Paul Arden | Monday, 11 February 2019
The fishing is exceptionally tough at the moment. I mean it’s hard normally, but at the moment there are very very few shots. This is normal for this time of year, however I am starting to find the odd sets of babies. I had two fish eat a large sunk rabbit last week - I saw them both mouth the fly, but I failed to set the hook on either. I had a further one chase my popper but the babies got in there first - dammit!!!
Anyway, I don’t take it too seriously at this time of year. It’s mainly about familiarising myself with the current status of the lake, catching up with Sexyloops work, tying flies for the coming good times, tuning up my Snakehead casting shot, testing new rods, doing some Tri fitness and so on. The fishing proper starts next month and I reckon it’s going to be an excellent babies year - the lake is low for this time of year which means that the babies will be out in the open.
In fact I’ve never seen the lake this low at this time of year. It won’t be coming up for a while now - we are smack in the dry season - it hasn’t rained for over three weeks. It’s a great time of year for sleeping in the boat because you can sleep directly under the stars without getting wet!
I was trying to make a video on the Hot Torpedo 4 last week. But I’m not happy with the results. Ashly is over this week so hopefully we can get something organised.
A question I’m often asked is, “I have a 5WT, why do I need a 4WT?”
Well firstly, there is a significant difference between 5 and 4WTs. A 4WT line is approx 20% lighter. And if you have followed a shop recommendation and put a heavier line on your 5WT rod then technically you are fishing whatever weight that line is - maybe it’s a 6WT? And goodness knows what that line actually really weighs! Many lines are overweight by 1/2 or even a full AFFTA number. You could in fact be fishing a 7!!!!
So let’s talk about a 4WT line - this is a line that allows you to comfortably fish fine tippets and unroll small flies delicately. The HT4 was originally designed for the technical fishing in Croatia and Bosnia. Typically one fishes .10mm/7X tippet on these waters with flies down to around size 22. This requires a relatively light weight fly line.
However the HT4, while having a tip forgiving enough to fish such fine tippets, is a fast 4WT and in the right hands can throw a DT4 over 100ft! This opens up some fascinating Stillwater options: fishing buzzers in windlanes at distance - the take detection is superb. Also for sight fishing for cruising browns in NZ lakes and Tasmania it is really a first choice rod.
The HT4 has become my all-round go-to trout rod. It will throw a streamer, fish a team of dries and do just about everything I need. The only time I would go up to the HT6 would be to throw a heavy nymph combo - for example in NZ backcountry.
When it comes to fighting fish this rod has it all. I’ve landed 5KG Gourami on it, 8lb trout in Russia. And never have I felt undergunned. A remarkable rod, that at one end of the spectrum can fish 7X with confidence and at the other throw 100ft and really stick it to some big fish.
Video is coming!!! Promise!!
Have a great week 
Cheers, Paul
The HT4: http://www.sexyloops.com/index.php/webshop/item/545/ht-pro-9ft-4wt