Lee Watts and I am the proud holder of a provisional trout (single handed rod) AAPGAI certificate.
At the age of around 5, my father first took me fishing on the river Usk near Sennybridge. I caught my first trout that day, no bigger than 7” on a ledgered worm. I have fished since that day, firstly for trout on the river Dulais a tributary of the river Neath, and then on the river Neath during my early teens using fly, worm and spinner trying to hook a fresh sewin.
It is from these early years of learning to fly fish, being taught by my father in the field behind my house that is at the root of my aspirations as a fly casting instructor. I can remember asking my dad why there was so much fly line left wound on the reel after a long cast! I think I fished well into my 20s before I ever saw someone cast a full 90ft line out of the tip. When I did see it, it was at a gamefair.
With the popularity of the internet, I was able to see people casting vast distances with a fly set up through sites such as Sexyloops. Whilst floundering for a while trying to view large casting video clips through a basic dial up connection, and trying to match what was happening on the screen with the written instruction I decided to take formal lessons with an AAPGAI instructor. This was the catalyst for letting me understand what was happening on the computer screen and relating the virtual rod movements to the movements I was making under the supervision of my casting instructor.
Whilst it took me a long time to make small improvements from books and the internet, once I started to receive formal casting instruction, the progress increased and the learning curve steepened.
For me and I stress, FOR ME, trying to learn to cast long distances and efficiently from a book, internet site or video simply didn’t work on its own. Being shown first had from an instructor what I was doing wrong and how to correct my mistakes was my personal eureka moment. 
Once I was comfortable in the knowledge that what I was practicing was correct I continued to cast regularly giving me the confidence to compete at national level at the BFCC distance championships. Currently my passion is trying to winkle out more fishable water from my overgrown and high banked trout beats by using single handed rod spey casting techniques. If I am honest, these are far more useful in my day to day fishing than being able to cast a 5wt line over 100ft.
Over the last 10 years I have predominately fished for trout and grayling. My favorite fishing would have to be for wild trout in the early spring and early summer evenings along with grayling in the late summer and autumn months.
As my interest in fly casting has evolved, I have become increasingly aware that if my casting is poor, then so is my experience of my days fishing. Although I still love to Czech nymph in certain situations, I would rather drift a cast fly through a swim whenever possible. Sometimes the challenge is just as much to present a fly under adverse conditions (wind, trees, strange currents, unwieldy flies, sunken lines etc) as it is to hook the fish.
I live within 15mins of the river Neath and regularly fish it along with the rivers Usk, Wye and Tywi. I also fish the Llyns and reservoirs of Brecon Beacons National Park.
In the last couple of seasons I have enjoyed the challenge of fishing the estuaries and shoreline for saltwater species with the fly. My trips abroad have seen me fly fish in various countries and places including Lapland, Iceland and Scotland.
Currently I am undergoing preparation for the advanced single hand rod AAPGAI examination.
To contact Lee for professional tuition please phone 01639 700561
Posted by keens on September 4, 2009 under Sea Fishing |
After three flights and a two hour drive to oksfjord and a ferry crossing over to our island which took around 10 minutes this was our sight of the place in which we where to stay for 7 days.We all unpacked our kit pretty sharpish and couldn’t wait to get out and sample the fishing that we had heard so much about over the last 8 month’s.A quick run over the boats and safety equipment and they where all ours for the week our first stop was a small bay area in just 5 mins from our boat jettie and with the first couple of drops of the pirks we where into some small coalfish and cod then a shadow appeared from behind one of the coalfish that was being brought up from 20m of water a hallibut of around 15-16 pound decided it was going to take the bait but not my hook so after a short fight it got away!!! so my luck hadn’t changed even over in norway.A few days into the trip we realised that the big 40lb cod where a bit harder to catch than we thought after speaking to the locals and our guide we had probably missed the bigger cod by about three months not to say they where not there but the numbers of coalies and kelp cod that where in our fjords we had our work cut out to get through to them.The actual shoals of coalies when found where out of this world most of the time our pirks with gummy macs fished above(similar to feathers but made of tuff rubber with a twisted hooks )wouldnt hit the bottom before 5and 6 fish where hooked and at 45 to 5o m of water can soon take its toll on you but i dont think you can get fed up of catching them most of the coalfish in a certain area where around 6-8 pound in weight 
and wittness a shoal of these raise to the surface the place realy is something special.We worked hard further into the week and started to suss out the best times and colours to fish with and seemed to give the cod more chance when the gummy macs where taken off low water seemed to fish better than an incoming tide and to be fair the weather wasn’t on our side for about 4 days of our trip it didnt seem to matter which dircetion the wind was coming from you didnt seem to have much chance getting out to open water if it was blowing and i am convinced that the better fish where probably in these areas the one day we did manage to get a little further out we started to hit slightly larger cod almost every drop the average being close to double figures 
. (Glyn lewis pictured on the right with a nice cod of 20lb)the numbers of cod you could catch a day where out standing and the size of the fish didn’t seem to matter so much after a while just the quality of fishing was enough with the stunning suroundings and golden/sea eagles circuling over your head.A day was spent back in the bay area where the first hallibut was spotted and with the first drop darren had one follow his 2lb cod upto the surface as darren clicked the reel into free spool and started to lower the cod back towards hi slowly the hallibut took it hole with the pirk as well a quick fight and this beast was on the boat for a weigh and photo another two drops after on the same drift at 10lb and later on that night i got my chance to get one at 15lb
species caught all together where cod,coalfish,hallibut,haddock,torsk,redfish,ling,whiteing and the ugly aggresive wolf fish oh and that reminds me thanks to all the boys that made the trip so good mike,dennis,gerriant,darren and glyn
Posted by Keith on September 3, 2009 under Carp and Coarse Fishing, Tackle Reviews |
Angling Technics Microcat Bait Boat MK II
(Review courtesy of Nuts about Carp)
After many years without owning or even wanting one….I found myself being left a bit behind the crowds at certain venues I fish, where some times the only reliable spot to gain a run from is tight up to islands etc. I couldn’t stand being at the back of the crowds so, off to the shops I went and was ready to part with my hard earned reddies to the tune of some near £700….that was until I saw the host of other nice tit bits available for the new supposed improved ‘cat’.
