Hi Tony, let's meet live for once! What is the program ?
Tony: yes! It's a pleasure to spend a day together at the water's edge, well on the water! Because today the program is pikeperch obviously, in boat and vertical mainly with the help of the live and a little bit of linear. You will see the live, it's great, you observe the reactions of the fish in real time and it allows you to adapt more easily.
If you can basically fish vertically just with 2D fortunately, the live allows you to catch fish suspended in the water column that you would have hardly been able to catch before. It's a really exciting technology!
I came empty handedâeuros¦ What did you get us for this cold day!
Tony: a bonnet first! (Laughs) Seriously, don't worry, I've got it all! Black Minnows in 120 to 160 in natural and flashy colors and the rods. A 62mx from Rainshadow and a 664 and a SSH 637 from NFC for the vertical and a Statement 724 and the inevitable 705 from NFC for the linear.
Last year, you used Rodbuilder's Republic 724 blanks a lot, as well as NFC 703s and 805s to power your Black Minnows and Muddigers. This year we see that it's a different material!
Tony: yes, exactly. Last year we used all three of these blanks, but we changed. For season 2, Rodbuilder's Republican 766 Statements and North Fork Composite 807HMs were the ones we preferred.
In reality, it was not something premeditated, but like last year we left with a big bundle of rods and many boxes of lures to adapt to the requirements of the fish and the environment. We had everything we needed and in the end we used these two models, because the pike-perch were oriented on big preys, especially the BM 140 and 160. And because we also needed length for fishing from the shore to have an excellent control of the banner.
For our purposes, the Statement was perfect on the boat and the 807 on board.
So despite last year's experience and a substantially similar environment, you anticipated the need to fish differently?
Tony: yes, and especially with the connections we have, especially Pedro and Stéphane, we have all the information beforehand to make a relevant preselection of the right material! And we always bring a little extra history not to miss or if the fishing changes!
Or if we drive a 4x4 on a blank for example!?
Tony: ah yes! (laughs) That should be avoided!
So BM 140 and 160 in priority and two colors that stood out from the rest?
Tony: especially the Blue Electric. This is a color that always works well in the Spanish lakes. We have seen a nice difference on these colors compared to fluorescent colors that were not as effective.
This corresponds well to the bleak present in the lake and to the often clear waters, even if there it was not necessarily the case.
The white one worked well too, a great classic!
This also meets the strategy we adopted this season! We were in prospecting fisheries! We moved around a lot and fished fast, so we didn't worry about perfecting the colors. We were mostly looking for active fish.
What about next year, do you already have any changes planned?
Tony: next year? We go back and it is already filmed! Without spoiling too much, we always leave with blanks which look like, because we are oriented on lakes of dams. But we also brought some new stuff like the SSH 637 from NFC? SSH for Sharp Shootingâeuros¦
It's a great blank that works really well with very big lures, but with which you have a lot of fun even on small fish. This blank has been around a lot!
To come back to the Statement 766 of Rodbuilder's Republic which seems to be your favorite, what do you like in particular ?
It is a very versatile blank with which I fish for zander and bass. It's a 10-40g of power. It can throw big lures and stay responsive with small ones. It's really a very sound and light blank. And ultimately very playful! You can go through the entire BM range from 120 to 160 without a problem.
With a carbon handle, it was really a treat! By the way, it stayed in Spain, because Pedro also had a big crush on this blank!
