Labrax Squad
To Nanofil or Not to Nanofil?
Interesting piece from ‘Sensei’ Gilbey on the Berkley Nanofil Line. And a real revelation to finally read an independent article on this issue.
January 2012
17 posts
The Trip review - Salon Européen des Peches en Mer 2012
This year we decided to travel to Nantes - for what is said the best exposition in the world of bass fishing. Nothing could be closer to the truth…
The 2012 Hearty Rise catalogue (PDF)
Yamaga Blanks Ballistick, falling in love with a rod.
Like many other bass sports fishermen, my passion for bass is also related to the tackle we use. A deep interest in rods, reels and lures, and the stuff you just ‘must have’, which many times leads to an impressive tackle collection during the years.
Bass on the Beach
Step by Step
We’re not there yet, but we’re heading the right way. Sportvisserij Nederland (the Dutch Angling Organization) just published a little article on their achievements regarding the protection of the Dutch (sea) bass. Underneath you’ll find a brief translation in our best English.
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Henk Bleker, State Secretary (Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation) intends to work with both sport and commercial fishing on the bass protection plan Sportvisserij Nederland suggested. This is the commitment he made yesterday in the House of Representatives in reply to the questions asked by Lutz Jacobi (PvdA) during the meeting from the Agriculture and Fisheries Council.
At the meeting, Member of Parliament Jacobi pointed everybody on the plan Sportvisserij Nederland submitted. This plan is related to the Irish regulation model….
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do you wear protection?
Nowadays, everybody owns a cellphone, some even stay connected while fishing. This could be for safety issues, the ingenious HD photo camera, or just to phone home to the misses… Especially for that last point, keeping your mobile save and dry is an absolute must. These babies and (salt)water just don’t go together.
After losing and drowning a few of my electronic devices I started looking for a permanent solution. And I found mine in the AquaPac.
I'm on Facebook, therefore I am
For many it is impossible to imagine their lives without it, for others it’s the great unknown. We’re talking Facebook. Facebook isn’t just that online place to keep in touch with your friends and family - it also has become the place to learn the latest trends in bass fishing.
While the size and popularity is still growing, innovating brands like Daiwa, Ima, DUO, Megabass etc. all starting to appear on the social platform. DUO for example puts lots of effort into their Facebook presence - The latest lures are shown to the public, they are open for discussions with their users, and they organize a monthly contest with a serious prize package. This is what social media presence is about, deliver benefits and added value to your users. It is all about the extra dimension before and after you bought your favorite lure.
Keitech Softbaits
If we had our own lure brand, we would have presented it on a website just like Keitech did. Not for esthetics (it looks a little bit old school) but for content. Keitech presents their lures in several movies using different techniques and rigs. This is just what we need in our search for new wannahaves for the upcoming season…
On a mission for Bass
For several years my girlfriend and I visit the French Atlantic coast for enjoying our summer holiday. Besides the good food and relaxed lifestyle there’s another thing this side of the French coast is famous for - bass fishing!
The French fishing channel
For those who are not familiar - the French take really good care of themselves. They even got a kind of Youtube in terms of sport fishing - fishing-tv.fr. For us bass lovers there is many relevant material on there. You can think of lure and gear introductions, (video)reports of bass fishing competitions, etc.
Definitely give yourself some time to sit back and enjoy all the movies, whether you understand French or not - images say a thousand words….
Ranking the lures!
As we mentioned in 2011 several lists appear on the internet regarding the best bass fishing lures of 2011. We made you an overview from several European countries. As can you see we’re still missing a couple of (essential) countries. So if you know a few more lists (UK or US for example) please send us an e-mail and we’ll update the list.
France:
Peche au bar
Freestyle fishing
The Netherlands (personal bests)
Zeevisland
Germany
Wolfbarsch.com
Protecting the Dutch Bass?
The Dutch angling organization (Sportvisserij Nederland) is developing a vision to protect the Dutch bass by law. For the future this could mean that there is no room anymore for large-scale commercial fishing and possibly a baglimit for the angler. For inspiration they’re looking carefully at other similar (and successful) initiatives like, for example, Ireland. Nowadays it is no secret that even from a financial perspective a dead bass represents less value than a living one. For an example check the following video from an earlier post where the Americans ran into a similar problem with their striped bass populations.
We’re wishing Sportvisserij Nederland all the best in its fight and search for political alliances and support. Even though the vision is in an early stage and still somewhat undefined, it is a very hopeful beginning!
2012, a year of new challenges
Now a new year has begun and the bass season 2011 is really over, we can start dreaming about the 2012 season. What will it bring us?
We’ve already booked various (inter-)national bass related trips and we undoubtedly will add a few more as the season is progressing. Trips are not only about new fishing grounds but they are also about meeting like-minds. Meeting new people is always leading to interesting conversations, sharing techniques, visions, and especially listening to great stories with a glass of beer or wine (viva la France). It is about expanding your horizons.
Of course we also want to master new techniques and dream of the latest gear and gadgets in 2012. Same song, different year… But most of all we are looking forward to be at the waterside, whatever the weather conditions may be. The daydreaming while fishing. Hoping for that recognizable wake up call from the end of the rod from the fish that’s responsible for our madness …
Let’s hope Neptune will be in a good mood for 2012.
Cheers & tight lines!
The Labrax Squad
