News just in. It's been a hell of a week/month here at FFSLures! Ideas of expansion from previous months finally come to fruition while others are still a work in progress.
The future is still bright for us here despite this having been a terrible month for lure fishing with rivers across the country predominantly being unfishable for most.
New Brands
Lines
YGK Braids and Sunline Fluorocarbons are now available. I am still sticking to stocking items that marry up perfectly with the Finesse Fishing heart of FFSLures! so Breaking Strains and diameters are withing the Finesse Fishing bracket.
Climax Lines are now at Clearance prices, which is a shame but stocking a relatively unknown brand in the UK, no matter how good it is, leaves money on the shelves.
Lures
Keitech (Kay-tek) is one brand that had a profound impact on my fishing before FFSLures! was even a thought. The first shipment of Easy Shiners arrived from the UK Distributor, Tacklewave Ltd.
To kick off proceedings I have gone with a selection of colours to suit all paddletail fishing scenarios so check those out on the website.
At the time of writing Mustad Aji (Horse Mackerel) lures are in the process of being added too. These 2" offerings from Mustad Japan will be a great addition in time for the commute from Rivers to Canals once the close season kicks in.
I have Herakles on the sideline at the moment and am planning a shipment of Trout Sized Hard Plastics like to be with us in time for the Trout Season preperation. The Moth is just one to keep an eye out for.
Jigheads
We kicked off the Mustad arrival with their Ball Jig heads. Primarily in the smaller sizes but the order has now gone in to cover sizes #6 to #5/0 in weight's from 3g to 10g.
I also have an order in with our Tungsten Supplier for Micro Jig Heads. These will be with a Mustad #4 hook. It's a #4 but this hook pattern fits 2"/50mm lures perfectly (and the 40mm Craw21). I do wish there was an industry standard on hook size numbers. These will be perfect for fishing thes small lures on our canals and I have gone with 0.8g, 1.5g and 2.5g.
Upcoming Get Together
Dubbed the "Anti Big One", maybe I should call it the "Alternative" to not be too divisive is planned and ready to go. As a back story, 2 years ago, The Big One Angling Show, previousley by Bauer Media but recently sold to Kelsey Media, was held on the last weekend of the river season. I was absolutely shocked that a fishing show, designed to get anglers there to part with their hard earned cash would hold it at such an important time. Tell me you don't fish rivers without telling me you don't fish rivers.
As a reult we had our first, end of season Get Together that year on my local River Nene and had a great time. This year, they've done it again, kind of. The show this year will be held over the weekend of 02-03 Mar, so this year I've planned 2 days of get togethers:
02 Mar 24 - 0700 - Old Nene, March - What3Words dragonfly.menu.segments
03 Mar 24 - 0700 - Hawkesbury Jcn - Coventry - What3 Words wings.twins.added
The former is a free stretch and the latter is part of Tusses Angling and ticket should be bought in advance here.
It would be great to see some of you at either venue, or both!
New Prices
As a result of diversifying the FFSLures! website and, with this year's planned changes in production practices, I felt it was a good time to lower prices across the FFSLures! range. This is now in effect and I have based the prices on lure sizes and packet sizes eg.
60mm Craw 21
5 pack - £3.50 - 70p each
10 pack - £6.00 - 60p each
20 pack - £10.00 - 50p each
That brings the prices into the middle ground of current UK prices. To get that average I spent hours checking the popular UK Lure sites and ignored the Most Expensive and Least Expensive. I won't name them here, but I was shocked at the most expensive coming in at £1.40 a lure. At the other end of the spectrum, a pack of 10, 60mm Craw21 matches the cheapest of that sample set! Previously I was basing my prices against the most commonly available brand so that, in itself, tells it's own story.
Future Projects
I still have aspirations of designing and producing hard baits and pouring and painting, monstously large (ok +20cm) swimbaits for Pike. This is a work in progress but the plan is out there now so it has a chance.
As Always
Take care, tight lines, Ta-Ta
Tom