Winter is a great time to reach for a lure fishing rod and head out in search of perch, pike, chub and zander - four species that Farlows lure fishing expert, Sam Edmonds, knows very well indeed.
1. Fiiish Perfect Link Snaps
A simple, strong snap, perfect for quickly changing lures. To tie the snap to a wire trace or fluorocarbon leader I use a Rapala Knot that allows the snap to move around freely and these are available in four different sizes from Light to X-Strong.
2. Partridge Power Swivels
At the other end of the trace or leader I tie a swivel, which is tied to my braid to help reduce line twist. The Partridge swivels are extremely strong for their size and go down to a size 12 - perfect for tying light wire traces.
3. Rapala X Rap XR10
When the water temperature really cools down and fish aren't up for chasing a lure fished on a straight retrieve, a suspending crankbait, such as the X Rap, can be a great choice to target pike, perch and zander. Fished on a twitch and pause retrieve it perfectly imitates a stunned, injured baitfish - an easy meal for a hungry predator.
4. Rapala Ultra Light Shad
A small, sinking crankbait that can also be fished on a twitch and pause retrieve. It's a great searching lure that is ideal for targeting smaller predators such as perch and chub in rivers.
5. VMC Light InLine Single Hooks
As leaves fall into the rivers and sink to the bottom and the weed starts to die back it can sometimes be challenging to fish crankbaits. Changing the standard treble hooks to singles not only reduces the amount of weed and leaves you catch, but also aids fish handling too.
6. Fiiish Black Minnow Shore Combo Pack 90mm No.2
Moving on to soft baits, shads or paddle tails can be deadly lures to try in areas where baitfish have shoaled up for the winter months. The Black Minnow is pre-rigged on an articulated head and the extra wide gape (EWG) hook is buried inside the soft bait, making it ideal for hopping along the bottom without snagging. When the fish takes the lure it squashes down on the soft body and exposes the hook.
7. Berkley Powerbait Chigger Bug
In venues where there are crayfish present, creature baits can be very effective for all predatory species, especially in the autumn months when crayfish gather to spawn. The Chigger Bug has a large profile, which makes it a great choice for fishing in coloured water (especially in bright colours such as white and chartreuse), and the twin-tail claws give the soft bait a slow fall rate, giving the fish plenty of time to see the lure when cast to structure such as overhanging trees and bushes - get ready for a bite on the drop!
8. Berkley URBN Shrug Minnow
A tiny little shad, with a large paddle tail and side fins that push outwards when the lure is retrieved. Give them a go on your local canal, rigged either on a micro jighead or a drop shot rig - perch and zander love them!
9. Eagle Claw Round Drop Shot Weights
There are various styles of drop shot weights, and these ball-shaped weights are very responsive and great for fishing over both silty and hard bottoms. The small grip swivel at the top of the weight pinches onto the tag end of your drop shot rig and can easily be adjusted depending on how far off the bottom you'd like the soft bait to swim.
10. Rapala Stainless Steel 8.5" (22cm) pliers
Fish safety is paramount, and these long-nosed pliers are possibly the most important item on this list to help you to safely unhook toothy predators. The Rapala pliers have side cutters and a split ring tool to easily change and replace hooks too.