-
Posted 06:00, 10 March 2010
D410008.jpg)
- You go to a fishing show like the one at Nantes that a bunch of us have just come back from and you naturally come back all buzzed up about lure fishing in general. All that (lovely, shiny) gear, all that knowledge, and all that atmosphere under one roof really gets to me, just like it did last year. But however you look at it, we are playing catch up here in the UK. I am not for one second damning the UK tackle trade or even where we sit with regards to modern lure fishing. More so I am saying that the French lure fishing scene is where it is now for what must be a bunch of different reasons, and it strikes me a very exciting time to be into lure fishing over there. As it is over here. We are where we are at here in the UK and Ireland, but the big problem seems to be that more and more anglers are hearing about, looking for, and asking about items of tackle that are for the most part a struggle to get hold of here, and more often than not we are forced to buy abroad. Frustrating to say the least......
- And especially when you know that so much of this gear is for sale and in use just over the Channel - hardly very far away as regards geography, but in fishing tackle terms it might as well be another world away. I accept that what I tend to call "modern lure fishing" is in its infancy here in the UK, but I am guessing as well that it must have once been like this in France. I am sure that a few years ago there were anglers getting frustrated because they could not buy the gear they wanted to in their local tackle shops. But their market has changed so much, or at least my research leads me to believe so. Nothing is ever perfect and the grass is always greener and all that kind of thing, but I sense such a reluctance within parts of the UK tackle trade to embrace what is so obviously going on in lure fishing (for bass especially) and either develop or at least import more gear for us to buy and use. That is why I have such a huge amount of respect for the people and companies who have taken this all forward so much already in the UK.
- Is it a monstrously huge market at the moment that is going to make everybody very rich ? No, obviously not. But it could get really big. Think about where carp fishing once was, and look where it is now. Who would have predicted that explosion in growth in what is essentially a static kind of fishing ? Where could lure fishing go in this country ? Questions that I accept are impossible to answer, but surely the UK tackle trade has to sit up and take proper notice sometime soon.........
D62627.jpg)
- Take something relatively simple like this stunning looking Jackson Athlete Slim 12SS (sinking) minnow - this kind of thing floats my boat in a major way, and up until recently I think I am right in saying that the best way to get hold of something like this was to buy direct from Japan. But not any more. Shops and internet sites like the ones here and here (check out the new website) are now stocking these Jackson lures. These guys here are stocking an increasingly large number of Japanese and US lures that nail our bass. But what about having more choice with modern lure rods, reels, braids, clothing, etc. ? More switched-on shops and internet sites are doing what they can, but even then I know that a bunch of them are often having to beat their heads against brick walls in frustration. One problem we seem to have right now is that the modern-thinking lure angler is far more aware of what is out there than the bulk of the UK tackle trade. Whether this be because of forums, internet searching, shows such as the one at Nantes, or simply word of mouth and personal experience, I am sensing more and more that more anglers are getting really frustrated at the tackle trade not keeping up with them. So we need to support the ones that are keeping up. And we need to hassle the ones that are not into getting us the stuff we want.
- But although it all looks very logical to anybody outside of the tackle trade, it is never that easy - we might want more and more gear at all kinds of prices, but what companies are going to take the bull by the horns, take a bit of a punt, and go for it ? All financial risks aside, it strikes me that this "modern lure fishing" is very "modern" in the way that it is snowballing. Information is travelling faster and faster, and more and more anglers are trying different stuff and using ever more efficient ways to tell people about their exploits. And unless you are in the middle of it and working at the coal face, it can actually be quite difficult for a company to keep up unless they are either actively interested in the fishing, or are working with well informed people who are in on the ground and keeping a close eye on what is happening. - and even then the company needs to trust these "well informed" people and roll with their information.
- The Nantes show opened my eyes up a whole lot more once again, but in a very different way to the first time I went there last year. I have come back with so many different ideas that my brain is fit to leave my head. Quite where I fit into all this "modern lure fishing" is something I am not completely sure about, because I come at it from different angles - first and foremost I am a fishing junkie who has fallen for this fishing in a huge way (fish, methods, gear, locations, people etc.), but also I am a fishing writer, photographer and sometime TV presenter who has to make his living within fishing. All I can do is do what I think is best and hope that it is doing some good for fishing in general, while at the same time making me and my family a living. It is not always an easy balancing act.
- The guys at IrishBass.org are still working around the clock to do all they can - I did a brief phone interview with the Irish Sunday Times just before I left for France, and I also uploaded them some photos to use for the article on the understanding that sport fishermen would be fairly represented within the piece. I reckon a very good job was done overall, and you can check out the article here. Different photos of mine were used in the paper copy of the article, and I hope that they have gone some way towards helping the IrishBass.org people out in their fight to protect sportfishing for bass over in Ireland. We can all do our bit in different ways.
