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You’re all bundled up to stay warm. You’ve cut a hole through the ice. You’ve dropped a line and you’ve been waiting and waiting for what seems like forever. If the fish don’t start biting soon, you’re outta  here.

Sometimes ice fishing can be discouraging. You’ve gone to a lot of work to prepare your gear (and yourself). You’ve spent time cutting a hole in the ice. And now you’re frustrated because the fish don’t seem to be biting. What can you do?

First, add a twist to what you are doing. Fish become accustomed to the up and down bobbing motion of the lures. This doesn’t catch their attention. So, instead of bobbing you line, twist it. Twist your line between your thumb and index finger. This spinning action works well to attract fish especially in shallow water.

Change the style of your jig. Many ice fishers use tea-shapped jigs which hang vertically in the water. When the fish stop biting, switch your jig to one that hangs horizontally.

Another tip is to bounce your jig off the bottom of the lake. Bouncing your jig will create a small cloud in the water. This cloud and the sound that you create will attract fish from a distance.

Change the type of bait that you are using.  If you’ve been using plastic bait, switch to live bait.  If you’ve been using ive switch to plastic. Changing the type of the bait that you use will attract the fish’s attention.

If you’ve been bobbing your bait and twisting your line, try stopping the motion. Prop  your pole on the ground so that your bait can sit totally motionless. (You might think that you can hold your rod still in your hand. You really can’t.

Another way to change things up a bit is to change the colors of your jig. Or change the size. If you’ve been using a small jig, use a larger one and vice versa.

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Fishing rods have several different attributes.  These attributes lend themselves to different types of fishing. By understand them, you will be able to select the right type of fishing rod for the type of fishing that you will be doing.

First of all, pay attention to the length of the rod. The longer the rod is the longer you will be able to cast out your line.  Shorter rods are generally used when you need a heavier line. If you will be doing light trolling, a longer trolling rod should be used because it will give when you catch a fish and are reeling it in.

Another characteristic of the fishing rod to pay attention to is the butt length.  This is the section of the pole from the back end of the rod to the reel.  Rods with shorter butts are best used for casting rods. Spinning rods are a tad longer, and trolling rods will have the longest butts.

There are three basic types of guides.  Cheaper fishing pools usually come with a standard metal guides.  This is best suited for bottom fishing. If you are doing heavy trolling, the best guide to get is a roller guide.  The most expensive guide is a ceramic one.  With a ceramic guide, you get smoother action, longer casts, and less fray on your fishing line.

The taper of a pole refers to the amount of give or bend that a rod has between the butt of the rod to the tip. It is measured from slow to extra-fast.  Usually, the cheaper the fishing rod is the slower the taper it has. A slow taper means that the whole rod will bend in an arc. This makes it harder to bait your hook and difficult to cast with heavy bait. The butt end of a pole with medium taper will not bend very much.  A rod with a fast taper is one that is most flexible in the upper end of the rod.

Equipment Sales

Flies
It remains our aim to offer only the finest quality flies to members, tied to the highest standards, using only premium quality hooks and materilas, sourced where possible from our trade ‘Friends of the Society’.

Badges and Car Stickers
Three styles are available from the Society. Please order on the appropriate form.

Righyni Style Floats
We offer two sizes of these popular, traditional pattern ‘trotting’ floats – small (4BB size) and Large (6BB size).

Crow Quill and Fluted Crow Quill Floats
Two styles and two sizes of crow quill floats are available – traditional Small (3AAA+) and Large (4AAA) and in fluted styles in Small (3AAA+) and Large (4AAA).

Furled Leaders
A small range of superb Hand Furled Leaders made especially for the Society in England.

Amadou
A premium leather and finest double-sided Amadou fly drying patch.

Fly Stand
Handcrafted in Northumberland, exclusively for the Society out of a range of English hardwoods

Video
We have only very limited stocks of the well known video ‘The Lady of the Stream’ – showing a fishing year on the Welsh River Dee with Andy Nicholson the well known writer and broadcaster.

Magazine Binders
Dark Green and Gold binder in A5 size to carry 8 issues of our magazine ‘Grayling’. Also available in A4 size to hold 24 copies of our ‘Newsletter’.

Clothing
Various items of quality clothing are available in the approved colour scheme, embroidered with our well known Society ‘G’ logo.
All clothing is produced to your order by our official supplier who will be pleased to embroider your name for a small extra charge.
All clothing must be ordered on the Clothing Order Form. Click the link above to download a PDF order form.

The Society is not an angling club and therefore does not own any angling waters. However the Society publishes regularly a

Guide to Day Ticket Waters covering the UK.

Note – this publication is only available to fully paid-up members.

A selection from the Day Ticket Guide…

Wales and the Western Counties

Some excellent Grayling fishing will be found in some of the rivers of central and northern Wales and the Severn catchment.

Generally speaking, the more southerly rivers of Wales and the English western counties are not so good for Grayling.

River Dee – Bala

Lyn Tegid and BB R.Dee to Llanfor, fly only at Llanfor. LB at Llanderfel. Dt from Siop yr Eryr (Tackle Shop) High Street, Bala.

Llangollen

A fishing rod is the most essential part of sport fishing. A good fisherman is only as good as the kind of rod he chooses. There are multiple varieties of fishing rods such as general rods, trolling rods, fly-rods, single and double handed rods, bag-rods and more, with numerous other varieties popping up everyday. The choice of a fishing rod depends on the type of fish you are aiming to catch, including where you are fishing, the size of the fish, and the type and length of the string you are using.

