I just spooled up a new HTO Aikido 1000 spinning reel with 0.2PE to give it a go at some Perch and LRF duties. It’s the first truly budget fixed spool reel (£45) that I haven’t immediately recoiled from. It’s a nice looking reel. The body has a Zaion-type vibe to it. The weight isn’t outrageous and I was pleasantly surprised by the smooth line-lay when spooling it up. Here’s some more detailed images I took >More
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Tip for Rigging Knight Worm
A quick tip for rigging the HTO Knight Worm and other small soft-plastic lures. More
Why Knight Worm Work
The HTO Knight Worm has been one of my most successful soft-plastic lures for LRF. The attached image is a great illustration of why they work so well. More
Jika Rig Options
The Jika Rig is a great option for heavy cover when you want to fish a lure close to the bottom – which is essentially what rockfishing or wrasse fishing is. The Jika rig falls vertically, meaning it punches through weed well and limits the chance of getting hung up. Traditionally, a Jika rig is made from three components – an offset hook, a split ring and a weight – although there are some options which I’ll cover further down. More
HTO Tic Tac Metal Jigs
The new HTO Tic Tac metal jigs are finally in the shops. Excited to use them this coming year after lockdown curtailed the testing period. I had a few prototypes which proved to be great. Love the finish and dare I say, the quality of assist hooks is the best we’ve ever had at HTO. More
Turbot On Soft Plastic
Exciting catch out on the boat. This Turbot absolutely inhaled a white HTO Midi Stick fished on a 7g Illex Straight darting jighead. Takes my lure-caught species list to 29 for 2019.
LRF Travel Rods
A selection of LRF travel rods I’ve been using over the past few years. More