ABRAMIS BRAMA

     I took another new creation out today. I've really got into my quivertipping this year and I've already built three rods of varying strengths for the job. While I'm more than happy with all of them and each has been stronger than the last, they've all been too light to throw a loaded 20 gram feeder or deal with the inevitable nuisance pond pig. This latest one was hopefully going to fill that gap in the range and it passed muster first time out.

     Cane quivertip rods are not and never will behave like, or have the same characteristics as, carbon rods. While you can make them stronger they always turn out softer than the modern equivalents but that quality is exactly what I like about them. Probably the most obvious is that you cannot thrash a feeder out with them; it has to be lobbed. That same quality or perhaps, failing, is that you cannot hit small bites with them and the farther out one is fishing the more that applies. These rods are too soft to take up the stretch in a lot of nylon and set the hook but as long as you fish with that in mind, they are lovely to use.

     I've no desire to fish any more than 40-50 yards out anyway and Abramis (they all have names) managed that with ease and a good, high lob, this morning. Using the lighter versions has taught me that the best way to turn bites into fish is to wait for those un-missable, possibly already hooked, bites. Once that happens striking is not necessary anyway, I just pick up the rod and wind the hook home. It's interesting to speculate whether the final tally is increased by leaving well alone until a fish is definitely there or by striking at bites but as fishing self-hooking rigs is basically long-lining in my eyes, I'll settle for trying to sort out the liners from the bites and stick with that.

 
     As far as playing fish goes my new creation turned out just as well as all the others have because cane is very forgiving in that respect. I do feel that a lot of mouth damage is be avoided by using softer rods. Their resistance to a running fish builds more gradually, cushioning and absorbing pressure on the hookhold unlike the current more brutal resistance of rods designed for throwing heavy leads vast distances rather than just playing the size of fish that are caught on them. In my experience all freshwater cane rods have soft actions, which is why I enjoy using them so much.

     Today's captures were not spectacular but a good test of its ability to lob my feeder out into areas less fished for Bream and then deal with the almost inevitable carpy intruder. The verdict? Satisfyingly 'so far, so good' with two average Carp and one decent Bream deposited in the account. I'm looking forward now to letting it loose on the club lake and maybe the rocky res over the winter. It's definitely at its best dealing with fish of over three or four pounds.