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SPECIAL G DARK AVAILABLE FROM THE PARTRIDGE LAKES FISHERY TACKLE & BAIT SHOP NOW!

 

Here is Tom Downing’s report after his first session with Special G Dark…

 

 

 

With the release of many new Bait-Tech products just around the corner I was itching to get my hands on some, especially the soon to be released Special ‘G’ Dark groundbait. This is a darkened version of the ever popular Special ‘G’ range is perfect for the winter months as the colour drops out of the water and fish seem to be a bit more cautious around lighter groundbaits once the water has gone clear.


I was lucky enough to bump into Andy Neal at Bait-Tech Viaduct Fishery in Somerton after a match and after a nice chat he gave me a prototype bag of the new ground-bait. With the ground-bait in hand I was keen to get out and try it as soon as I possibly could! Having Thursday’s off work this was the perfect opportunity to put the product through its paces. I decided to go to Melbury reservoir just outside of Bideford which is another lovely venue part of the South West Lakes Trust. Having not fished the venue for a few years I was unsure on where to go but I remembered doing well in a match when I was younger, all be it, summer but I remembered the peg being fairly deep on a short line and I had bagged on roach and some really big hybrids fishing the whip.

I mixed my ground-bait before I left home as I didn’t want a fully active mix. Alongside the Special ‘G’ Dark I mixed it 50-50 with the Pro Natural Bream which I then put back through a pinkie riddle to take out any unwanted lumps, something I believe to be crucial at this time of year so that you don’t fill any feeding fish up to quickly. I have to say the two ground-baits mixed together were a lovely consistency and bound really well together, in turn crumbling back to the fine mix with a light press with your hand when made into a ball…Perfect.

Once I was all set up on my peg, I proceeded to set up a few pole lines. Nothing to complicated a short line at 6 meters to my right, where after plumbing I found around 7ft of water. I also found the same depth to my left. On one line I planned to feed 1 ball of neat ground-bait on the other just some loose fed caster. Rig wise I used a 0.6g AS1 fished on 0.13 mainline to an 0.10 hook-length with a size 20 Guru maggot hook. I then set a line up at 14 meters where I fed 3 balls of ground-bait but I put a small amount of casters in with one of the balls. Rig was identical to before but with a 1gram float. I also set a cage feeder up, I was hoping not to have to use it really, I wanted to catch some of the big roach that reside in the venue.

To kick my swims off I fed one ball on the short line first as that was the first swim I would approach, then 3 balls on the long line and threw a few casters short to my left. Once I had those lines prepped I put 5 medium sized feeders out at about 35 meters with a few dead maggots and casters in with the ground-bait just for something to fall back on if I needed to.

So in on the short line with a single red maggot nicked on the hook I lowered the rig in and waited for the finely dotted down float to blip under, but after 30 minutes and no indication what so ever, I feared the worse. With no bites on the pole I had a look on the feeder. Double red maggot on the hook I cast to the desired spot and sank my braided line and waited patiently with some hot soup! (Thanks to my sister who lives just up the road!) Halfway through my soup the tip moved, not a lot but it was a certainly a bite I lifted the rod and a small skimmer was gratefully netted and the blank was saved. I decided just to sit it out on the feeder and pack my pole away. Rig wise I fished the feeder on a paternoster with an 18inch hook-length of 0.13 and a size 18 carbon match hook. I managed to sneak out a couple more skimmers, not very big but they were all welcome.

I feel that my swim choice on the day was very poor and a leading factor in to not catching much, with the cold wind blowing straight in my face and the swim not getting any sunshine on it whatsoever all day. It was freezing! In hindsight, I may have been better on the road side of the lake where it had sun all day and just off the back of the wind. Saying that though it certainly made catching what I caught more rewarding. I did manage a slightly better fish on the good old famous ‘last cast’ whilst packing everything else up.

All in all, I felt the ground-bait was very good, mixed to a lovely fine consistency although I intended to catch roach, it turned out to be an excellent skimmer mix on what was a very hard day! I can’t wait to get a few more bags of it and put it into use in my matches and try a few ideas I have…

I hope you enjoy the read and likewise enjoy the products that will be hitting the shelves over the coming weeks!

Roll on the summer and thank goodness for flasks!

Tight Lines

Tom Downing
#TeamBaitTech

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