Lure Fishing with Robbie Northman

[Robbie Northman]

From Pike to Perch

Another busy week began with preparing boat and tackle for some hard graft fishing. Rob, Sam (the twins), and their mum (Mary Ann) were due to visit for their annual holiday. This time I booked time off to join them. We planned on using two boats to tackle three Broadland river systems in search of pike and, of course, perch. Changeable weather would make the fishing challenging, but with any luck we would achieve our targets and learn more about venues I rarely get the chance to fish. The mornings and evenings would be spent in search of perch, while afternoons would be spent casting big lures for pike.

We encountered rain, wind, sunshine, high air pressure, and lows. Good, bad and changeable conditions made the fishing challenging. However, through graft and perseverance we ended the trip with around 50 pike to mid-doubles. The larger fish followed, but proved difficult this time round, with the water being incredibly clear. The perch, however, stole the show. Although we only fished short sessions for them around prime feeding times, we finished the holiday with numerous twos from a variety of venues. Too much to cover in one blog, so I’ve chosen the highlights, best captures and tactics to cover this week.

Session one, and Sam was my boat partner for the day. It was a clear dawn with the morning sun clearing the clouds. A bright cheerful day with the odd patch of light rain forecast. We decided to stop off at a couple of perch spots before dedicating the day to targeting pike. The morning looked promising, and I knew we had a shot at some quality perch. It was a fair motor down to the area I planned on targeting, but with conditions like this the time passes by quickly.

We dropped into the first spot and I instructed Sam on the area we would target first. I had yet to rig my rod so Sam started early, casting a Z-Man Fluke into the swim. A few bounces of the lure later and he was in. A strong fish had taken the lure, kiting around the front of the boat. Sam dialled back the drag, knowing it was a good fish, when suddenly everything went slack. The mystery fish had shaken the hook. Whether it was a pike or perch remained unknown, but after another 15 uneventful minutes in the swim and a snagged lure we moved on to the final spot.

The next spot would be a gamble so we decided to fish opposites. Sam chose a bright Savage Gear prototype shad, while I fished an SG creature bait. A cast later and he was in. A solid fish made a quick run around the boat. But at the ready, lunging with the net, I landed his prize. Sam quickly cast again, hooking another within seconds. I changed to a similar lure, hooking up too. While Sam netted his prize, mine shook the hook. A bittersweet start to the day, with both of us losing fish. Thankfully, I redeemed myself that evening.

A cracking brace of twos for Sam. A fast jigged shad produced the takes​

Meanwhile on boat two Rob was having success. This one fell for a firetiger shad​

Session two and Mum’s the word. Mary Ann jumped aboard my boat for this session. Fairly new to lure fishing and keen to use all styles, the challenge for the morning was a PB perch. We stopped off at an area that usually holds a couple of nomadic fish. A resting spot. A solid snag pile where only the most weedless lures work. I suggest she try dropshotting with lobworm around the snag pile, while I remained at the ready for the inevitable battle.

It wasn’t long before we saw the first fish of the day around a pound and a half. A few minutes on from that, and she was in again. This time to a much better fish which fought hard in an attempt to reach the snags. A new PB by an ounce, and I was treated to a great dinner that evening, earning an extra helping.

Mary Ann’s PB. Demonstrating that dropshotting with lobworm can be very effective.
A great way to understand bites and line control before transitioning to lures.
It catches a few belters too​

An evening fish. During the run back from a tough day’s pike fishing, we decided to drop by one of the snag piles. I expected a fish or two to be holding tight to the feature in bright conditions. So I decided to rig up with a new Savage Reaction Cray on a cheb head and fish in the snags. I cast into the feature and slowly worked my lure back, feeling the lure and line bouncing off the timber, snagging a couple of times, but quickly freeing the lure with a ping of the braid. I felt a few taps in the process, briefly connecting with a fish.

Once again, I repeated the process. Suddenly, I felt a thump as a fish inhaled my lure. Setting the hook I felt the tell-tale head shakes of a decent perch. The rod hunched over on tight drag as I pulled the fish away from the snags. A short, powerful fight followed as the fish dived back to the cover. I wasn’t giving an inch, and soon netted my prize. A beautiful perch.

This long perch looked amazing in the evening sun
​

A crayfish pattern, engulfed

​

The post Lure Fishing with Robbie Northman #34 first appeared on FishingMagic Magazine.

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[Robbie Northman]

Perch Fishing – Autumn Tactics to Try

Autumn has arrived, and the predator fishing has really begun to kick off.

Last week I wrote about my perch sessions accompanied by the twins and their mum. With so much to cover, I didn’t really get a chance to dive into the tactics. So this week I’m going to cover the lures we used, alternative options, and why we use them and how to retrieve them. With some captures from the week that’s just passed.

Autumn perch fishing can be challenging and fun. Cooling water temperatures trigger them to feed in short aggressive spells. While slower static tactics work, I like to have a set-up ready with faster reaction baits, waiting to capitalise on periodic moments of action when the bigger fish feed. Here are some of the tactics my friends and I have been using to tempt perch this autumn.

NED RIGGING

The ever faithful Ned rig, and associated styles, are perhaps the easiest methods to come to grips with. They work all year round through most conditions. Easy to fish and effective. A good stock of Ned baits have become a staple in most perch anglers’ armouries. Fishing them is simple, light balanced tackle paired with relatively light weights, contact is key. Fish as light a weight as you can while maintaining good feel.

If you have to fish heavy in your river, try free-running Texas and Carolina rigs. Keep the movement subtle and crisp, small hops of the rod tip with brief pauses is a great place to start. From there you can add or remove aggression, raising the height and distance of the hops, even slowing down to a drag. Many takes come on the drop or pause. How long to pause is a good question. There’s no exact science, and it varies from venue to venue with conditions etc. 1-3 seconds is a good start, but on some occasions dead-sticking the lure for 10 seconds or more will entice a take.

A selection of Worm and Ned-style lures
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A crayfish-style Ned bait tempted this pretty perch​

SHADS

Shads are not just a bottom lure for jigging, rather a tool for searching the water column. Match the speed to a fish’s mood in much the way you might fish a spinner or crankbait. I might see a shoal of roach on the surface in 12ft of water and want to run a lure slowly and consistently 9ft down, mimicking a wounded straggler.

The running depth and speed of a Shad vary, depending on the choice of jig head you pair them with. A bulky profiled 9cm Shad paired with a 3g jig head may be the perfect solution for running at a depth of 3-5ft in flow. If I want to speed up the retrieve, slow it down, fish deeper, or pause the lure, I’ll alter the jig weight. A lethal method when fish are feeding aggressively, or to search bodies of water, accounting for my own PB.

Shads on various jig heads​

CHATTERBAITS

Finesse Chatterbaits certainly have their moments. They are quite versatile, whether used as a search bait or jigged. Productive at night, they also work in clear and murky water. I’ll often give Chatterbaits a few minutes in a quiet swim before moving on, they regularly entice a surprise. I find they come into their own in areas with a lot of baitfish.

When fish are spoilt for choice, giving them something different which appeals to multiple senses can often grab a quick bite. Straight retrieves and jigging retrieves can both work. I prefer curl tail and creaturebait trailers, although shads work too.

A bass-style Chatterbait (top) with finesse versions below
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This quality perch fell for the middle Chatterbait set-up​

CRANKBAITS

One of my favourites for covering water. I’m rarely without a selection of Crankbaits. I prefer tighter-actioned fat-profile Cranks in warmer water. Experimenting with different running depths and colours is the key to making them work.

Floating and sinking Crankbaits both have their moments, although floating versions are a little more forgiving when working over snags and structure. A steady wind is perfect, adding pauses and stops once locating fish, to induce better takes.

Sometimes you can’t beat a Crankbait for finding fish​

CREATURES

Creature baits or Crayfish imitations come in many styles. But, I think they fit into two categories, with some that cross over between. There are those that are designed with minimal movement, and flat or natural appendages for slower techniques, and those with wild flapping arms and lots of movement that suit faster or steady retrieves. Both are equally effective, and don’t have to be fished in any intended way.

For slow winter fishing I prefer the first style. The rest of the time I love a Creature with lots of action. Jig, dropshot, weedless, as a trailer. Perch are hardwired to eat them. Whether out of primal instinct or curiosity, Crayfish imitations work on many venues, including those which seemingly have no crays. I enjoy fishing the flapping style on heavier weights. Moving them fast and close to the bottom with very brief pauses. The takes are often very aggressive.

There are many other styles of lure to try, but these are the ones that have been the most prolific for me so far this autumn and in the past.

Crayfish imitations catch big perch. The natural style (top) vs the swimming style (bottom)​

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[Robbie Northman]

Piking Problems

Alongside tracking down perch we’ve been out targeting pike. Usually, October is a month full of insane action, aggressive takes, and numbers of hungry pike. This season has been a little more of a struggle. Pike numbers are certainly in decline, and with the recent approval of the great broad project, Broadlands’ fishing future remains uncertain.

Despite over seven years of study and analysis, proving that Hoveton Great Broad is an essential habitat and major spawning site for bream, the Environment Agency folded to Natural England’s plans to separate the waterway, and remove the fish in a bio-manipulation project. Flushing the research down the river as eagerly as the water companies ditch sewage in a downpour. It seems our favourite aquatic inhabitants really are being defeated in many ways.

Anyway that’s enough rant for one blog. There are still great fish around, and struggling is as much down to my poor fishing decisions as any other problem. So it was time to find the solution…

Fish like this beautiful double have made regular appearances.
The real big ones still remain elusive. ​

Lure size and clear water have been the biggest factors that have influenced our fishing in recent weeks. Rain water has had a very different effect here, cleaning out the broads rather than colouring them. This clear water has presented some interesting challenges. While casting our regular pike size lures we’ve had an abnormal number of lazy follows and aborted takes. During the day the side-scanning sonar is picking up few fish in the river, with more showing after dark. Night lure fishing is one option of course, but how do we capitalise on our daytime sessions?

Fishing closer to dawn and dusk has produced fish, that leaves a very long quiet part of the day. Moving to tidal areas where the water is more coloured has helped with putting a few fish on the boat. The biggest factor influencing success seems to be lure size. Small lures pitched into deep cover have been successful at singling out daytime fish. Explorative casting with flashy little vibe baits and jerkbaits have proven productive too.

When it comes to chasing down consistent pike it seems going bigger has been the key. While in past years I’ve found 15-20cm lures to be plenty large enough, it seems now they want a proper meal. It’s been time to pull the big lures out, and fishing with giant 200g-plus swimbaits and tailbaits seems like the most consistent way to get the bites. I found myself raiding the box of big bait classics. Lures like the Savage Gear 25cm Line Thru Roach and 30-40cm Burbots.

Fishing with lures like these is tiring, 8ft 6 heavy swimbait rods, with a power winch of a bait caster, loaded with 80lb braid. The difference has been phenomenal, no more lazy follows just slamming takes. The average stamp has still been relatively small, with scraper and low doubles, however we’re getting somewhere. I’m sure as the rivers cool and colour up the bigger fish will begin to show. It’s still early after all.

On to a few catches.



