Get the Knowledge - Get the Fish - with TasFish.com        

Deepwater jigging for trout and Atlantic salmon

Leroy Tirant

How often have you been trolling around and have seen fish on your sounder showing up in depths of 20-40 ft or more? Even in today's modern world where an angler can buy a 5cm lure that will dive to 20ft or so it can still be frustrating trying to get your lures to the right depth to target these deep fish. But there is a fantastic exciting and easy way to target deepwater fish!

Category: Tackle, Boats and other Equipment

Published: 02 August 2009

Hits: 14947

• Trout Fishing
• Atlantic Salmon

Read more: Deepwater jigging for trout and Atlantic salmon

Tackle for soft plastics

Starlo and Bushy
One of the great things about soft plastics is that you can fish them reasonably effectively using almost any sort of tackle. In fact, you can work a soft plastic on any gear you'd use to fish natural baits with, including a humble handline. Of course, you won't be able to cast very far with a handline, and it will present various other limitations, but in offshore bottom fishing, for example, it would still offer an acceptable method for bouncing a plastic or two up and down in front of a fish. Plastics can also be worked reasonably well off deck winches or short, stiff boat rods and non-casting centrepin reels (again, mostly only in up-and-down scenarios, where casting isn't necessary or important).

Category: Tackle, Boats and other Equipment

Published: 01 August 2009

Hits: 12244

• Tackle, Boats and other Equipment

Read more: Tackle for soft plastics

Winter boat storage

Tim Anderson.
As the doom of gloom of winter makes it presence known thoughts turn to next season. To make "next year" a more pleasant experience, boaties should use the quiet period to conduct regular boat and trailer maintenance. Of course this should be a constant thing with boats, but winter is a time to take a closer look and fix thos little things that you might have put off.
The following is by no means a comprehensive list however it is suggested that these checks are conducted. Most of the following will only require a quick check while others can be time consuming and costly if left unattended. I have focused mainly on the trailer for this article which is often the part of your equipment which will can cause serious grief.

Category: Tackle, Boats and other Equipment

Published: 24 July 2009

Hits: 7214

• Tackle, Boats and other Equipment

Read more: Winter boat storage

Spinners-Oldies but Goodies

Andrew Richardson.

Last year I decided it was time to get rid of some junk. You know, the stuff that hangs around in the shed for years, kept on the premise that it might be useful some day. The type of stuff that only ever becomes required three days after you've thrown it out
Being somewhat of a hoarder I find these occasions (yes there have been many!) necessary but not enjoyable, and I tend to spend my time procrastinating by looking through my wares rather than getting to the point and deciding upon an items usefulness, as opposed to its uselessness.
On one of these particular occasions I came upon an old pale blue tackle box being housed in a box not yet unpacked from our most recent move - four and a half years ago-

Category: Tackle, Boats and other Equipment

Published: 17 July 2009

Hits: 6937

• Tackle, Boats and other Equipment

Read more: Spinners-Oldies but Goodies

Custom rod building

Leroy Tirant
Having a fishing rod custom built for your specific needs was a necessity back in the 70 and 80's as commercial manufacturers had a limited range on offer. High speed spinning off ledges for Tuna, game fishing for Marlin and surf casting were really moving forwards in leaps and bounds as anglers became aware of the fishing potential in these areas, as well as others. The need for specialist tackle saw a new breed of legend grow, and that was a custom rod builder. Rods needed to tackle fish in these new fishing frontiers where tactics and methods were being developed simply didn't exist. People also began seeing the advantage of having a casting rod made with the grips and reel seat fitted to the length of their casting stroke, as this let anglers cast with a natural style rather than trying to adjust your self to casting a factory built rod.

Category: Tackle, Boats and other Equipment

Published: 12 July 2009

Hits: 9683

• Tackle, Boats and other Equipment

Read more: Custom rod building

LOCATING FISH

As anglers we all face many of the same dilemmas, regardless of the style of fishing we choose. Bait fishing, trolling, coasting, spinning and fly fishing all rely on two main concerns; namely finding fish and getting them to bite. No matter what type of fishing you pursue, locating fish has got to be one of the most important facets of sport fishing. If you fish from a boat a depth sounder or sonar (short for Sound Navigation Ranging) is a vital piece of equipment. In addition to this equipment, the challenge of learning all one can about a fish species and catching their fish is an important factor in why many of us take up the sport. Rather than talk about choice of lure fly or bait I'd like to concentrate on locating fish including using sonar.

Category: Tackle, Boats and other Equipment

Published: 12 July 2009

Hits: 6791

• Tackle, Boats and other Equipment

Read more: LOCATING FISH

Polycraft 4.1 metre

Most boat tests in TF&BN are from outside sources. Often they are not tests, but reviews from the manufacturer. I don't have a problem with that at all; in fact it is quite helpful as we (TF&BN) don't have the time or resources to cope with testing boats. However this month it is different as the test boat is one we bought.

Category: Tackle, Boats and other Equipment

Published: 12 July 2009

Hits: 19117

• Tackle, Boats and other Equipment

Read more: Polycraft 4.1 metre

CUTTING SOME SLACK

If I can teach you just one thing about fishing with soft plastics, please make it this: You will catch a lot more fish on plastics if you learn the importance of giving a little slack. Let me explain by telling you a true story that provides a practical example-

Category: Tackle, Boats and other Equipment

Published: 09 July 2009

Hits: 9084

• Tackle, Boats and other Equipment

Read more: CUTTING SOME SLACK-Soft Plastics

Gelspun or Monofilament

Damon Sherriff

The family of lines known as gelspun lines includes two types, braided and fused. Both of these varieties of gelspun have similar characteristics but are constructed differently. The main two advantages of gelspun are a fine line diameter and are very close to zero stretch.

Category: Tackle, Boats and other Equipment

Published: 09 July 2009

Hits: 7673

• Tackle, Boats and other Equipment

Read more: Gelspun or Monofilament