17 items to buy before 2017
A whole heap of new tech goodness to keep you catching this autumn/winter
1. Cotswold Les Graviers Cradle Mat
It’s big, puffy and padded, and has been designed with the help of Luke Moffatt, owner of Les Graviers – home to the ex. world record, The Scar Fish. The 50mm soft foam base ensures superb comfort, but unlike standard flat mats where the fish can flap off, this mat has a rigid structure. The two walls are built using a 30mm thick by 255mm high soft foam inner, all of which is wrapped in Cotswold’s fish-friendly rubberised material. “GIMME”: £129.99; cotswoldaquarius.co.uk
2. Cygnet Logo Ski Hat
If it’s good enough for Alex Norgate and his winter ski season, it’s good for any winter campaign. The Ski Hat is made 100% acrylic and bears all Cygnet colours and logo. “GIMME”: £12.99; cygnettackle.co.uk
3. Nutrabaits Alternative Pop-Ups
A versatile, well-tested, beautifully rolled range of single hookbaits that represent the culmination of decades of experimentation. The five flavours – Plum & Caproic, Sea Monster, Wonderfruit & Cream Cajouser, Pineapple & N-Butyric Acid and White Spice – and two sizes, 12 and 16mm, will keep you catch this winter, regardless of how cold it gets. “GIMME”: £5.99; nutrabaits.net
4. Eagle Claw Longshank hooks
Our favourite hook producer, Eagle Claw, have a new razor-sharp pattern for us this month: the Long Shank. Using one-of-a-kind machinery and manufacturing techniques, the three-sided symmetrical point is honed to being scalpel sharp. So sharp in fact that in tests against other leading brands, the Eagle Claw Long Shank consistently pierced with half the pressure required for other hooks! “GIMME”: £5.99; reubenheaton.co.uk
5. CC Moore Roasted Nut Parti-Blend
An instant solution to cutting wastage and prep time. Based on CC’s tried and tested parti-blend mix which has been perfectly prepared, this new offering comes with a good helping of their Roasted Nut glug. “GIMME”: £13.99 for 2.5kgs; ccmoore.com
6. Chub Coffee Maker
Enjoy your favourite Costa/Starbucks/Caffé Nero (delete where applicable) coffee whilst bankside thanks to Chub’s latest creation. Add coffee, water, heat, and then sit back in a freshly brewed coffee smell-filled bivvy. “GIMME”: £29.99; chubfishing.com
7. Fortis/Snugpak SJ9 DPM Camo
Ultimate explorer brand, SnugPak know their way around insulation, and the on-the-button Fortis knows how to make something look eye-wateringly beautiful, so a collab was only ever going to be a hit. Uber strength warmth comes from the renowned military-dressing brand’s Softie Premier filling, whilst the outer fabric is made from Paratex Light – a closely constructed fabric with a ripstop construction that’s been drenched in DPM camo. Available in sizes M to XXL. “GIMME”: £149.95; fortiseyewear.co.uk
8. Spomb Mini
More elegant and discreet than the Midi and Large Spombs, this teeny version of the world’s best bait delivery device means you can top-up your swim with almost zero disturbance. And thanks to its completely enclosed chamber, it means you can fire out anything from maggots to a sloppy mix. “GIMME”: £9.99; spomb.com
9. Wychwood System Select Reel Pouch
You dropped Ford Kia-equivalent cash on your prize winders – all matt black and loaded with a dozen ball bearings. And you’re going to strap them to the side of your quiver without protection? No, no, no. These new clamshell-design pouches, which are part of the new System Select range, are hugely padded and can be clipped together thanks to robust Duraflex buckles. “GIMME”: £9.99; wychwoodcarp.co.uk
10. Cygnet Camera Adaptor
Lacking an angling buddy to help with your trophy shots? This adaptor converts any bankstick or tripod in to a sturdy camera stand, with the camera in landscape or portrait position. “GIMME”: £9.99; cygnettackle.co.uk
11. Urban Baits Nutcracker Paste
Why leave your hookbait exposed, forgotten and under-flavoured like everyone else’s? Thanks to Urban’s perfectly-formed paste, you can now give them a huge boost of attraction which will pull fish down from whatever level they’re swimming at. “GIMME”: £4.95 for 300g; urbanbaits.co.uk
12. Gardner Covert Flexi-Ring Kwik Lok Swivels
It’s not only a mouthful of a name for us – it’s a mouthful of silly-hard-to-eject rig greatness when combined with a Gardner Mugga for the carp! This is the key product you need to tie the smash-hit-of-2016 Ronnie Rig. Available in a couple of sizes, but for the Ronnie you need to opt for the size 12. “GIMME”: £3.75; gardnertackle.co.uk
13. Kodex Eazi-Carry Robo Chair and Strap
Few bankside comforts are more time-honed than the guest chair. But even the guest chair’s traditional design can benefit from a modern eye. The Eazi-Carry Strap means it’ll fix to your back, leaving both your hands free for carrying tackle to and from the bank. It comes with two core parts of the brand’s StarGrip 360 system, making accessories such as rod rests and bait trays easy to attach, and along with lots of padding, all four legs are adjustable. “GIMME”: £65.99; kodextackle.com
14. Berkley CM70
The US line manufacturer – famous for producing such iconic main lines as Big Game and Trilene – has finally got its act together and created a brand-new ‘carp collection’. From braids and fluoros to this, CM70, which appears to be the most foolproof line money can buy. And it’s cheap too: 1,000m will set you back just £12.99! Available in 8, 10, 12, 15, 18 and 20lb BS. berkley-fishing.com
15. TF Gear Flat Out Sleeping Bag
For a winter spent out on the bank, you’ll need sleeping kit that provides protection from the cold and super comfort with a home-from-home feeling. The Flat Out bags checks both boxes: the windproof outer and doubled sealed seams eliminates draughts whilst the best synthetic materials provide superior insulation for comfort and warmth. Available in Standard or Superking. “GIMME”: £109.99 and £119.99; totalfishinggear.co.uk
16. SONIK SKS Air-Dry Bags
Two sizes of air-dry bag which are constructed from a rubberised mesh. Not only is this tougher than traditional mesh and semi-supporting to retain its shape, but it’s freezer-proof too, so you can freeze bait in-between sessions. The Medium will hold 3kgs whilst the Large 6kg. “GIMME”: £9.99 and £11.99; soniksports.com
17. Mainline Dissolvas – Essential Cell
It’s tough to work your magic in the winter months with a standard out-of-the-bag hookbait. Put one of Mainline’s clever Dissolvas on the Hair, however, and it’s game on. These 18mm water-soluble beauts take approximately 4-6hrs to dissolve, giving the ‘attractor hookbait’ a totally new edge. “GIMME”: £6.75; mainline-baits.com