Modern Fishing with Modern Tackle

by Eugene Kruger

There's an age-old truism in angling, namely that no matter what the tackle and bait being used, what really counts is the expertise of the angler using it. This is certainly true, but there is also another truism that is equally important, namely that the best angler in the world will not catch any fish without the right tackle! And let's face it, we are long past the stage of bone hooks, bamboo rods and twine!

All those thousands of anglers who set off for our dams and rivers every weekend (and for those lucky enough, on weekdays as well) have their sights set on well defined goals, namely to either catch a trophy-sized fish, or a full bag for competition points. And to be honest, whether you are a match angler or just a weekend angler, it is the actual catching of a fish that is the most important. Of course there are other things that are part and parcel of the general "going fishing" experience, such as an appreciation of the outdoors, quality time spent with family and friends and so on. But come the end of the outing, it is the fish that are caught that really matter. The only people I've heard wax lyrical about the "beautiful dawn", the "magnificent sunset", the "birds and the animals" or even the "delicious braai", are the ones who more often than not have not caught anything. But chat to someone who has experienced a successful day next to the water, and all you'll hear about is the fish that were caught! Which is why the range of STEVENSON fishing tackle has only one purpose in mind, namely to assist you to actually catch fish! All the rest is up to you.

FIELD TESTING
All the Stevenson products are subjected to extensive field-testing before being made available on the market. Knowledgeable anglers, be they experienced recreationals or competitive league anglers, use the products in the field and their results are used to fine-tune a product range. One example was the experience with the Popcorn Float baits - they appeared to be suitable but once in the water they came off the hook far too quickly. And what use is a bait that is floating freely, away from the hook? So they were quickly discontinued. Another example, with the Stevenson hooks, involves a test angler who was targeting barbel in the Magalies River. He was getting strike after strike but no hook-ups. Then he changed from the control hooks to the Stevenson hook and all the strikes translated into solid hook sets and a good day's fishing.

MEALIE FLOATS
There are so many people already using the Stevenson 'Mealie Float' bait that it has become a standard item in tackle boxes. In short, the Stevenson 'Mealie Float' is a buoyant bait made from processed maize starch. In other words, it is a fish bait that floats. It is available in bottles of approximately one hundred baits, and is hard to the touch when out of water. It impales easily on to a hook however, and once in the water becomes as soft as a marshmallow. It does not come off the hook, so is also very economical to use. The only time it comes off is when the lines are reeled in or when a fish takes it. Because it floats, it keeps your baited hook well off muddy or weedy bottoms so is always available to the fish. Using a Stevenson 'Mealie Float', now commonly referred to as "floaties", is a sure way of increasing your catch rate, whether you are fishing for carp, muddies, yellowfish, kurper or barbel, or indeed, any fish.

HOOKS
But there are other products in the Stevenson range that are equally as effective. The Stevenson hooks, for example. There are now three model ranges, namely the Stevenson 'Pro-Competition', the Stevenson '9555BH' and the Stevenson 'Pro-Merwe'. They are all manufactured from forged carbon steel for strong penetration and holding, and are also chemically sharpened. As most experienced anglers know, a hook, no matter how strong, is pretty useless unless it is very sharp. That's why all the Stevenson hooks are chemically sharpened - they will penetrate and hold. The Pro-Competition and the 9555BH ranges have been available for several months already and are now standard equipment for competitive anglers. Because all Stevenson products are field tested before they are supplied to tackle shops, the Stevenson 'Pro-Merwe' model has only recently become available. It is a wide-gap hook design (commonly named the 'Van der Merwe' in this country), a design that is hugely popular in other countries, even for saltwater fishing. Here in South Africa there are many anglers who swear by this hook design, but "cheapie" van der merwes tend to bend open very easily. Because the Stevenson 'Pro-Merwe' is manufactured from a specially chosen thickness of forged carbon-steel, they are strong and will not easily bend or break off. In field tests they performed very well and so are now available in all good tackle shops.

DAY-NIGHT STRIKE INDICATOR
It's a small piece of equipment in relation to all the other tackle a freshwater angler needs to be successful, but it is very important, namely the strike indicator. Nothing beats the sight of a strike indicator when a fish takes the bait! The Stevenson strike indicator has several important features that make it effective and cheap to use. Firstly it is made of a tough type of nylon material so it does not break if, for instance, you accidentally step on it (or the kids play with it). Secondly it is very easy to use: you merely bend open the slit on one end and slip it onto the line. Thirdly it is available in a variety of fluorescent colours so that it is highly visible, no matter how bright or dull the day. Fourthly it can be used at night as well together with a small light stick. The indicator has a hole in one end in which the light stick is placed. So for night fishing buy a couple of packets of light sticks together with your strike indicators. Fifthly, they are cheap!

FLYING SINKER BAIT SPRING
A common problem that bank anglers have is that the bait spring can become hung up on underwater obstructions such as grass, twigs, stones and so on. This is because it tends to remain low down when the line is retrieved, dragging the terminal tackle down. The Stevenson bait spring has a 'flying sinker" in it which has three main uses. Firstly it provides sufficient weight on the trace so that casting is easier; secondly it anchors the trace on the bottom, and thirdly the 'wings' on the sinker make it 'fly' upwards the second you start reeling in. Also, when a fish is hooked, the sinker also helps s to bring the fish to the surface, which is great help especially when a big fish is hooked.

PRE-TIED TRACES
Stevenson also supplies pre-tied traces to tackle shops. They are available in the popular "Rietvlei" and "Baby Shoes' traces, and feature Stevenson hooks, bait springs and flying sinkers. Also, as a bonus, the hooks are pre-baited with Stevenson Mealie Floats. For the person who does not have the time, or the expertise, to tie these traces, the Stevenson pre-tied traces are the answer.

*If you are not already using STEVENSON tackle, ask to see the range when next you visit your tackle store. BEWARE of imitations! If it does not have the STEVENSON lable, it is not a genuine Stevenson product!