| Due to effects of global warming and the
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| | safety of the fish in mind and using fish
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| massive application of quality
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| | safe tackle, (like lead release clips for
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| nutritional baits, carp and catfish have
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| | example) and that of fishing 'at all
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| been growing much bigger than previously
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| | costs' which may result in damage, or
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| ever imagined. When it comes to carp
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| | suffering to the fish.
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| especially, this has caught out many
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| | In the 'Rainbow Lake swim situation I
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| anglers whose perception of the correct
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| | felt I had rods powerful enough for the
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| tackle to handle much bigger fish is not
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| | job because I had been able to control
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| accurate at all!
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| | pretty swiftly, a string of carp hooked
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| The number of big carp hooked in the UK
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| | in the UK of over 40 pounds and a good
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| over 40 pounds has really risen
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| | number of catfish too from 50 to over 100
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| noticeably, while in other parts of
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| | pounds. The feeling was that if the rods
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| Europe especially in France, this sized
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| | could slow a 70 pound catfish on its
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| fish is merely regarded as a baby at
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| | first run, then they should do the same
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| certain fisheries, where carp can exceed
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| | for carp of the same size when fishing
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| 60 and 70 pounds. Here's my insights
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| | near sunken trees. Was I was totally
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| into the effects of using fishing rods
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| | mistaken or what!!!
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| which have not been equal to the task for
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| | (Large water carp tend to move around
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| big carp up to 50 pounds and well over
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| | very much and are in many cases very fit
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| this mark for example and for catfish to
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| | and 'lean' fish compared to smaller water
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| about one hundred pounds. I say these
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| | fish. If you have never hooked carp way
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| weights because I have been lucky enough
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| | over 50 pounds then it is rather like a
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| to hook quite a number of fish of this
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| | 100 meter champion sprinting away from
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| size and have direct experience trying to
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| | you with you fishing line attached - the
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| play fish on a variety of different rods.
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| | initial quickness speed and momentum is
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| For me stopping power is the key with big
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| | not normal!)
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| fish. It maybe you can cast 150 yards
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| | The rods used specifically for catfish
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| onto a spot with accuracy, but if you're
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| | these days, are to me much more like boat
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| rod basically means you have no control
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| | rods for sea fishing and really need to
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| over a running fish at all and are only
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| | be! The test curves on them and their
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| dependant on the using the clutch on your
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| | action require such devastating power,
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| reel for control, then you definitely
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| | often to counteract the steaming run of a
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| have changed the odds in favour of the
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| | catfish over 7 feet long, but also the
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| really big fish.
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| | possible run of river currents too.
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| This can give you such problems that your
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| | In my humble experience, playing catfish
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| fish of a life time will very likely be
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| | is never the same as 'playing' carp, or
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| lost when he turns up one day or night -
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| | most other species as you are up against;
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| and he will do everything he can to find
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| | a curling backward swimming, bottom
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| any weakness in your tackle! Mostly this
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| | hugging, 7 foot long muscle! Therefore
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| weakness results in having a massive
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| | it's horses for courses. A When hooked
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| adrenaline rush, extreme bodily shaking
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| | from the bank side a giant catfish equals
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| and an extremely sick feeling in your gut
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| | a very physical tug of war. The word
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| as you inspect your broken line. I hope
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| | 'playing' probably more applies to your
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| this piece will help prevent this
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| | fancy footwork and your feet are usually
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| experience for you!
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| | digging at the ground to stop you being
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| Extremely heavy, big sized fish generate
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| | pulled over or pulled in!
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| awesome and even unbelievable power. Such
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| | It's the same with a boat hooked giant
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| forward momentum and weight alone are
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| | catfish. I hooked one in the UK once
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| very tough to slow down when your fish of
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| | which took me to every corner of a 6 acre
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| a lifetime is surging towards the closest
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| | reservoir against a strong wind too and
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| snag in the water!
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| | never gave up. This fish has never been
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| You need real power in the top third and
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| | netted or banked and it's my certain
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| middle part of your rod at least. Without
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| | belief that this fish is the biggest in
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| this you are simply playing fish off the
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| | the UK by a very large margin... I landed
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| butt end and that is risky on most rods
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| | the 2 of around (or over) 100 pounds from
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| because butt ends do not do much! You
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| | the infamous 'Oak Lodge' and the power of
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| don't want to be playing fish just off
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| | this other fish was in a totally
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| the reel clutch with no control over the
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| | different league...
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| fish. Any mistakes using the reel and you
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| | If you are angling for very big fish and
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| may pull out of the fish, break the line
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| | you know your tackle may not be quite
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| (or rod) or end up giving the fish vital
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| | adequate, change it immediately. It's
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| extra line or stretch to force their
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| | just not worth deluding yourself. There
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| forward momentum and get into the safety
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| | are many popular rod brands which are
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| of snags etc.
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| | just not up to the job of controlling big
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| You might argue that you need to play
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| | fish like 100 pound catfish or crazy
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| fish differently, be gentler with them
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| | fighting 70 pound plus carp. They were
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| and change the rod or line angle for
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| | never designed for that.
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| example. Sometimes though you can sense
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| | In the States for example, there must be
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| when a fish knows what its primary aim
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| | countless waters which could hold new
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| and is going for it no matter what you do
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| | records with extremely big unknown carp
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| to stop it!
