Recent content by Neil Blood

Tip rods or float rods? I’m a big fan of the Vertex Medium Feeder, as great for Chub and Perch work. Unlike the Acolyte tip rods, it has a slow taper glass tip option, which is important for 90% of my own river fishing.

For my Chub and Perch quiver tip work on 11ft feeder rods, I use these: https://johnsonrosstackle.co.uk/shimano-baitrunner-reels/16572-shimano-baitrunner-dl-2500-fb-reel.html Although if you are primarily targeting Barbel with the rods, you may be better sticking with 4000 sized reels.

I’ve been out the last 2 Saturdays. On both occasions it was around -1 degrees on packing up, with my landing net frozen to the riverbank. Saturday caught my first 5lb Chub from my local river Dane on cheese paste. Only took 36 years to catch a 5lb Chub from my local river. It was bitterly cold...

Similar to above, I’ve just bought these following a recommendation, although I haven’t had chance to use them yet. TerraTherm Insole Foot Warmers - Air Activated - 8 hours of warm feet - 5, 10 or 30 Pairs Heated Insoles - 100% natural warmth https://amzn.eu/d/fR0VUyI

Hi Ian, I hate the cheap metal end cap, which they now put on all their rods including acolytes and which scratches easily. The textured cork ends on previous rod handles were far better. I have wider issues with their Specialist rage of rods. The fittings seem to be on a par with the budget...

I have a couple of Kev Baine’s 1.5lb 11ft Specialist No 1 rods, my go to Barbel rods. They have shrink wrapped handles, 15+ years old and handles are in excellent condition 👍🏻 Re Duplon, tackle companies use it because its cheap. I rave about the Drennan Vertex Medium Feeder rods for Chub and...

Start with all the Alan Stagg videos 👍🏻

The latest Drennan Specialist Video was released on Friday via YouTube. I didn’t personally find it to be very good and note they are promoting it as “free to watch”. Call me a cynic but that looks like more Dennan vs Bowler bad blood. Then again Martin goes out of his way not to plug current...

The Alan Stagg - River Loddon video, which has just dropped is incredible 👍🏻

The Fishflix video covering it is awesome 👍🏻

For me personally its wildlife encounters over the years: The Mole In my youth I was fishing a lake, where I was sitting on a high concrete wall, which dropped down to the waters edge. Something caught my eye as it swam/scurried along the lakebed, exiting the water right below my feet. It was...

Is this the fish caught in the upcoming Fishflix video?

I generally use a size 6 hook, with the hook through the worm’s saddle. I then add a drennan artificial red maggot on the hook, by just about hooking it. They grip the hook wire really tightly and it allows you to push the worm to the back of the hook bend, where it stays put 👍🏻

Congratulations on your capture 👍🏼 Claiming river records won’t have the same stringent rules and claiming a national record. Angling Times would likely cover it, if the other photos look good and backup the claim. One question you’ll likely get asked generally, is what does the sling weigh...

Exactly what I use for Chub and Perch, unfashionable but very good rods 👍🏻