elite ugly stik vs vengence abu garcia GX2™ Baitcast Combo Abu Garcia is the brand that will keep you in the winners circle. What's better: Abu Garcia Med

Features like a Baitrunner system or free spool are crucial when ledgering deadbaits, as they allow the bait to be taken freely, enabling the pike to move off without resistance and leading to more effective hook-ups

This is not a place you want to fish in the dark, in the fog, or in a northeast wind

A jig is essentially a weighted hook, often dressed with feathers, hair, or soft plastic

During autumn, when gradually cooler water temperatures trigger active fish and eliminate the need for extreme finesse, Ill often go ultra simple, with a two-pronged approach, for this style of fishing

I held my breath, not wanting a sudden fog to appear over the hole

Soft bait reels get a hard life, constantly working, wet and often not cared for, here's our top 8 best soft bait reels for NZ regardless of price or brand, these reels represent the best value for money and performance (rated in no particular order) We've left out line capacity as they all have at least 150m plus backing capacity of PE:1 or PE:1.5 (10-15lb) which is recommended for best practice soft bait fishing