FISHIN ADDICT nano lures editorial feature in this weeks New Tackle section of IYCF magazine issue 397.
‘Super sensitive, they’ll wriggle and twitch with the slightest of movement….well worth getting a few packs in your lure kit’
Buy here: https://fishinaddict.com/product-category/softbait/
Read here: https://www.greatmagazines.co.uk/improve-your-coarse-fishing-issue-397
Key Data File
Name: Nano Minnow
Manufacturer: Fishin Addict
Lure Type: Softbait shad
Size: 3.5cm (1.4in)
Weight: 0.4g
Price: £4.50 for 10
“my ‘go to’ lures…”
Steve Wilson
“I’ve won matches using NMs almost exclusively.”
Case Officers Assessment
Build Quality: Generally very good.
Value for money: Great value especially considering the detail.
Performance: Very good and versatile.
Overall: A great lure that has made its way into my trusted set.
Lure Tour award
Gold – Outstanding lure
Find here: fishinaddict.com
Introduction
Steve Wilson has been one of the most successful canal lure match anglers in the country for a couple of years now. Steve has proved again and again that he can catch canal predators on lures when others struggle and has shown he is particularly adept at catching large numbers of smaller fish, using small lures and recognising when to change his presentation style and choice of lure to maximise his catch rate. In this review, Steve looks at Fishin’ Addicts Nano Minnow, which at just 3.5cm long is diminutive in size. Steve has fished with many, many small lures, trying to find out which will catch him more fish, most consistently, so there are few UK anglers better equipped to carry out a LureTour review of these cute looking little soft plastics.
First Impressions
The Nano Minnows are very precise with basic colours determined by the base material with painted detail over the top. They have glued on eyes. They come in a strong re-sealable pack than can be used for other lures after the original batch has finished.
It’s unusual for lures this small to have glued on eyes and I think the eyes are very important
particularly when the water visibility goes above about 4 inches and the target fish have more time to see the lure. I often glue eyes to my jig heads for just this reason, it gives predators a target to hit.
Testing
The majority of my fishing is on Midlands canals using drop shot or UL jigging. I use a lot of small lures as the fish in the areas I fish are either naturally small or highly pressured. I have a small set style/type/brands of lures that I trust and it takes me a long time to replace them or add to the set. This has very much been a long-term review as I came across Nano Minnows (NM) some time ago. They were pointed out by a friend and slowly I have come to rely on them in certain circumstances. After many, many hours of fishing I have confidence in using them and they have won me a few matches when other lures caught, but not as well. Finding lures and techniques that give me an edge is one of the things I love the most about fishing, so to manage to work their way on to my list of “trusted” lures, means the Nano Minnows have proved their worth to me, many times. I mostly use them on drop shot but they are good on UL jig heads. You need a jig head with a very light wire hook
and mostly I would be using heads around the 1g mark. My recommendation would be an Ecogear
Shirasu light size 8 in 0.9g weight. The Shirasu heads are designed to look like the head of a fish, so I generally cut the lure back to accommodate this and then glue the eye from the lure on to the jighead.
While these lures work well on a jighead set-up, it’s drop shot where they really come into their own. When the fish are feeding hesitantly I find it best to hook them as in the lower illustration in the photo below in the same way as you would hook a jig-head, with the hook fed down the body. When the fish are feeding more confidently then a classic drop shot nose hooking style as illustrated in the top method is best.
This gives the lure a little more articulation and allows it more freedom of movement and when the fish are “on it” they will inhale the whole thing, no problem, so there is no need for the hook down the body. Hook wise I tend to favour a Sasame Wormer 875 hooks in size 8 or 9 and most commonly use a 2.2-3.5g tungsten DS weight.
Many different speeds and styles of retrieve will work when drop shot fishing with these lures, but very often “less is more” and a slow steady retrieve with plenty of pauses will work on most days. When the water gets colder and the fish want less, rather than more action, cutting off the paddle and slitting the lure at the rear (as in the photo) improves the number of bites. You are basically turning the lure into a miniature split tail, but it seems to work best if the tail is slit horizontally rather than vertically.
Variations Nano Minnows come in a wide and expanding range of colours but only one size. My favourite colours are Roach Fry, Chartreuse glow & Glitter SnP.
Testers Kit
Daiwa Gekkabijin 7ft 8in 1-7g or Evergreen PSSS-70S 7ft 0.1-6g..
