Henry Gilbey - DFR blog review

I am absolutely honored to get such an honest and positive review from Henry Gilbey.

He had the 3 rods from a previous blog on here. They were tested in Ireland last week (June 2011), you can read about the exploits via the links below.

• What more can I say about this place.
• Persistence pays off.
• Back on the right track.
• Chewed up and spat out. 

The review can be found - 'My first extended play with some japanese lure rods'.

Thank you Henry.

Early morning session, bass!

Up and out early this morning to a local mark for a chance of bass.
At the beach and fishing by 4am in the dark as the light is starting to lift. The start of the early light was clouded over, until the sun broke through a good few hours later.

The 1st bass of the morning was the biggest at 50cm.

It didn't take long to get into another after a quick move and change of lure, and this is how the morning progressed, change & move, change & move. 10 bass in total & 2 mackerel.

IMA - Sassuke 140

 

Tackle House - Contact Node 150S

Lucky Craft - Gunfish

 

Tackle House - Feed Shallow Plus

 

Complete mix of lures used today, you'll see the new Okuma Trio high speed FD / size 40. The rod is one of my own 'Specialist Lure', 9ft rated 10-50g.

Quite a few of the fish this morning were hooked in the body or below the eyes with the other flying trebles that weren't taken in the mouth.

A funny group!

Just came across a strange few pluggers (well the English ones)!

The pictures are of Mark Padfield, Graham Hill, Adrian Rogers & Tom. Along with the Spanish guides. These pics and reports are in Spanish on 'Pesca Manel (Spain)'

The trip was to Asturias, Spain - Feb 2011.

Read more here - Lure Fishing For Bass

T-Russell 'Silky Sea Bass'

T-Russell 'Silky Sea Bass'

There are 3 models within the ‘Silky Sea Bass’ range, the 8ft 6’, 9ft 6’ & 10ft 6’. All 3 have the true essence of Japanese blanks, they are fast actioned but truly have the fish playing capabilities required by the modern lure angler.

The action itself progresses from the 8ft 6’ blank, which is a pure lure rod; this blank has great strength and speed from tip to butt.

The 9ft 6’ is the blank in the middle of the range, capable of distance casting and working virtually everything that is put before it. The extra foot in length increases the sensitivity of the tip making soft plastic work a bonus on this all round blank.

Finally, the longest blank is the 10ft 6’; the extra length on this blank can give you those extra metres you are looking for to get lures working at distance.

All 3 blanks are Japanese fast action, the tip recovery from compressed is quick to recover allowing the line/braid to flow through the guides with ease.

The blanks are of 2-piece construction featuring low diameter spigot joints. The tips measure in at 2mm extending to a butt measurement of only 13mm on the 8ft 6’ & 9ft 6’, the 10ft 6’ is 14mm at the butt.

The ‘Silky’ range of blanks are above the normal build of the standard ‘T-Russell’ blanks, they are positioned between ‘normal’ and ‘super’, being sensitive & lightweight. The action of fast is just that, with a crisp recovery from compressed, they are what we have come to expect in terms of quality & feel from the Japanese market of lure blanks.

The ‘T-Russell’ ‘Silky Sea Bass’ range of blanks are made in Japan, and maybe as close as you can get to having one series of blanks to cover most eventualities.

‘Super’, ‘Sensitive’ & lightweight, these are modern lure blanks that you can work all day with a progressive action, enjoy your angling experience and feel the fish at the other end!

With more and more use of ‘soft plastics (SP’s)’ in modern lure angling these blanks are sensitive to feel every twitch and movement, they are excellent at transferring all the small details from lure to hand.

Blank specifications:

All blanks cast 8-28grams & share the common line class of PE0.6-1.5.

The action is fast with construction in 2-piece low diameter spigots.

8ft 6’ blank

· Weight 70g

· Tip 2mm

· Butt 13.05mm

9ft 6’ blank

· Weight 85g

· Tip 2mm

· Butt 13.10mm

10ft 6’ blank

· Weight 99g

· Tip 2mm

· Butt 14.35mm

Had a trip out with Mark Padfield (Mark333) on Thursday night!
Well what can I say, except 'Jammy Git', first cast, fish on.


It was the ideal night for where we had planned, but better than sitting at home all evening wondering what if?
Weed everywhere, a strong south/south westerly wind and the occasional rain cloud. Don't mind the cloud especially if looking to fish off the top, really enjoying this method more and more. It's the visual connection you have with the lures, seeing the hits and missed takes. Stopping the lure as a fish rises and then the twitch to regain interest. Well off the top wasn't on the cards with such a strong tide & side wind.
With the spring tide the main of the fishing was with soft plastics aimed at the bottom between the rocks and weed. This accounted for the one and only fish to Mark at around 50cm on the bass tape. I hadn't even set up as he said, I'm in, did I believe him, hell no! we're known for mickey taking and pulling the others legs, well thats exactly what I thought he was doing until it started in the spirited fight in the tide.
It was taken on a paddle tail worked hard with a ripping motion to get that tail going.
We moved to a couple of other marks and fished into the dark. I saw one other bass just as darkness fell, but it turned away at the last moment as I was working the sp along with a shoal of baitfish.
Pollack everywhere, not big, but not my target species so no change to smaller sp's and hooks.
Hopefully out again next week, just need to keep a check on the wind, the water may be a bit coloured up for certain areas, but around Dorset there is always a corner to fish somewhere.

There have been a few more trips out since the last one reported in May, but not much in the way of fish catches to talk about. A few pics of smaller fish & a great take from a gar of the top, 2nd of the year so far on lure!
Loads of mackerel caught on single lures (no 4 hook rigs). Never gets boring fishing for them and the fight they give right to the end. Never touch them if they are to be returned, a quick flick and of the hook they go.



As said nothing big! lol.
The bass are slowly moving in this way in Dorset, the water has got so much fry swimming around in it.
The lures that caught in these pics are:
The Lucky Craft Sammy & Gunfish.
One of my favourites so far this yaer for it's versatility is the Smiths ZipSea Penn, the one 2nd pic up from bottom in AYU. This lure is great to work just below the surface with a drop in rod angle or lift to walk and jerk across the surface.
All of these fish were caught on the DFR 10ft 6', 8-28g rod range.
Rods also available in 8ft 6' & 9ft 6' casting 8-28g. They are in harmony with the Matagi components, Pac Bay minima guides & T-Russell blanks from Japan.