Attention to detail

We're always looking for those little edges and ways to improve our results and over the last couple of months there are a couple of Solar products which I believe have really made a difference. The first are the Ball Bearing swivels. They've been around for a while now and I must admit I never realised until recently just how good they are! I've been messing around with the Chod Rig a fair bit this year and for a rig which appears so simple, is in fact very adaptable and as technical as you want to make it. One of the main factors is the movement of the hook link itself and for a good hook hold it needs to rotate freely. Like most people I normally used the standard ring swivel - that was until I tried out the Ball Bearing version and the difference is amazing! The movement of the hook link is improved dramatically and so therefore is the hooking potential of the rig. It's a real edge for sure and a great Solar product!

The other thing which has helped me this year are the Weed Effect leaders. I've been fishing a water that is not only extremely difficult but the water is like tap water and the visibilty is so good that at times you can see the rig in over ten feet of water. If it's that easy for me to spot the rig then imagine how easy it must be for the carp which are seeing it from much closer! I had it in my mind that should the opportunity arise to fish on some close-in spots I would use the Weed Effect leaders in the knowledge that they would blend in much better with the surroundings and as if to prove the point, they were very difficult to pick out on the bottom. Of course the real proof is if they can help to put fish on the bank and I had two opportunities this spring (I said it was difficult!) and both times I ended up with a carp on the bank, two stunning commons of 34lb 2oz and 32lb 4oz both of which are real history fish and have only rarely been caught in the past.

The month of May

Crowy’s run of good form continued throughout May, with Club Mix yet again proving its big fish pulling power! Concentrating his efforts in the north of the country on Eric’s Angling Centre’s Willows syndicate, our man on form notched up two more really big fish for Yorkshire, including a lovely 35lb 12oz mirror followed by the lake record in the shape of The Toffee Fish at a whopping 43lb 14oz.

Crowy commented: “Just when I thought things couldn’t get any better, they did! I was baiting quite heavily with Clubs during most of my trips, and although I did catch a few twenties and smaller fish, it once again proved its worth with the biggies when just fifteen minutes into an overnight trip I landed a stunner weighing 35lb 12oz at the beginning of the month. Two weeks later, during a very busy weekend when the lake was almost rammed with anglers, I contemplated pulling off because nothing was looking likely to give. Somehow I talked myself into staying another night, and I freshened up the swim with a few kilos of Clubs. I’m glad I stayed because at 5am on my third morning I had a one toner that just didn’t want to come in. It fought hard all the way in. I caught a glimpse of its flank in the clear water and knew I had a lump on the end. After some fifteen minutes of plodding in the margins, eventually it eased over the net chord. What a sight it was! At 43lb 14oz I was buzzing! Good old Club Mix singled out a biggie yet again! An awesome bait and certainly one to put your faith in if you want a particular big fish from your target water.”