Conclusions
When the visibility is low in canals I think any small, bright shad with an easily mobile tail works as well as any other, but once the visibility starts to improve I’ve found the Nano Minnow to repeatedly out score other shads. I’ve found this again and again when I have alternated between Nano Minnows and others in clearer water to the point where they are my ‘go to’ lures in these circumstances.
I’ve won matches using NMs almost exclusively.
Check out our latest Fishin Addict blog post about this monster!
Check out our latest Fishin Addict collaboration with Snagged Bro!
#fishinadd #snaggedbro #jigfly #pike
If your new to their Youtube channel Snagged bro, they love lure fishing, especially pike fishing in urban areas. Two mates that have know each other for 20+ years going to as many places, having a laugh and catching some fish!
Fishin Addict are excited to have a stand at Reel Masters. Reel Masters Show is the UK’s first exhibition and competition held for saltwater and lure anglers. It will have boats, terminal tackle and everything in between. Dates from 30th September to 2nd October 2022 in Weymouth Pavilion.
Come say hi, we’ll have amazing deals on top quality lures!
Check out the schedule here: reelmastersshow.com/schedule/
Get your tickets here: reelmastersshow.com/buy-tickets/
Checkout our website: www.fishinaddict.com
#fishinadd
#reelmasters
#lurefishing
#seafishing
Made up with this 43cm lump… certainly a river PB…on a Fishin Addict 3g rattling jigfly’ Greg Byatt
The Ronnie rig has been pivotal in the capture of some of the biggest carp in the UK and on the continent in the last few years. Its immense hooking properties and ability to reset itself has made it a rig that so many top carp anglers will not be without today. Until fairly recently though, most of us had not even heard of this rig, let alone knew how to tie the ronnie rig. However, when you understand its amazing hooking mechanics it is hardly surprising it was kept a secret.
It is similar to the 360 rig, using a micro rig swivel to attach a pop up boilie to the hook but the increased length of the curved hook shank by utilising the kwik lock swivel and shrink tubing, which pulls straight when to fish is hooked, has meant that the concerns around mouth damage and hooks getting caught the landing net mesh are removed.
The Ronnie rig is essentially a low lying pop up rig, enabling the boilie subtly sit up just off the lake bed making it ideal for when there is not too much weed or debris.
The micro rig swivel allows the boilie to spin 360 degrees off the hook and the curved hook which pivots off the shrink tube and kwik lock swivel enables the rig to also easily rotate. The rig is able to maintain its aggressive hooking position at all times, yet with virtually no chance of tangling. This is what makes the Ronnie rig so brilliant and a rig that is here to stay.
To tie the rig you will need a size 4 or 6 curved shank hook, a micro rig swivel and hook stop, kwik lock rig swivel, shrink tubing, bait floss and your chosen hook link material.
Cut a piece of shrink tube about half an inch in length and slide it over the eye of the curve shank hook.
Take a kwik lock swivel and opening the crook slightly to pass the swivel through the eye of the hook
Use a pair of plyers to push to crook back into position.
Push the shrink tube down the shank of the hook, over the hook eye and over the barrel of the kwick lock swivel.
Next steam the shrink tube over a kettle to fix the shrink tube in place
Slide the micro rig swivel onto the hook
Push the rubber stopper onto the hook which ensures the rig swivel stays on the hook and gives the hook additional movement which helps with the hooking mechanics when the carp picks up the bait.
Attached a pop up boilie to the micro rig swivel using bait floss and secure the boilie by blobbing the bait floss down with a lighter.
To perfectly balance the rig take some rig putty and carefully mould it around the shrink tube until to rig slowly sinks with the hook sat up off the lake bed
Finally attach the rig to your hook link material and cast to you chosen area.
CREDIT TO : 2020 Dream Carp Holidays
“A few of the boys noticed I was catching a lot more than them. I eventually showed them and through word of mouth they all wanted them. It’s mostly Perch we fish for and find the evenings a lot better. I find the best set up for these lures a simple Carolina rig. Watermelon I my favourite. Regards Rob 👍 “
Ragworms come from a large family of phylum annelids, many of which are polychaetes, or bristle worms. Now you know that let’s identify the ones that are important to sea anglers.
Here we are going to focus our attention on red ragworms, as opposed to the whites and others that anglers will come across. Biggest worm in the range is the spectacular king rag (nereis virens), the common red rag, (nereis diversicolor), and the harbour rag, (hediste diversicolor).
Starting with the biggest, king rag are usually about 30cm long but are known to reach up to a metre in length. If you look carefully at the head of the king rag you should be able to make out two pairs of eyes and four pairs of antennae. Anglers are more concerned about the reversible proboscis containing a very impressive set of pincers, which can give you a sharp nip if you are not careful. King rag are loners and it’s rare to find concentrated colonies of the really bigger specimens.
