It all began on the Forum when Kit Stokes asked about tackle that anglers can make themselves, and then Steve ‘Budgie’ Burgess, of giant catfish fame and experienced all-round angler, replied by saying: 
‘I have been making tackle for both myself and retail for many years. You can make anything you want other than line! It all depends on how far you want to go. There are many reasons for making your own. Here are some of mine.
You can have exactly what you want. You can make things which are not otherwise available. You can make some things cheaper than you can buy them. And it’s great fun!
It is also very satisfying to catch fish using an item of tackle you have made and designed yourself.’
Then I chipped in with a home-made rig bin, with Budgie e-mailing me, saying, ‘why don’t you start a tackle workshop, I’m sure there must be many anglers who will benefit from making and repairing their own gear.’
Great idea, I said, and I know just the man to give it the kick-start it needs. Unlike me, a butter-fingered, ham-fisted DIFM (Do It For Me) expert, he’s great at DIY and tackle repairs. So how about it Budgie…..?
So, look out for the Tackle Workshop, with Budgie, and if you want to know how to make or repair any kind of fishing tackle (except lines!), sea, game or coarse, drop me a line at graham@fishingmagic.com and I’ll hand it over to the Tackle Workshop.
If you have any tips and advice of your own for making fishing gear, please let me have them for publishing in this section. There must be loads of anglers out there who will be glad to hear about it.
