Blog Archive

Tackle Trader | 18th April 2025 | General Articles, Blogging

Good afternoon everyone and welcome back to our blog, we hope you've had a great week. You'll be glad to hear that the local fishing has once again been fantastic this week, and with numerous reports of tench being caught from NAFA's Rackerhayes lakes and some big carp being landed too. Last weekend's NAFA Carp match saw the pick of the Carp bags, with Tim Frost taking the win with two carp for 46lb 10oz from peg 20 on Island, including a 25lb 12oz beauty of a common. Leon Wilson managed second with a single carp for 30lb 8oz from peg 4 on Dores, with Lloyd Radford third with another single carp for 27lb 12oz from peg 25 on Island.    Unfortunately we don't have a product review for you today, but we will be returning with one for you next week, and it's another one of my favourite products that is a must-have for your carp fishing this spring. In the meantime we will leave you with our opening hours the Easter weekend and a reminder of the upcoming senior match next weekend:    NAFA Charity Open - 27/04   Enjoy your holiday everyone, see you soon. ...

Tackle Trader | 08th April 2025 | General Articles, Blogging

Good afternoon everyone and welcome back to our blog. What a beautiful week it’s been again, the weather couldn’t be much better for April! And you’ll be glad to hear that it’s been another productive week for local course fishing too, with the water temperatures warming the fish are switching on and we aren’t far off them having a proper munch now. Having walked around Rackerhayes yesterday there were plenty of fish moving, and it felt like the air was really on its way to those lovely summer temperatures that we are all looking forward to. This week I’m giving a product review to one of my favourite match fishing items for Carp too, and I’ve been really excited about this one. The product is the the Preston soft cad pole pot, which is in my opinion the best soft pot on the market. Firstly, I just love soft pots because they allow you to group your bait so tightly that is especially important when fishing for less aggressively feeding fish, I couldn’t honestly now imagine my box without them. But what separates the Preston Cad Pots for me is their brilliantly thought through design. I’ve found it tough to come across a soft pot that stays on your pole when dipping your tip under the water, that the bait stays in when shipping out, and that don’t look conspicuous to feeding fish below your pole tip; but this one has the lot. They grip brilliantly on your pole, meaning that you very rarely lose one when playing fish, their white and blue colour matches the sky in virtually all conditions meaning that fish are less aware when you're fishing over them, and the circular cap design holds bait in brilliantly and makes it easy to tap it out once you’ve shipped your pole out over where you’re fishing. What adds to using these pots is that they are fantastic for all types of pole fishing. I often use them when cupping small nuggets of groundbait in for roach and skimmer fishing, when drip feeding maggots for tench, and of course when feeding sma...

Tackle Trader | 28th March 2025 | General Articles, Blogging

Hello all and welcome back, we hope you're having a fantastic week. We’re here with a short update, and are discussing the results from the NAFA winter league matches, with the Junior league concluding last weekend. And a huge congratulations goes to Noah who won both the match on Bradley with 8lb 10oz (peg 11), and the league overall, well done! The seniors also had an away day at Goodiford Mill for their penultimate winter league match on Sunday, with Jamie Pearce taking the win with an impressive 150lb 14oz on Peg 42. Gary Webber had 89lb 12oz from peg 11 for second, with Sam Powell bagging 67lb 2oz (peg 42) to take third. Next week we will be reviewing another must-have product for your Carp fishing this spring, so please be sure to pop back for that. Until then take care all, and tight lines. NAFA Junior League final results 1st, Noah with 7 points, dropped score 6 =1st, Liam with 7 points, dropped score 11 2nd Jamie with 8 points 3rd Saul with 11 points 4th Tom with 15 points 5th Elle with 18 points...

Tackle Trader | 21st March 2025 | General Articles, Blogging

Good morning everyone, we’ve got another blog article for you this week, and what a fine week it has been! The sun is finally with us and yesterday was absolutely stunning, the warmest day of the year so far. While the weather isn’t exactly perfect for fishing, it does mean that the water temperatures will be warming and the fish will be starting to feed. And that means all the more reason for another product review on an item of tackle perfect for Tench, Bream and Carp, and this week I’ve gone for some of my favourite items in my kitbag, the Drennan match catapults.     Coming in several different elastic ratings, my picks of the bunch are the Waggler range medium and Pole range medium. I find these ratings cover all the distances I need, and maintain grouping of my bait (no matter what the bait is) when firing it out, whereas the lighter versions sometimes spread it as I feel I’m having to over-stretch the elastic to hit the range. A fair few match anglers that I’ve fished with use the Waggler ranges even when fishing the pole as they say their bait groups better, but I personally find I lose some control of the range when using an over-heavy elastic. Additionally, I find that the elastics on these pults are about as durable as any on the market, which is vital when you're fishing a match and don’t have time to stop and repair a broken elastic, and also don’t want to be spending money to replace them week after week. Their strong frame designs also very rarely bend or break, meaning that they last for years. The pouches may be the only questionable part of these cattys, and I was sceptical when they were first updated as I was always a fan of the old soft mesh style (especially when feeding maggots), but I have to say I’ve had a lot less issues than I feared. The bait still fires in a great line, it stays in the pouch fine when you're firing, and these pouches are much more durable than their predecessors. As a result, these cattys are almos...

Tackle Trader | 07th March 2025 | General Articles, Blogging

Another week gone and spring is finally upon us! While the nights are still chilly and the water still cool, we have reason for optimism with the dreaded January and February months finally over. And you’ll be pleased to hear that local fishing has also improved over the past week or two, with the NAFA matches producing some excellent results. Last weekend’s match on Bradley saw Sam Powell take the win with 44lb 14oz from peg 8 on Bradley, a result followed up by Mike Hadley’s 19lb 10oz from the same peg on Wednesday, two brilliant bags which show a massive upturn in the fishing out there. It’s looking a fantastic bet for some bites as we head into spring, with hope that the Tench that showed last year will be caught again as the water warms. A big well done to the juniors that were out there the previous weekend as well, with all 12 of them that fished catching on the day. In new product news this week we also have some exciting items to share with you. We are delighted to say that we have now received the new yellow, green and red Fjuka Squeeze-ready method pellets, that add to a very popular Fjuka range that has almost entirely sold well since it’s release. You can have a look at these over on our eBay site, or of course in store, where we keep them just in front of the counter. We are now able to share with you that Drennan’s new Spring range is almost ready for release, with the Method hook plates and the new, reduced-in-price, Red Range rods the pick of the products. We’ll be reviewing many of these items in due course, so keep an eye out for that over the coming weeks. If you haven’t already, we’d also love you to read our analysis of the Drennan Visi Wag No.1s and 2’s from last week’s blog, where we discussed why they are the perfect choice for your Tench fishing this spring (which isn’t far away now!). We will be back next week with another product review like last week’s, but until then take care all and tight lines....

Tackle Trader | 27th February 2025 | General Articles, Blogging

Good afternoon everyone and welcome back to our blog. As the weather is starting to turn, we have been delighted to see so many of you looking to get back out on the bank. The countdown is now on until the clocks go forward and the fish to start feeding properly again, we can’t wait! And with several reports of tench being caught in local waters over the last week, it looks as though the warmer temperatures are already having an effect.   In new product news we promised you an item review this week, and that product is the Drennan Visi Wag No.1s. While these are not new to the market, we wanted to discuss them as they are a fantastic choice when float fishing for tench fishing (which is just about starting for the year), and have been used by myself. The thick and visible tip makes them a brilliant choice when there is a lot of ripple on the water, and their loaded design ensures that they fly smoothly through the air when casting. I also love the multicoloured tip design, as it allows me to easily see when I’ve had a lift bite or if my bait/shots further down the line are being held up in the water (perhaps by weed). They are also extra-durable, trust me, I bash my tackle around no end, and another advantage of the loaded design is that it allows me to easily switch my float for a smaller/bigger one if the wind changes without having to add or remove loads of shot from my line. Luckily, Drennan also have a similar model that has a finer tip which is perfect when the fish aren’t feeding confidently and you're getting less aggressive bites: These are the Visi Wag No.2s. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve switched between the two models during a session depending on how the fish are feeding on the day, it’s a great advantage to using these floats. We have them in stock both in store and on our ebay site, and I’ve attached the links to Drennan’s own description of them in the text if you’d like a further look. I can’t recommend them highly enou...