Sam tempted this pike on a small lipless crank, a little 9cm Rapala. We had set out early that morning in darkness, arriving at the first spot of the day in heavy mist. After a short while fishing in the area we noticed our lures bumping the backs of baitfish quite high in the water column. I suggested we switch from slower shads and tailbaits to lures with a little more action, picking out hardbaits. The change quickly produced a few fish. Then suddenly, Sam’s tip slammed around and he was in to a better one. On light tackle the fight was fierce, the fish used the flow to full advantage. Expecting a fish much larger we were surprised, but not disappointed, when a pretty low double breeched beside the boat.

Ben also experienced results with smaller hard baits. After a morning’s perch fishing, we moved into a shallow area where predators often hunt. Working away with a range of lures the swim was uneventful until Ben rigged up a KVD Jerk. Flashing and twitching the lure along the drop-off in hopes of a perch or pike, his wish was quickly granted. A slack line take followed by a steady run from strong pike. The subtle approach had worked again and Ben quickly netted a double.





I on the other hand, continued to persevere with the big lures, hopeful that I’d tempt a giant. Well, the giants were elusive, but upscaling did bring some great action. Casting the big lures shallow and drawing them out of the cover produced some really exciting action. Fish in the low doubles inhaled the giant lures at the side of the boat. The fight’s just as hectic on the heavy gear, with more power and contact direct to the fish. Noticing the resistance, they try hard to shake the hooks, often leaping and tail walking in the end stages of the fight. Exciting fishing.





Next week it’s back to perch, with trips to some new venues planned over the next few days.



The post Lure Fishing with Robbie Northman #36 first appeared on FishingMagic Magazine.

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[Robbie Northman]

Monsters Emerge

It’s been an eventful week, many miles travelled across countless venues, with plenty of perch action and lots to write about. So where do I start? Let’s begin with the changing conditions and first leg of my journey.

A weather front had set in, smothering England in a cloud of conditions that predator anglers dream of. A long high-pressure front has drawn to a close, replaced by wind, cloud, rainstorms and more importantly, low air pressure. It was a sudden drop, within a day it had plummeted to the sub 1000s, and the drop continued to 990mb. These are conditions I relish for a big fish. While they sometimes take a while to adjust, a steady week could lead to a great chance at catching a giant. I crossed my fingers, hopeful the smaller stamp of fish would slow down and the big ones would feed. In these conditions it can feel dire at times, but once you get it right you’re rewarded.

I hopped in the car southbound, ready for a couple of days filming. Beforehand I had to drop by the twins’ (Rob and Sam) place in London. With a day spare, I was keen to experience some Southern perch. We arrived at the canal in darkness for our first spot of the day. As expected, in the conditions bites were few and far between. Then we found them. Sam cast a creaturebait tight to a far bank bush, hooking up to a great perch at 2lb 12oz. Moments later he was in again, an almost identical fish.

I quickly covered the area with my lure, hooking up to another solid perch. A few jagged runs later and the line went slack! It was gone. My best chance at a really big one for the day. Not disheartened after losing a fish we carried on. Trying some river sections too. All in all a great day, with some lovely perch and bonus pike. We never quite matched the morning’s action and the real monsters remained elusive, wondering if I lost it that morning.

These Southern perch are very pretty.
The first difference I noticed, the rosy fins and plump bodies​

The next morning began with a drive further South West, and later North, on a two-day video shoot for the Savage Gear UK YouTube channel. The plan, to create a series of fishing tutorials that also showcase an amazing range of lures coming later this year. To make the challenge interesting, we decided to mix things up. Instead of doing all the fishing, I was joined by Ed Betteridge from Prologic. Ed’s an accomplished carp angler with very little lure fishing experience.

Now here’s the challenge, to tutor Ed on the rigs, techniques and control needed for lure fishing, while ticking two targets off the list over two independent sessions. Target one, a PB perch or 2lber, and target two a PB Zander. Canals would be the venue of choice, and we certainly had a mammoth task ahead. After building confidence with smaller perch, Ed fished with finesse. It was time for me to take a step back.

Sure enough, an hour or so later he connected to a much better fish. The rod hunched over and Ed yelled out with excitement. I sprung into action, bounding down the towpath, net at the ready. Arriving without a moment to spare as a sizeable fish thrashed at the surface, I lunged towards it. Seconds later and it was in! Kicking off what would become a great two days for Ed.


Ed was happy to achieve a PB. Although it didn’t hit the target 2lb, at 1lb 15oz it’s as close as you get

It seems fitting to write about monsters. Typing away on Halloween Eve, ghosts, ghouls, but I prefer monsters from the deep…

Keen to capitalise on the low pressure conditions I ventured out, braving the high wind, gloom, and showers. Fishing was tough, a bite here and there, with long periods of inactivity between. One return trip to the car for a fresh set of dry clothes, it was one of those days. The average stamp was great, keeping me motivated. While searching for a big perch I caught a few pike up to low doubles, and a handful of chunky perch in the pound plus range.

Time was running out. With darkness beginning to take over, the bites dried up on conventional soft plastics. I spotted a swirl around scattering fry, close to structure, and quickly rigged up with a crazy blade jig and cray trailer. I cast towards the action, unsure if this was a perch or pike, hopeful for either. The jig hit the deck and I flicked the rod tip, creating aggressive bounces, triggering the blade’s motion before pausing and letting the cray do its work. Bounce, sink, pause, repeat. Super-focused knowing a fish was in the area, it felt like an eternity as I continued my repetition.

Sink, pause, bang! A ferocious take, I set the hook hard, the fish responded by ripping several yards of line from the drag before kiting to the left. A pike? My instinct told me to take it steady, backing the drag off slightly, allowing the fish to take another short run. The head shakes began, thumping through the rod in a much more perchy style. I’ve been fooled before. Suddenly! Through failing light I caught a glimpse. The epic proportions made me uneasy, certain a four pound perch was on the end of the line. I coaxed the fish towards me, net at the ready and stomach in mouth.

It was over! I stayed silent, revelling in the moment, gaining my composure. At 48cms on the comp measure, this fish was big, amongst my longest. I was surprised when the scales only read 3lb 14oz. A crayfish away from that magical 4. One corker of a fish and my best so far this winter, a tough one to top, but there’s plenty of time yet. Watching that beauty return to the depths had ignited my perch passion, eager for the weeks ahead.

My monster from the deep, 3lb 14oz​

Length or weight? I enjoy knowing both.
While amongst my longest it’s far from my heaviest
​

My new favourite chatterbait combo produced the bite​

The post Lure Fishing with Robbie Northman #37 first appeared on FishingMagic Magazine.

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[Robbie Northman]

Night Time – Bite Time

We’re back at that time of year where the days seem unsettlingly short. Light at seven, dark at four. All too often difficult to juggle fishing alongside many other commitments. Weekends on the bank seem busier than ever, difficult to find that peace and quiet. I often find release by fishing at night. Perch and pike will feed long into darkness, particularly in areas with artificial light, clear water, or heavy angling pressure. There’s one species that consistently feeds through darkness… zander.

Zander are a species I began to target more over past years. Aside from the odd reservoir session, I only dabbled in zander fishing. After catching a few big ones on the reservoirs, I set my sights on a Fenland double. It was a journey across countless venues through varying conditions, but I managed to achieve my goal with some great back-up fish. I was keen to return the following season, then Covid happened! As my nearest zander fix was over an hour’s drive away, I was unable to fish for them and placed them in the back of my mind.

With the beginning of the week’s weather still consistent and low air pressure, I decided to head out and meet some friends for a social session. With the guys at work through the day, night fishing would be the only way to catch up. What better a way to do it than zander fishing? We fished casually, chatting away, casting in the darkness, deciding to work a specific area in the hopes they’d switch on. It wasn’t long before a few small ones made an appearance, falling for small paddle tail shads. The action was slow and the bites very finicky, although conditions felt good for a quality stamp of fish.

Suddenly, I watched my friend’s rod lunge over as a decent fish hit the lure, shaking its head for a few moments before dropping off. He had struck hard, but unlucky, left with a single puncture on the lure and kinked fluorocarbon. No doubt a sizeable zander. We continued fishing, working our way through the lure colours to find what they wanted. I had been fishing natural, but chose to switch over to a white 7cm shad. I worked the lure through the darkness with twitchy vertical pops of the rod tip and controlled drops. Often zander will hit the lure as it sinks, so I try to maintain good contact.

Sure enough, as the lure dropped through the water I felt a faint tap through the rod and set the hook. As the fish kicked and thrashed in the current, I was certain it was zander. The tell-tail shakes and short runs gave it away long before it emerged thrashing at the surface. After my best attempts at knocking the fish off while disorientated in the darkness, it was finally in the net. My first quality zander in over a year. Wow, it felt good to get off the mark on this fascinating species again. I slipped the fish back, enjoying the release through torchlight, happy to end my session, eager to return and try again.

Dropshotting can be deadly for zander, tonight they were tuned into the jigs
​

Off the mark! My first decent Z of the winter​

A CHANGE IN CONDITIONS

I was joined by Stuart and Matt for some lure fishing on the Broads. Stuart visits every year, but for Matt it would be the first time. Stuart has some tough-to-beat PBs, while Matt, being new to lure fishing, was in with a real shot at breaking his. The conditions were going to be tough, crystal-clear water and a sudden shift from very low to very high air pressure. This can really kill the bite. Despite the odds being stacked against us, the perch hunt began.

We covered two river systems in search of stripes, finding an unusual amount of small jacks on the feed. These crafty devils are great at giving you the illusion of a giant perch, up until that tell-tale cucumber shape appears. Great action none the less, with Matt managing his PB pike after spending some time with the larger lures. The perch were seemingly planted hard on the deck and amongst structure, unwilling to feed in any great numbers. We persevered with an array of tactics from shads, creature baits, ned rigs etc.

As the light began to fade the action increased, and we made the decision to move to a new area in search of a better stamp. Half a dozen casts later Matt was in, creeping a ned rig along the bottom with long pauses. This produced a much more positive bite. A powerful fish stayed deep, making short runs around the boat, much like those crafty small pike, but the fast head bumps made us certain it was a perch. I readied myself with the net as a striped flank broke the surface. A quality 40cms 2lb 7oz perch was landed – Matt’s new PB. Certainly a memorable trip.

Stuart took a trip down memory lane, catching perch at a favourite location


A PB perch for Matt…


…and a PB pike on the 20cm goby shad​

Next week I’m jumping out of my element to try something new, I’m excited to write about the experience in what will hopefully be an action-packed blog.



The post Lure Fishing with Robbie Northman #38 first appeared on FishingMagic Magazine.

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[Robbie Northman]

The Zander Cup

Last week I ended my blog with plans to try something new.

Alex Mason and I decided to team up and enter our first UK lure fishing competition. ‘The Zander Cup’ at Rutland water. A team competition with a longest total length format. No minimum size and one target fish, zander. The goal would be consistency and efficiency. Catching non-stop would be the key to placing high in the ranks, and with some incredibly skilled anglers competing it would be a true challenge. Alex has fly and lure fished the reservoirs for years, while I’ve fished Rutland just once before. Both of us are new to competitive angling and had planned to have at least one practice session before the competition. Unfortunately, with busy schedules that didn’t happen. We were going in blind!

