Posts Tagged ‘fishing reels’
Fishing apps to help you reel ‘em in
Once upon a time, local knowledge was a closely guarded secret.
But now fishing wisdom accumulated through the ages is available via the super computer in your pocket. Thereby turning anyone with a rod, fishing reel and smartphone into an expert.
Here is our guide to some of the best fishing apps out there, helping you to harness technology and keep reeling ‘em in.
Fish Forecast
Secret weapon – the Fish Forecast app
Source: iAngler
This clever iPhone app tells you where to fish, which species to target and even suggests what tackle setup to use.
It combines several key factors impacting on fish feeding and set up patterns, to produce what they think will be a winning strategy. As well as that, the weather forecast and phases of the moon are integrated with expertise provided by angling experts, meaning you need never think for yourself again!
Every day you’ll get three different fishing options that best match the conditions, together with advice about rigs, baits and tactics.
Priced at £2.99, we feel sorry for the fish.
What Fish
Identify your catch
Source: iTunes
A comprehensive resource for sea anglers, What Fish boasts a 164 fish strong identification index. Whilst the app will help you to correctly identify your catch, it is much more than just a fish identification tool. You’ll also be able to access useful information such as minimum catch size, specimen shore and boat weights. Detailed maps show where target fish are likely to be swimming.
Add to that suggestions about baits and rigs that work best from different locations such as shore, boat and kayak. And as if that wasn’t enough, there are even recipes so that you can cook your catch to perfection when you get home.
An impressive amount of info for £1.99 and available for both iPhone and Android.
Fish Here
Where to find your fish
Source: Twitter
A wealth of information for anglers, you can use this app to save time locating the perfect fishery. Using your phone’s GPS, no matter where you are, you’ll be able to see where the fishing spots are in your area. Better yet, they’re rated so you won’t waste valuable angling time trying to find a decent spot.
The data on offer is comprehensive – with over 2,800 coarse and game venues listed. You can also access the five day weather forecast and lunar calendar and interact with other coarse and game fishing enthusiasts. This encyclopedic app also includes over 1,000 fishing tackle shops.
A serious amount of knowledge to keep in your pocket with member deals and discounts to boot. £1.99 from iTunes.
Carp Lake Maps
Carp Lake Maps App
Source: iTunes
Ideal for those crossing the channel to France in search of specimen carp, this app offers clear maps that detail features of lake beds, to help you maximise your strike rate. Whilst it doesn’t have a vast number of lakes as of yet, there is plenty of scope for future inclusions.
Bought individually, the maps would total £54 but the phone app costs just £2.99 and is available to iPhone and Android platforms. Bargain! So if you’re likely to fish any of the locations featured it surely makes sense to download the app. If you’re a keen angler and want to see some new features, Carplakes are looking for new suggestions to add.
Wreck Finder
Discover what lies beneath the watery depths
Source: iTunes
A favourite with us, wreckfinder has been developed by Cornish company, App Future, to help anglers and divers locate wrecks at sea. Data from the UK Hydrographic Office is integrated with Google maps to give the location of 12,000 wrecks in UK and Irish coastal waters. And you don’t even need to have a phone signal to use it either, as all the locations are downloaded with the app.
Where possible additional information about the wreck is included and all co-ordinates can be input into other electronic navigational aids. Your phone’s GPS also gives your location in relation to the wreck sites in your sea area.
A great concept and one we’re sure will be a hit with sea anglers everywhere.
£3.99 and available for iPhone and Android.
Found a fishing app that you think is a star performer? Why not let us know so we can review it?
Reel Fishing Women
When we think of fishing – how many of us bring to mind burly, bearded men with weather beaten features and a liking for rum?
Probably most of us – but though it’s a tough old life – many’s the woman that’s taken to the sea, baited a hook or spooled a fishing reel.
Fishing pin-up girl
Source: Anjou Clothing
Reeling in a catch
Source: Noorderlicht
Police women fishing
Source: Fish Cop out of Water
Caught it sitting down
Source: Old Photos
Preparing the fish
Source: Wikipedia
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Skirts, not waders
Source: Wikipedia
Sitting on the fence
Source: Blogspot
Three women in a boat
Source: SwittersB & Fly Fishing
Cornish Fishwife
Source: Reading University
Ice to see you
Source: Blogspot
Sunset fishing
Source: Tumblr
Fishing Reels with Added Bling
Airflo V-Lite reels from £99.99
NEW for 2012 Airflo’s top of the range V-lite reels that have just landed in the TF Office. There are four models, 3-4, 5-7, 7-9 and 10-12 and i decided to concentrate on the two most popular sizes with stillwater anglers, the 5-7 and 7-9.
These fishing reels are tooled from quality aerospace alloy and have been given a black anodised finish. The back of the reel cage has added silver highlights which creates quite an individual look. Both the reel cage and spool have been heavily ventilated to make them as light as possible (the spool on the 7-9weights just 52gr) while at the same time keeping their strength and integrity intact. This ventilation, especially on the spool, allows the line and backing to dry out quickly and with V-shape in the spool the line drops neatly to the centre of the reelm so you dont have to use your fingers to level wind it on.
The reels have been machined to very high tolerance and there is no movement between spool and reel cage. Spool release is by way of captive nut although if you pull hard enough it will come off, something to be aware of. Once the spool is off it reveals a totally sealed drag unit making the reel ideal for saltwater use as well, especially in the larger sizes. The drag itself is smooth and very effective and can be set in small increments via the drag knob on the back of the reel cage. If you are looking for a reel with the power to stop hard-running fish then this drag wont let you down. It can also be loosened off completely and will not overrun due to a click mechanism on the ‘line-out’ and ‘line-in’.