-
Posted 06:01, 7 March 2010
- Although there are more lures at this Nantes bass show than even a lure junkie like me could possibly hope to use in a lifetime (but I'd give it a good go), what has really struck me about the show this year is just how many awesome lure rods there are that are tending to be between say 6.5' and 8.5' – ok, so there are lots of very fast action, “heavier” lure rods around the more regular 9' and even 10' as well, but I am really noticing the lighter, shorter rods this time around. Is that because there are more of them, or is that because I am evolving as an angler ? “La peche avec la finesse” is appealing to me more and more these days for certain situations (basically more subtle lure fishing with lighter, more sensitive gear, something that I am not very good at, but something I want to do more and more of).
- I suppose that my understanding of bass fishing with an even higher degree of feel and subtlety really started to increase last year on Belle-Ile when Graham and I got the chance to spend a few days fishing with some of the Ultimate Fishing guys, and especially Bruno Pebe – the bloke who first showed me the 7' Tenryu Injection. When I got back home I told a bunch of mates about the rod and word seemed to spread about how gorgeous this thing was for fishing with smaller hard lures, small jigs, and a wide range of soft plastics. But I held off getting one, mainly because I did not think that I was either a good enough angler or even remotely ready to really take advantage of a rod like this. How about that for self-control ? Now though is my time to give in and look for a rod around 7' long that will help me do very specific things. There are a whole host of these kinds of rods out here, and at all kinds of prices as well, with some stunning bits of kit for not very much money at all. Plus some even more stunning bits of kit for lots of money as well.
- If we put the 7' Tenryu Injection as the benchmark then (imagine asking me ten years ago if I ever thought I would have been lusting after a little 7' rod for using off the shore) – and also bearing in mind that there are a bunch of new Injections (one of which I played around with in a demo tank, what a rod, far too good for me), I will try and take you through some of the rods I have found. But please also bear in mind that there are a whole load more at the show that I have not even seen yet.....
- Daiwa France have got a whole load of good rods – the Daiwa Ardito range feels incredible, and they are around the 200-220 Euros mark I believe. Honestly, if a company like Daiwa UK started bringing these rods into the UK I reckon they would seriously clean up (and if they are already then my apologies for my lack of knowledge). The Ardito range seems to have every single kind of modern bass rod we are after these days, and there is a very good 7' model that would be perfect for fishing with lures like the MegaBass Xlayer, the new baby Patchinko, the IMA Skimmer, 120mm minnows, you name it, I reckon these kinds of rods can do loads. I am also doing all I can not to look any more at the simply stunning Daiwa Morethan Branzino lure rods. If money were no object then I would buy them all.
- I finally got to see some of the famous Smith bass rods, and there were three models that really were deeply impressive – not cheap at around 330-350 Euros, but just awesome. There were a 6'9'', a 7'2'' and a 7'6'' model of a Smith rod called the Bay Liner Boron, and although I would quite happily own and fish with them all, it was the 7'2'' model that stood out to me as the kind of finesse rod I am starting to look for. Higher-end I know, but these Smith rods are something a bit special.
- Sakura do a whole bunch more stuff than I realised, indeed as a company I reckon they are hugely impressive in the products that they either make or distribute. From my understanding they have two main ranges of lure rods for bass fishing at the moment – at the cheaper end there are the Sakura Rookie rods, and slightly more expensive are the Sakura Mazzera. As with most companies, there are a load of different rods within these ranges that deal with all kinds of lure fishing, and personally I reckon some of these Rookie rods are just insane value for money. The ones I was looking at were around 100-120 Euros, all with genuine Fuji guides, and the actions just seemed to be incredible. I can't remember the exact models, but there was a 7' Rookie that just felt about as good as a 7' rod could possibly be at this sort of price. Put a blindfold on and it feels almost too good I reckon.
- The more expensive Sakura Mazzera range starts I believe at around 200 Euros, and again there is a really good 7' model in there for the finesse fishing. Plus all the other kinds of lengths and casting weights as well that just felt really good in the hand. Sakura just seem to be making some very good modern lure rods.
- But all rods, reels and lures aside for the moment, without a doubt the best part about this brief trip to France is the chance to spend some time talking with all the different kinds of people who are into their bass fishing. The fact that so many guys from the Lure Forum have made the trip down here is just fantastic, and it's a privilege to hang out with them all and yap fishing. I am going to do all I can to make it to the Nantes bass show next year as well, and I would bet on seeing even more anglers heading down from the UK and Ireland. Honestly, if you are into bass or lure fishing and you want to get about the best chance possible to see such a huge variety of modern tackle together under one (big) roof, then you should think about coming along to this show in 2011. We have about a half day left at the show and then a bunch of us are heading back to Jersey tonight – spending Sunday night there and then flying back home early on Monday morning. Plenty more information to digest and think about........