The common red rag grows to around 15cm and is more likely to be found in reasonably dense colonies in harbours and estuaries. These are the worms that are stocked by most tackle shops.
Harbour rag, also known as maddies or wrigglers, grow to around 8cm and are nearly always found in dense colonies. This worm lives in a vertical burrow and can reach quite high densities in sheltered estuaries where conditions are usually unsuitable for other species.
It is easily identified by a red dorsal blood vein, which runs down the centre of its body. It is an important food source for many species of estuarine wading birds.
Reproduction depends on the species. In most species the sexes are separate but there are a few that are both male and female (hermaphrodite). When they spawn the males change to a light green and the females to a dark bottle green.
The ragworm is both a scavenger and an efficient predator feeding on mud, detritus and plankton. When in hunting mode it can rapidly shoot out its powerful jaws to catch other softbodied animals.
They all inhabit much the same type of ground in sheltered harbours and estuaries and favour broken muddy and sandy ground.
They can also be found close to mussel beds and in some cases the king rag will live in very rocky ground where it is relatively protected and where it can grow to a very large size.
With a bit of planning you can gather your own ragworms for bait, but first you have to identify a broken muddy or sandy location where the ground is reasonably firm and well exposed during a big low tide.
Be careful in harbours where the mud can be thick black and oozy. If you wear Wellington boots you will get stuck and even wearing waders doesn’t mean you are safe from getting bogged down.
Search for rocks and stones, turning them over to find the holes and channels the worms make. If you are careful, quiet and turn the stone over quickly you should be able to grab the odd ragworm in your hand before it disappears down its burrow.
After turning over the rocks to find some tell-tale holes you should dig. If the ground is hard try a flat-tined potato fork that also offers less chance of cutting the worm in half.
Harbour rag can usually be found in the top 30cm of the ground and the bigger worms will be a bit deeper, up to 70cm in some cases. If there are lots of worms dig trench style working back along the trench to expose any worms. Normally it is necessary to have a good look around, find a suitable small area of ground before digging and then moving onto another spot.
Surface water often runs into the hole if the ground is very soft. If this happens use a spade using a small bucket to bale out the water.
You can dig a lot deeper and quicker with a spade. Your tools must be strong because they will be used as a lever just as much as a digging implement.
When exposing a worm try to lift it out of the hole with the next dig rather than trying to pull it out, which can break the worm. Try to vary where you dig as well. On big tides start at the furthest exposed point and leave the top of the beach for smaller tides.
You might find that the worms are easier to gather by digging right on the edge of the ebbing tide when the ground is still wet and the worms have yet to move deeper.
Worms seem to know when the tide is flooding and move upwards in anticipation of a supply of fresh seawater, in which case try digging right on the edge of the water line.
Warm weather usually brings the worms up to the surface, and very cold frosty weather will drive the worms a lot deeper in the mud.
Big king rag are dug individually. Foot pressure can often result in a spurt of water coming out of a hole and sometimes you will find bits of seaweed, that the worm has tried to take, sticking out of a hole.
Dig a small trench at the side of its burrow and then try to follow the hole as it twists and turns down through the ground. This is hard work but can produce some massive worms once you know what to look out for.
Washing your worms
When you have enough bait wash off your tools and then fill your main container with fresh seawater, rinsing the worms out thoroughly.
Separate the broken ones into your smaller baling bucket, which then fits inside the bigger bucket. If you leave whole and broken worms in the same container the water will quickly turn orange and on a warm day in a car boot the worms will die.
Back home the whole worms go into a bucket of clean seawater aerated by an air pump for a few hours; this gives the worms time to expel any mud that is still in their system.
Missed broken worms go into a separate shallow tray with containing a few millimetres of water, while whole worms that may be damaged go into a different tray. The good quality hole worms go into other trays all covered by a few millimetres of water.
All the worms are stored in a fridge, which not only keeps them cool but also in the dark. Change the water twice a day to keep your worms healthy.
Quick tips
● When you go fishing keep bait parcels of newspaper, which helps to toughen them up, in a large bucket. If it’s a hot day put a small freezer block in the bucket.
● The size of the worms can make a difference to results. Small worms are more effective for catching small fish, large worms are best for specimen fish. Ask your tackle dealer for the size you need or request a mix of sizes.
● Can’t face handling a ragworm because of their pincers? Cut off the head with your scissors.
