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THE BAROMETRIC PRESSURE MYTH

Lead image: Paul Smith For some time now I’ve been fascinated by the claim that fish feeding behaviour is largely influenced by changes in barometric pressure. The fascination started when I read Ronald Reinhold’s book “Predicting the Bite” (ISBN 978-0-578-04734-8) which discusses how to predict when fish will be feeding based largely on changes in barometric pressure. Reinhold is convinced that barometric pressure is responsible for fish … Continue reading THE BAROMETRIC PRESSURE MYTH

VIDEO – SALT FLY BASICS (PART 1)

Video: Mike Ladle & Steve Pitts      Lead image: Mark Hoffman This video is a basic introduction to salt water fly fishing prepared by Mike Ladle, Geoff Hancock and Steve Pitts. Check out where they fish, what time of the day, the “flies used” and how Mike, in particular, retrieves them. The underlying message is that you don’t have to cast long distances if you are fishing in … Continue reading VIDEO – SALT FLY BASICS (PART 1)

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FISH DIGESTION AND HOW IT DRIVES FEEDING BEHAVIOUR

Lead image: Grant Bittle (https://www.catchfishing.pro/) Recently I was contacted by a good friend and asked if I could help explain a feeding phenomenon he had observed. It was a spring tide in Dorset and millions of helpless seaweed fly maggots were being washed into the ocean with every crashing wave. Bass were clearly visible gorging themselves on the maggots and it appeared that they were … Continue reading FISH DIGESTION AND HOW IT DRIVES FEEDING BEHAVIOUR

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THE SINGLE LURE EXPERIMENT

Most anglers like nothing better than to show off their lure collection and generally it is an eclectic mixture of lure types and colours. Collections are very personal and most of the lures were purchased for a specific species or reason. However, irrespective of how many lures an angler owns, it is likely that the great majority never get used and when they occasionally do … Continue reading THE SINGLE LURE EXPERIMENT

ROD REVIEW: LOX Ambassador 810MT-4 spinning rod

Regular AANZ blog followers will know that over the past few years I have completed the switch from short to long spinning rods, especially those over 2.6 metres in length, as they are ideal for shore-based estuary fishing. The main reasons for this are explained in: – THE BENEFITS OF LONGER RODS In New Zealand the issue, especially when fishing small hard bodied lures and … Continue reading ROD REVIEW: LOX Ambassador 810MT-4 spinning rod

THE GROWTH PATTERNS OF FISH

Text: Mike Ladle                                Lead image: Ty Sawyer To many, if not most anglers, the anticipation, though not always the realisation, of catching large numbers of big fish is basic to their enjoyment of the sport. For the sea angler the possibility of catching large fish, perhaps even larger than any previously landed, is ever-present. This element of the unknown is psychologically important to us all. … Continue reading THE GROWTH PATTERNS OF FISH

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HOW TO STOP HOOKS BREAKING

Lead image: Game Fishing Asia One of the most frustrating things that an angler using lures can experience is losing a solid fish due to a hook breaking or pulling out. Why do hooks break and is there anything that can be done to reduce the likelihood of hooks breaking? Aside from casting damage, the two most common reasons that hooks break are work hardening or stress corrosion … Continue reading HOW TO STOP HOOKS BREAKING

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HOW TO STOP LOSING LURES

Lead image: Rob Wilson (https://www.ghostfishing.co.nz/) One of the biggest issues facing anglers spin fishing from the shore is snagging and losing lures. If you are fishing an area for the first time or using lures not suited to the terrain that you are fishing then losses can be significant and expensive. There is a fine balance between getting your lure close to the bottom where … Continue reading HOW TO STOP LOSING LURES