Alex at the ready​

I arrived at Alex’s the night before the comp to rig the rods, pack the gear, and scoff a 12 inch pizza, ready for an 8.00am meet at the lodge. Morning came, we arrived to a busy car park, full of keen zander anglers itching to get fishing. After a briefing, loading boats, and a quick social, 52 anglers / 26 boats motored off to the start line. We followed shortly after, once I figured out how to start the engine. Go! We all took off at a top speed of about 4mph to our chosen spots. After 10 minutes or so we arrived, setting up for our first drift of the day, and realized we hadn’t attached lures yet. Alex rigged up with a 4 inch fluke, while I tied on a smaller 7 cms shad.

We threw the drogue overboard and began our drift, surrounded by many other boats, this must have been a hot area during pre-fishing. Within moments Alex was in, boating the first fish of the day. A quick photo on the measure and release. Woohoo! we were on the board. I quickly matched his lure, boating another just as Alex hooked in to a zander, finishing the first drift with four fish. We re-positioned for drift two and soon landed another four small zander.

Repositioning for drift three, we were coming to the end of the first hour, as more boats gathered on the productive zone things began to change. Over the next few drifts we managed just one fish and some very finicky bites. Watching others battling through similar problems, Alex and I agreed on a decision to move, seeking out fish in a less pressured area of the lake.

Marking and targeting specific contours with c-map charts
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A big zander holding on the deck. We were looking for groups of smaller fish​

I used the chart on my Lowrance FS9 to pick out likely contours in the lake bed, which would hold fish, then we scanned over the areas with live sonar to look for signs of life. My hunch proved correct, we found a concentration of fish hanging around a very small drop-off. I set some way points and we set up for our first drift in the new area.

This time Alex fished with his proven lure, while I switched back to the small paddle tail. Bang! As the lure hit the deck, Alex set the hooks on a better zander at 66cms. I followed shortly with a 55. We continued on, catching a better stamp of fish until the lunch report came in. We were just two fish from third place with a larger gap for second and mammoth task for first. Ryan Dolby and Jim Starr were just a metre behind, then the gap was vast.

We knew we would need eight fish an hour to the boat to secure a podium finish. A tough call had to be made. We had managed that in the first spot before the bites died. In spot two, however, we were boating four-five per hour and creeping up the leader board. Do we stay or do we go? A decision that could help or haunt us…

A 66cms zander for Alex
​

Another handy 50cms fish. My hat took flight,
luckily I had my buff at the ready to keep my head warm​

We decided to stay, hoping we would make up the difference with a better average stamp of fish. We continued fishing hard for the next two hours, doubling up at times, certain we were secure for fourth, hopeful to creep into third. Suddenly! Disaster struck! A competition angler’s worst nightmare. While lifting a 50cm+ zander from the net to measure, Alex got spiked, dropping the fish back into the water. Realisation hit us and Alex was kicking himself, it happens and we soon laughed it off, joking about a 50cm gap for third.

I myself had cost us a few important fish. While measuring and submitting the catches, I had a tremendous take, setting the hook with my left hand I was nervous through the fight. A heavy fish was on the line, thumping through the rod. I tried hard to keep the pressure on, yet everything went slack. Painful! The size and frequency of our catches began to reduce in spot two. We decided to gamble, heading to a final area Alex has fished in the past.

Time for one last drift. Immediately after throwing the drogue Alex was in and so was I, two fish close to the 50cm mark. As the minutes counted down we managed one more before heading back to the jetty with five minutes to spare. Idiots! We had arrived back at the jetty for 3.45pm, mistaking that for beat return, when in fact it was the end of submissions. We laughed it off, knowing we could have had another drift in the productive area. At the same time exhausted, relieved to be done for the day.

The reports came in, and the guys in the top three had fished exceptionally well with a secure lead. It was now a battle for 4th 5th and 6th. We finished in 5th place, 84cms or two fish behind 4th and with the guys in 6th just 18cm behind us, who captured the biggest zander of the day. Alex and I were thrilled with 5th on our first competition against seasoned competition anglers. We will definitely try again soon.

The final results​

Congratulations to the comp winners.

1st place – Alan Robson & Andy Dougan.

2nd place – Egidijus Venckus & Romualdas kokstis.

3rd place – Thom Hunt & Kevin Cox.




The post Lure Fishing with Robbie Northman #39 first appeared on FishingMagic Magazine.

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[Robbie Northman]

A Triumphant Return

After a little rest and recovery from the weekend’s competition it was time to head back out on the water. The air pressure remained high, the wind had dropped, warm daytime temperatures filled me with confidence. It was time to get the boat out again in search of a few bites. I loaded up and set off on a long motor towards my chosen location for the day.

This beautifully marked pike made an appearance during a quick stop on route to the comp​

I arrived in the first area, working every inch of the river, hopping from spot to spot, covering structure and open water with both hard and soft lures. Hours passed by with just a few wasps and missed bites for my efforts. It wasn’t looking good. The sun was high at this point and the water gin-clear. With nothing showing on the sonar it seemed the fish were either hard on the bottom or holding tight to structure. I decided to move on in search of deeper and more coloured water.

Finally! After hours of searching and scratching for bites I found a few fish. Casting around a ned rig I tempted one, then another, and then another. They were small but plentiful, surely a few bigger fish were on the prowl. Given the aggressive nature of the takes I switched over to my favourite Gravity Twitch jerkbait and began teasing it through the swim. A few twitches, long pause, half-turn wind, I repeated the process. I felt a small tap and struck, quickly feeling the head shakes of a better perch. I landed the fish, a great little scrapper around a pound and very lightly hooked.

I cast again using a similar technique, this time a few tentative little taps. I persevered, catching a few more then switched back to a more static ned rig to clean up the stragglers. I spent a good hour cycling between the ned and Twitch consistently catching fish. Eventually I hooked up with a bigger perch, plodding away around the boat. I soon gained control and netted the fish. A chunky specimen around a pound and a half at a guess. It was an enjoyable hour or so of fishing, eventually the bites dried up and I had to resume the search.

The Gravity Twitch 95mm tempted a better stamp of perch
​

Dusk was drawing closer, and after experiencing a brief feeding spell I was certain they would switch on as the light levels fell. I returned to my original plan, moving from spot to spot in search of predators on the feed. It started slow but as dusk drew ever closer the bites began to increase. Small perch were beginning to show in numbers, but I couldn’t break through to the size I desired.

Almost dark, I decided to gamble. Motoring ten minutes to an area I expected to find a few bigger fish. I started in the swim with a creature bait hoping to single out something larger. Fishing it with aggressive lifts and long drops on a light jig head. Lift, drop, pause, repeat. While the lure sat paused for a second or so I felt a tap and struck. My 2-10g Custom UL hunched over, I was in!

I gained ground, quickly cranking the fish towards the boat with clicking drag, then it woke up. The perch fought back, making aggressive dives to the bottom of the river, there was little I could do but back the drag off and hang on. The usual perch fight takes place once you hook them, this one certainly saved the best ’till last. Continuing its escape attempts until it breeched and I made a quick scoop with the net. With little time left to fish I didn’t weigh this one opting to grab a quick measurement. 45cms, a cracking fish, an old warrior guessing by its looks.

The light was gone and after a few casts with the creature baits I decided to try one last tactic before packing up. I picked up the rod with the Gravity Twitch rigged up. Hopeful that a combination of the rattle and slow-suspending presentation would grab the attention of any predators feeding under moonlight. I searched around with a twitch and pause retrieve. Twitch, twitch, slam! A fish hit the lure with ferocity jolting my arm and taking metres of drag. This wasn’t a perch!

I tightened the drag on my 7-21g Casting Combo in an attempted to slow the fish. Eventually, I managed to turn it, spotting a large boil on the surface. I manoeuvred the fish towards the boat. A second bout of energy and the fish took off, running towards me and straight under the boat. I dropped the rod tip beneath the water, coaxing it out, and a long flank broke the surface. A quality metre-plus pike. A few failed attempts and she finally hit the net. A great way to end the session, now in total darkness.

A quality perch to finish on
​

This big pike was more than welcome


​

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[Robbie Northman]

My Favourite Weedless Perch Rig

When it comes to rigs, particularly for perch, we all have our preferences. My favourite, which has remained at the top of my list for a long time, is the Jika rig. The Jika has been around a while now, yet I still use it on a regular basis. It’s one of the easiest, most versatile weedless set-ups to use. Today I’ll cover my Jika set-up, when I use it, and how I work it.

What is the Jika? The Jika rig consists of an offset hook and weight mounted on a split ring. Most anglers have done away with the split ring, instead using a micro clip. This makes the Jika compatible with both fluorocarbon and wire traces. It’s incredibly simple to set up. You open the clip, either on the trace or leader, whichever you choose, slide the hook on to the clip, point up, then slide on your chosen weight, close the clip, add a lure, and you’re ready to fish. Easy!

Jika components​

Ease of use. Using other weedless tactics, Texas, Carolina and cheb rigs require either an additional clip, or re-tying to change the hardware. Weights, hooks and lures are very easily changed when using the Jika rig. This is an incredibly important aspect for me when it comes to mid-winter fishing.

Perch can be really fickle in cold conditions, often I want to fish as light a weight as possible, or drop to a smaller lure and hook. This can really make a difference for confident bites when moving from fast water to slacks etc. In freezing conditions, re-rigging or rummaging through tackle boxes is not pleasant. I’m often armed with a few hooks, weights, and lure options in my pocket for easy changing.

Advantages of the Jika. A huge range of movement makes the Jika rig perfect for creature baits, small shads and ned lures. The hook and weight move freely, allowing the lure to drop vertically, with a fair separation from the bottom before it settles. Combined with floating soft plastics, it allows a great stand-up profile. I prefer to use the Jika rig with longer pencil-style weights. Pear and bomb designs work great too.

The longer weights allow you to fish over silty, soft bottoms with lots of debris. They knock and move over small snags and obstructions, and don’t sink as far into silt as conventional rigs, allowing you to ensure your lures are snag-free. The little puff of silt the weight makes as the lure glides along the bottom often triggers fish as a visual attractant. To sum it up, the Jika is a great rig over silty, hard and snaggy bottoms, but it does catch weed a little more easily than Texas and cheb rigs.

A wide range of movement​

How to fish the Jika. Although you can swim the rig, the Jika performs best fished close to the bottom. Aggressive vertical jumps with a controlled drop work well; due to the flexibility of the hook and weight, the lure will swim down on the drop settling briefly upright. This is often when the takes come. Feeling the lure through snags and debris is effective. Drag, lift and pulse the lure, feeling your way around the structure.

Crawling the lure over silt works great too. With the weights often being around an inch long you can drag the lure along silt and sand. The weight will work the bottom, stirring it up, while the lure flutters above. A slow steady retrieve works great for this, add pauses of varying length, depending on the feeding mood. If you haven’t tried it yet give the Jika a go.

