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IGFA Corporate
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 Having grown up in the Cambridgeshire Fens, I have spent the majority of my time fishing much wilder waters than the more run of the mill managed fisheries. There is absolutely nothing like hacking your way through serious undergrowth, crawling in and out of trees, just to locate an un-fished area of water. The problem is, in these situations, a standard rod of around 12 foot is far too long, and usually will create far too many problems to use effectively. This is where very short specialist tools such as the Fox Aquos Twig come into the equation. The Twig measures in at 6ft and has a test curve of 2 3/4lb, which makes it perfect for close quarter stalking. |
| The Twigs length means that it can be weaved in and out of dense foliage with ease, and is also perfect for manoeuvring within grown up areas when to trying to tame large specimens. When Carp fishing, I prefer a low visibility mainline to prevent wary carp from spooking, especially when the majority of venues I fish have tap water like clarity. I use Fox Illusion in 15lb test, as this is not only extremely discreet, but it also holds exceptionally good abrasion resistance when playing fish around marginal growth. |
 These mini rods may lack length, but they certainly do not lack strength, and as I’ve found this season, they’re not just a good close quarter Carp tool. Pike are also another viable target for these rods, and when coupled up with a good braid in the 30lb class, are well up to the challenge of subduing large Pike. As the Twig is a much softer tipped rod than your regular Piking broom handle, soft baits such as Sardines and fine wire trebles are best used, this vastly improves hook ups. |
As with every Predator season, I find myself walking banks that see little attention, with the majority of the time the fish being right under my feet. These rods are not only excellent for marginal fishing in cramped locations, but they also have plenty of back bone to get fish in the net as quick as possible without over tiring them; even if they are only half the size of a standard Carp/Pike rod.
Without doubt, if you want to target large fish right in the thick of it, then you need to adapt your tackle to your surroundings. |
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Matt Rand
