You do wonder 🤔 sometimes don't you with us anglers, you know that next piece of fishing tackle that we must have to add to your armoury, that takes over the internet searches for the next few days, where we cannot rest until it's ticked off, and done and dusted.
Now for me sea fishing a handful of times throughout the year you wouldn't think I would need a dedicated tripod for ones rod, but that has been most recent purchase.
A little like my barbel fishing I prefer using one rod these days because of been in a calamity situation one than once and vowed never to do it again.
So my mission with a trip coming up at October half term was to track down a single rod tripod.
Ok I could have probably cobbled something together that 'would do' , but they are not "that expensive" I said to myself, and "I work hard enough" so that was the justification, not that I needed one mind you.
Anyway a little like the Warwickshire Avon, when I fished Saundersfoot Harbour last time, the bites came thick and fast when the light levels dropped and then amplified once more, when it was properly dark.
The problem was my rod was inadequately supported much of the time and it was a compromise basically. So after a few days of hunting (ok slightly exaggerated) the Fisheagle 1 Rod Extending Match Tripod 120-195cm seemed to fit the bill and around £30 all in with p&p not exactly expensive when many spend that on a takeaway for one these days.
Fast delivery too and when the Wife literally forced me to go fishing when I got home from work as she wanted an peaceful evening watching what 'she wanted to watch', I was headed down the Warwickshire Avon for some fishing. I'd set the tripod up to see what it was like and then fish an hour in to proper dark for a barbel or glutenous chub using a boilie and a large PVA back of freebies.
I arrived at 7.30pm or so with the Jimny sporting a new Windscreen thankfully as the crack was right in my vision line and not exactly a pleasant drive. Not just a simple swap these days either with modern cars as the various cameras needed for crash prevention functions, road sign recognition etc etc needs calibration, yeap even on the little Jimny.
Anyway the tripod looked just the ticket, been fully adjustable, stable, robust and still relatively light despite how chunky it is. It also packs down nice and neat within seconds and easy to carry which is what I wanted really.
Anyway to the fishing, the other delivery waiting for me when I got back home after the busy day was Jeremy Wades river monsters book, a grand total of £3.21 including p&p off of Ebay which is quite mad really considering how thick it is.
A bit apt too as this new stretch of the Warwickshire Avon to me has over the years produced some big barbel. Well barbel to beat my PB of 12lb and 14 ounces anyway. I'm still learning the swims but this peg 'Dave's Favourite' last season seemed like a good one to give a go in.
With the bait out the rod top was motionless until a good hour past dusk with the torch illuminating the rod tip and the first fish was a determined chub of around a pound that hook itself despite the long hair.
Soon after that some proper foot long chub pulls and after slack lining to try and catch one of them, I decided to reel in and add some paste to the boilie for some added attraction. What I didn't expect was a pike of around 5lb to grab the boilie on the way in and go off on one all round the swim before after lifting it towards the net luckily it dropped off.
Hmmm great, not exactly what I expected for the session and after that pike no further bites. The swim seemed largely lethargic and maybe not the best location for barbel at this time of the year so the next session here I think I will fish a swim with more pace and and a harder bottom.
This smash and grab session suits my style at this time of the year when dusk is getter ever closer and closer and for post work sessions ideal for the way I like to rack the sessions up, little and often works for me, the daily grind in the back of my mind, for the time bankside anyway. The journey back home was eventful as a close encounter with a stupidly large hornet thankfully was outside the car not inside like I originally thought it was, phhheeeeewwwww panic over, heart rate restored !!!
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