Engulfed, Jika with a ball-style weight​

A PUZZLING WEEKEND

Aside from fishing, the rest of my past week was spent at Lathams Fishing Tackle in Potter Heigham. Each year we hold a Savage Gear open weekend at the store, with a few of us on site offering tutorials and demos. The weekend is always a great success in my eyes, with many local youngsters dropping by to learn a little bit more about lure fishing.

This year was no different, with some great young anglers turning up. Jamie, Rory, Rowan, Liam, to name a few. All absolutely mad about fishing. Unfortunately, the weather was pretty extreme with driving rain, wind, hail and sleet. We did, however, manage a few casts during dry spells.

It was quite a troubling weekend fishing-wise. Usually we would encounter a good number of pike with our combined efforts. This year they were incredibly elusive, with a handful of small fish banked and one good one lost.

Back in Easter the Broads received yet another huge salt surge, killing hundreds of thousands, if not close to millions of fish. With changing weather and more North Westerly winds battering the Norfolk coast, these events are becoming more frequent and severe than ever.

During our weekend at Lathams, I encountered John Currie from the PAC who was monitoring salt levels during yet another surge, tying in with the end of our show. It’s a worrying truth, threatening the very future of fish stocks on the Broads, the only solution a tidal barrier at Yarmouth. But, with the EA letting us down on other issues surrounding angling, such as the Great Broad Project, will the Broads ever receive the help it needs..?

Rory joined me on the bank for a tutorial. He had banked a 20lber to deadbait a week before. Now his sights are set on a big perch
​

Our new videographer Ben managed his first perch on a lure, he topped it shortly after with a fish around a pound.
After years of fishing, finding something new has peaked his interest, now he’s hooked!
​

I fished into darkness determined to catch a pike. As I slipped this one back, I wondered what the future holds for the Broads



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[Robbie Northman]

Wet Weather. Short Sessions

This past week we’ve endured rain, rain, and yet more rain. Despite having to put on wellies in order to reach the boat, I managed to get out on the water during calmer spells for a few short sessions. The variation in conditions this week proved interesting, with different styles of lure and tactics working on different days. Although not every session resulted in big fish, the numbers have certainly been good on those small stamp days, perhaps the recent influx of cold water is finally beginning to make them shoal. It does generally get better from this point of the winter on.

Armed with confidence and a score to settle after a tough weekend at Lathams, I arrived at the shed to retrieve the boat. I hadn’t quite realized how high the river was! The jetty was well underwater, and my boat shoes wouldn’t help. So after the short delay I finally made it on water at around mid-day. I motored over to the first spot, certain I would find fish and get off the mark quickly. That was not the case. After 40 minutes searching water with suspending jerk baits, I was yet to get a bite. I swapped over to a crayfish on the Jika rig and decided to search back over the water. Aside from a few tentative taps and pulls on the claws I didn’t land a fish.

I decided to scale down further, rigging up my 2-10g Ultralight set-up. I dropped down to 7lb fluorocarbon and tied on a small prototype plastic. This little lure comes out later this month, and has already been a banker for good perch. At just two inches in length and very realistic, it’s been a winner on tough days. I rigged the lure up on a 3g head and proceeded to work it around the swim. Big vertical hops and long drops with extended pauses, I wanted the lure to be visible falling through the water column while being slow enough for lethargic fish.

Hop, drop, bang! While the lure was sinking, I felt a solid tap and set the hook, realizing instantly I was in trouble. Drag screamed on the reel and the braid sung in the wind, I knew instantly this was a pike. No wonder the perch weren’t feeding! I kept the drag light and rod movements subtle, knowing I was on totally underclassed kit. The pike quickly turned, swimming toward me, before bolting off on another screaming run at the boat. I managed a quick glimpse at a fish, easily mid-doubles.

Trying to maintain composure I once again eased the fish towards the boat, working it to the surface. It caught sight of the net and bolted, water erupting as the fish turned. Observing a shorter run, I tightened the drag and manoeuvred the fish towards the boat, net at the ready. She spotted me again but it was too late, in position I blocked the pike’s path and it swam reluctantly into the net. A cracking fish at bang on a metre and around 17lbs. Not the intended target, but I was happy. After releasing the fish, I continued on my perch hunt, fishing was difficult. I managed very few bites, tempting a handful of small fish before moving on.

I was thrilled with this quality pike on the perch kit
​

Vibrant markings on this thick-backed fish​

I arrived at another likely location, this time starting with the small lure that had gotten bites throughout the day. Fanning my casts around the swim for twenty minutes or so, I was still without a bite. I decided to switch tactics, running some crankbaits and jerks through the area. This time I had a follow from a smaller pike around 8lb or so, but still no committed takes. I should have bought the pike kit. I made one final change, certain fish would be in the area. This time I set up a 9cm Reaction Cray on a very light Jika rig. I planned on fishing quite aggressively, hoping the large flapping claws would trigger a reaction.

A few minutes later I felt a thud on the drop and set the hook, instantly feeling the tell-tale head shakes of a perch as it ran back to the depths. This one was a powerful fish, non-stop diving to the bottom as the rod hunched over. Eventually I eased the fish to the surface, netting my prize. A great fish of 40cms that I left un-weighed. I continued on with my session, as darkness drew closer the bites began to tail off. The recent trend of last-minute fish had come to an end.

A beautiful perch
​

I often measure good fish I don’t plan on weighing
​

With a gaping mouth a 9cm cray is no problem for a hungry perch​

I often wonder what makes fish alternate between low light feeding and daytime feeding. Certainly, with perch I’ve observed that in periods of cold water with freezing nights they seem ready to feed in daylight. While when the water’s clear or temperatures are consistent, they become most confident at dusk. Of course, they can feed at any time in between. Yet another mystery to ponder in the quest to understand more about predator fishing.




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[Robbie Northman]

Late Night Bites

To mix my fishing up I left Norfolk, opting to head out in search of zander. I planned on fishing a quick evening session before stopping at a friend’s and really going for it the next morning.

I arrived at the venue about an hour before dusk, prime time for a zander or two. I rigged my rods, one with a dropshot, the other a shad, and began searching. Moving down the bank twenty yards, after working each area thoroughly, I swapped and changed my lure colour as I went, hoping to find one they would be confident with. I started bright, working towards more natural colours.

However, I was yet to get my first bite. The clock was ticking, darkness beginning to creep in, sunset was non-existent, thick clouds from endless rainstorms smothered my surroundings in a dull winter gloom. Each spot move proved challenging on steep slippery Fenland banks. I scratched my head, running low on ideas and took one last rummage through the lure bag.

As it was a dull, grey, evening, maybe a lure in dark green, brown or black would produce a bite? Dark colours do stand out very well in bleak conditions. I found a lure perfect for the job and made a few casts. It wasn’t long until I experienced that tell-tale zander tap. Missing the first bite I continued my retrieve. Slow and low seemed to be the technique today, they were planted on the deck.

I felt another tap, quickly setting the hook, I was in! The rod buckled over as I played an energetic zander, no monster but a great fighting fish that thrashed its way towards the net. Great to be off the mark, I continued on, landing another smaller zander before I finally connected with something bigger. Thump, thump, thump, solid head shakes followed by slack as it slipped the hook. Was it a pike or zander? I was due to leave but excitement kept me going for another 10 minutes…

My pit-stop session was rewarded with a couple of zander​

After some food and rest it was time to head out for Round Two. I had arranged to meet up with Tom Knight. I’ve met Tom before, he approached me recently to arrange some fishing. A great opportunity to catch up, share some stories, tips and tricks. We decided to get an early start, heading out just after 2:30am for some night-time zander fishing.

A quick scope of venue and we were ready to go, armed with dropshot and jig combos. The first few swims were quiet so we kept on the move. It wasn’t long before we began to get small knocks and takes, most likely from small zander.

It would be a case of swapping, changing and working it out. Eventually, we would find a presentation they were confident in. Tom and I fished opposites to speed up the process. I fished a shad on the jig, while Tom used a crayfish on dropshot. Tom fished a dark lure while I fished bright. If any particular tactic put fish on the bank we would replicate it.

I turned around to the click of a drag and Tom was in, moments later it was off. He continued working the swim while I missed a few tentative bites on the shad. Minutes later he was in again. Small zander? The rod tip thumped away and I readied the net. I stood puzzled for a moment as a striped flank broke the surface, a decent perch. Usually the zander are far more prolific at night here. We continued for another twenty minutes in the swim, with no more fish, before moving on.

A perch to kick off the night session​

The next two swims were quiet so we continued, arriving in a banker area. It didn’t take Tom long to get into a fish. A powerful fight, surely a zander? A perch broke the surface as I readied the net, almost identical in size to the first. Two fish to the dropshot crayfish, it was time to match the tactic. I rigged up with a similar lure on my dropshot set-up, and moments later I was in. This one was a zander.

The rest of the session was full of excitement, with appearances from yet more perch and some bonus pike, all under cover of darkness. As day broke we packed up and moved venues, searching out places neither of us had fished before. A great chance to explore, Tom banking a really beautiful perch just over three pounds.

It was an interesting session with outcomes that still puzzle me. Tom had been the man for perch, catching quality fish, while I seemed to tempt the zander, even when fishing identical tactics. All I can put it down to is a difference in our retrieve styles. Tom’s being subtle, consistent and slow, while mine was aggressive with pauses. My cogs are turning now, so I’ll definitely have to experiment more based on my hunches.

The best perch of the night
​

Meanwhile I tempted small zander
​

The venue hunt proved successful, this low 3 made the session one to remember​

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[Robbie Northman]

Ned Success

After weeks of referring to my top catchers as “prototype” or “test lure” we have a release date! I can finally reveal some of the latest lures Savage Gear are releasing at the end of January. Although much of my perch fishing is done with larger shads, creature baits and hard lures, when the going’s tough there’s one tactic that stands tall as a consistent catcher. Ned Rigging. Small buoyant in-their-face lures that often prove irresistible to lethargic predators. There’s a big range of finesse perch and ned lures coming out in 2022. This week I’ll cover the first two to be released and how I fish with the ned rig.

THE NEW LURES

When it comes to ned rigging, two profiles stand out as the most popular, creature baits and stick baits. These are the two profiles I’ll cover this week. The first lure to be launched is the Ned Craw. A super-realistic crayfish imitation, perfectly proportioned to mimic a juvenile signal cray. The Ned Craw is buoyant and made out of a stretchy tough duratech material. Perfect for weedless rigging, dropshot and ned heads.

The next profile is a stick bait with a twist. Stick baits fish well on all kinds of rigging, but paired with a ned head they’re deadly. Standing bolt upright, subtle twitches and movements of the rod tip bring them to life. The Ned Salamander has a newt-like profile and segmented body, giving it superior movement and durability. Made out of duratech, this one has been a winner on the toughest days.

Ned Cray​

Ned Salamander​

Duratech stretch​

FISHING NED LURES

Fishing with ned style lures is simple. They’re super-effective, and easy to come to terms with the basics. Fished with fine braids, fluorocarbon and light weights it’s most effective. Fine wire traces don’t cause too many issues, I pick up some great pike with this method. I pair my ned lures with the lightest ned heads possible, usually around 2-3g, for my fishing. A slow drop to the deck, then I focus on micro-movement, small hops and wobbles of the rod tip to impart action with long static pauses.