Tackle Trader | 27th February 2025 | General Articles, Blogging

Good afternoon everyone and welcome back to our blog. As the weather is starting to turn, we have been delighted to see so many of you looking to get back out on the bank. The countdown is now on until the clocks go forward and the fish to start feeding properly again, we can’t wait! And with several reports of tench being caught in local waters over the last week, it looks as though the warmer temperatures are already having an effect.   In new product news we promised you an item review this week, and that product is the Drennan Visi Wag No.1s. While these are not new to the market, we wanted to discuss them as they are a fantastic choice when float fishing for tench fishing (which is just about starting for the year), and have been used by myself. The thick and visible tip makes them a brilliant choice when there is a lot of ripple on the water, and their loaded design ensures that they fly smoothly through the air when casting. I also love the multicoloured tip design, as it allows me to easily see when I’ve had a lift bite or if my bait/shots further down the line are being held up in the water (perhaps by weed). They are also extra-durable, trust me, I bash my tackle around no end, and another advantage of the loaded design is that it allows me to easily switch my float for a smaller/bigger one if the wind changes without having to add or remove loads of shot from my line. Luckily, Drennan also have a similar model that has a finer tip which is perfect when the fish aren’t feeding confidently and you're getting less aggressive bites: These are the Visi Wag No.2s. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve switched between the two models during a session depending on how the fish are feeding on the day, it’s a great advantage to using these floats. We have them in stock both in store and on our ebay site, and I’ve attached the links to Drennan’s own description of them in the text if you’d like a further look. I can’t recommend them highly enou...

Tackle Trader | 19th February 2025 | General Articles, Blogging

Happy Wednesday everybody and welcome back to our blog. After another busy week in the fishing world, we are excited to share some local match results and catch reports with you. We start with the results from round three of the NAFA Saturday league on Bradley, where Sam Powell took another win with 16lb 11oz from peg 15. Gary Webber was second with 11lb 4oz (peg 23), and Mark Cousins and Chris Gray were joint third with 10lb 5oz from pegs 9 and 6 respectively. With several decent weights being caught, it was another encouraging day for anglers looking to fish on Bradley Pond as we move towards the spring months. In other news pike have continued to be caught in decent numbers around the NAFA complex, with pleasure angler Peter Willis bagging perhaps the pick of the bunch, an 8lb beauty from Dores on Monday afternoon. Away from the NAFA complex, the Exe and Culm rivers have been throwing up plenty of chubb as well as a barbel or two, so they are also definitely worth a look as the temperatures begin to warm in the upcoming weeks.   As you know we normally like to share a new product with you in our blog posts, but we don’t have one this time (it’s a quieter time of year on that front). However, we’ve got an exciting product feature lined up for next week so please feel free to pop back for that. We’d also like to re-mention the new E-SOX pike floats and weights that we discussed last week, as they look a brilliant choice to add to your tackle box while the pike season continues.   As per usual, we will leave you this week with a reminder of the upcoming NAFA matches. The next NAFA senior match will be the fourth round of the Tackle Trader winter league on WHEEL this Sunday (not Wapperwell, which will now be available to pleasure anglers), and the next junior match will take place on Bradley this Saturday (22nd). Please contact us to book in for the senior match, or get in touch with Chris Gray or Rich Gage for details of the junior match. Tight lines a...

Jack Palmer | 11th February 2025 | General Articles, Blogging

Happy Tuesday everyone, welcome back to our blog, where today we are diving straight in with some local catch reports from the last week, with the NAFA waters continuing to throw up some decent results. Carp angler Andy Short was amongst the action again, bagging a 23lb 4oz beauty of a Common on First over the weekend, with pleasure angler Paul Cox getting his slice of the fun by landing the Friendly Lin on Dores on Friday night.    The third round of the Tackle Trader winter league on Bradley last Saturday also produced some decent results, with Sam Powell taking the win from peg 15 (13lb 7oz), and Lee Dance second with 10lb 12oz from Peg 10. Gary Webber completed the top 3 with 9lb 12oz from Peg 11, and Ethan Gilpin and Jamie Pierce won their sections with 7lb 8oz and 9lb 10oz respectively.    The juniors also took to the bank for the second round of the NAFA winter league on Wapperwell last Saturday, with Jamie taking the win, Liam second, and Saw third (full results list below). Well done to all involved, as despite the Baltic conditions, the anglers did brilliantly.    We also wanted to let you know that we’ve now received the new E-Sox Pike Deadbait pencil floats and float weights - ideal for this time of year -, so be sure to pop in and have a look at those!   As usual, we leave you with a reminder to book in for the upcoming matches (or to avoid them if you’re planning a pleasure trip!). The Bradley Saturday open league continues this Saturday (15th), please book in for that with us, with the juniors next out on Saturday 22nd (also on Bradley), please contact Chris Gray or Rich Gage for the details of that one. As ever, take care all and tight lines. ...

Tackle Trader | 03rd February 2025 | General Articles, Blogging

After another chilly week we are back with the latest news in the fishing world, including some local match results and a new product that's caught our eye. We kick off with the results from the third round of the NAFA Saturday Bradley league that was won by Dom Holmes with a very impressive 21lb 0oz from Peg 9. Sam Powell was second with 13lb 2oz from Peg 5, with Chris Gray third with 10lb 12oz from peg 6, and with six weights over the 10lb mark on the day it was impressive result all round.   Moving on to new product news (which we are excited about), we have now received the new Drennan Specimen rods, with the 11ft 1&1/2 lb test curve model our pick of the bunch. Ideal for big tench, bream, chubb and barbel, they are a fantastic price at £89.99 given their high-quality spec and brilliant through-action that is designed to reduce hook pulls. The 11ft 1&1/2 feels especially well balanced and is a length offers is versatile enough for use on both lakes and rivers. We will be back next week with a review on another exciting new product so please do feel free to pop back for that.    As ever, we will leave you today with the dates for the upcoming local matches. The next NAFA senior match will be the third round of the NAFA winter league on Bradley this Sunday (9th), and the next junior match this Saturday (8th) on WAPPERWELL (not Wheel - it has been moved!). Please book in for the senior match with us and contact Chris Gray or Rich Gage for details on the junior match. Until next time take care and tight lines....

Tackle Trader | 27th January 2025 | General Articles, Blogging

2025 is now well underway and we are delighted to say that the fantastic fishing that we were blessed with last year has continued. The luck definitely struck for carp angler Andy Short who bagged these two stunning Dintons from NAFA's Dores pond over the weekend, a brilliant way to start the year. The 2025 NAFA league matches have also started well, with Sam Powell (10lb 6oz) taking the win on Bradley in round 1 of the Silverfish league and Mark Cousins bagging 10lb 2oz for the win in the the second round of the Bradley Saturday league. Both matches also saw several decent back-up weights, with multiple over the 5lb mark being registered in each; not bad considering the cold conditions of late.     We have also received some superb new products recently, with the Sonubait 'Marine Green' range really standing out. Made up of a groundbait, haze, bait booster, hookbaits and pellets, this range accompanies similar flavours such as the chocolate orange and scopex in having a product-wide range, and any of the items can be a great addition to your baitbox. A fishmeal mix, it's predominantly designed for bream and carp, and it's green colour makes it fantastic for Commercial-style fishing.    Before we go we'd like to (as ever) remind you of the upcoming local matches. The Saturday league is the next NAFA senior match in the calendar (01/02), with the next junior match taking place on Wheel Pond (08/02). Please book in for the Saturday match with us, and for details of the junior match please contact Chris Gray or Rich Gage.    ...