● Cocktail baits are deadly for lots of species. There are no rules that say you cannot mix two, three or more baits. Beware of masking the hook point though and use a hook size that suits the size of the bait.
● An excellent guide to what hook to use is to match the size and pattern to the bait being used. Long-shank hooks in size 1/0, 1 and 2 are best for worms and sandeels. Use short-shank hooks up to 3/0 for crabs and fish, with mediumshank hooks in size 6/0 suited to squid and live fish.
● Keep your bait out of the wind, rain and sun and it will retain its freshness longer. A cool box is as useful in the winter as in summer to keep bait fresh and alive.
Rag worm lug worm imitation soft lures pack of 10 units – Fishin Addict
£2.99
The Cheb Rig or The Cheburashka Rig is something you may have heard of but aren’t really sure how it is different from other rigs that you’ve used in the past, for example, the Ned Rig or the Jika Rig. There are a number of reasons that you might want to consider using this rig, but before we get into why you might want to use it, let’s take a look at what it actually is.
Much like the Ned Rig, it is a great way to fish for perch – especially if you are not having much luck catching them. The reason for this is that the Cheb Rig is a brilliant technique for searching the water and can be fished quicker than the ned rig, therefore covering more water. It is also quite versatile due to being able to change the weight, hook size and pattern very quickly.
The key to success when fishing with the Cheb Rig, is having a range of Cheb weights. Whether you use an offset hook and fished weedless or a mounted straight hook, it’s the movement between the weight and the hook that make the lure look great in the water.
The Cheb Rig is a unique pin and weight system that is perfect for a very effective bottom jiggling technique. It was developed in Russia has become popular in the UK and Europe. If you are moving around whilst fishing and encounter lots of different fishing situations and swims, then the Cheb Rig is ideal. The quick-release and change system lets you fish at different depths, in different conditions, all with multiple weight jig heads in a short session.
The rig isn’t anything too complicated. In fact, it is a basic, trace body that terminates in a clip. Add to this the Cheb weights and a hook that is suitable for whatever bait you are using to fish. A Finesse Worm hook is commonly used with the Cheb Rig, though you are also fine using an EWG Offset style hook as well.
Depending on what you are trying to fish with the Cheb Rig will influence the kind of lure you are using. We have listed a few baits that we like to use at the bottom of the page. Whatever bait you choose to use, a float stop can be extremely useful to keep the bait in place.
The Cheb Rig can be used at any time of year and can be especially useful if you find that you are stuck in a rut with your fishing and want to try something different or you need to search the fish out.
The Cheb Rig is one that comes with many advantages:
The weight is attached to the hook – unlike other rigs, namely the Texas Rig, the weight is actually attached to the hook. This means that you don’t get the same low pressure, running away bites that you can get with a Texas Rig. Instead, you get a firm bite.
It’s easy to change the hook
It’s easy to change the weight
It’s weedless
You can change the weight, hook and bait to fish different species of fish as and when you need to.
The weight sits on the bottom, and the hook can move freely to the bait. It allows action on the bait just sitting in the flow.
Fishing with the Cheb Rig is can be done in a fast or slow way, similar to fishing with the Ned Rig. Though when fishing slower you will need to be a little more patient with the Cheb rig, especially when fishing using buoyant baits. Once the weight hits the bottom, you need to let it sit for a second so that the bait has a chance to bob back up. Then using small taps and bounces, no more than six inches of movement along the bottom at a time before you let it sit. Make sure that each time you let the bait sit a little longer than you would with a Ned Rig to let the bait float back up again.
If you are in doubt about how good the Cheb Rig looks in the water, watch it come back up to surface and glide it around a bit.
Tie a figure-eight loop at the top of the mainline. It’s a small loop, but it is strong enough for fishing the Cheb Rig, but most importantly it is small enough that you can easily pass the Cheb weight over the top of it. This is the method we use to make the Cheb even easier to swap around. However many other anglers just tie an improved clinch knot directly to the Cheb clip without using a loop. It’s entirely up to you. See the videos below if you are unsure about either knot.
To put the weight on the line, choose whatever Cheb weight that you want to use, and then take the pin out of the centre of the weight. Thread the loop through the centre of the weight, the hook the loop through the pin. Don’t put it back in the weight just yet, it’s time for the hook first. Take the hook you are fishing and thread it onto the clip. Once the hook and line are both hooked in place on the pin, pull the weight back down the line and slip the pin back into the centre of the weight.
Not only is this set up really flexible, but it also saves on having to use an additional clip on this rig. It also makes it much easier to swap the hook and weight whenever you want to.
By pikezander
