Match fishing gear??

[SaltOnlyAngler]

Only started fishing competitions a month ago. Fished the last leinster league and was amazed at the gear everybody had! I am only a junior and I know you don't need all this gear but can you recommend any items small or big worth getting? I am thinking about getting an igloo and a breakaway backrest for my seat box.

[seabass88]

I used a wychwood 12 foot carp rod for my first year beach fishing lol and a pike fishing tripod instead of a beach one! Aslong as it get the bait out that's all that matter

[chris power]

Get the back rest you will have it for years it one best things you could buy

[SaltOnlyAngler]

Thanks lads. Anyone anymore advice?

[anberme]

When you start match fishing it is easy to be put off quickly when you see the vast array of expensive gear many of the top and not so top anglers have on display. Dont let that happen. Concentrate your efforts on getting together the basic essentials. My eleven year old uses an eleven foot rod that is rated to cast up to 4 ozs with a medium size fixed spool. He can manage this very well as it suits his physique and limited strenght. It is an excellent outfit for targeting the flats and whiting that are now the mainstay of east coast match angling. It is not expensive kit but it works to his advantage. Think about the rod and reel that will suit you and dont worry about what others are using. The igloo would be a great purchase. It will serve you for many years. Get a good stable tripod. The Ian Golds is light and totally reliable. A decent head lamp (these days you can get decent quality for a modest price). Make sure you use good quality line on your reel. I rate berkley big game in 12lb as hard wearing and reliable. Use quality line for making your traces. You wont go wrong with clear trilene of 50 lb for your main bodies and clear amnesia of 15lb and 20lb for your snoods. Get some grip leads of 4 to 5 ozs and some plain leads (bomb/watch/pyramids) of 3 to 4ozs. A 3 hook flapper rig is a good option for east coast matches and easiest to make as well as being quick and eay to use. Sometimes distance is required and you will need to include bait clips in your rig. Use cascade clips for this with a breakaway impact lead. For hooks, get yourself some kamasan B940 match hooks ranging from size 1 down to size 4. You will seldom need anything else so dont waste your money. These basics will equip you well for leinster league matches. Above all try to get the best bait that you can and if possible collect it yourself. Study the anglers who are catching beside you. Study what they do and not the number of expensive rods that they have leaning over their beach shelter! Keep notes and keep it simple. Avoid complicated rigs etc. Best of luck with your match fishing.

[SaltOnlyAngler]

When you start match fishing it is easy to be put off quickly when you see the vast array of expensive gear many of the top and not so top anglers have on display. Dont let that happen. Concentrate your efforts on getting together the basic essentials. My eleven year old uses an eleven foot rod that is rated to cast up to 4 ozs with a medium size fixed spool. He can manage this very well as it suits his physique and limited strenght. It is an excellent outfit for targeting the flats and whiting that are now the mainstay of east coast match angling. It is not expensive kit but it works to his advantage. Think about the rod and reel that will suit you and dont worry about what others are using. The igloo would be a great purchase. It will serve you for many years. Get a good stable tripod. The Ian Golds is light and totally reliable. A decent head lamp (these days you can get decent quality for a modest price). Make sure you use good quality line on your reel. I rate berkley big game in 12lb as hard wearing and reliable. Use quality line for making your traces. You wont go wrong with clear trilene of 50 lb for your main bodies and clear amnesia of 15lb and 20lb for your snoods. Get some grip leads of 4 to 5 ozs and some plain leads (bomb/watch/pyramids) of 3 to 4ozs. A 3 hook flapper rig is a good option for east coast matches and easiest to make as well as being quick and eay to use. Sometimes distance is required and you will need to include bait clips in your rig. Use cascade clips for this with a breakaway impact lead. For hooks, get yourself some kamasan B940 match hooks ranging from size 1 down to size 4. You will seldom need anything else so dont waste your money. These basics will equip you well for leinster league matches. Above all try to get the best bait that you can and if possible collect it yourself. Study the anglers who are catching beside you. Study what they do and not the number of expensive rods that they have leaning over their beach shelter! Keep notes and keep it simple. Avoid complicated rigs etc. Best of luck with your match fishing.

[SaltOnlyAngler]

Thanks. I seem to be on the right track as regards traces and hooks as I am using amnesia and b940m's. I need to get a good headlamp as I struggled to see in the leinster league. Hopefully I'll be able to get an igloo as there were hail stones at the last competition! How often should I change my mainline??

[anberme]

How often you change your mainline will depend on a number of factors so you need to pay attention to all of them. Firstly what diameter line you are using will be a big factor. Thicker line will last longer.Standard .35 mm line should last a number of sessions on the clean sandy beaches of Wexford when there is no weed present. Make sure to check the condition of the line within 2 or 3 feet of the leader knot after each session and give it a steady pull to test. When conditions have been good a quality line of this diameter should last 4 to 5 sessions easily. On the mixed shingle beaches of Wicklow you might get 3 sessions or so if conditions have been clean but maybe less where weed is present or you have had to pull free of snags.

[SaltOnlyAngler]

Thanks. Does anyone know where the cheapest place to buy an igloo is in the Wicklow/Dublin area? The best I could find was €125 at southside angling. Never been in the shop though.