Tackle Trader | 08th January 2025 | General Articles, Blogging

Hello again everyone and happy new year! After a stellar 2024 for local angling, we hope 2025 brings you all as much angling success. The year finished with a bang, with Ethan Gilpin taking the win in the Senior Christmas match with a very impressive 47lb 8oz from peg 17 on Wheel. Second was Sam Powell with 47lb 8oz from peg 8 (Wheel), followed by Duncan Hill in third with 37lb 2oz (Peg 15 on Wheel). Wapperwell was won by Dean Bradford with 21lb 1oz, and Matty Parsons took the win on Bradley with 8lb 8oz. The results were exceptional given the bitterly cold weather, and fills us with promise that angling will excel over the next few weeks.    In new product news, it's not been the busiest time of year, but we have now received the new Drennan products that we mentioned last time, which you can find in store or on our eBay site. We are also expecting more new items over the next couple of weeks, so keep your eyes peeled for those.   Before we go we wanted to remind you of the upcoming matches, with the Senior winter league starting on Linhay this Sunday (12th), please book in for that one with us. The Junior winter league also commences this weekend (11th) on Wheel, please contact Chris Gray or Rich Gage for details. Once again happy new year everyone, we look forward to seeing you all on the bank very soon. ...

Tackle Trader | 10th December 2024 | General Articles, Blogging

It’s been a quiet week in the fishing world, but perhaps that’s to be expected with the weather doing us no favours and Christmas around the corner. Nonetheless, we are full of festive spirit and have some great new products to share with you this week. And we start with the very impressive new ESP hats, which are worn by two even more impressive models (see above). There are two different styles, with the first a re-make of the retro ‘Headcase’ (worn by me), which is a thicker and woollier than the lighter weight but equally stylish beanies (worn by Merv). To go alongside the hats, ESP (Drennan) have also released their new Titanium Trotter floats, which look one of the most impressive new products that we’ve seen for a while. Built with a virtually unbreakable material, these are going to be red hot in prime river season next year, and we can’t wait to try them ourselves. Before we go, we will (as usual) leave you with a reminder of the upcoming local matches, which are NAFA’s final two of the year. Due to the storms preventing the junior Christmas match last weekend it will now take place this Saturday on Wheel, please contact Chris Gray or Rich Gage for details. The Senior Christmas open will follow on the 29th, and with 20 booked in already it would be advised to book your space ASAP (you can call us for that one). Take care all and tight lines.    ...

Jack Palmer | 05th December 2024 | General Articles, Blogging

It’s blog time again, and we are back with the NAFA Christmas match results (on Bradley pond) this week! And you’ll be pleased to know that despite the cold weather the results were exceptional, with several weights over 10lb. The winner on the day was Lee Dance with 12lb 7oz from peg 8, pipping Gary Webber (peg 18) by an ounce, what a battle! Third was Mark Cousins with 12lb dead from peg 7, and Shane Harper came in 4th with 11lb 8oz on peg 11. With just 1lb separating the top 5 weights and two of the section winners also bagging 9lb+, it fished really well all over and is looking to once again be a brilliant venue if you're after some winter silvers fishing. If you’re heading out there, fish can be caught on the pole (especially when the water is coloured) or alternatively on the feeder, with roach and skimmers tending to head down to the deeper water at this time of year as the water cools.    In new product news, we are excited to say that we will be providing a review of an exciting new product next week, so keep your eyes open for that. In the meantime we would encourage you to read our previous blog post where we reviewed the new Drennan Specialist zip-through hoodies and the impressive Trakker winter gear, with these products really catching our eyes.    As ever, we will leave you a couple of final reminders. Firstly, of the upcoming NAFA matches, with only the Junior Christmas match (6th) and the Senior Christmas open (29th) remaining this year now. Please contact Chris Gray to book in for the junior match, or give us a call to book into the senior match. Finally, if you’re stuck for gift ideas for an angling fanatic this Christmas, what could be better than a gift voucher so that they can buy the tackle of their choice? You can find one for our shop here, or alternatively pop in and see us; we can offer these to suit any budget. Tight lines all, we look forward to seeing you all soon. ...

Jack Palmer | 29th November 2024 | General Articles, Blogging

There’s never a boring day in the fishing world, and this week we are talking Christmas (the least boring day of the year). We’ve been mentioning it for about 6 weeks now, because why not? There nonetheless is a point to talking about it today - with both the NAFA Junior and Senior Christmas club matches taking place over the next 10 days. The senior match will be taking place on Bradley this week (1st), and the junior comp on wheel next Saturday (6th). There will be prizes and plenty of festive cheer, so if you haven’t booked in already for the Seniors match then don’t forget to by popping in to the shop or giving us a call (please contact Chris Gray via NAFA for the junior match details). Recent fishing has been good on both lakes, so we are expecting a good day out for all involved.    In new product news, this week we wanted to talk about the Drennan Specialist hoodies that have come right in time for the winter season. They feature a warm fleeced inner lining and a zip-through design that makes them ideal to wear over other warm winter clothing, and with a retail price of £43.95, they are a very fair price that would make an ideal Christmas gift. We also wanted to mention the products that we discussed last week, as they are proving some of the best we’ve seen for a while, especially the Trakker Trapper hats that are selling fast. You can see our full reviews of those in the previous blog post!   But to end on a festive note, we know that if you’re not a fishing person it’s not always easy to buy gifts for an angling fanatic. However, there’s no better idea for a fishing friend than a Tackle Trader gift voucher so that they can buy the tackle of their choice. We sell ours here, or you can pop in store to grab one to meet any budget. We look forward to seeing you all soon, take care! ...

Tackle Trader | 19th November 2024 | General Articles, Blogging

We are back! And after such a great few months for local anglers, it will be no shock that the fishing has once again been brilliant this week. We start this time with a standout catch from Paul Cox, who bagged a personal best carp at 30lb from Rackerhayes last week (see the photo below!). Charlie Ellis also bagged an equally impressive 25lb 2oz mirror from First Pond on Sunday on his first outing to the venue, a stunning fish and a great result!  The NAFA bonus classic also took place on Sunday, fishing better than many expected, with Darryl Pattey taking the win from peg 7 with 12lb dead, a very impressive weight given the chilly North Westerly winds. Gary Webber was second with 9lb 10oz from a lesser-favoured peg 5, and Lee Dance was third with 8lb 2oz from peg 8. With several weights over 5lb also being recorded, it was a good day all round!  After promising you new product reviews last week, we have got a couple in store for you today (pardon the pun)! First, the new Trakker winter gear is now in stock, with bobble hats, foldback gloves, thermal stretch gloves, CG-3 Stove, and the Camo trapper hat (that is modelled by none other than myself) making up the range. Having tried the Trapper hat I was extremely impressed, it retained the heat brilliantly in both my head and ears, and looks a great buy at £24.99. The other products are the new Korda 'Solidz' lead weights, which are designed specifically for solid bag fishing and using drop-off rigs. With the 3oz versions already selling off our shelves, these are hot products and well worth a look as we head into PVA bag fishing season.   Finally, as usual, a word goes to the upcoming matches. Bradley is the location of the the next NAFA Club Senior match on December 1st, you can book in for that with us by popping in or giving us a call. The next junior competition is the Christmas match and will be held on December 7th, don't forget to bring your festive cheer on the day! And lastly, entries a...

Jack Palmer | 11th November 2024 | General Articles, Blogging

Another week, another blog. And as usual we start this week with some local match results. On Sunday the annual NAFA Juniors Pairs match took place on Wheel, with 20 turning up for a full house, what a great sight to see! Liam and Billy were the winners on the day, bagging a combined 55lb 6oz, a fantastic weight given the cooling conditions. Jamie and Chris were second with 45lb 12oz, with Noah and Thomas finishing third with 40lb 8oz. Given the cooling weather the weights were really impressive across the board, well done all! In other news, Carp have been caught in numbers on NAFA’s waters, with the final round of the annual carp league on Saturday night producing some decent results. Numerous weights over 20lb were recorded, with Lloyd Radford taking the win with a total weight of 45lb 10oz, including the 29lb 2oz beauty in the photo above, well in Lloyd!    At this point (as you know) we normally give you a product review, but this week we wanted to share something different - it’s an insight into a small commitment that we’ve been making to recycling over the past couple of years. Since 2021 we have been taking part in a fishing line recycling scheme in a bid to help support the fight against climate change, and this week we sent off a bag of used fishing line to Anglers-NLRS (see link below for more information) If you are interested in taking part, you can bring your line (preferably as neatly as possible) into us to be recycled, we are happy to pass it on and are glad to be making a positive difference.  https://www.anglers-nlrs.co.uk As usual, to wrap up we will leave you with a reminder of the upcoming matches: The NAFA bonus classic will be taking place on Bradley Pond on the 17th of November (Senior match), and the next junior competition will be the Christmas match on Wheel Pond (December 7th). Until next week, tight lines all. ...