Fly fishing rods are different from general rods and require practice to become proficient at using. The two materials that rods are made of are fiberglass and graphite. Fiberglass rods are cheaper and more durable. They are recommended for new fishermen and experts alike. Graphite rods are light and are preferred by experts because of the accuracy of casting and reeling in fish. The flexibility and stiffness of a rod gives accurate casting and sensitivity.

Handles on fishing rods are made of wood, foam, plastic and cork. Find what best suits your hands and check how sensitive the handle is to your grip. A handle comes with a reel seat and needs to fit the chosen reel perfectly. Guides are another important aspect of a fishing rod and need to be carefully chosen. A guide needs to be lightweight, friction free and of high quality. The fishing string should pass through the guide easily. No exceptions should be made when it comes to guides. A good guide is constructed with ceramic and should have a spline lined up. A spline makes sure that the guide does not alter the flexibility and stiffness of the different parts of a fishing rod.

Consider all of these crucial components when choosing a fly fishing rod and you will increase your chance for successful fish catching.

It is massively disappointing to comes back from an entire day of futile fishing attempts in a lake where professional anglers catch loads of fish. Nothing is worse than seeing a pro make a killing with fish while you sit there–the rank amateur, with expensive equipment in hand and no fish biting. Humorously enough, you feel like the fish of the world have conspired against you.

So, what is the secret that attracts fish to professional anglers? Can it be pure luck? Can it be just a coincidence? Or, can fish smell an amateur from a mile away and prefer to die at the hands of a pro?

Not really. It all just comes down to skill. Every professional fisherman has his own set of developed and time tested skills. These skills are essential in building confidence and taking chances to catch fish. Every professional angler has his own set of techniques. The fishing pattern of each professional is a complete package of fish luring techniques and the ability to quickly alter these patterns if needed. The different movements of the lure and the kind of lure are also a part of the pattern.

Every piece of equipment used by a professional is top quality and has been tested for success. Before every tournament an angler prepares himself and his gear for the tournament. Furthermore, research about the lake and its fish is essential. A professional angler knows where fish will be in almost any condition. Above all, the most important quality is a professional angler’s love for fishing.

So, if you desire to triumph over the fishing pros, it takes practice, quality equipment, proper research, belief in yourself, and a love of fishing. All of these combined, along with a little patience, will have you fishing like a professional in no time.

Fishing lines are the most important part of fishing gear. No matter how good your fishing pole and bait, when a fish gets hooked, it all comes down to the line. For a fish to become hooked, the line has to be invisible to the fish. The quality, tensile strength, color, diameter, knot strength, all add up to a successful catch. Compromising on any account will lead to a fruitless day. One line can be used for a variety of species and fish of different sizes, nevertheless some professionals prefer different lines for different species. The problem here is choosing the best line possible.

Monofilament is the most common type of line found in the market. It is made from a single component product, i.e. the entire line is one unit and manufactured by using molded plastic. There are a few important varieties in monofilament lines you should know about: the nylon monofilament and the co-filament line. These are more costly, since they are quality crafted to avoid wear and tear. Braided nylon lines are popular for their knot strength and stretching ability. Some top lines come under the braided line category, with multiple kinds available.

Fused lines are popular because of the advancements in binding and weaving polyethylene microfilaments. Along with being easy to cast, these lines have great strength and are abrasion resistant. Also popular are synthetic fibers and fluorocarbon lines. Synthetic fiber lines are stronger than steel, but the strength of a wire depends on the knot strength to a large extent, where this line fails. Super glue can be used to increase knot strength. The fluorocarbon lines are completely invisible in water, which gives the advantage of catching stealth fish.

Determining which line to use is a critical part of hooking your catch of the day, so be sure to research beforehand and equip yourself with a line suitable for your needs.

While fresh water fishing is considered to be for beginners, the real challenge comes in salt water fishing. When compared to fresh water, the number of fish in salt water is many and diverse. It is easy to hook a fish, but compared to fresh water fish, salt water fish put up a real fight. However, it is a wonderful and joyful experience where you no longer are limited by the boundaries of land.

The most important equipment associated with sea fishing is the fishing boat. A sea fishing boat needs to be fitted with modern electronic devices that help you navigate. Having a powerful motor is an advantage, unlike freshwater fishing where fish get easily spooked by noise.

Sea rod and surf rods are used for salt water fishing, and are completely different than a freshwater fishing rod. They are usually 10-15 feet in length and are stronger and sturdier than fresh water fishing rods. The grip handles are longer than common rods for a two handed firm grip. Compared to freshwater fishing, the movements and vibrations on bait don’t have to be provided manually. The constantly moving sea water takes care of the required movements.

Natural bait is more successful in catching fish than artificial baits when compared to fresh water fishing. This is due to the scents of the bait, which are effective for a large distance. Lures with artificial scents are also known to be successful. Baits such as Lugworm, Ragworm, Sandeel, squids and fish strips are considered to be the most effective. Sinkers are used to keep the bait in deep waters and are very important because the sea water on the top layers is in constant motion.

Salt water fishing is a unique, challenging experience that can be enjoyed by master fisherman and novices alike. Equipped with the tools of the trade and a boat, you can catch incredible fish.