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Country Life In The UK
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The
fishing rod has several materials that it can be manufactured from, each having
different benefits to the angler. Entry level fishing rods are
normally constructed from glass fibre blanks (the bit everything else is
attached to) which has been used for years. Glass fibre performs well for it's
price and can provide many years of service if looked after, however it is fair
to say that if abused it can be snapped fairly easily. The next stage is
composite materials, a mixture of glass fibre and low density carbon. Stronger
and lighter than glass fibre, most rods below £35 are made of a
composite mix. You then have a low density carbon fibre which is lighter again
and
stronger than composite mix followed by the Rolls Royce of blanks which is high
density carbon fibre. As usual your budget will dictate which material you
receive in your blank, however every rod sold by
Just Tackle offers value for money so if you are on a fixed budget, a well
cared for glass fibre or composite blank will serve the weekend angler well.
There a
basically three types of popular coarse fishing; Float / Match Fishing, Feeder /
Ledger Fishing and Carp / Specialist Fishing. There are a few considerations to
take in before making
your purchase such as:
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Are you a general angler - any fish will do?
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Do you prefer to cast regularly or sit and
read?
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Do you want the big one, Carp, Barbell or
Catfish?
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How often will you fish
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Below are a few hints from our experiences that
may help
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Float / Match Fishing |
This is the most popular method of course fishing and
requires the least amount of specialist knowledge though there is still much
to learn. For general float fishing you will need a 12ft or 13ft rod match
rod with 5g to 25g casting weight and a through action. For Match fishing
(lots of small fish) they prefer a tip action to the rod to allow light
tackle to cast out quickly. For wide river fishing or large lake fishing a
longer rod is more beneficial for line control and distance casting. For
canal, small river and lake fishing a shorter rod is preferred as space on
the bank may be an issue and distance casting is not required. |
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Feeder Fishing |
Feeder or ledger fishing is ideal for the lazy angler. Floats
move with currents whether fishing a fast river or lake there are still
currents and require attention to the line and re-casting when the float has
moved out of the swim. Ledgering places the bait and hook on the bottom and
stays in one place. Bites are detected via a number of methods, swing tips,
quiver tips, electronic alarms, or line bobbins. When the fish takes the
bait and retreats to eat the indicator shows this and you strike. The only
time that the hook needs attention is to ensure that you still have bait
attached. The standard for this is a 10ft feeder rod with a slightly stiffer
action than a float rod and as the angler normally uses heavier rigs than a
float and the attention to the line is not as great a shorter stiffer rod is
more beneficial.
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Carp / Specialist Angling |
Specialist angling such as Carp Fishing requires skill,
patience and time. The specialist angler needs to know the species inside
out in order to become successful and local knowledge of the water is
essential. In general the specialist angler is looking for larger fish and
uses mainly ledgering as a way to catch them (though carp can be caught
floating bread on the surface). With this in mind stronger rods and heavier
capacity reels are used in pursuit of the price specimen. similar rules
apply to length of rod, for longer casts and fast moving water a longer rod
is better of 12ft whereby still or slow water then we suggest an 11ft rod.
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Spinning |
Spinning in fresh water is a method of attracting predators
such as Pike, Perch and to a degree Chub. Pike and perch are most likely to
go for a spinner or plug bait or even the new latex lures such as shads. If
the lure is retrieved erratically then the predator believes that the fish
may be injured and attack your lure resulting in a catch. Smaller rods are
used for spinning for better control and heavier lines with a wire trace.
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How Often |
With coarse fishing the how often rule isn't so important as
in sea fishing. The fish are generally smaller and do not fight as hard and
the environment that you are fishing in is softer and not as harsh. Any rod
is looked after will last a long time and as for the action of the rod your
choice will develop as you fish. Start off with reasonably priced
tackle and look after it. When you have a preference for the type of fishing
that you wish to pursue you will know which type of action you require on a
rod as well as length, composite etc. |
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