10 items of coarse tackle you can't fish without this autumn
Despite colder nights and shorter days, autumn is a time of plenty where coarse fishing is concerned.
Just about all fish species feed well in one last bid to pack on weight before the colder weather sets in and you can enjoy some super sport. We've put together a list of essential tackle to kit yourself out with to take advantage of this key part of the fishing year!
Small feeders
Fish such as carp and F1s wont be attacking a feeder as aggressively as in summer and with the water cooling down you'll need less bait to hold fish in the peg. A big feeder might risk overfeeding them too, so it's time to step down to much smaller frames. Good choices are the new Mini range of Hybrid Feeders and Mini Inline Method feeders from Guru, or the Preston Inline Dura Banjo.
Bombs
As water in autumn becomes colder it also becomes clearer and a bait presented on its own away from any kind of frame can often be best. Fish with corn or 8mm pellets and loosefeed over the top too. In-line versions such as the Guru In-line leads and Preston Match Cube are virtually tangle free, you can even remove the Match Cube from the line and replace it with another without breaking the rig down.
Visible floats
Bright days are a feature of autumn and with the sun low in the sky it can be difficult to see a float tip properly. For pole fishing for anything apart from small silverfish, try going for a hollow plastic bristle which catches the light and shows up really well, even when dotted right down. We recommend the Preston Inter Carbon or Maver MV-R float patterns.
Good rests
It's important to start being a bit more patient and to be prepared to wait longer for bites. Invest in a good set of front and back rod rests, with a back rest meaning you won't have to hold the rod or be tempted to strike at line bites. Is there a better rest combination than the Guru Reaper front and Reaper rear rest heads? We don't think so!
Go back to pellets
On commercial fisheries you'll often notice that groundbait tends to lose its effectiveness for carp the clearer and colder the water becomes. Therefore it's time to make the switch back to feeding 2mm micro pellets around the feeder or in shallow water such as islands and margins. In the long run it works out cheaper to buy pellets in bulk, like HERE.
Smaller hook
For situations where you used a size 16 hook in summer, it's now time to scale down to a size 18. Fish feed much less aggressively in the cold so a smaller hook weighs less and is likely to achieve more bites. It doesn't necessarily have to be a finer wire hook, as long as it's small and strong. The Kamasan B911 is a good all year round choice, especially in its X-Strong version, as is the Guru LWG.
Go down a grade of elastic
It's time to reconsider your pole elastics as the thick, bagging grades of summer are now likely to be too brutal as you may bump fish, especially if you've scaled down the hook size. So think about going for a light to medium grade hollow on commercial fisheries, blue Daiwa Hydrolastic is a good all-around choice , as is Preston Hollo in 9h or 11h grades.
A great tip is to set your elastics soft when you fit them, as hollows can be harsh on the strike if they're too tight. You can always tighten a slack elastic up a bit but if you've got a puller bung or puller kit in you can't slacken an elastic which is too tight!
Pole pots rather than catapults
Cut down your feed as we move through autumn and winter. Catapulting baits such as pellets around the float is a great way of catching on the pole in the warmer months but now it's a better idea to keep your feed much tighter, as fish are less likely to chase baits around. So get a pole pot on the end, those with sprinkle-type lids are ideal for regulating a few pellets into the swim at time. Try the Map Flexi Pots or Frenzee Soft Clear Pots.
Centrepin reel
Autumn is a great time for trotting, with rivers generally still at low or normal levels. On fast to medium-paced rivers, a centrepin reel is a great bit of kit for putting a float through, but you'll need enough flow to be able to pull line from the drum at the speed of the current.
The good news is that centrepin reels are relatively simple bits of kit, relying on the rotation of the drum, so you don't need to spend loads of money to get the benefits of one. We've fished with The Wensum at just £39.99, a great bit of kit for the money, but if you can't get on with 'pins', then a small fixed spool such as a Daiwa Ninja 2500 is ideal.
Stickfloats
To go with your centrepin you'll need a good selection of floats. The faster the water the thicker the top you should choose, and likewise the deeper the swim the heavier the float you should use. An alloy stemmed shouldered stick is a good all-around choice for most species, or there's also a special offer set of 14 varied river patterns HERE.