Due to the stand-up nature and low weight resistance of ned lures, it’s not uncommon to pick up fish 10-20 seconds into a pause. Essentially hop or wobble, then pause, repeat. Simple! If fish are active you can retrieve in the water column, or even fish them on the dropshot to great effect. The buoyant nature of ned baits means you can pause them static on the dropshot, suspending perfectly at your chosen depth.

Testing the lures in the autumn provided great action, this one fell for a Ned Craw​

NED RODS

Light tippy rods perform best for ned fishing. BFS baitcasting combos are preferred by many anglers, superior control and an improved ability to skip the lure under structure and bushes pair perfectly with this tactic. However, if you don’t want to break the bank, or want a little more versatility, spinning combos are just fine. I like a rod in the 1-8g or 2-10g casting range, something relatively short, 6ft 6ins or 7ft. I’d pair it with a 1000 reel, loaded with 6-10lb braid. I prefer a relatively soft tip on my ned combos so it can twitch and wobble freely, and which the fish can pull back against on the take with minimal resistance. The set-up I use for my ned fishing is the 2-10g Custom UL and 1000 SG6 reel.

The Salamander also tricked a few​

THIS WEEK’S SESSION

I set out this week with the plan to film a creature bait tutorial video. Of course, before getting to work I had to squeeze in a morning’s fishing. I knew the conditions would be tough, a sudden change in temperature and air pressure would put the perch into lockdown. A great scenario for ned baits. First order of the day would be to shoot to a prolific area and try to finesse fish a perch or two.

After about an hour trying with various tactics and no action it was time to skip to plan B. Plan B would be to spend the next hour covering large areas of water, feature and structure, anywhere a dormant fish may be lying in shelter. I rigged up a Ned Craw on a 3g ned head and began. I cast in tight to snags and likely areas, pausing for a while before adding a few bounces and then pausing again. Covering ground, moving from spot to spot, meticulously working each structure a few feet at a time. I placed a cast tight to a root system, felt the lure down, and paused.

Hop, hop, pause, bang! A fish picked up the static lure, slamming the rod tip around. I set the hook, initially thinking it was a small perch… Then it woke up! Powerful lunges as the fish drew closer to me, trying hard to return to its shelter. I kept the pressure on and readied the net. Landing a beautiful, perfectly conditioned perch in the low–mid 2s, success! I fished on for a final hour, banking a few more smaller perch before setting off to work. A tough morning’s fishing, made easy with finesse ned tactics.

A tough morning but this beautiful perch made my day​

Next week I plan on continuing my zander hunt, hopeful of a quality Z or two.

Dear readers, I wish you all a Merry Christmas, best of luck if you manage a fishing session or two over the holidays.




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[Robbie Northman]

Dropshot isn’t Dead

The dropshot rig, an old faithful, tried, tested, and adopted by many anglers over the years. A consistent method to catch predators, at one point dropshotting was easily the most recognizable light lure method. Anglers who had yet to try lure fishing would see the light bouncy motion and ask, “Are you dropshotting?”, regardless of the end tactic. The method was certainly in the limelight due to its versatility, performance, and ability to be paired with natural baits, making it a staple tactic for newcomers and experienced anglers alike. Some of the top competitive anglers scaled down and refined the method, dominating total length competitions with enormous hauls of perch.

I enjoyed using the tactic myself as a way to target the biggest fish on many small lakes and rivers in my area. For a while it was the dominant tactic in my lure fishing. Eventually, taking a back seat in favour of other methods. I still use the rig when the conditions call for it, often finding it saves the day, even banking one of my most memorable fish. My first river 4lb’er. With other methods proving equally as effective on a good day, dropshot has become quite underutilized, with some anglers calling the technique boring. Sure, it can be a little slow and repetitive at times, but when it works, it really works, producing slamming, slack-line takes that send tremors down your spine.

Big perch were hidden in my local commercials, totally untouched on lures.
Dropshot became a reliable method to tempt the bigger fish
​

Pressured urban perch also fell for the tactic​

WHAT IS A DROPSHOT RIG?

The dropshot is a very simple technique, essentially a hook tied in-line, followed by a small weight. This allows the lure to be fished with very little resistance, suspended in the strike zone, or worked through and over weed and structure. Line strength, hook size, weight and distance are all variable, and can be set up to meet your specific needs. You can use sub-2 gram weights, and size 16 or 14 hooks, paired with tiny plastics for finesse applications, or size 1 hooks, 20 gram weights, and big lures for rivers and deep waters, and anything above below and in between. The distance between the weight and lure can be adjusted throughout the day at depths to suit all kinds of scenarios.

A simple dropshot rig​

A few weeks ago I caught up with Tom Knight for a session. It was certainly a dropshot day, and we enjoyed some great fishing with our technique differences producing interesting results. Tom very much having the perch nailed, while I seemed to attract zander. We both noted our different styles, and I was keen to experiment more when the conditions proved right, and eventually they did.

ON TO THE SESSION

I arrived at the river early afternoon. The plan, to fish for a few hours on the move, covering ground before moving to another venue for zander at last light. With moderate flow caused by recent rainfall I decided to look for structure and slacks, perfect areas to target holding fish with dropshot tactics. I carried a jigging rod just to cover all bases.

The first few areas proved unproductive, I changed around my lure colours to be sure. Moving on I began to encounter signs of life, a missed bite on the jig and what I guessed was a little pike on the dropshot. It slipped the hook but we were getting somewhere. A few slacks later and bang! A solid bite with no connection. I was using quite a large lure and after a few more casts with it I decided to scale down. Picking out the same blue and black reaction cray in a smaller 7cm size.

A cast back out, working the lure with a slow rhythm, pausing and allowing the lure to sink slowly on a semi-slack line. Thud! Another take, this time it connected. I felt the unmistakable thumps of a quality perch and sure enough, after a short battle a beautiful 2lb’er broke the surface. Being a small slack I retained the fish briefly certain there would be another near by. A few casts later I hooked up again, another pristine perch of similar size. The swim went quiet so I continued on for another 20 minutes or so before heading to the next venue to try for a zander.

A beautiful brace​

I arrived at the next spot at sunset, planning to fish for an hour or so, perhaps longer if the fishing proved good. I alternated tactics between a jigged shad and a dropshot ned cray. It wasn’t long before I had the first bite. A missed tap on the shad. I quickly covered the area with the dropshot, hooking up momentarily, before losing the fish. The swim went quiet and I continued on, now in full darkness, searching for a zander.

I worked the lure across every likely location, opting for an aggressive, erratic retrieve, with long controlled pauses. The tip slammed around and the drag screamed as I hooked up to a quality fish on the 2-10g light combo. Almost no need to strike this one, it really wanted that lure. I felt under-gunned as the fish reached the flow, making a short run before I steered it back toward the slack. A silver flank flashed beneath the surface and I readied the net in anticipation of a zander.

The zander thrashed at the surface, hooked lightly, each second gut-wrenching as I coaxed it towards the net. It hit the mesh, the hook dropped free, barely holding on to the bony mouth. Mission accomplished. After a quick photo and release I decided to fish my way back to the car, happy with the results, even more curious about how different predators respond to the same lures and tactics with different retrieves.

Happy New Year Everyone!

Mission Accomplished! This zander has survived a few battles,
note the missing flesh where the lower half of the dorsal used to be​

The post Lure Fishing with Robbie Northman #45 first appeared on FishingMagic Magazine.

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[Robbie Northman]

Ned Success Part 2

Two weeks ago I wrote about my experience using the new Ned range from Savage Gear. A series of four lures to cover all kinds of finesse perch and predator fishing scenarios. I wrote about two new releases, the Ned Salamander, Ned Cray, and how I fish with them. This week the final two lures in the range have been announced for release, and like the others, I’ve been putting them to the test for perch and other species.

The first lure, and one of the ones I’ve been most excited about, is the Ned Minnow. The Ned Minnow is a 3in baitfish imitation, made from the buoyant, extra-tough, salted and scented duratech plastic. It features a flat mouth and segmented body, combined with a realistic, fin-profiled paddle tail. The design choices of this lure make it perfect for fishing on both ball jigs and ned heads. The segmentation adds a new dimension to the action, making it suitable for side rigging, cheb rigging and dropshot fishing.

When it comes to retrieves and action, the Ned Minnow can be applied to so many applications it’s hard to pick one. Retrieved super-slow on the bottom, it presents perfectly as a stand-up ned bait. Speed it up on heavier jigs and chatterbaits as an aggressive lure for feeding fish. I’ve used the Ned Minnow most for my zander fishing. Utilizing the slow drop and big action to target fish in shallow weedy waterways.

Neds and Zs
​

The Ned Minnow​

The final lure in the new line-up is the Goby Tube, probably the pattern I’ve had the most success with. Made with the same material as the above, the Goby Tube is a hollow-body tube, the front mimicking baitfish while the back forms into lots of independent appendages. Tubes excel when the most finesse presentations are required. Fish them on ned heads or weedless rigs, dragging the tube slowly along the bottom, or using little hops and bounces to entice fish.

When fishing in flow there’s a lot of micro-movements formed by tentacles, giving them action even when static. I like to pair my tubes with the lightest weights possible. This is made easier by the streamlined profile. Using the slow drop and low weight resistance, makes a tube jig a perfect approach to very finicky fish that aren’t willing to take confidently.

Goby Tube​

TEN MINUTES OF MADNESS

A long day of pike fishing with little to show for it, bright sky, clear water, and lots of lazy follows. A few jacks made an appearance, keeping the day interesting. With dusk approaching it was time to gamble on a change. A long motor for 20 minutes in the right spot is better than an hour or so in the wrong one. I set off, keen to salvage the day, confident that a perch or two could turn it around. It wasn’t long before I reached the chosen area, starting by working a tree line. There were signs of life and after ten minutes I had managed a few small perch and another jack. It would have been easy to stay in the swim, hopeful that a bigger fish would be patrolling in the mix. Instead, my instinct told me to move.

The light was fading, and I had a hunch that the perch had already left the structure to feed in a deeper channel bordering a shallow. I quickly moved to the new area, dropping my weights, confident of a take. The bites had been tough so I rigged up a Goby Tube on a 3.5g ned head, first casting towards structure. Bounce, bounce, bang! I hooked up to a perch, quickly netting the fish, around a pound. Covering the structure a few more times without a bite, I returned to my original plan and cast to channel.

Plop, the lure hit the water and I began to feel it down. Suddenly, I felt a thud and set the hook. I was in again, the fish had taken the lure on the drop. This was a better stamp of perch. The rod hunched over, drag lightly clicking as the fish fought in the flow. I readied the net, drawing the fish closer as a beautiful 2lb’er broke the surface. In the net! With the light dropping fast I cast again, landing another fish around a pound, after just a few bounces. The next cast was painful, I lost a strong perch a few moments into the fight. Two more fishless casts followed, but on the third, slam! I hooked up to another great perch, this one even stronger as it ran with the flow. I slipped the net under another cracking perch in the mid 2s and cast once again.

