The DFR Custom Build.

Having wanted a new rod for a while, I decided to take the plunge and get myself a custom built rod made by Richard at Dorset Fishing Rods.
Earlier in the year I spoke to Richard about the type of rod I was looking for to see what he could come up with. Basically I was looking for a rod that would give me extra distance on the cast, as well as being light enough to fish with all day. I was after a rod that would have a quick recovery too for the top water work.
Richard suggested a St Croix blank and my only instructions on cosmetics were "black & gold" so it was pretty much up to Richard to decide on the design.
Something I did want was  a rod with the perfect butt length  & reel seating position, so after measuring our a few of my other rods (under Richards instruction) we found what was hopefully the optimal postitioning for the reel seat - Richard knew I would be using this with a Stella 4k so the weight was a known factor.

When I received the rod I was very very impressed with the build & design, so of course I was keen to put it to the test. First thing I noticed was that I was getting alot of extra distance on the cast (the rod compresses beautifully even with a little flick) and the braid rings / eyes seemed to let the line fly out - wonderful!
After some use I love this rod - it is light and responsive but has enough grunt to tame a decent fish in a current as well as being a pleasure to use all day.

Anyway here are a few pictures - sorry for the quality as the do not do the rod justice & I am not much of a photographer as you can see :)

Should anyone be interested in a new rod from Richard he can be found here: http://www.dorsetfishingrods.co.uk/

Thanks for the rod Rich - I promise to use & abuse it to the best of my ability :)

Tight Lines !

Tough going but a few fish...........

Just back from a week in Pembrokeshire where the fishing turned out to be about as tough as the weather (which has been awful over here for the last two weeks).
We started out with some rough Southerly weather which turned the Havens waters into pea soup (of course the West marks were dead calm & pretty dead as far as the fishing was concerned).

Start of the week proved very difficult & although I caught a few schoolies, things were just not right (even the clearer water West was devoid of life & any real water movement).

Being a tad frustrated with the conditions it was a real boost when the wind swung West (if only for a day) & it looked like things were on the up as the fish started to get that little bit bigger although not easier to catch.....

Not long after taking a fish of 48cms I was standing on a rock talking to Ricky (I had finished a retreive a while ago & was just holding my rod in one hand), when suddenly the water below me exploded and the rod was nearly ripped from my hand. I looked down to see the rod arching to the water & a flash of orange - arrgghhh pesky wrasse has popped up I thought until I managed to turn the fish from the boulders it was trying to dive under - yeeeessssssss Bassssssssssss...........
After a short but mental fight I landed a cracking orange / copper coloured bass of 60cms (really the wildest take I have ever had - the lure just lying on the water at my feet & not even a turn of the handle lol).
I will never know for sure, but I suspect the fish had followed the previous cast, which was probably 30 seconds gone - madness!

The next and last days fishing I managed a couple off the top (schoolies again), it was great to see fish feeding on top again (its been a really wierd summer so far - way less fish than last year & most to diving lures wheras last year almost all came off top!)

Anyway - enough for now, Iwill also try to some pictures of my new custom rod from DFR - its a beaut!

Tight Lines..............