Tackle Trader | 05th November 2024 | General Articles, Blogging

Another week and you'll be delighted to hear that there's another blog. And what a stellar week it's been! On Sunday the NAFA silverfish league came to a conclusion, with Dean Bradford taking the win with a brilliant 88lb which was enough to also hand him the league win, great stuff! Ethan Gilpin pipped Shane Harper to second with 46lb 15oz to 43lb 2oz, which saw Shane lose the league overall on weight, what an exciting finale!  In new product news we promised a review of the new Drennan Acolyte hooklengths this week, which look exceptional on first viewing. With each being tied to fluorocarbon to as low as .01 diameter, these offer something brand new to the market (never have any manufacturers tied fluoro hook links this light) for really reasonable prices. As some of you may know I used to tie hooks (often to very light lines) for a service, and it's no easy job, so you can save yourself plenty of time and effort with these brilliant new hooklinks. The new hybrid elastic that we mentioned last week also looks great, and we've asked some of our local anglers to test it and send their thoughts back to us, so we'll be sharing those soon.  After such a brilliant week we'd love to continue writing but we must wrap it up and save some fun for next time! So as usual a final mention goes to the upcoming NAFA match: It's a Carp match on Dores and Island this weekend, please contact Lewis Harding for details. Good luck to everyone taking part in the 27th National Flounder Championships on the Teign this weekend. For everyone else heading to the bank have a great week. Tight lines!...

Tackle Trader | 29th October 2024 | General Articles, Blogging

It's been a cooler week, that's for sure. The clocks have changed (our least favourite day of the year), meaning there's no evening fishing for a few months now. However, its not all doom and gloom! This week has once again produced some excellent local catches, with Dave Aggett landing a monster carp just shy of 30lb on the feeder on NAFA's Island pond (peg 17), well in mate! Lots of juniors have also taken to the bank this Half Term week with lots of fish being caught - mainly on Wheel. The National flounder festival is set to take place on the Sat 9th & Sun 10th November so don't miss out on that, you can find all of the information here. In product news, we promised you a product of the week last time so here it is: The Ondex spinner. These versatile lures can be used or Mackerel, Bass, Trout, and all freshwater predators, and subsequently like our last couple of products of the week, these are a perfect addition to your tackle box in time for the pike and perch season. We stock three different sizes, as you can see in our photo above, and have been a great seller for us over the last few weeks. We are also excited to share with you that Drennan are releasing a range of new products over the coming weeks, with the Acolyte hook plates and hybrid elastics catching our eyes. We will be reviewing these two products next week so if you're interested then you can pop back for that update. A couple of final mentions before you go: First, to book in for the upcoming NAFA Silverfish league match on Wheel next weekend (3rd Nov); and second that with Christmas coming, if you're stuck for gift ideas for an angling friend, we sell vouchers of all values, an easy answer if you're stumped for what to get. Tight lines all!...

Tackle Trader | 23rd October 2024 | General Articles, Blogging

It's been another exceptional week for local angling, with the colder nights not yet taking full effect on our fishing - not to jinx it. And this week's stand out catch was from Jason Craven, who bagged this pristine 38lb 6oz Common from First pond, a fish that was just shy of the club record. In other news Jay Jay Durdu landed a monster 16lb 4oz pike up at Trenchford Reservoir, making his chilly night session - and numerous other blanks - worthwhile. We are also delighted to see that so many juniors have been out on the bank during their half term break this week, with the luckier ones also having another week off!  As new products go, the news has remained pretty quiet this week - which may be expected as we head into the winter season - but we are looking forward to sharing a review of a seasonal featured product next week, so keep your eyes peeled for that! Finally, we wanted to thank everyone who has donated any loose change to our charity pot over the last few months, as we counted £47.70 in our RNLI charity pot yesterday, which shows how the little things really do mean a lot! Tight lines all!      ...

Tackle Trader | 17th October 2024 | General Articles, Blogging

Good afternoon all, it's blog time again! It's been another busy week, and local fishing has excelled as we well and truly enter the autumn. Last week we mentioned the NAFA Silvers match would be taking place over the weekend, and you'll be glad to hear that it produced some excellent results. Lee Dance took an impressive win from peg 18 with 10lb 12oz, with Mike Mudge second with 9lb 14oz from peg 23. There were also numerous weights over 5lb, which was a decent outcome considering the cooling conditions.  We have also received a range of new Fox Rage lures this week, right in time for the Pike and Perch season! They are all quite small, making them ideal if you're up for catching anything (predator-wise), reasonably priced, these are great imitations of real fish - especially the 'Silver Ghost' Naturals that are almost indistinguishable from real roach. You can see the Silver Ghosts, along with the Ghost Ayu's, Microfry and Tiddler's here, with each of these in stock at our shop.  Look after yourselves everyone, we hope to see you on the bank very soon, and if you haven't done already make sure you book in for next Sunday's NAFA silver's league on Wheel (3rd), or head down to Linhay next Wednesday (23rd) for the mid-week knock-up match which is £10 entry. Tight lines!    ...

Tackle Trader | 10th October 2024 | General Articles, Blogging

After the autumn mention last week, we are now well into the colder months (sorry! And don't mention Christmas!). And as such this week we are talking pike, with the Holy Mackarel Predator Shake 'n' Spray liquids the products of the week. Much like previous products of the week, these liquids have sold brilliantly (particularly in Pike season last year). Their powerful coloured attractants let off a cloud in the water that contains feed stimulants, and they are available several flavours, enhancing their versatility. The Green, Red and Yellow our best-sellers last year, and we have each in stock, so be sure to pop in and have a look! The new product news is again quiet this week, but we will be back with more in the coming weeks. As for catch reports, the crème of the crop this week comes from NAFA club officials Ian Powell and Duncan Arnold, who each catching three 10lb+ barbel over the course of a week on the Trent. Ian's 15lb 0oz the pick of the bunch, with Duncan also bagging two over the 13lb mark, well in lads! In local news, Jay Jay Durdu bagged a 20lb'er from Gully (Island Pond) in an evening session last week, and we also received a report of 7 carp caught in 2 nights between Dores and Island for two anglers last week. We also wanted to give a mention to the work party lads this week, with three more pegs upgraded on Wheel: Pegs 9, 17 and 18. Great work fellas! (Like normal), a word goes to the upcoming NAFA match, with the silverfish league continuing on Bradley this Sunday. But our final mention this week goes to young Billy, who painted us a wonderful plate with the Tackle Trader crest on at China Blue, thank you mate! Tight lines all!    ...

Tackle Trader | 01st October 2024 | General Articles, Blogging

Another week, another blog. And as usual, we'll start with our catch reports and match results. The first mention this week goes to John T, who caught a 2lb 8oz perch from Bradley, which has been fishing brilliantly! We also heard of Andy Peters catching a big bag of skimmers and bream on the slider out there in an afternoon session which is brilliant to see! The NAFA silverfish match on Wheel pond also fished really well on Sunday, with Ethan taking the win with 57lb of mainly F1s from peg 12. Dean was second with 55lb from peg 20, and Shane third with 41lb from peg 18. Finally, the junior match on Wheel last weekend was won with an outstanding 48lb from young Tom, well done mate!   We've also got a number of new products to share with you in the coming weeks, but this week we are most excited to talk to you about a particularly well-selling product that's been flying out for some weeks now: The Mainline Isofish boilies. Having caught carp across the county and with several anglers reporting of their success on this bait, these fishmeal boilies look a great option for anyone looking to catch as the carp have their autumn munch. Mainline also have an Isofish dip to go along with the boilies, which has also been exceptionally popular for soaking hookbaits. We recommend leaving them to dip for between 24-48 hours before use to ensure maximum leakage in the water.    We're sorry it's not the longest update this week, but we will have lots of new products to update you on in the coming weeks. Like normal, we will end with a reminder that if you haven't already, to book into the fifth round of the NAFA silvers match (Sunday 14th) on Bradley. With how well it's been fishing we are expecting it to be a great day so don't miss out! Tight lines!...