The light was almost gone, the sky a deep dull blue transitioning through final stages of dusk before black takes over. My tube jig settled on the bottom where I paused it momentarily, hop, pause, repeat. As I crept the lure across the river bed I felt another faint tap and struck. Thump, thump, thump. The unmistakable rhythm of a nice perch. Another fight that didn’t disappoint, my Ultralight rod bent maximum as I eased the fish towards me. My final perch, ending a manic ten minutes. A fighting fit fish in the low 2s. A testament to how effective finesse ned lures can be in the right moment. Often in lure fishing we experience tough days, slow fishing, less than ideal conditions. But, it’s moments like these that fuel the addiction and encourage us to keep hitting the water, longing for that heart-stopping tug.

Stripes or no stripes
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Beautiful colours on the best fish of the day


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The post Lure Fishing with Robbie Northman #46 first appeared on FishingMagic Magazine.

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[Robbie Northman]

Sweet Carolina

Another busy week and one very interesting session, this time I decided to pay a visit to my friend Mark Murdoch from SPRO. The plan, to explore a few new waterways and drop by a few faithful spots on the way.

I gulped down a coffee and loaded the car in darkness. A 5:30am start for me, and a fair drive to arrive at this spot at first light. Previous nights had dropped cold with heavy frost, today looked kinder on the hands. I stopped for yet another coffee and clocked the temperature at 3ºC, while still dark, maybe I wouldn’t need all five layers. Arriving at just after 8:00am it was still cold, but with the cloud due to disperse and sunlight breaking through it would quickly turn into a glorious day.

The morning’s fishing was slow, moving swim to swim we combed through every piece of fishable water. Mark fished dropshot and Carolina rig while I fished dropshot and ned rig. Two hours passed without a bite, the sun now high and bathing the reed banks with a golden glow. The temperature rose above 5ºC and the river flowed strong with remaining flood water. This confined our fishing to slacks and structure. Sometimes a nuisance, sometimes a blessing, as floodwater recedes often the fish remain tightly shoaled.

As the heat intensified after such a cold spell, I felt confident of a bite. I could scale down and increase my chances, but I chose to stick with larger lures. After changing patterns a few times, I pulled my favourite Reaction Crayfish from the box, rigging it up on the dropshot. I cast upstream to an area with less intense flow and began my retrieve, small wiggles and long static pauses, maximising my time in the most productive zones.

Bang! While the lure lay static the braid jolted and the tip slammed around. I set the hook, instantly feeling the unmistakable head shakes of a quality perch. I coaxed the fish towards me, the rod under full load. Suddenly it awakened, making a short run back towards the flow before rolling on the surface in the current, a nerve-wracking moment for any angler. I guided the fish towards the edge and calmer water as it thrashed angrily on the surface, finally content as it hit the net. This was one of the meanest, angriest and most stunning perch I’ve caught in a while. A solid mid-2 at a guess, the weight wasn’t important but imagine this one at 4lbs!

An angry perch, fully flared​

Meanwhile, Mark stuck it out on the Carolina rig, confident that it suited his swim better. Sure enough, while I was setting up the camera, I glanced around to see him into a fish of his own. A smaller perch around a pound or so, but very welcome at this point. We continued on for another thirty minutes, both of us hooking a few more fish on our separate tactics, the Carolina rig stole the show producing far more bites on this day.

Mark called out again, this time hooked up to a better fish! I dashed over to give him a hand, spotting a powerful perch diving towards the cover of a reed bed. As he eased the perch free from the weeds I prepared the net, landing his best fish of the day, 38cms and around the 2lbs mark. A lovely fish to finish on at this venue, with many more spots to recce throughout the day.

Mark’s top fish, a very clean specimen
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A quick measure​

The dropshot once again produced the best fish of our morning’s session, but the Carolina produced more action. Could it be down to lure differences, the different swims, or just a better choice of rig on that day? Either way, the Carolina is a handy rig to add to the armoury, often producing bites where other rigs fail. Its advantage is the drop time of the lure and ability to fish heavier weights. I’ll explain a little about how we rig and fish with the Carolina rig.

A smaller but very pretty perch on the Carolina​

Making a Carolina rig is simple. I like to use a length of fluorocarbon for abrasion resistance, putting a small stopper on first, then a cone weight second. You can add a bead for sound if you like, then you use a small swivel or clip, followed by your hook length. The distance between the weight and hook can vary greatly from a few inches to as many feet as you can cast. You decide, based on the venue depth, flow, bottom topography, and required drop time to suit the fish’s mood.

Offset hooks with weedless creature baits or worm patterns work great, but some shads and flukes perform well with the tactic too. Getting the lure close to neutrally buoyant works a treat. When retrieving you can hop the lead, drag it or both. Vary the pause times, quick pauses will keep the rig suspended, while slowing it down will allow for a very long natural drop. Hops and long pauses with a leader length of about 15 inches proved the most productive for Mark on that day.

A simple Carolina rig set-up​

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[Robbie Northman]

Back to the Night Bites

In amongst my perch fishing antics, I’ve been revisiting those tricky, toothy, critters that often drive you to insanity… zander.

Short evening and night sessions have been the main goal. Targeting them during key feeding times, and cashing in on a quick bite on my way to and from other venues.

SESSION 1. FISHING WITH ROWAN

I met Rowan at the Lathams open weekend months ago. A keen young angler, full of passion for the sport, Rowan’s been making great headway with the carp. Now he’s turning his attention to predator fishing. Over Christmas, Scott (Rowan’s father) approached me to arrange a day on the bank. We planned on covering a range of light lure tactics and rigs, hopefully to set Rowan on the course to go out with confidence and catch a few belters. The day arrived and in usual form a cold snap had hit overnight, coupled with floodwater, we were in for a challenge.

But both Rowan and Scott were up for the task. After an hour or so practicing knots and lure retrieves, Rowan found his rhythm and in a short time was able to work and control a lure effectively, maintaining contact even in flow, and naturally it wasn’t long before he caught a few perch. The mid-day sun really heated the action up. Rowan banking three quality pike in just 15 minutes of mayhem, big creature baits producing the goods again.

As the session drew to a close there was one species that eluded us. I invited Rowan and Scott to join me at a zander venue, combining our efforts to put one on the bank. Bites were hard to come by so we scaled down, and down, fishing finesse dropshotting techniques. Finally, I hooked up to a zander, able to put one in the net for Rowan to see firsthand. Another magical species I’m sure will capture his imagination in the future. Just a few days later I received a message that made my day. Rowan and Scott had gone out, using some of the tactics we covered during our session, and banked a quality 2lb+ perch.

This lean zander was willing to feed
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Rowan bagged a big perch a few days after our session​

SESSION 2. FISHING WITH ADELE

After finishing last week’s perch session, I didn’t feel ready to call it a day. Daylight was clinging on and I just felt an urge to go zander fishing. It’s an addiction. Arriving at the venue I was met by a familiar face, one I hadn’t seen in way too long. Adele had fished a hard session using finesse dropshot tactics, but with darkness drawing in she was more than keen to stay for a few hours, hopeful of a zander bite.

An hour passed without action so we moved to an area nearby with a nice slow slack. Adele continued on the dropshot, but after a few minutes I didn’t feel confident. Instead, rigging up with a shad on the lightest head I could get away with. I cast out to the edge of the slack allowing the lure to slowly fall before flicking it up with big vertical motions, repeating the process. I flicked the lure up and began the drop.

Bang! A ferocious zander take. The rod vibrated in my hand as I set the hook. On ultralight tackle this one felt like a powerful fish as it reached the flow. Rod doubled over, I eased the fish back to the slack, gaining a little bit of ground before steady runs, beginning to think I had hooked a pike. A bright silver flank flashed beneath the surface revealing a nice zander, I quickly made a jab with the net, landing my prize.

Meanwhile, Adele had also hooked up to a slightly smaller example, but welcome all the same. We grabbed a quick photo and released the fish. We tried a final ten minutes before heading home, unfortunately Adele lost a solid fish and aside from a few more small zander and a perch there wasn’t a lot to write about.

Doubled up
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Toned-down colours like this Smallmouth Magic Minnow have been producing the bites​

SESSION 3. FISHING WITH RYAN

After a failed attempt at filming for Savage Gear I needed a pick-me-up. And what better way to cheer myself up? You guessed it… Zander fishing. This time I arranged to meet up with Ryan from Predator Tackle for a social, and to claim back a few packets of lures he owed me. The session quickly turned into quite the night, bumping into some of the local lads and catching a few fish. They took some working out, but after a dozen visits to the tackle box I settled on a natural, subtle 9cm shad.

Once again I fished light, picking out a 2-10g rod and weight that barely held bottom. I crept into a swim with a deep hole nearby, casting across and flicking my lure on a tight line as it swung round, bouncing the bottom en route to the drop-off. Whack! As the lure reached the ledge the rod buckled over and a nice fish barrelled down the flow. The fish soon turned, and with the rod tip high I eased the zander upstream, where it broke the surface.

Spotting the light hook hold, my nerves took over, each turn of the handle threatening to alert the fish, which could slip the hook with one aggressive head-shake. With the net positioned ready I guided the fish towards it, the hook pinging free immediately! With such hard bony mouths zander are masters at slipping the hook on light gear. Not today… just a second too late to make a crafty escape this time. My tough day had turned around in one bite and Ryan even banked a few too.

This one made my night, a great fish on the light gear
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Ryan’s in on the action


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The post Lure Fishing with Robbie Northman #48 first appeared on FishingMagic Magazine.

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[Robbie Northman]

Active Targeting

Another session with difficult predator fishing conditions, high pressure, gin-clear water, and not a cloud in the sky. I loaded up the boat mid-morning, fully aware that the day would be challenging. However, this time I’d packed my new toy. Earlier in the year I received delivery of a Lowrance ActiveTarget unit. It’s sonar taken to the next level, with Forward, Down and Scout imaging, displayed in real time. It’s taken a few weeks of practice to learn how to use it to full advantage. What I thought would simply be an edge, has changed my perspective on fish behaviour completely.

I’ve used side and down imaging for a few years to quickly understand venues, and even at times locate, target, and catch specific fish. Regular sonar shows you history and features, which is a handy tool in itself. To see fish before you’ve passed them, and physically watch how they behave and respond is new to me. So after half an hour setting up the tech, I set off to pick up Sasha for a promised day on the water.

Side imaging shows an autumn pike stalking a tight ball of small roach
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100ft scan shows an enormous shoal of bream in open water​

Creeping down the river with the stealth of an electric engine we soon spotted our first active targets, a pod of pike. Although we often consider pike to be solitary hunters, in harsh conditions they will often shoal. In this case it was a group of around half a dozen quality fish holding in and around the structure of a fallen tree, in a shadowy portion of the river. An easy catch, right? I decided to fish smaller lures in the 7-10cm range, casting gently past the fish and dropping it in their line of sight before beginning a typical retrieve.