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| | and catfish cruising around in them, but
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| With the rod and reel combination some
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| | because of various tackle issues and lack
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| fish just cannot be stopped at all. I had
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| | of angler experience in playing extremely
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| this with a carp at Lac du Salagou in
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| | big fish, very, very frequently these
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| France where the rod was a 2 and 3
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| | occasions when such fish get hooked,
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| quarter pound test curve top and middle
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| | they're lost. Such fish can take on
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| action rod and the line was 15 pound
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| | 'mythical status!'
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| test. This fish simply ran in a straight
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| | I would look at the tool for the job
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| line with the rod beyond its test curve
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| | extremely seriously and if you feel there
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| until the line broke when it run out at
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| | is no suitable rod available for the
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| the reel. And this fish was a carp
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| | situation and size and raw power of fish
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| because it was seen on the surface very
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| | expected to be encountered then get them
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| early in the fight.
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| | custom built. I hooked a fish at 'Dream
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| Another example of where power is needed
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| | Lakes' years ago, at a time when a
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| is at 'Rainbow Lake' in France in 2005.
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| | legendary estimated 70 pound carp called
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| Here not only did industrial thickness
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| | the 'Dolphin' existed.
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| sized 2 hooks get opened up and 15 pound
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| | I actually saw it 'head and shoulder' in
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| rated brand new line get easily snapped,
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| | my swim and very close in too. I nearly
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| but very highly rated rods used,
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| | fell over backwards as my jaw 'hit the
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| immediately went straight past their test
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| | deck' at the size of it! (It was just too
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| curves and were absolutely useless and
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| | big to be real.) I had photographed carp
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| powerless to prevent some extremely heavy
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| | to over 55 pounds previously and had
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| carp from running into sunken tree snags.
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| | thought that looked big. I noticed it
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| On this water, even where rods were tied
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| | left no ripples at all as it sank. This
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| to their rests and to the ground and
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| | was one very clever fish.
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| Shimano 'bait runner' reel clutches were
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| | Just 10 minutes later as I still was
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| screwed up tightly, a couple of runs even
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| | wondering if it was a dream, (and still
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| at over 200 yards away, were so amazingly
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| | cranking my eyes back in having stuck out
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| powerful, that the rod and clutch still
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| | on stalks,) I got a 'take' the violence
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| had no initial effect whatsoever in
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| | and speed of which I'd never experienced
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| slowing the fish. The rods used were
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| | until one particularly incredibly
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| original Rod Hutchinson 'Dream makers' at
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| | powerful one at 'Rainbow Lake.'
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| 13 foot and 3 and a half pound test
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| | The fish just ran so fast and hard it
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| curve, on 80 pound braid mainline.
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| | charged head-first through every very
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| It must be added that one fish lost in
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| | heavy weed bed in front of me, for a
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| the last trip was certainly 'the big one'
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| | distance of about 75 yards before
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| which is now the 87 pound record. This
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| | changing direction, and leaving the
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| fish made its way into a sunken tree and
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| | dropped hook in the weed.
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| despite having it actually just 1 foot
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| | The following day, I easily landed the
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| below the surface, it was impossible to
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| | 'Dream Lake 1' catfish record of a mere
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| land as the line was angled between 2
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| | 27 pounds. Again, the rod was great for a
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| branches whose side branches made it
| |
| | fish of 20 to 30 odd pounds, but utterly
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| impossible to net the fish.
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| | useless when it really mattered with a
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| Very possibly, with more powerful rods,
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| | very seriously big carp!
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| the initial run could well have been
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| | Various highly skilled individuals and
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| slowed and those snags would not have
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| | rod companies will do this for you. For
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| been reached. However, most fish know to
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| | example Nick Buss is a leading light in
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| run directly for cover (dependant on line
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| | this respect in the UK and has a range of
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| angles, rod pressure and so on) and know
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| | custom built rods which are in the top
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| exactly where safety is too! When those
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| | rank in world performance carp rods.
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| carp are over 60 and 70 pounds and more,
| |
| | Top class rods have a vastly superior
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| the right choice of rod is absolutely
| |
| | action and give you incredible control of
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| essential!
| |
| | fish, sensitivity and lightness and
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| A friend of mine who is a much respected
| |
| | greater casting accuracy, and ability to
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| rod builder learnt from my lesson and
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| | cast great distance while play fish
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| designed his own amazingly powerful
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| | superbly at close range, among many other
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| reverse taper rods for just this
| |
| | benefits.
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| situation. (Fishing near entire sunken
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| | I just wish I'd got some before I went to
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| trees on a 'newly discovered' Bulgarian
| |
| | 'Rainbow Lake,' but fishing is a funny
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| big fish water.) His reward was the new
| |
| | game...
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| lake record at the time, at around 65
| |
| | The author has many more fishing and bait
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| pounds, was actually extracted from
| |
| | 'edges' up his sleeve. Every single one
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| between whole mature sunken trees in the
| |
| | can have a huge impact on catches.
|
| swim.
| |
| | (Warning: This article is protected by
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| It needs stating here of course, that
| |
| | copyright.)
|
| there is a line to be drawn between
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| | By Tim Richardson.
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| fishing in near snag situations with the
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| |
|
