Fishing UK Specialist Angler & Angling Writer, Andrew Kennedy | Pike Perch Barbel Carp Lure Coarse British angler writing about fishing and specialist angling

Grayling fishing, on a day ticket, on the Derbyshire Derwent First of all, I can’t believe I’ve now been writing for Anglers Today for a year already; and what a year it’s been!  Thankfully the fish have been quite co-operative, giving me some material to write about and allowing me to notch up no less than nine new Personal Bests along the way. In the week leading up to Christmas I managed to fit in two fishing sessions on very different natures. I decided to fish for pike one day and, in the interests of diversity, grayling on the other. In Derbyshire and the surrounding counties, we are quite lucky to have various rivers offering the chance of quality grayling fishing on a day ticket. Many venues are fly only but some are mixed fisheries, recognising bait fishing as a valid method for catching ‘Lady of the Stream’. It’s almost two years since I fished for grayling, but it is a species I shall always long to catch. Firstly, to catch one you must fish clean, fast rivers. Once you hook a grayling, you are then treated to a terrific, spirited fight; where the fish will use all of its …

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What I’ve seen so far from Pro Logic’s new range of predator products, has impressed me. None more than the excellent Deluxe Rig Roll.  It is the biggest advance in pike trace storage that I’ve ever seen. So much so that I doubt I’ll ever buy a traditional “pipe lagging & a comb in a tub”-type rig bin ever again! To attach traces to the rig tube, the standard “inverted hair comb” has been done away with, in favour of slots which are cut into the foam.  These grip the wire trace just below the swivel. They’re a little fiddly to start with, but get easier with practice.  You may wish to improve the design further by using push-pins to secure the swivels instead.  The rest of the trace is wrapped around the tube, as you would with a traditional rig bin. In total, you can store up to 18 standard 2 x treble-hook traces comfortably inside the bin.  I tested with trebles ranging from size 8 to size 2, and it accepted them all with ease. A very worthwhile, practical product with several unique features which make it stand out from all of its rivals.  I have always been …

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Since starting serious pike fishing back in January 2000, most of my winter sessions have been devoted to this superb predator. Following a dire 2004 campaign, this season I have fared much better and caught many doubles from a variety of venues, on a diverse mix of methods and baits. An early-November piking trip started off like any other. A pre-dawn start saw myself and two mates load up the van and head off into Yorkshire in search of some specimens. We arrived at the venue to find the water gin-clear, with a few pike anglers already setting up. Not the ideal scenario for a successful day’s piking. Still, we loaded ourselves with tackle and headed as far as possible from the madding crowd, in the hope of finding some big pike seeking some peace and quiet. The weather had taken a noticeable chill overnight and I remember feeling the cold air in the back of my throat as we walked. I was the first to find a peg, as I spotted a shoal of roach and bream rolling on the surface, close to some extensive reed beds. I set up quickly and cast a paternostered bait towards the edge …

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