Well, after a serious debate with the bank manager (her in doors!) and of course many hours deliberating……what am I talking about, honestly I’d already made my mind up in minutes! I just had to have the fish finder fitted! One quick swipe of the Switch Maestro card and I was worse off to the tone of some £1500!!!! At least I now had a serious bit of angling technology to scare those bloody tufties with though! Ha……I just need a rocket launcher fitted and it’s the perfect bird scarer.
Anyway, I’ve digressed from the point. Now, I used to own an original A.T Bait Boat, the one with the mono hull design. I have to say I used it about 3-4 times and had very little pleasure from it’s awkward and un-pleasing use which ended in my selling it for scrap to a pal……due to a screwed up battery and un-opening hoppers! Arrrgghhh! It drove me to absolute insanity over a period of weeks. That boat cost me £400+ and I had no extra fish to show for it. Hence the reason I felt uneasy about spending house keeping funds on another boat.
The new Microcat, advertised as promising a host of new features to improve it’s use had me well and truly interested and the thought of having a fish finder really boosted the wanting! It’s not really to find the fish so much as to help find the features though. I mean, what price can you put on knowing the bottom make-up at 200 yards plus….certainly beyond my good casting ability’s. I very seldom fish at this range but, hell maybe I’ll start!
I think this is the only foreseeable problem with the use of a bait boat in the ‘big bait boat debate’, if you cant cast to a spot should you really be fishing there in the first place???? I often see anglers taking baits out to the most stupid places where they shouldn’t even consider as an angling option. This is dangerous to fish health and should certainly be considered first. Albeit, we cant deny the fact that bait boats are here to stay and they do have their pros too. No continued casting to spots trying to get it right, no rigs left with bait on hanging from trees and of course the simple introduction of hook bait and samples of bait such as hemp which would almost certainly be very difficult to disperse at any real range.
Now, the new boat comes ready to use out the bag with no need to prime it in the water like the old boat. This was always a real pain in the back side! With the Mk ii it’s just a case of, on with the handset and push button on the boat……out she goes.
The other new features are the addition of extended port & starboard leds and the those at the front and rear are now raised out from the body enough to stop the old problem of water ingress clouding visibility. The lights can now also be dipped right down or dazzled right up with the left stick on the handset.
Another new feature is the addition of line protectors on the hoppers and the complete casing of the on board battery chambers.
All this adds up to a vast improvement on boats of old and I have to honestly say I’m smitten with it. The fish finder is awesome and I wouldn’t purchase a boat without this kit on it.
I also purchased 2 sets of heavy duty battery’s and the solar charger which I have to say was great on the most recent trip to the lakes where I had a host of bites during the day.
Rig attached and ready to help bank me a biggun!
The solar charger made it feasible to just put the boat and handset on a top up between fish.
This meant that the one set of battery’s lasted all week! Great stuff!
All in all, very impressive stuff from Angling Technics. I must say I’m still a little gobsmacked at the price of all the additional bits needed, but overall its a high quality product. If your into traveling light then you may find the Procat a better option as it is far smaller in size and obviously weighs less than the weighty Microcat boat.
The ‘cat’ has a fantastic turning circle too, turns pretty much on its axis at range. This gives you all the accuracy you need to target the fish to the nearest inch even at 100 yards+.
The hoppers will also take a whopping 4kg of bait in them too!
4kg of hopper capacity!
My suggestions to anybody thinking of buying a cat would be to definitely purchase a spare set of the heavy duty batteries, a solar charger and a boat carry bag too.
This will give the boat good protection for transportation and good running times too. With the heavy duty battery lasting around 70mins with continuous use!
Posted by Keith on September 2, 2009 under Carp and Coarse Fishing, Tackle Reviews |
Mitchell Avocast 8000
(Review courtesy of Nuts about Carp.)
What a surprise this one was! I confess to not really liking much that has fallen out of the Mitchell camp for some many years now.
I had a few match reels many years back but in fairness they were never really upto the grade of the shimano’s and dawia reels of the similar price tag.
With much of my angling using braided line for both fishing and for spodding and marking, my reels need to be able to handle this and of course last through the rigors of fishing sometimes 4 days every week!
The Avocast was a real shock, as it feels super sturdy and incredibly smooth for just over £100!
You really feel this is in the executive class of reel instead of the relatively cheap mid priced reel bracket.
The body is rubberized and protected against salt water intrusion which will help you sea fishing boys no end! 
The ventilated spool helps to dry out braided line……those of you in the know will jump for joy at this as you know it will aid in the line lay and help to stop the braid from ‘bedding in’.
The over sized handle and huge winching power make this a real quality spod reel.
Retrieving line is done with ease and although I haven’t used them for actually catching fish…..I can only begin to imagine how delightful they would be to use.
Front drag, instant anti reverse & 6 bearings certainly make it a smooth customer to work with.
Definitely time to give Mitchell another try.
Well done to the Pure Fishing Camp!
Available instore now!