Tackle Trader | 26th September 2024 | General Articles, Blogging

With fish being caught in such numbers, we can't afford to have a week off blog writing! This week club chairman Ian Powell starts off our list of impressive catches, bagging 3 bream and 3 big skimmers in an afternoon session on peg 5 on Island Pond, a brilliant effort. Carp angler Darren also had five Carp from 'Billards' on Island last weekend, including the Amir's Common at 31lb 8oz. Linhay has also continued to throw up Tench, with several reports of one or more landed in day sessions from pleasure anglers. The work party team have also done some brilliant work up there, with two new (widened) pegs being built on the far side (just to the left of Brighton Pier), so if you haven't already then get up there and have a look! We also had the third round of the NAFA silverfish league on Bradley last weekend, with Lee Dance taking an impressive win with 9lb 2oz from an unfancied peg 5. Shane Harper was second with 7lb 14oz on peg 1, and Luke Halliwell third with 6lb 4oz from peg 11. This weekend's match is on Wheel and Wapperwell, so if you are interested and haven't booked in there is still time to. We are also expecting a host of new products over the next few weeks as our suppliers drop their Autumn launches, so we will be providing some reviews on those for all who are interested. Take care in the meantime and we hope to see you on the bank!...

Tackle Trader | 12th September 2024 | General Articles, Blogging

Happy Thursday all! Another week, another blog, and this time around we have had some excellent catches to report. Despite the NAFA teach-ins coming to an end, lots of juniors have continued to catch on Wheel pond, with F1s and Carp being the main fish landed. We also wanted to give a shout out to local anglers Duncan Arnold and Ian Powell who bagged 22 Barbel between them a in day session on the River Wye, well done lads! Finally, the 2024 Torbay festival went well, we hope to have full results to follow. We were also really excited share our reviews of the new Preston Innovations products with you as promised from last week, but we are still waiting on lots of them, so it's more brief than anticipated. But one that we loved was the new MEDIUM size flat method feeders, which are are an exceptional addition to the range, and the perfect size for summer/autumn fishing. They allow you to get enough bait on without creating too much of a splash, which is helpful as fish get spookier and bites become harder to come by. The new Preston Rig Station also looks great, and we have requested local angler Brendan Ions to give us some feedback once he's used his, so that will follow soon. Finally, please don't forget to book in for Sunday's NAFA match on Bradley if you're interested, with 17 already fishing, its bound to be a great day. Tight lines....

Tackle Trader | 04th September 2024 | General Articles, Blogging

Fishing never lets us down! And this week we have had some tremendous catches across the board. Sunday's NAFA silverfish match on Wheel Pond was won by Dean Bradford with 44lb, with Lee Dance second with a very respectable 30lb. NAFA club angler Tony Chown also had impressive haul of 8 bream from peg 5 on Island Pond in an afternoon session, well in Tone! We also wanted to share the news with you that Preston Innovations are releasing a host of new products in October. We will be releasing some reviews of our favourite products in next week's blog so be sure to pop back for that! Our final shout this week goes to the Torbay Angling Festival, with anglers competing across the 7 days. Good luck to all involved! Tight lines!...

Tackle Trader | 29th August 2024 | General Articles, Blogging

Local fishing has once again excelled this week, with the NAFA complex continuing to produce some super results for it's anglers. Dave Rendall had perhaps the pick of the catches, bagging the 'Long Common' carp from Island Pond at 31lb 8oz. New-to-the-club angler James Hamon also did brilliantly to land a 12lb Carp on match tackle from Island on his first outing to the water, with Duncan Arnold sneaking a 24lb'er on James' pole while he'd popped to Tesco! The junior summer league also came to a conclusion last weekend on Wheel Pond, with Tom winning the match 45lb 8oz from peg 2. Second was Elle with 24lb 2oz from peg 18, and third was Liam with 23lb 6oz from peg 5. This saw Liam take the league win, a brilliant effort, well done buddy! It also saw Elle second, and Alex third, well done all. We are also excited to share with you the new Drennan products that we will be stocking from this week onwards. They include four items that replace or are similar to already existing ones, and the new Flexi Feeder links that we believe will be a great addition to Drennan's range. With the feeder link containing a flexible boom rather than a traditionally rigid one, they are designed to increase the chance of hitting bites, especially from small fish, that are often missed when fishing the feeder. So keep an eye out for these, they look exceptional. Finally, a few important mentions. First to the final NAFA teach-in tonight from 6-8pm on Wheel pond (be sure to get yourself down there, it's your last chance to learn to fish for free!). Second to Ethan and Ellie who represented NAFA at the Tackle Guru Match Academy last weekend, both winning their sections! And last but certainly not least, that despite the national shortage of maggots over the last week (that I'm sure you are all well-aware of), we are pleased to say that we have just had a delivery of big fresh bait, so we are currently well-stocked. See you all soon....

Tackle Trader | 20th August 2024 | General Articles, Blogging

Local fishing has once again excelled this week, with fish being caught in numbers at the NAFA's Rackerhayes complex and beyond. Last week we promised the All-nighter final results, and it will come as a shock to absolutely nobody that the win went the way of Mark Cousins. After a stellar league performance, he once again took the win on the night, with all three of the top weights coming from Island Pond. Nigel Jeffreys and Liam Dore made up the top 3, well done chaps! The juniors also did brilliantly at Wapperwell last weekend, catching lots of fish (mainly F1s, Roach and Skimmers). A big well done to Jamie who won with over 19lb.   We also wanted to share another brilliant new product with you this week (that is unbelievable value for money): The Nytro Impax Comfibox. Coming onto the market at £124.99, this is an exceptional seatbox for anyone starting out who isn't wishing to spend a fortune, or even the more experienced angler who is looking for a lighter option. We also love that you can get yourself an additional drawer tray which adds a side-draw to the box for just £49.99, so for a total of less than £175 you can get yourself a box that holds its own against other options on the market (that are three to four times the price!!). The only downside (for some) may be that the Comfibox doesn't come with a footplate, but you can get yourself one for £89.99, however we have found that the small size of the box means you don't miss it anyway.    As usual we want to end by mentioning the NAFA teach-ins, which are continuing every Thursday evening on Wheel Pond from 6pm - 8pm, so get yourself down there if you want to start fishing and the coaches will help you out. Tight lines!  ...

Tackle Trader | 15th August 2024 | General Articles, Blogging

There's rarely a dull week in fishing (apart from when I'm trying to catch something), and this week we've got the All-nighter series final. One of the biggest matches of the year, our local lads will go head to head for the crown (although its really just about who can stay awake for the longest). We'll update you with the results next week, so be sure to pop back to see those. We've also had some more brilliant catch reports this week, perhaps most notably from local carp angler Scott Lake who bagged several carp up to 24lb from Rackerhayes' Dores pond last weekend (see the stunning pictures below!). Well done Scott! Daryl Pattey also deserves a mention for his 5 tench up to 6lb from 'Gully' on Island pond in a day session last week, and while we are on the subject of tench, there have been lots caught on Linhay pond over the last month or so. Coming out up to the 7lb mark, this is a pond definitely worth a look if you're after some bites (and some really good sport too!).   We're also really excited to share some more new products with you this week. Korda have released their new PVA bucket system which we really like for its originality, neatness and, (as its Korda) we know its going to be exceptionally well-made. We've also begun stocking the (fairly new) Mainline Green Supreme groundbait which is flying off the shelves (see here). It's proved a great all-round fishmeal groundbait for carp, tench, bream and beyond, and its green colour is of great appeal in coloured water especially. But of all of the new products, one that really stood out was the new Strike King 'toad' soft plastic predator lures. We actually liked these so much that we've gone the extra mile and put them to the test on the bank this week, and we wanted to share with you what we found out. We noticed that they came up in the water on retrieve (a toad-like feature we guess) and created a realistic motion (to go along with their very life-like look, a standout feature) that mimicked a ...

