Quest Baits Blog

Words and pictures by Ron Key

There are times when you want to use a line clip, whether it’s to increase the sensitivity of your indicator bobbin set up by creating a more acute line angle or for slack line fishing.  I have usually found that the carbon clips whipped to rods are in the wrong place, covered in varnished making them unusable, too slack not holding the line, or too tight causing line damage.  I’ve tried the type that clip on to the rod blank but this has caused damage to the finish of the rod.

I’ve been a fan of Keith Fielding’s work at Defiant MPS for a while and most of my indicators have been made and modified by him.  His ideas and designs are usually ahead of the game so I wasn’t surprised to see the Spiro Line Clips on his website. Taking the form of a plastic spiral they are wound carefully onto your rod blank, they can be slid up and down the taper of the blank opening and closing as they move lightly gripping the blank in any position. They are a soft plastic and cannot damage your rod or line and hold the line by trapping it under the tip of the spiral, easily pulling free when you get a take.

Click on the image to enlarge

For most of my fishing I use his Banshee Hangers either in the lightweight Mk11 Mag Head version which has two magnetic line clipsallowing the indicator to be locked in position on the line.   For long range work, or when there is a strong undertow or on windy days I use the heavier Multi Head bobbin which has a spring loaded adjustable line clip.  The line clip can be adjusted to suit the tension required allowing you to screw in

extra weight of user a springer type set up.

Click on the image to enlarge

The set up that I seem to use the most is the Mk11 Mag Head Indicator.  After casting and placing the rod on the rests I pay out line until the line will just support the light bobbin and clip up the line.  The line is unstretched in this situation not slack.  If the wind conditions or the undertow allow I try to fish with a drop in the line.  Any lead, or line movement if you are using semi fixed or a running lead gives immediate indication at the bobbin.  Line stretch has little or no effect in dulling down bite registration with this type of set up.

Cheers  Ron

Current venues on the office wall

I like to keep an eye on where I expect the carp to be between trips to the venues I fish. It really does surprise me how s0 many anglers turn up at the  venue and know what the weather was doing on their last trip, where the wind was blowing and everything else, then turn up for their next trip with little idea what the wind has been doing between trips and indeed the weather.

The weather leading up to a session is much more important to me as regards to the venue I choose to fish and indeed the area I would be looking to explore/look at first than the weather conditions when I arrive.

This is so simple to do and only takes literally seconds out of your day. I generally click on the on-line weather stations (my favourite at the moment is www.netweather.tv whilst having a coffee break and see what is happening in the different parts of the country I fish. It is always handy having venues well apart as the weather can often be more favourable in one area of the country than another.

Once I have clicked on the area I want to check it’s a simple matter to glance up at my lake maps where I am fishing which I always have on my office wall as well as in my angling diary and see where the wind is blowing etc.

I print the aerial photographs off the internet for each venue I fish then simply draw grid lines over them so I can see exactly where for

Gridlines drawn on show exactly where the wind will be hitting.

instance a South Westerly is going to be hitting. This is the most accurate way I have found over the years and by simply glancing from the computer screen to my maps gives me an idea where the fish may be.

Simple job each day which can help to keep you one step ahead of the other anglers and when you hear that a big fish came out of such and such swim on the Wednesday you will probably have a better idea why than many others.

These maps on the wall are also real handy for river fishing. This last winter as we all know was an absolute grueller in regards to the weather conditions and with all the still waters being frozen the rivers were the only option. Now I must admit to choosing my river sections to fish totally from a comfort point of view and each morning before setting off I would see which way the invariably cold wind would be blowing then choose the stretch of river I was going to target which would give me maximum comfort out of the wind.

I guess I may be getting a little old LOL!

Best fishes

Shaun

Cristofa Michael asks:

I have a dilemma, my marker rod set up is Korda set up braid strait through, everytime I cast it tangles and doesn’t give me the correct reading of the depth, I’ve tried feathering the cast but it still doesnt seem to work for me. Can you suggest anything I may have to add to the set up to eliminate tangles? I would be ever so grateful!

Shaun Harrison Answers:

Hi Christofa,

This is a common problem when using braid all the way through as the float will regularly wrap around the soft main line during the cast and then be unable to rise to the surface – really frustrating when you have found aninteresting spot but the float won’t lift to give you a casting mark.

