Perfection an Preparations.

Well I’m hoping there is nobody at home while I upload this blog post because conditions seem almost to good to be true, a WSW wind, spring tides and high pressure, after a quick walk round a few local marks the water clarity has that gin clear colour we all wish for..

Check out this video I took at Portland Bill Late Thursday morning (I heard some guy apparently had a double earlier in the morning at the bill, not surprised with conditions this perfect! P.s. I also heard a well know angler caught some wrasse on SP as well… Well done that man!!)

Does it get any better?? Yup if only I didn’t have man flu! Like most anglers stuck at home, I have to do something fishing related be it service the reels, sharpen hooks or repaint some lures. But I decided to take a trip down the tackle shop an grab some new shads an hooks and show you guys some of my prep work before the season starts..

I’m rather pedantic an OTT over my preparations when lure fishing and everything has to be perfect from step 1, If I can afford to buy Hard lures for up to and over £20 then I can put that extra effort into rigging up my soft plastics an getting the best from them.

I’m using here the Delalande 6 shad GT 9CM in Nacre Bleute with Decoy Ex Heavy Offset Rock Fish hooks size 1/0, when buying hooks and lures like these I like to pair them up in the tackle shop, Buying online can be a gamble unless you know from experience the tackle you are buying pair up nicely.

A few bits are missing in this photo… but you will need, hooks, shads, pen, sharp knife, Vaseline.

Firstly I like to sight up the hook with the shad, and mark up the curve of the hook length maintaining the bend of the hook is within the 1/3^rd to ½ the length of the lure. Then mark a diagonal line back to the hook shank. Be sure not to take this cut to far forward as to leave plenty for the hook to pierce the nose of the lure.

Next take your sharp knife an make the cut, I like to use a scalpel as the blades are thin an a more accurate cut can be achieved. Try to keep the cut central and neat as an angular cut can cause the hook position to twist the lure body creating an uneven swimming pattern.

Next up thread your hook through the nose of the lure and back through the belly slice, again make sure your hook is central.. I’m a firm believer that the curve of the hook acts as a vane an assists casting distance and accuracy. I like to fill up the belly slice and coat the hook point with Vaseline ensuring that the hook can cleanly move through the lure when a fish bites, also if skinning the hook point in the lure will allow for a clean application. Also Vaseline comes in all colours and flavours, here I’m using the Rose Vaseline creating the impression of stomach in the lure. Plus the added flavour?? Who knows it might help catch a few fish. You will be surprised at how long Vaseline will remain inside the lure.. I’ve used the same lure for around 60 casts and that belly is still full..

When I’m feeling on top form again I shall show how I rig an weight this set up out on the water..

Just a quick update on the new Quantum EXOpt reel… I’ve had no problems what so ever with this reel, 3 months of heavy use and the reel is still dead smooth and the line lay fantastic, I haven’t had one wind knot with Nanofil or YGK PE braid. All was going well until this happened…

From what I can see looking at the replacement provided by Chesil Bait n Tackle there is a single snap ring holding the casing and bearings in place.. I have no idea what could have gone wrong, maybe the snap ring was a lose fit.. I would have reassembled the casing but all the internal parts ended up in the drink.. Doh!

Until the next time guys I got a bad case of man flu to nurse..