Tackle Trader | 30th July 2024 | General Articles, Blogging

Another week gone and another sizeable NAFA match too. This week it was the Tackle Trader evening league final on Wheel pond, which contrary to expectation, was a tough task for most. Nonetheless, there were some impressive weights caught on the night. Young Ethan Gilpin did brilliantly to win with 51lb of Carp and F1s from peg 8, well done Ethan! League winner Sam Powell was second with 43lb from peg 17, with Mike Smith third with 32lb from peg 15. It fished well all over the pond, so well done to all involved. Some great new products have caught our attention this week too. We received the first of the new Korum Zelos reels, which look outstanding for their £49.99-£59.99 price (depending on the size). They are very well constructed, of a convenient size (as a mini pit reel, they could be used for carp, tench, bream or barbel), and smooth to use. They have flown off the shelf everywhere, but we will have more in very soon (you can also get a quick glance at them here)! We also thought that the new 'Inshore Marvel' bass lures from Drift were worth a mention, as they have been brilliant for attracting the bass and mackerel! Their exceptional aerodynamism has also been noticed by a number of our local anglers who have claimed to have increased their casting distance since using them. Drift Launch Jigs   We have also had some outstanding catch reports sent in from across the board this week. Local angler Sam Powell got his usual weekend win down at Bolingey on Sunday, with a superb near 400lb weight of Carp. We also had this report from Jim, who caught this Chubb on Fjuka baits that they brought from our online store! The bass and mackerel are also now being caught in numbers, and we have an extended range of lures fit for catching both in store (see below). Finally, a reminder that it's the NAFA open day next weekend too, so don't miss out on your chance to see the lakes or to try fishing for free. To book a free coaching session at Rackerhayes on Sa...

Tackle Trader | 23rd July 2024 | General Articles, Blogging

It's fair to say that it's been an interesting week or two in the world. The UK has a new Prime Minister, Trump was almost assassinated, and England lost in another Euro's final. But some things don't change much, and you won't be shocked to hear that Mark Cousins won another all night match. In the third round of the NAFA All-nighter series, he took the win from peg 13 on Island Pond with a big 80lb weight, leaving him well clear at the top of the league standings heading into the final. Nigel Jeffreys was second from 27 on Island, leaving him second in the league, and Mike Hadley third from peg 14 on Island. All round it was a terrific match with lots of fish caught from all over the complex. We have attached the full list of results and the final league standings below.     In other news, a huge amount of work has been going on around Wheel pond by Max and the team, where each of the old pegs are being replaced by new, larger, boarded platforms. You may have noticed that half of them are now complete, with the remaining ten set to be assembled early next year as work on other ponds requires greater attention for the remainder of 2024.     We've also got some new products coming out from a range of suppliers, and we have attached ESP's latest video below. It shows their range of new products, including banksticks, buzz bars and PVA bag rigs (see more here) Finally, it is also worth noting that the NAFA open day will be taking place at Rackerhayes in just under a couple of weeks time. This will give anyone who is thinking of joining the club a chance to visit, and pick up some tips from the NAFA officials and coaches that will be there on the day. This is the sort of bag you could catch (thanks to Brian Foster for the photo!).     Tight lines!    ...

Tackle Trader | 08th July 2024 | General Articles, Blogging

It music to the ears of many that despite the intense heat of late, the local fishing hasn't wavered. The river season has begun, the mackerel are finally showing in numbers around Torbay, the and the local fishing club has seen some of it's most impressive catches of the year. Sunday's Newton Abbot Fishing Association BBQ match on Wheel Pond was a great example, with Shane Harper taking the win with 108lb of carp and F1s, an excellent result. Dean Bradford was second with 96lb, Lee Dance third with 64lb, and young Jamie Coxall did brilliantly to weigh 56lb for fourth. Local junior Ellie Pedrick also competed in the national ladies championship last weekend, catching just over 6kg which was a great result for her first attempt at the competition, well done Ellie!  We also have the great news to share with you that a range of our suppliers have brought out some very exciting new products. We have shared some links below which contain them many of them, but we've also picked a couple out which we loved and that are right in time for summer...   Korum Squolivettes A wonderful new product just in time for the river season. These new quick change 'squolivettes' allow you to change your shotting weight (and therefore your float size) without breaking down your rig, creating an efficient and speedy way of adjusting your float fishing rig to the conditions. They can also be used outside of rivers, but their sizes make them ready-made for that type of fishing. For anyone who's familiar with Preston's feeder ICS system, these are a very similar idea and are of course made by the same company, meaning that they are about as reliable and well-made as any quick change system on the market.    Drennan Acolyte Hook Range As you may know, Drennan are replacing their entire hook range with PTFE coated alternatives, and the addition of a PTFE coating to the already brilliant Super Spade and Margin Carp hooks particularly stood out to us. The choices of owner Max hi...

Tackle Trader | 07th November 2023 | General Articles, Blogging

Just in time for Pike season!...

Tackle Trader | 31st October 2023 | General Articles, Blogging

Another week gone. A couple of shoutouts, first to Barry Sharland with this beauty at Lakeside, second to Lee Dance for the win on Bradley, and third to Dunc Arnold for being a match fishing legend. It’s also the uk flounder fest this week so keep your eyes open for results. We’ll have fresh bait, call us. New products in too👀 tight lines!    ...

Tackle Trader | 21st October 2023 | General Articles, Blogging

New in…...

Tackle Trader | 13th October 2023 | General Articles, Blogging

It’s blog day everyone, and I’m so excited. At least I was when I started writing this 14 days ago. It’s been a good couple of weeks for fishing, the local matches have been a success with Dean stealing the show more than once on the wheel pond silvers. Silver specialist Jay Jay Durdu has been bagging some bream on Dores, and in other spheres carp have been caught, most notably from Dave Rendall on Dores, having 8 in a session. Also a shout out to Simon who had a lovely carp in Adbrook last week. Finally the main spotlight goes to the legend of Mike Smith, who put 118lb in the net to win a match at chard, only to find he’d gone over the limit in 2 nets and was beaten to the match by someone with 54lb😂 we thought we better tell you, although you’ve probably already heard the story from Brendan as he’s told it 189 times in the shop this week. Product reviews: I’ve selected my favourite items from the new product list. Korum roving and tackle boxes 10/10 One of the best items I’ve seen for a long time. So useful, and at a really reasonable price.  ESP Cryogen Surface Hooks hooks 9/10 - Drennan Vertex Whips  9/10 At 25-30 quid, the vertex whips are a steal. Miles ahead of their price range, they are stiff and reactive. I prefer the 3m to the 4m, I think you lose a little bit of stiffness in the 4, but both excellent for the money....

Tackle Trader | 12th September 2023 | General Articles, Blogging

This week marks the beginning of the Tackle Trader blog, new to us all, unlike Mike Smith’s patterned shorts. August is always a tough time for fishing, but the local lakes have fished well nonetheless. Tench, bream, carp and have been caught, much to the delight of us all.  The match results are posted on Facebook by Suggy every week, so keep your eye on them.    New products: New from Drennan Reviews to follow. We’ll be stocking much of this, so give us a call if there’s anything that you’re after.     ...

Tackle Trader | 23rd December 2020 | General Articles, Blogging

If you can get your rods out over Christmas / New Year we will have bait for you.  Wishing you all the very best, thanks for all your support during 2020, here’s to 2021 🎉   ...