Because of this I always use a fluoro Carbon leader on the end of the braid. This totally prevents the tangle problem and if you leave your marker in your swim whilst baiting up etc it is less visible to the fish.
Don’t worry about adding stretch so lessening the ‘feel’ as 20ft will make no noticeable difference on ‘feel’.
Depending upon casting ability (how much power is generated) most anglers will get away with a 20lb leader.

The photo’s show my preferred set-up. Korda Marker, plastic bead, Free Spirit Marker Ring with a sea lead clip attached to collect samples off the bottom – this clip can be removed or covered in silicone tube if I don’t want it to collect bits.

Hope this helps

Best fishes

Shaun

The winter is a season where some of us store away their gear until the arrival of the spring. Others are aware that you can experience some big moments during the winter. The winter is the time where generally the bigger fish will see the inside of our landing net. In my opinion a big reason to keep the rods out of the shed as long as possible and go out hunting for that winter whacker instead.

Depending on which venue I choose and how many carp that are in there, I choose if I will go prebaiting the spots. Another big issue that you have to keep in mind is the water temperature. The fish will move just a little bit or even lay still most of the time when the temperature stays under +7 degrees. In these conditions I won’t go prebaiting but will fish much more active. I then use small solid pva-bags filled with chopped boilies and action pellets or fish with a single hookbait. I keep the rigs in place for one hour and then recast them again to a new spot when nothing has occurred on the previous spots.

continue reading…

I wrote this piece around 3 years ago and it was published Carp Talk and is still very relevant now. So, if you are new to travelling across the water there may be a couple of useful snippets for you here…..

So You are Going to France?

I only ever did it the once and would certainly not get myself into the same situation again. I was about to embark on a early season trip to France and suddenly realised the gear was not going to fit in the car! This was an absolute nightmare scenario trying to decide right at the very last minute before setting off  what I was going to leave behind and what I definitely couldn’t afford to leave behind.  It had been a situation which is so easy to fall into. Bernard Sisson and myself had a week booked through Angling Lines at Remy near the mighty Orient in France.

We had even got together on a couple of occasions prior to the trip to make all the  usual sorts of plans. You know the type of thing, I guess at the end of the day it’s really just an excuse to get together and talk about the forthcoming carp onslaught we all anticipate before a trip. Everything was looking good right up until the moment Bernard turned up in his Range Rover to collect me and my gear. continue reading…

It’s that time of year when the mind starts to think about the new season ahead and those fish waking from spawning. Now I’m not saying I’m a fair-weather fisherman but the thought of bearing the cold weather with hours spent bite less don’t fill me with to much excitement! I’d rather spend a bit of time piking and preparing the

I enjoy my Pike fishing too

carp gear for the season ahead. The obvious question that must cross everyone’s mind is where they plan to fish or start their campaign.

Choosing water is a difficult task. No doubt everyone wants a beautiful lake round the corner stuffed with big carp (Common and Mirror) that’s cheap as chips and don’t suffer angling pressure. Do these waters exist? I’m sure there are some out there but it’s unlikely they will be the sort in the angling press or to be found on angling forums and the like.

I have personally settled on 3 waters for the season ahead. I think it’s very important firstly to be realistic with your self. There is a need to be clear in what you want from your fishing. Are you looking for a PB or target fish? Are you simply looking to get away from it all in nice surroundings where it doesn’t matter what or whether you catch. You must also weigh up the cost of the water against how many times you think you will fish it – will you really be able to commit the time to an expensive water?

In my local Essex area I have restricted myself to waters within an hour of work and home. Time is precious with family and work busy thank god. I don’t want to use up to much of my time on the road when I could be behind the rods!! My target is a UK 40. I therefore have to find a water or waters that contain them and at most times of the year. Many waters can’t sustain fish of this size and if that’s what you are after there is little point fishing waters without them in. Also if there are fish in the low 40’s you could find at the time of year you plan to fish the water they aren’t at there biggest weight. The 2 syndicate waters I have found both contain a number of 40LB fish. One contains a number that go into the high 40LB bracket and the other is an “easier” water which should give me some runs but also still gives me the chance of that big fish over the magic 40LB mark.

Finally I also take my 2 boys fishing. They have grown up from the “catch anything with maggots” phrase and now their looking at increasing their modest PB’s. We have therefore chosen to join a “Club” water. Club waters certainly should not be over looked as they offer very good value for money in these tough times. They usually have a number of different waters and you may be very surprised the size of some of the fish in them!

Good luck in what ever waters you decide to choose this season. There is something very exiting about getting to know a lake and her moods.

Tight lines

STUART FORSDIKE