Winter Work

Winter fishing can be great when the weather is bearable but the last two weeks have had mostly cold northerlies and to be honest I just haven't fancied it. Instead I have been fiddling about with my tackle box and discovered just what a mess it can be after a season!

After a good tidy it is a lot better, although I had to throw out all the used mackerel traces. The problem with the cheap, bought traces is the knots are less than perfect and after a few fish you may find there are less hooks attached than you thought. Also, the ones I have been buying have very thick mono, so I rescued the rubber faces from the Hokkai lures, took some good strong O'Shaughnessey hooks and made up a few of my own with 30lb mono. All it takes is a bit if Christmas tinsel, silvery ribbon and some fur, and tie the lot on with a wrapping of cotton. Seal the cotton with varnish (or even borrow some nail varnish) and the whole job will cost next to nothing, will be tied properly and has created some fishing-related time at home you weren't expecting. One tip - don't cut the fur from anywhere on the cat where it will be noticed.