Tackle Trader | 09th July 2020 | General Articles, Blogging

It's been great to see some many of our customers over the last few week, thank you for your support and patience during this transition to the "new normal"  Newton Abbot Fishing Association has offered it's members a breath of fresh air since re-opening it's waters a few weeks ago. Local anglers have jumped at the chance to get back on the bank, with a string of impressive catches being reported on NAFA waters. Island Pond has produced carp upwards of 28lb with a number of catches over the 20lb mark being recorded, with Tench and Bream also being caught in numbers across the complex. Wheel, Weedy and Wapperwell ponds have been as prominent as ever, with Bradley Pond producing large bags of sizeable Skimmers, Perch and Roach. With the warm weather setting in and the fishing as good as ever, be sure to join the action. Match results  Wednesday evening series: Round 2 1st Jack Palmer 40lb 10oZ 2nd Bob Rand 34lb 12oZ 3rd Max Palmer 25lb 4th Freddie Holding 19lb 5th Martin Tyler 16lb 8oz Dave Brailey Memorial All Night Match: 1st Mark Cousins 80lb 10oZ 2nd Mark Newman 33lb 10oZ 3rd Mike Hadley 25lb 6oZ 4th Nigel Jeffreys 23lb 12oZ ...

Jack Palmer | 18th May 2020 | General Articles, Blogging

After two months away, NAFA was delighted to welcome members back into their waters this week. Reports of big catches have been flying in from everywhere, with Jay Jay Durdu’s 24lb Common Carp from Island Pond the pick of the bunch. Today has been another productive day, with Gary Webber netting 5 tench and a bream from the back waters of Island Pond and Steve Underhill landing a beauty of a carp which topped the scales at 24lb from the same area. Sam Palmer caught an equally impressive 30 carp in a short three hour session on wheel pond despite the heat this afternoon. Wapperwell and Bradley have been the venues for mixed bags, with Andy Coxall and his son Jamie reporting a lovely selection of species yesterday afternoon on Wapperwell, and Bradley pond being as productive as ever.  In other news Tackle Trader has been pleased to open for click and collect orders for an hour every morning. To book your order call between 10-11am on 01626 331613 and expect to collect your products an hour later. We have been experiencing a high volume of calls so if we don’t manage to answer your call we will try to prioritise you the following day. For anyone hoping to renew NAFA memberships or purchase day tickets, we are sorry to announce that for the time being  there will be no activity on that front. However, the committee have been in discussion and are hoping to get things back to normal in two weeks time.  For the time being don’t be afraid to contact us by phone (01626 331613), email us at tackletrader@btconnect.com or via our Facebook page. Stay safe and see you all on the bank soon! ...

Jack Palmer | 20th March 2020 | General Articles, Blogging

Evening all. If anyone is looking for some good news in light of the corona crisis, then you will be pleased to hear that Tackle Trader remains OPEN for the time being. We last night sent out a message to all of our customers reassuring you that we would also be happy to bring products out to your cars if you would rather not come into the shop, and that deliveries are still going ahead as normal. As of this evening, nothing has changed. It’s also worth noting that despite the water levels being high on all of our NAFA waters that they are fishing very well. For the silvers anglers Bradley pond has thrown up some big weights (up to 30lb) in the matches with lots of Roach and Perch being caught. Wapperwell has also seen some good catches of late - check out the Junior match results last weekend where there were lots of silvers and small carp caught! Despite the high levels, Wheel pond has seen plenty of fish banked too - mainly Carp, with Jay Jay Durdu catching 18 yesterday and Max Palmer having 23 last week. For the carpers Dores pond is still throwing up a few and Island Pond is as good as ever. Stay safe and stay positive guys - give us a call on 01626 331613 if you need any help, and our opening hours are unchanged for the time being....

Tackle Trader | 24th July 2018 | General Articles, Blogging

On Saturday 4th August Newton Abbot Fishing Association is holding its annual open day. This is aimed at youngsters who would like to experience fishing but do not really know how. You can go along to the Rackerhayes complex, behind Tesco Kingsteignton and have a free 20 minute session with a qualified angling coach to learn the basics - You don't need any equipment as everything will be provided. After this there will be lots of club members on hand to help the new anglers practice their skills on the ponds and hopefully catch the fish of a lifetime. To avoid waiting on the day budding anglers can book in using the Facebook Page @gofishingsouthwest or emailL2fishSW@gmail.comor phone 01392 668935...

Jack Palmer | 26th June 2018 | General Articles, Blogging

Fishing for Newton Abbot Fishing Association's members has reached sky-high levels over the past few weeks following an upturn in temperature and spells of ideal weather conditions in the local area. Not only has this seen some impressive match results, but also some excellent specimen catches from some of NAFA's most prestigious waters, including Carp Angler Richard Hamlyn who bagged himself a 22lb Common Carp from Rackerhayes' Dores Pond. The annual Charity Open, Tackle Trader Two Day Open and Festival match all threw up impressive weights, including Phil Coles' haul of 9 tench and a carp for 23kg on the final day of the 3 day festival from Peg 10 on Island Pond, eventually seeing him take the win overall, with Sam Wragg finishing second following an 11kg bag of Bream and Skimmers on the second day from Bradley Pond, caught on the waggler with maggots and casters. Furthermore, following a slow start to the Tackle Trader Evening League on Wheel pond, match-man Sam Powell produced the weight of the series so far from Peg 3 with an impressive net of 21kg 150g to take him one behind Jack Palmer at the top of the standings, level on points with Max Palmer and Brendan Ions. All in all things are looking up for NAFA and it's members, with high hopes for more to come throughout the remainder of the summer months. ...

Jack Palmer | 10th April 2018 | General Articles, Blogging

Things are finally looking up for Newton Abbot Fishing Association and it's members following a much needed upturn in air temperatures in recent weeks. With February and March's weather being dominated by blizzards, storms, rain and snow, it comes as no surprise that many local anglers spent little time on the bank throughout this bleak period. However, with air pressure dropping and temperatures gradually rising, the past fortnight has produced some of the most impressive catches and match results of 2018 so far. Harry Workman's net of six carp in a 24-hour session from Island Pond followed by Ashley Smith and Josh Critchall's brace of 26lb Carp from Dores pond earlier this week have shown promising signs of NAFA's waters witnessing an upturn in productivity. Moreover, several reports of large bream hauls from Sawmills and Bradley Pond have been recorded with junior angler Freddie Holding bagging 20lb of skimmers and roach from Sawmills on the short pole. Dave Taylor's haul of sixteen skimmers and five bream from Bradley Pond on the feeder was an equally impressive catch and an encouraging one as the warm weather begins to settle in. Jay Jay Durdu's winning weight of just over 10kg of bream caught on the short feeder in the latest round of the NAFA winter league on Bradley Pond was a hugely impressive one with second-placed Mike Hadley netting just shy of 6kg also on the feeder. All in all, things are finally looking up for NAFA and it's members following a difficult couple of months. ...

Jack Palmer | 28th February 2018 | General Articles, Blogging

With this week’s weather being the coldest of the winter so far, many would predict typically tough winter fishing conditions. However, results from the latest round of the annual NAFA Winter League showed how local fishing has excelled despite a much anticipated recent cold-snap. NAFA’s Wheel Pond produced the top weights on the day, with Jack Palmer emerging victorious, netting fourteen carp and two tench for a total weight of 66lb. Second was Sam Powell with 58lb - including one fish weighing 11lb alone - another hugely impressive weight given the recent cold weather conditions. Jamie Pearce and Gary Webber completed the top four weights on the day, weighing 56lb and 50lb respectively, consisting of carp mainly caught on maggots fishing in the margins. With further weights of 26lb, 17lb and 10lb caught from Wheel on the day, it is fair to say that this was a hugely impressive return for a small club water, especially given such rapidly declining air temperatures in recent weeks. Wapperwell pond was won by Mark Newman on the day with just shy of 10lb of small carp and skimmers, with Mike Mudge placing second with 6lb. With such an impressive string of weights caught from NAFA’s waters on the day, things are well and truly looking up for the club and its members as we approach the increasingly warm spring months...