What followed was frustrating! For around fifteen minutes I covered fish. Specifically pinpointing them with the Live Sonar. Several lure changes and varied retrieves still yielded no takes. I watched as fish backed away from the lure, followed it, and even pushed tighter to cover, before eventually moving off to try for the intended target, perch.

Next we arrived in an area with plenty of small baitfish and structure. I didn’t spot any predators, but with features like that it would be daft not to try. Expecting fish to be hard on the deck amongst debris, I rigged up with a Savage Ned Craw, while Sasha used a Green Pumpkin Z-Man TRD. We covered opposite ends of the boat, working the lures over the structure.

Suddenly, I turned round to the sound of a clicking drag, and Sasha was in! Her 1-5g dropshot rod appeared under-gunned, bent double on what I could only assume was a pike. I caught a glimpse of striped flank deep below, magnified to what looked like a mammoth perch. Freaking out in the moment, I dived for the net, shouting ‘perch’ to Sasha, now shaking with excitement. Moments later it broke the surface, and I wasted no time in netting a great fish, one of her biggest this season. A lovely 40cms+ mid-two.

Sasha’s quality perch​

After releasing Sasha’s fantastic perch, another ten minutes in the swim, and a quick coffee break, it was time to go back on the hunt. We soon found a mixed shoal of bream and silvers, with what appeared to be a group of three large nomadic perch, hunkered down in structure. While it’s near impossible to tell a 2-3lb skimmer and 2lb perch apart, the behaviour is a big giveaway.

For the next twenty minutes I covered the fish with everything in the box. Creature baits, crankbaits, shads, ned rigs, etc, all with little to no response. I decided to switch to a larger 9.5cm suspending jerkbait, running it slow, close to the bottom with tight twitches and pauses. I didn’t need the sonar to spot a big perch, which followed the lure up, stopping a foot beneath the surface. Damn, so close. After spooking that fish I decided to move on and return closer to dusk.

Scattered baitfish with a tighter shoal showing on Scout mode​

The rest of the afternoon produced a few pike to a mix of lures. Finally, as the light levels began to drop, it was time to return to the perch. The fish had moved from their daytime holding spots, using the Live Imaging I located the roach and bream. I guessed the perch would be nearby.

Having had a follow on a jerkbait, and the light fading away, I rigged up a fire tiger crankbait and began to cover water. Working the lure close to the bottom, I felt a faint tap! The rod bent as I continued to wind, the weight built up, and then began to move. Headshakes followed with clicking drag. The fish tried to stay deep, each thumping head-shake threatening to shake loose the 15g crankbait. The softer action of my hardbait combo absorbed the lunges and another quality perch hit the net.

Now fully dark it was time to head in. Success at last on a tough day. The ActiveTarget Live Sonar really showed why you shouldn’t write a venue off on the first try. When winter perching the margins to achieve a bite in tough conditions can be slim. Lure choice or simply time of day, maybe both are a factor in catching fish. Would I have made the same decisions without the tech, like in past years?

I may have never returned to that spot, or tried as many lures through it, I may have moved on and found a more productive area, or struggled. Hopefully, armed with new technology I can gain a greater understanding than ever before.

Bright noisy lures can often produce at dusk
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High and low tech fish finding


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The post Lure Fishing with Robbie Northman #49 first appeared on FishingMagic Magazine.

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[Robbie Northman]

Back on the Yak Attack

It’s been a while since I’ve fished from the kayak. In recent weeks, while on my travels I’ve passed so many neglected, under-fished waterways. Places small enough to overlook, but none the less likely hold some beautiful examples of pike. Inspired to break away from the crowds, I decided to go for it, take a chance, and explore what for me is uncharted territory. To reduce the game I decided to fish a short afternoon session before heading off to try some night zander fishing. Surely, combining the two species and tactics, I would have a great day.

I arrived at the venue excited to fish, quickly pumping up the E-Rider Kayak and prepping my gear. The biggest challenge would be getting to the water. Access via a steep slippery bank with thick marginal weed. At least this drain was only three feet deep and a mere stone’s throw wide. I prepared my life jacket with high expectations of taking a swim. Although shallow it’s better to play it safe. After half an hour of chaos and very wet legs, I was finally afloat and eager to catch some fish.

Being shallow, narrow and clear, I decided to ditch the big lures and take a light approach. So I rigged up with a 9.5cm Gravity Twitch, 7-23g rod and 20lb braid and trace. In waters this small they readily hit large lures, but a misplaced cast can easily spook a fish. A suspending, lightweight jerkbait would have the flash and rattle to alert the pike, drawing them from cover, while sinking slow enough to pause if needed. Essential in areas with little more than two foot of depth over the weed.

A limited edition colour I picked to trigger a fish or two​

I paddled thirty yards at a time, casting each margin and the channel before repeating. I soon reached a wide reed bed with decaying pulp subsurface, a perfect place for pike. I started wide, retrieving the lure fast and twitchy, fishing above the weed. Rod tip high I worked the lure back with quick jerks. While nearing the kayak it clipped some debris, causing the lure to ride to the surface. I paused for a moment, allowing it to sink.

Smack! A pike appeared from nowhere, smashing the lure feet from the rod tip. I almost fell overboard in shock at this unexpected attack, instinctively setting the hook in the process. A fierce close-quarters battle commenced, the fish charging through the weed bed before doubling back and running under the kayak. I grabbed the net and quickly turned the fish, banking my first pike afloat on this water. A superbly fat low double, black-backed in clear water. I was surprised at the condition of the fish, having seen no baitfish at all. Maybe they were tucked deep in the thick weeds.

I slipped back the pike and continued on my quest, hopeful of a bigger example. For the next hour and a half I experienced great action, catching a pike every few swims. Most were small pristine fish, with one larger one in the mix. Content with my session I finished early, to try and tempt a zander or two. A plan that paid off with a few small yet great conditioned fish.

This one frightened me with a close encounter
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Zs on the new Neds​

The new pike venue piqued my interest, and while conditions were right I decided to return for Round Two. Confident in my kayak-launching ability I quickly took to the water, soon noticing a slight issue. I was taking on water! My feet were soaked, but the inflatable ribs of the E-Rider Kayak didn’t effect the buoyancy. Being a mild ten degrees I decided to stick it out and fix the issue at the end. (I’d simply managed to remove the bung while dragging it down the slope.) This time I decided to take a bigger approach, going in with a 17cm V2 Hard Eel. Maybe a larger lure would reveal a monster. I kept the Gravity Twitch on standby just in case.

V2 Hard Eel
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My old favourite, Gravity Twitch 95 in Perch​

Once again I fished my way in sections up the drain, tempting some feisty pike on the big eel. I quickly noticed an issue, following fish curious about the lure, but spooking due to the kayak. Perhaps the up-sized lure was a little too much for fish in this water? I carried on regardless, when a decent fish followed the lure, spotting it early I swapped and changed the retrieve. It didn’t take… spooking away like many others.

I carried on with no more action, stopped, then decided to fish my way back, after a 30 minute break to try and settle the fish. I soon arrived at the area where I’d had a decent fish follow. I grabbed the Gravity Twitch, this time in a perch pattern. With bright sunshine illuminating the clear water I decided on a slower retrieve. Twitch, twitch, pause, repeat, right up to the kayak. I continued watching the lure in the clear water when a black shadow appeared behind it, right alongside me. I slowed down.

Twitch, pause, twitch, pause, bang! I watched the pike inhale the lure and set the hook. Rod bent double as the fish ran, an energetic one, diving in short bursts as it dragged the kayak down the drain. I readied my net as the fish thrashed at the surface, securing my prize. A really pretty pike, and a great one to end the session on.

A beauty to end on​

The post Lure Fishing with Robbie Northman #50 first appeared on FishingMagic Magazine.

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[Robbie Northman]

Submerged Treasures

Mild weather, a little sunshine, and lightly stained water. Great conditions for a day afloat chasing perch. High but stable air pressure and mild air temperature increased my confidence. Earlier in the week I encountered a hard day saved by one beautiful fish. Now, having built a general idea where they would be holding, it was time to return for Round Two. When nights fall very cold with warm daytime temperatures I feel confident in a lunchtime bite. So I began my day with a rather lazy 10.00am launch. It was a long motor to the area I planned on fishing, and I would spend around 2-3 hours there through the warmth of the day, before targeting other areas at dusk.

It didn’t take long to locate shoals of roach and bream with the side scan. They were spread out over a wide range so I decided the best approach would be to keep on the move, covering ground and working the area in 30yd sections. I’d start on structure, fanning my casts around the swim before hitting the next spot. Picking my lure for the day would prove easy with the conditions presented, I picked out a cray imitation, rigged on a light jig head with a bulky skirt. Slow drop and big water movement is the best way to produce a bite from a fish suspended off the bottom. Cast, drop, lift, drop, pause. A slow rhythm to comb the swim and hopefully tempt a big perch.

I carried on from swim to swim, following my plan to the book. Bang! As the lure approached the boat I felt a solid hit and set the hook. The light rod bent double with the unmistakable thump, thump, thump fight of a perch as it dived deep towards the shadow of the boat. This wasn’t a huge fish, but in the moment the excitement and adrenaline takes over. I was certainly alert now, as I netted a plump young perch close to the 2lb mark. A great one to kick of the session, and a good confidence boost for the day ahead. The lure hunch had proved correct with the cray-jig combo barely visible in the cavernous mouth. I released the fish, keen to carry on in search of its grandmother.

A fine perch to start the day​

It didn’t take long before the recurring excitement of a hit on the jig. This time they weren’t perch, just very convincing imposters. Crafty pike in the 3-5lb range, which seemingly love to head-shake much like a perch, they have you totally fooled until a sudden burst of raw speed gives them away. Not the intended target but welcome fun. I’m almost always rigged up to handle a pike or two. Either with heavier gauge fluorocarbon or fine wire. Although often smaller fish, occasionally magical specimens will fall to perch tackle.

An hour or so had passed, nearing my favourite lunchtime bite time. Having no more perch encounters I decided to head back towards the area the action began. I covered the water with a fine-tooth comb, confident predators would still be laying in wait amongst the scattered shoal of roach and bream. I even tried crankbaits and ned rigs in the area before settling for the jig again.

Slam! Another confident bite shook the rod tip and I set the hook, connecting with a much heavier fish. An imposter pike? It was hard to tell, with a mixture of aggressive head-shakes and short drag-pulling runs. I backed the drag off just in case. The fish took the opportunity to run, darting beneath the boat, loading the rod round to a very unusual angle. With pressure on I gained ground, capturing a glimpse of striped flank. The fish approached the surface, head-shaking to throw the lure. Net at the ready, the battle was soon won and a beautiful perch was on board.

This was one beautiful perch. A pristine coloured-up fish with a great frame to match. I was absolutely thrilled, although slightly puzzled about its unseasonal low weight. I decided to check the fish for wounds and parasites when I noticed something I’d never seen before. A hook protruding from the anal vent of the fish! Judging by the severe, uneven, corrosion on the hook, I assumed it had been passed through the digestive system of the fish. This explained why it may have struggled feeding at some point. However, it was in healthy enough condition that it should have gotten over the worst of its ordeal. I removed the hook, setting the fish free to carry on gaining weight. The rest of day didn’t prove as prolific, with a few smaller fish caught and some fun discovering a sunken boat which I later confirmed with the GoPro.