-
Posted 06:29, 6 March 2010
- We've had the first day of the Nantes bass show, and it is easily as impressive as I thought it was last year. There are I think sixteen of us guys who have made the journey over from the UK, the Channel Islands, and even from Ireland, and I reckon that is pretty impressive. What will the numbers be next year ? What a great bunch of people. It gets to me so much in these kinds of situations how awesome fishing is that it can bring such a varied group of people together with such ease.
- Us lot who travelled over from Jersey on Thursday night got to the show just after midday after spending the night in St. Malo. Any time you come to France is always a blast, I have always loved this country and I have a huge amount of time for the French people. Last year was a massive learning curve for me out here, indeed it essentially blew my mind to the point where I hardly slept for the three days. This time around I feel much more “up” on things, but there is still a huge amount going on the show that is new to me. And of course there is a vast array of some of the most incredible fishing tackle you could ever hope to see. You will have to go a long way to find a more friendly or open bunch of fishermen than the French, and the more I get to know some of these fantastic anglers, the more lucky I feel.
- The Ultimate Fishing stand is very different from last year, with more guys working it, and a bigger range of red rods and more new lures and patterns that you could shake a stick at. They are now doing a whole range of the stunning red Tenryu Injection “finesse” rods, and believe me when I say that I am doing my utmost to avoid simply giving in and getting one of them. My worry is that I just don't have enough of this “finesse” to my bass fishing, but perhaps I could justify the purchase by making myself adopt a more subtle approach. I seriously fancy one of those new Shimano Rarenium in the 3000 size on a rod like this – what an awesome looking reel for the money.
- One of the Ultimate lures that really stood out for me straight away is the new DUO MOAB (Mother of All Baits – great name !!). My mate Bruno Pebe was showing me this thing working away in one of the tanks and it was all I could do to stop my jaw hitting the floor. It's a very good looking DUO minnow with a fibre bib that just seems to have an action all of its own, plus it can be jerked very effectively. Leave it alone and it just suspends there nice and stable. Very impressive. There was also a really interesting looking DUO lure that was some kind of mix between a vibration lure and a jerkbait, and Bruno could get this thing turning backwards on the retrieve. I can't for the life of me remember that name of it, but I will find out. There are a lot of new lures on the very impressive looking Ultimate stand, with some truly stunning colours to them. There is a very good looking kind of casting/vertical jig that also has a loud rattle in it that has my name on it big time. Not that I have a problem or anything like that.
- Now although I do like good fishing rods, I actually consider myself “relatively” under control with my urges for them (a new Tenryu Injection aside, loved them since Belle-Ile last May). But then Ben took me over to the Daiwa stand to show me their rods – why on earth Daiwa UK aren't bringing some of these “modern style bass rods” into the UK is beyond me. We looked at a lot of what seemed to be really, really good rods at lots of different price points, but then Ben took me over to a special range of rods on their own little Daiwa stand in the corner. Thanks Ben, and you can now stop that smirking. The “Morethan Branzino” range of Daiwa lure rods are just off the scale stunning bits of kit. They are seriously expensive, but in particular the 7' and especially the 7'6'' models were just some of the finest feeling lure rods I have ever had the fortune to pick up anywhere. Are they worth the money ? Only the anglers who buy them can answer that one, but I have a serious case of rod lust going on now. Do I need one ? No, of course I don't. But do I want one or even two of them ? Yes. Very seriously yes. You simply can not believe the balance of these things. Just the sheer smile it puts on your face when you pick one up. You know how some of these modern lure rods feel like wands when you pick them up and fish with them ? Well these Daiwa “Morethan Branzino” lure rods go way beyond that feeling. There ain't ever anything wrong with dreaming......
.jpg)
- Sakura have a big, very impressive looking stand at this Nantes show, with a whole bunch of rods, plus lures from the likes of IMA, Sebile, and Molix. The Sakura soft plastics (Snoop and Magic Eel I think they are called) look really good to me, and in the demo tank they were stunning. It is really getting to me all over again how well the French guys fish their soft plastics, and how confident they are to use them so much of the time. I have not seen it yet, but some of our lads were raving about some demonstration going on where a bloke was fishing with two soft plastic shads on the same trace that were almost pirouetting across each other on the way back in. Sounds strange, but I saw some video footage and it looks incredible.
- The show seemed to be packed for most of the afternoon, so I would imagine that over the weekend it's going to be really hectic. I am loving being here amongst all this “buzz” about bass fishing, and it really makes me think a lot about where it might all end up going in the UK. Take where we are now and then think about where it could go. Will the interest levels keep on growing ? Will anglers keep on looking for different gear to use for their fishing ? Will we still have enough decent bass around us to catch in ten years time ? I personally believe that if we have the fish, then this more modern approach to bass fishing is going to go to places we could never have imagined a few years ago, and its influence will spill over into other kinds of fishing as well.
