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Spotlight

Fishing reel gear ratio chart: understanding the best ratios for your fishing success

Rods & Reels

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12/06/2025

Fishing reel gear ratio chart: understanding the best ratios for your fishing success

How to Replace Fishing Rod Ferrules by Hand

Rods & Reels

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22/07/2025

How to Replace Fishing Rod Ferrules by Hand

How to tie the perfect braid to leader knot for fishing success

Fishing Lines

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12/06/2025

How to tie the perfect braid to leader knot for fishing success

Fishing Lines

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12/06/2025

Fishing line strength chart: understanding the essentials for every angler

Our latest product comparisons

Comparison

Guide: the 3 best soft plastics (2026)

122 Premium Hand Tied Fly Fishing Flies Assortment - Two Fly Boxes Included - Dry, Wet, Nymphs, Streamers, Wooly Buggers, Terrestrials - Trout, Bass Lure Set, Kit, Gift

VENTURES FLY CO

122 Premium Fly Fishing Flies Assortment

★★★★★ ★★★★★ 8.6/10

+ Large variety of proven patterns that cover most beginner and casual fishing situations

+ Flies are generally well tied with decent hooks that hold up to normal trout and bass fishing

Truscend

Shadtale 9cm/7g Paddle Tail Soft Swimbait with BKK Hook

★★★★★ ★★★★★ 8.4/10

Berkley

Limited Edition Pulse Soft Lures Gift Box - Zander Assortment

★★★★★ ★★★★★ 8.4/10

See full comparison →

Comparison

Top 6 best surf rods (2026)

12 ft Carbon Surf Beach Caster Rod: 3 Piece Sea Venom Sea Fishing Rod with High Visibility Tip and 4–8 oz Casting Weight

Hunter Pro

12ft 3-Piece Carbon Surf Caster Rod

★★★★★ ★★★★★ 8.5/10

+ 3-piece 12 ft design fits easily in a car boot, no need for roof racks

+ Carbon fibre blank offers decent casting power and bite sensitivity for the price

Penn

Wrath II Surfcast Rod – Great Sea Fishing Rod for Beachcasting and Surfcasting, Made With Strong and Responsive Blanks and Quality Components and Great Value for Money 4.20m - 250g

★★★★★ ★★★★★ 8.4/10

Sougayilang

3-Section Carbon Surf Spinning Rod (2.7–3.6m) - Heavy

★★★★★ ★★★★★ 8.3/10

See full comparison →

Our latest product reviews

Truscend

Swimmax Easy Catch Fishing Lures with BKK Hooks, Wiggling, V...

Budget jointed swimbaits that actually catch fish

8.5/10 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Value for money ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Design ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Materials ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Durability ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Read full review

Berkley

Limited Edition Pulse Realistic Gift Box, Fishing Hook, Soft...

A neat starter kit for predator fishing

8.4/10 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Value for money ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Design ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Materials ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Packaging ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Read full review

Last posts

How to choose the best fishing pliers for saltwater success

Tackle Boxes

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23/07/2026

How to choose the best fishing pliers for saltwater success

Learn how to choose the best fishing pliers for saltwater, from stainless steel and aluminum to titanium, with real test data, corrosion stats, and practical buying tips.

How to choose saltwater fishing hooks that truly match your style

Learn how to choose the best saltwater fishing hooks for surf and inshore fishing. Compare circle, J, and treble hooks, materials, coatings, sizes, and target species to build a reliable saltwater hook box.

Saltwater hooks that turn more strikes into landed fish

Learn how to choose, rig, and maintain high‑performance saltwater hooks. Compare circle, treble, and bait hooks, understand coatings and corrosion, and see data‑backed benchmarks for catch‑and‑release fishing.

Why the TFO Professional spinning rod series matters for serious inshore fishing

Detailed look at the TFO Professional spinning rod series for inshore redfish and trout, including real-world performance, actions, power ratings, and value with lifetime warranty.

ICAST 2026 in Orlando: What Actually Matters for Weekend Anglers

ICAST 2026 in Orlando highlights forward-facing sonar, St. Croix TRIUMPH rods, finesse BFS lures, and mid-range reels. Learn which upgrades actually help weekend bass anglers catch more fish.

How to choose top rated inshore spinning rods for serious coastal fishing

Rods & Reels

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14/07/2026

How to choose top rated inshore spinning rods for serious coastal fishing

Learn what makes top rated inshore spinning rods stand out, how to balance power, action, and length, and how premium components and brands like St. Croix influence value for coastal anglers.