The best of my day’s efforts
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A digested hook​

This brings forth thought of a study I read about with bluegill. Fish were hooked deep and monitored to see how long it took for them to naturally pass hooks through the system, while analysing mortality rates. This was also conducted with fish that had the same hook holds, where the hook had been removed. The results were interesting, with 71 percent of fish shedding the hook after 10 days. While mortality was higher in unhooked fish. These are bluegill hooked in the oesophagus (deep throat, which runs close to other vitals, brain & heart) and not perch. However, it was an interesting study about a subject I rarely encounter when lure fishing.

I’ll attach a link to the overview of this study if you’re curious as well. There has long been a debate with deep hooked fish, whether it’s safer to remove or cut. Which originally caused me to seek out past studies while bored one evening. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165783609001015

The sunken boat on Lowrance ActiveTarget
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Out of curiosity I submerged my camera, confirming the find


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The post Lure Fishing with Robbie Northman #51 first appeared on FishingMagic Magazine.

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[Robbie Northman]

My Greatest Challenge

Well here we are… blog 52! One whole year since I began documenting my weekly fishing. To say it’s been a challenge would almost be an understatement. But a challenge I’ve enjoyed throughout. More so than ever I’ve focused on consistency, to catch week in and week out across a multitude of species and venues. Through my efforts I’ve reaped many rewards, understanding lure fishing better than I have ever before. So today I’m going to look back at some of my favourite captures and moments from the past fifty-two weeks. What better way to start than with a brand new special moment, and undoubtedly my greatest catch of 2022?

It was a day like many others this winter. Cold, overcast, breezy, colour muted in dull winter light, and winter chills that cut like a knife. Twenty minutes on the jig, followed by ten minutes regaining movement in the hands. That kind of day! Cast, jig, cast, jig, move, repeat. An endless cycle of perseverance in the elements. But, lure addicts like me endure, itching for the excitement and adrenalin of that hit. And very often it’s only that one hit, when targeting the biggest fish of all.

Hours had passed with no action, moving into yet another spot to continue my search, casting far and grinding my Reaction Crayfish along the bottom. Drag and pause, I found resistance in uneven bottom and felt my lure through the debris. A faint tap, strike, I was in! I immediately knew that this was big! Rod bent double, tight drag failing to contain the deep lunges, what had I hooked? This wasn’t running like a pike, yet felt too heavy to be a perch. I became more nervous with every thumping lunge that flexed the entire Ultralight rod. Denial wore off with the next set of knee-weakening runs, as the fish began to flank towards cover.

This felt like a perch! I steered the fish towards me as it began to tire, my suspicion soon to be confirmed… Moments later it broke the surface, a behemoth! A giant! I lost my freaking mind! This was surely a PB, a high 4, maybe bigger, I couldn’t tell in the excitement as I scrambled for the net. Agonising moments passed as I inched the lightly hooked fish along the surface toward my waiting net, fearful of the slightest mistake. One well-timed scoop and she was in.

I set my eyes upon the biggest framed perch I’d ever caught. A true nomadic old giant. By proportion alone she should have been a PB, but her old frame didn’t carry quite the weight of a younger fish, turning the scales to a whopping 4lb 1oz. Up there amongst some of my biggest river perch. I released her strong and fit, hopeful she passes on those amazing genetics in just another month or so.

A spectacular perch​

It’s quite fitting that I follow up that amazing river perch with another, caught just a few weeks into my writing journey. This catch also blew me away. Being my first 4 from that river system and setting a new PB. It was the day of the jacks, with many a small pike hammering the lures. The sun broke through, inspiring me to try one of the new Savage Gear 10cm Craft Shads in an amber motor oil. A choice which paid off when I hooked into a powerful fish. Believing it to be another pike, I played it without much caution, receiving a fright when a huge flank broke the surface. To this day I consider this one to be one of the most beautiful perch I’ve caught, both big and immaculate.

The colours on this perch were incredible
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Big pike made regular appearances through the start of 2021​

Weeks later I began my trout campaign. My aim to catch my biggest ever wild brown from Norfolk chalk. This search led me to places seldom fished, searching vast areas of river with streamers. Small browns and wintered stockies made regular appearances when finally, I connected with something special. A fish that ran onto backing and through two root systems, leading me on one amazing pursuit. Strong line and perseverance, I freed the fish, eventually netting an amazing prize. A Norfolk chalk stream wild brown trout over 4lbs.

A beautiful wild brownie​

As the weather began to warm and a new species crossed my mind… bass. Although May’s lingering algae bloom left the Anglian coast looking like a muddy stew, I couldn’t resist the temptation. Waiting for the perfect weather front I set out in search of my first bass of the year. The water clarity filled me with doubt, but despite the odds we found fish. I soon banked a schoolie. Although, content with one I was soon rewarded when a different league of fish smashed the lure. The Summer proved tough, with good numbers but few big ones. The season ended with the biggest being the second fish of the year.

While it wasn’t my best year’s bass fishing, the coast proved productive throughout summer​

Bass blues were soon broken up by summer chub, and a campaign to catch a whopper. I spent hours walking and watching a very low stock river, when finally, I spotted two mammoth fish. Making a well-placed cast with a crank bait I soon hooked up, losing the fish mere seconds into the fight. However, I was granted a second chance on my return. Wobbling a goby crank along the surface, a mammoth chub emerged, engulfing the lure. An incredible fish, a summer mid-6 with a two-tone colouration.

Probably the most legwork I’ve put in to catch a chub. An amazing fish​

There are many moments I’d love to share and not enough words. But one truly special memory is one spent with friends. My PB chub with a happily smiling trio. John Bailey, Enoka and I.

A day I will always cherish​

From sessions with Ben, Andy and Ieva and so many more, to visiting friends like Joe from the USA. Friends really do make the most enriched fishing situations.

Making new ones on the set of Mortimer and Whitehouse was certainly a special moment.

Paul and Bob were great. As entertaining in person as they are on screen​

I of course have to give thanks to Savage Gear, Lowrance and Fishing Magic for helping me achieve my angling dreams.

And a special thanks to my readers too. I look forward to covering the next 52 weeks of fishing and wish you a rewarding year ahead.




The post Lure Fishing with Robbie Northman #52 first appeared on FishingMagic Magazine.

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[Robbie Northman]

The Year of the Monsters

2022! More like twenty-twenty wooo! But I’ll dive into that later. This past week of fishing has been somewhat incredible.

I kicked off the week with some good old perch, with a twist… See, I was a man on a mission, and a bizarre one at that. As most of you know I’ve been learning my way around the use of live sonar. Lowrance ActiveTarget to be precise. For those that don’t know live sonar, I will explain. It uses a high frequency of acoustic waves, combined with a very smart processor that relays the information to your screen in real time. This enables you to look ahead or below, and see fish before passing them, study their behaviour, and even watch them take a lure.

That was the challenge. It sounds simple but the set-up has to be perfect. So having gained practice, I decided to set out and try to record myself sight fishing a big perch through the screen. I wasted no time heading to the spot. I had found a tight shoal of perch in structure on a recent session, figuring they wouldn’t be far away. The hunch proved correct, there they were, behaving in exactly the same manner as last time.

I positioned the sonar, casting a creature bait into the shoal. Moments later I hooked up with the first fish of the day, a pretty two pounder, followed by several more smaller examples. Surely, I had the footage I wanted. I stopped for an hour and skimmed through the footage, disappointed that I’d missed the whole process on every single clip. I decided to anchor closer to the shoal and upsize my lure, giving me a much higher chance of capturing the moment.

I cast away, allowing my lure to slowly fall, pause, then jig. I watched as perch inspected the lure, refusing to take. With a good handful in the shoal it was just a matter of time. I cast again and watched as one of the larger shapes turned facing my lure. The moment was tense, my eyes glued to the screen as the fish approached. I jigged again, lifting the lure and watched as it merged with the shape of the fish! Simultaneously, I felt a tug, set hook, connecting with a large, powerful perch.

I averted my gaze from the screen, focusing on the fight as the perch dived toward the engine, with the tension on I steered the fish away, taking the fight to open water. Moments later it was in the net! Mission accomplished. I looked down at a beautiful dark perch. A long lean fish with a huge head, mere ounces under the 3lb mark. That alone made my day.

A huge head on this perch

A live recording from the sonar’s screen​

As you know, I’ve neglected the pike this year, having a brief go in the autumn with fairly poor results, and a few successful kayak sessions in the fens. Last year was amazing with fish to 28.8, rivalling my lure PB. I finished that season with a great score of 20s, never encountering that dream 30. With perch to 4.5, Chub to 7.10, Zander to 13.2. The 30lb pike was the final fish on my big lure hit list. So often, only putting the time and effort in will reward a fish of that calibre.

I sat at home, waiting for the onset of Storm Eunice, when I received a message from a great friend. A simple “Free Wednesday?“ Absolutely, Mr Bailey, count me in! Big wind, falling air pressure, perfect pike conditions. So we pencilled it in. Like good times past, I couldn’t wait to start. In fact, the day reminded me greatly of one we spent together a few years back, a similar storm, a special day, we banked a few epic fish.

THE CATCH

I began the day, braving the wind and working through the lure box. It was fierce! The strong gusts sucked the air from my lungs. But the sensation of extreme weather filled me with excitement and adrenaline. I started with big tail baits, struggling without a bite. I covered each swim then switched to a smaller jerkbaits to double-check.

Hours passed and the smaller lures began to produce. I soon figured they were keyed into a mixture of small size and high flash so I switched it up again. Rigging up with a Crazy Blade Jig Head and 11cm shad. To fish a lure so small, I compromised on the rod strength, picking out a 6ft 6ins 7-23g zander rod, hopeful if I found a big one it would be enough.

After many hours and six small jacks I felt a bump and set the hook. Instantly, it bumped off without so much as a movement, a snag? I don’t remember there being one there on the last cast. I covered the area for several more minutes before changing angle on the swim.

Bang! This was no snag, the rod doubled over and a huge boil appeared on the surface. Instantly I knew that this fish was huge! I held on, increasingly anxious, and the fish swam toward a fallen tree. I held on and decided to risk it all, clamping down the drag and folding the rod into a full horseshoe to stop the powerful fish. Finally, it turned.

I caught a glimpse, a split-second glance at the widest back I’d ever seen on a pike, and then… my composure vanished. A wreck of nerves, I was genuinely anxious throughout the fight as the fish, now tiring, ploughed along the surface, lure nicked just in the corner of the mouth. What was probably 30 seconds felt like millennia as I fought one of the greatest fights of my life.

Finally, she hit the net! Working quickly, the hook had come loose. Weigh, photograph and rest. I watched as the beautiful leviathan swam gracefully back to the depths. We celebrated, cheered, laughed, and then I collapsed, overwhelmed by the catch of a lifetime… The story of my first lure-caught 30.

The smile says it all
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A relatively small chatter bait
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Back to the depths​

The post Lure Fishing with Robbie Northman #53 first appeared on FishingMagic Magazine.

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