The 5/7 model will match up perfectly to a small stillwater outfit or for top of the water tactics on a reservoir, while the 7/9 would be ideal for reservoirs and larger, harder-fighting fish.
The reels do represent very good value for money, and are light and powerful with good line capacity. A bit of bling is your tackle bag without being too over the top!
The 3-4 model weights 159gr and costs £99.99, while the 10-12 reel weights 240gr and retails at £139.99.
Printed in the July 25 – August 21 issue 434 of Trout Fisherman Magazine.
Click here Airflo V-lite Fly Reel to view
Tags: airflo v-lite fly reel, fishing reels, tackle reviews | 
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New Airflo Fly Fishing Reel
2012 has seen Airflo produce one of their most beautiful and functional reels to date. The new Airflo V-Lite fly reel will be on sale in the next few weeks, its stunning looks and perfectly tuned drag will literally stop anything which swims! This fly fishing reel has been designed by anglers for anglers, offering looks and performance as standard.
Sneek preview
Available here – Airflo V-Lite reel
Tags: Airflo, fishing reel, fishing reels, fishing tackle, Fly Fishing, v-lite fly reel | No Comments »
TF Gear Force 8 S mag 65 Reel
The TF Gear S-MAG65 fishing reel takes distance casting to the next level. Working to incredibly high tolerances it’s precision engineered one piece open frame houses a spool that runs on larger spindle than other multipliers preventing any distortion and maintaining perfect balance to produce super smooth casts time after time. The combination of magnetic and centrifugal braking allows you to fine tune the reel to suit want ever the conditions throw at you and still achieve maximum range and fishing capabilities.
Features:
- Casts like a dream
- One Piece Extruded Open CT Cage
- Larger Spindle To Prevent Spool Distortion
- Aluminium Anodised Double Sports Handle
- Carbon Multi Disc Drag for Optimal Performance
- 2 Stainless Bearings in the Spool
- Machined Brass Gears
- Corrosion Resistant IAR Bearing
- High Torque Winding Power
- Mag/Centrifugal Brake System
- RRP: £199.99 – Fishtec price – £169.99
Tags: beach caster, casting, fishing, fishing reels, Fishtec, sea fishing, sea fishing reels, tfgear | No Comments »
Fishing reels – Drag Conversions
Ever struggle with having to use your fly reel on the wrong side of your rod? Winding with the wrong hand can become uncomfortable and cause lost fish but canbe changed very easily.
A lot of people have trouble in converting their fishing reel from left to right hand wind (vice versa).
One problem with changing the drag direction is that not all reels are the same! There are many different ways reel manufactures and suppliers use to reveres the drag. Thankfully most Airflo fishing reels work on the same principal, but some fishing tackle companies use a variety of methods depending on price.
Tim Hughes our Product/Marketing Director has put together a series of video clips explaining how to change the drag direction of the top selling reels.
Click Fly Fishing Reel Conversions to go to the video section
Fishing reels featured – Airflo, Enigma, Greys, Wychwood, Daiwa, Scierra, Vision and Hardy.
Tags: fishing reels, fishing tackle, Fly Fishing, fly reels, reel conversion | No Comments »
Back to Barbel
I didn’t get to do much barbel fishing last season, but having just acquired a ticket for a pike lake which also has a stretch of river with some prime barbel fishing, I thought it was time to get back out on the banks and try out the new Tfgear Classic barbel fishing rod and see how it performs.
Now I may be shooting myself in the foot a bit here, but with the popularity of commercial carp fishing at the moment our riverbanks are almost deserted so finding good fishing isn’t a problem. I’m lucky in that I live only a short distance from some superb barbel fishing, maybe not the record breaking fish of the Ouse but plenty of double figured fish if you put the work into finding them.
Rods
I try to keep as mobile as possible so keep the tackle down to a minimum. Most of my barbeling these days is done on the river Wye and I find the Tfgear new Classic barbel rods is spot on for this. Most of the time the 1.5lb test curve is great, sometimes I’ll up it to the 2lb test curve when I need to use a bit more weight to hold bottom, sometimes upto 5oz. I’m not a great fan of carp rods and bite alarms for barbel fishing and this is just a personal choice.
The Author with a Barbel
Reels
I use a baitrunner type reel for my barbel fishing which can be set to give line on the take, barbel takes can be very savage at times and the baitrunner type reel can prevent the rod from being dragged of the rod rest. A good drag system to one of the most important features that any barbel reel can have and I find the Tfgear Force 8 GT free spool perfect.
Main Line
I have to admit that I’m a fan of TFGear grunt braid for most of my barbel fishing except were there are a lot of rocks and snags on the river bed I would then go for TFGear red mist monofilament in 10lb which has great abrasion resistance.
Rigs and Bait
Again I keep things simple with my rigs, a standard running rig with either a braided or fluorocarbon hooklink to a hair rigged hook. Bait wise halibut pellets are still top of the list and have incredible pulling power; I generally decant some of the mixed halibut pellets into a smaller container, just enough for a session. Small mesh pva bags are made up on the bank and just nicked onto the hook. Another great rig is Matt’s time bomb feeder.
Retaining Barbel
One last and very important point, barbel have no place in keepnets but it is also very dangerous especially after a prolong fight to release the fish straight back into a fast flowing river. I always leave the fish resting in the margins in the landing net for a few minutes to let it regain its strength.
A Barbel
Tags: barbel, carp, carp rods, coarse fishing tackle, discount fishing tackle, fishing bait, fishing reels, fishing rods, main line, rigs | No Comments »