Jack Palmer | 31st January 2018 | General Articles, Blogging

The Christmas months are often the quietest ones on the angling front, but the same cannot be said for Newton Abbot Fishing Association and its members. Widespread reports of excellent catches and impressive match results have been recorded, with the club’s annual Christmas Open being won by Brendan Ions from peg 21 on Rackerhayes’ Wheel Pond with an impressive weight of 19kg 400g of mainly Carp caught on the long pole, the largest of an impressive string of weights from Wheel on the day. Bradley Pond was won convincingly by Gary Webber from peg 23 with 6kg 550g of large Skimmers fishing a groundbait feeder with pinkies on the hook.  Jack Palmer took the win on Wapperwell Pond with a mixed bag of Carp, Skimmers, Roach and Hybrids for a total weight of 8kg 450g, capping off some brilliant bags caught on the day despite the wet and windy conditions. Elsewhere, several pleasure angling sessions have produced eye-catching bags for NAFA’s members, with large numbers of Bream being caught in the deep water of Rackerhayes’ Island Pond, with members Neal Stone and Jay Durdu netting specimens up to the 7lb mark in recent weeks. All in all, things are looking up for Newton Abbot Fishing Association and its members as we move into 2018....

Jack Palmer | 12th December 2017 | General Articles, Blogging

Members of Newton Abbot Fishing Association have enjoyed another week of fine success with local catches on the up as cold temperatures have finally settled in. Widespread reports of Carp and Bream bags have been witnessed over recent weeks, with none more notable than specimen Carp angler Lee Dore's haul of 5 double-figure Carp from Rackerhayes' Dores pond during a night session last weekend. Further, Jay Jay Durdu's net of 7 small Carp from Wheel pond in a short afternoon session last Friday failed to go unnoticed, a superb winter catch on the pole feeding 6mm pellets. Bailiff Mike Smith sacked 5 large Skimmers and 5 small Carp from Wapperwell last Sunday afternoon for a combined weight of around 20lbs, another impressive catch given the difficult weather conditions. Saturday the 2nd of December marked the annual NAFA Junior Christmas match on Rackerhayes' Wheel pond, with an impressive eleven Juniors attending despite the cold, wet weather throughout. Equally impressive weights were bagged on the day, with Joe Slader the winner, weighing 5kg 060g of small Carp. Second place was debutant Tyler Randle, weighing a respectable 4kg 200g, while Maddie Ions completed the top three with just shy of 3 and a half kilos.All in all, another hugely successful week for NAFA's members shows the true quality of the club's waters, and why you should be sure to purchase your annual membership in the coming weeks to ensure you don't miss out in 2018....

Jack Palmer | 28th November 2017 | General Articles, Blogging

With winter temperatures well and truly setting in, many local anglers have witnessed a decline in bites and activity to match that of falling air temperatures. However, for members of Newton Abbot Fishing Association, impressive catches are still being recorded. Only last week, local pleasure anglers John and Liam Dore bagged an impressive combined total of 9 Carp from Rackerhayes' Wheel Pond up to the 9lb mark in a short afternoon session. Furthermore, reports of predatory species catches are on the up, with many of Newton's waters producing an increasing number of Pike as the cold weather sets in. Sunday marked the annual NAFA Bonus Classic match on Bradley Pond, won by Mike Hadley with a weight of 5kg 500g of Bream and Skimmers caught on the groundbait feeder. Second was Rob Coombes with 3kg 400g of Skimmers, with Mark Newman placing third with 2kg 490g. Be sure to gain your share of the action in the upcoming NAFA Christmas matches by booking in at Tackle Trader, with the Junior match taking place on Saturday the 2nd of December and the Senior match the following Sunday with prizes for all Juniors taking part this Saturday....

Jack Palmer | 21st November 2017 | General Articles, Blogging

Declining air temperatures and longer nights have acted as a widely expected deterrent for many local anglers.  Despite this, some excellent local catches have been recorded over the past fortnight – none more so than from specimen Carp angler Josh Black who netted an impressive four Carp during a weekend session on Rackerhayes’ Dores pond, including the current largest fish known to be owned by the club, the ‘Big Ghostie’ which topped the scales at 33lb 1oz.  Further, NAFA chairman Ian Powell - as he puts it - ‘had an hour’ on Key Transport Lake and netted a Perch no smaller than 2lb 10oz on a small live bait, another massively impressive catch. Elsewhere, Duncan Arnold bagged three Bream up to 7lb in a short afternoon session from Island pond’s well-known peg 10, a peg prestigious for its big Bream when weather conditions are suitable.  Reports of catches in areas of deeper water have widened of late, including Jay Jay Durdu’s respectable net of 8 large skimmers from peg 16 on Island pond last weekend, and with water temperatures continuing to drop, more of the same can be expected throughout the winter months. All in all, things are continuing to look up for Newton Abbot Fishing Association and its members, and with the Junior and Senior Christmas matches fast approaching, be sure to book in at Tackle Trader and claim your part of the action. ...

Jack Palmer | 30th October 2017 | General Articles, Blogging

Sunday marked the finale of the 2017 Newton Abbot Fishing Association Silver Fish League, with Wapperwell and Wheel Pond the selected venues for the second match running. League runner up Gary Webber won the match overall, weighing 6kg 500g of small Skimmers and Roach from Wapperwell, with runner up Mark Newman also drawing Wapperwell, weighing just over 4kg. Wheel pond was won by Jay Jay Durdu – with a weight of 3kg 100g, excluding 13 carp he also landed - who also won the penultimate League match just a fortnight earlier.  Second place on Wheel pond was League winner Sam Powell from peg 13, netting 2kg 650g of small roach on an altogether tough day with a strong and cold easterly wind blowing from his left to right.  Bream, Carp and Tench fishing remained successful for many anglers across NAFA’s waters this week, with Aaron Smith netting three carp up to 26lb from Rackerhayes’ Dores pond on Saturday night. Further, Tench up to 7lb have been reported over the course of the week, highlighting what has been an outstanding year for Tench fishing within NAFA’s waters.  While Tench fishing has blossomed over the course of 2017, the same can be said for Bream, with First pond this week producing Bream to over 8lb, caught mainly in the deep water.  All in all, this week’s prolific fishing within Newton Abbot’s waters represented what has been an outstanding year for the club’s anglers, which was subject of much discussion at the club’s AGM on Friday evening. With NAFA’s Senior and Junior Christmas matches fast approaching, be sure to book in at Tackle Trader by calling 01626 331613 or visit the shop in Newton Abbot (postcode TQ12 2DA), with all junior anglers guaranteed a prize....

Tackle Trader | 14th October 2017 | General Articles, Blogging

Members of Newton Abbot Fishing Association have enjoyed a week of high success with some excellent local catches being recorded. With temperatures dropping and the winter months fast approaching, few would have expected such a result, yet the club’s waters have lived up to their high expectations for many anglers. Rackerhayes, Newton Abbot’s most recognised fishing complex has produced some particularly outstanding bags. Tackle Trader’s Max Palmer enjoyed a wonderful afternoon’s fishing on Wheel Pond, bagging ten Carp for a combined weight of over 70lb fishing in the margins. Carp angler Steve Dore also tasted success, landing four specimen Carp during a night session on Dores Pond, the biggest of which weighing 23lb. With further reports of large numbers of Bream being caught across a number of Newton Abbot’s lakes, including Mike Smith’s impressive 40lb sack of small skimmers up to 2lb from Sawmills, and pleasure angler Jason Howard’s whopping 50lb bag of skimmers from Key Transport, Newton Abbot’s waters have produced superbly even as the cold weather has settled in. Wapperwell and Wheel pond were the selected venues for the second-to-last leg of the Newton Abbot Silvers League match series, which was won by Jay Jay Durdu from Peg 14 on Wapperwell with 4kg 810g of Skimmers and big Roach. Jack Palmer was a close second with 4kg 450g of small roach from Peg 15 on Wapperwell. Wheel pond was won with 4kg 300g from Gary Webber, with Steve Walker second, weighing 4kg 200g....