stevetheangler

Well, I’ve decided to do my shopping for the brolly poles and the Korum 3-rod quiver tomorrow – deliveries allowing as Liz has an eBay item in transit to us… the guy who has sent it will be sending us the tracking details for the courier later this evening and hopefully it won’t be expected to get here until Wednesday. Saying this reminds me that I need to plan my journeys for the bus and trains (using the wonderful free pass that us ‘oldies’ get!) and print out maps of the locations for the walking bit.

And Wednesday I’m planning to try drop shotting for perch on an early visit to the local canal. I’ve been watching YouTube videos of the technique (as this will be my first try at the technique) and have a sort of homemade version of the setup. Using my 8’6″ spinning rod, with 30lb braid mainline connected to a length of 10lb monofilament that contains the ‘works’ via snaplink – a size 2 long shank hook fitted via a custom Palomar Knot with an 18″ tail on to which is attached an 1/2oz bomb for the weight (fits on by snaplink so easily increased/decreased as necessary). By using the separate nylon trace and snaplink its easy to carry a selection of different weight-to-hook lengths or different hook sizes – the actual make-up being ‘fixed’ and the only way of adjustment would be to cut off the hook, etc and remake to the new desired length/hooksize.

See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dW4zOaDw-s for the setting up – an easy to follow video. There are also a lot of other good videos on the technique on YouTube too…
Just search on there for ‘drop shotting’ or similar….

My lures consist of small jelly fish and jelly worms of various sizes and shapes…

Will probably aim to get to the canal around 6am and then wander for a few hours down and back up until the boats start to become a pain – usually about 9-10am.

One thing about this technique is that you don’t need a lot of gear! Fits all in a small shoulder bag – box of jelly lures (would fit a jacket pocket), line for making extra traces if necessary, scales, small unhooking mat, weigh bag and camera – and the general stuff that is always in my jacket (hooks, leads, forceps, etc). In fact, apart from rod and landing net the biggest weight/size will be my 1 litre flask of coffee! :D

Talking about my jacket – I’ve had to empty my pockets to try to dry it completely as it was still damp I found earlier today from the Pwllheli trip – so I’ll try to take a picture of the full contents and explain it all in a post tomorrow as I said I would in the last posting….

Also today I’ve switched over my ‘main’ rods which are used 99% of the time for my stillwater legering from a pair of homemade 11′ rods from the 70’s based on Northwestern 1.5lb TC blanks to a pair of new Ron Thompson Evo2 Concept Barbel (1.5lb TC) rods. Liz has had a pair of the original Evo version for quite a while. Anyway, whilst untackling the rods to switch over reels, I’ve made a couple of minor changes to the terminal end to hopefully increase efficiency… proof will be in the pudding though as they say! :)

So… now off to plan tomorrow’s journeys to the ‘dark side’… :D