How saltwater assassin style lures reshape modern sea shad fishing

Learn how to choose, rig, and fish saltwater assassin style shad lures for sea bass and trout. Includes colour advice, rigging tips, durability guidance, and real-world case studies.

How Penn Battalion rods elevate serious spinning and surf fishing

In depth guide to Penn Battalion rods for serious recreational anglers. Learn how to choose the right Battalion surf, inshore, and slow pitch models, understand power and action ratings, and see example setups for target species and techniques.

Top Carp rods

Learn how to choose the best carp rods for your style, from test curve and playing action to Daiwa, Sonik, NGT and Korda Kaizen ranges, with data-backed tips on value and upgrades.

How refined pompano jigs elevate surf fishing success

Lures & Baits

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10/07/2026

How refined pompano jigs elevate surf fishing success

Learn how to choose, rig and fish pompano jigs in the surf. Compare goofy and straight jigs, weights, colours, hooks and hardware, plus online buying tips and advanced teaser tactics for consistent pompano catches.

Top Swimbaits

Learn how to choose, rig, and fish the best swimbaits, from soft plastic paddle tails to hard glide baits, with realistic action tips, seasonal tactics, and big-fish strategies.

Comparison

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03/07/2026

Top Ice reels

Top Ice Reels 2026 guide: compare the best spinning and inline ice fishing reels, with details on drag systems, gear ratios, ball bearings, materials, prices, and real-world performance on the ice.

Shimano Tekota reels for serious recreational trolling and casting

Rods & Reels

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02/07/2026

Shimano Tekota reels for serious recreational trolling and casting

In depth guide to Shimano Tekota reels, comparing HGLCA line counter and HGA models, with real world drag, capacity and gear ratio insights for serious recreational trolling anglers.

Top Ice fishing rods

Learn how to choose the best ice fishing rods, from solid carbon blanks and guide layouts to price, value, and buying strategies. Compare practical setups for perch, walleye, pike, and lake trout, plus FAQs and example rod configurations for serious hardwater anglers.

Shaddock Fishing 66pcs Lure Kit Review: a cheap way to fill the tackle box (with a few duds)

Product Test

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30/06/2026

Shaddock Fishing 66pcs Lure Kit Review: a cheap way to fill the tackle box (with a few duds)

★★★★★ ★★★★★

This Shaddock Fishing 66pcs lure kit is basically a budget-friendly pile of lures that does what it promises: fills your tackle box with a lot of options, some of which actually fish pretty well. The strong point is clearly the spinners and spoons. They spin, they wobble, and they catch trout, perch...

Truscend Easy Catch Swimmax Review: budget-friendly jointed swimbaits that actually move like fish

★★★★★ ★★★★★

The Truscend Easy Catch Swimmax swimbaits are solid, no‑nonsense jointed lures that do what they claim: they swim like a fish, make some noise, and catch predators without costing a fortune. They’re not perfect, but for a 3‑pack in this price range, I was pleasantly surprised by how usable they are....

Truscend Shadtale Soft Lures Review: simple paddletails that just catch fish

★★★★★ ★★★★★

Overall, the Truscend Shadtale Soft Fishing Lures in 9 cm / 7 g are a solid, no-nonsense choice if you want something that’s easy to use and actually catches fish. The paddle tail gives a nice, steady action even at slow speeds, the pre-rigged BKK hooks are sharp, and the internal weight/magnet syst...

Sougayilang Trolling Reel Blue-LDT30 Review: budget boat reel that actually holds its own

★★★★★ ★★★★★

Overall, the Sougayilang Trolling Reel Blue-LDT30 (left hand) is a solid budget option for boat and trolling use. It offers strong enough drag for typical species like cod, catfish, and similar fish, plenty of line capacity, and a level-wind system that keeps things easy, especially for beginners. T...

Sougayilang FED5000 Feeder Reel Review: a chunky but smooth budget carp workhorse

★★★★★ ★★★★★

The Sougayilang FED5000 is a solid budget feeder reel that does the basics well: smooth enough retrieve, reliable drag, decent line lay, and enough power for carp on the method feeder. The double line clips and spare aluminium spool are genuinely useful features, not just marketing extras. On the ba...

Abu Garcia Cardinal X 1000 Review: a budget spinning reel that gets the basics right

★★★★★ ★★★★★

The Abu Garcia Cardinal X 1000 is a no-nonsense budget spinning reel that does what most casual freshwater anglers need. It’s light enough, casts well, and the drag behaves properly on perch, trout, and the odd small pike. The build is clearly budget, but it doesn’t feel like junk in the hand, and t...

by Ethan Mackenzie