The new Areal Pro has firmly cemented itself an excellent upgrade to the Areal range for the favorite past time of surface fishing for whiting. This style of fishing which has become so popular relies heavily on light sensitive gear. The Areal range of Nordic Stage rods used to fill this niche well leaving some people to consider what would replace it once it was phased out (which is happening in 2015). A nice fish taken on an Areal... Since the landing and subsequent testing of the Areal Pro however it has quickly replaced the Areal as a top water favorite. With walk the dog style lures being a favorite for surface whiting, the slightly faster action of the Pro lends itself to this form of fishing. Some stronger and longer models also assist with the fight, and the cast really causing this range to offer just that little bit more. The Areal will always hold a special place in many anglers hearts for their ability to tame solid fish for such light rods, but do not fret, the Areal Pro is the upgrade everyone ...

Since the barramundi season kicked off a few months ago we have been inundated with awesome pictures of some great barra of Nordic Stage rods. The largest majority of these have been pretty great fish caught on rather finesse gear. The angler's in question have been relying a patience and great skill to pull these beasts from most often quite skinny water. Vinnie Versfeld has been having cracking success using a variety of rods including Nordic Stage Favorites, Areals and Dynamics. Most fish have been getting caught on the surface provding that little extra rush and some very interesting bycatch (pictured below) has been included! Some more of the many Barra Vinnie has been tangling with... Robbie Wells from Sun 2 Sea has also been getting in on the action up in North Qld... Stalking the banks of some pretty rugged waters after the cyclone he managed a fair few heatlhy and dark coloured barra like this one on his Nordic Stage Dynamic... Cracking the code to where the Noosa River ...

"This great little write up was sent to me by young angler Bryce Francis. This lad nows hoe to wrangle big fish on light gear"! Last year in the Summer Classic, I was won the lucky draw prize of a fishing trip with Andrew Chorley from Hervey Bay Fly and Sport Fishing valued at $600. Unfortunately due to strong northerlies, our first booking in early December had to be rescheduled to the end of January. It was forecast 12 - 18 knots but South East this time, so we would be protected by Fraser Island. We met Andrew at the boat ramp and headed out in the bay. We fished a few spots with only a small cod, so we headed further North along the inside of Fraser. Andrew took us to a little reefy spot that had heaps of bait and big arches on the sounder. Casting a Zman 5" grub I landed a small mid-60s GT. The next drift over the bait school I hooked into something solid with my Nordic Stage Dynamic F1 6'7 and after about 10 minutes I pulled  in an 86cm Golden. Things went a bit quiet ...

A recent submission by Tasmanian angler Josh Williams... "Two weeks ago I went fishing on the Swan River with my brother. The day proved very challenging with the bream spawning and not on the bite. But persistence was the key. The Nordic Stage Areal Sharp shooter was the ideal rod for the day with the lightness and easy cast attributes proving vital to a long day, targeting hard to get bream.  The ability to continually get the small hard bodies and vibes into the right spot was essential to bagging bream up to 40 cms. The power in the butt of the Areal sharp shooter was a key to fighting the big bream and keeping them hooked. All in all it was a hard but successful day and the sharp shooter proved it weight in gold with 10 fish landed between 35 and 40 cms".

Was a busy weekend fishing the Gold Coast Daiwa-Hobie Kayak BREAM Series Comp , Very clear water on day one made the fish spook easy, was hard fishing but managed to get my 4 fish bag with 30 min left of the day , Bag weight was 2.11kg, This weight had me sitting on 5th position.   Day 2 was looking to be a better day , alot more wind which was providing a bit more cover, had my 4 fish bag by 8:50am , unfortunately they were only small fish but i was pretty confident i had enough time to seek out the bigger ones, I tried flats, deep water, pontoons and just couldnt find them , ended up losing a few good fish using 2lb leader on the pontoons and lost an upgrade beside the yak , but thats fishing   Bag weight weighed in at 1.33kg which gave me a total weight of 3.44kg and sat me on 7th  Good to get Tackle Land and Nordic Stage in the Top 10 again this year  Gear used for the comp: Rods : Nordic Stage Areal ( Jaeger & Sharpshooter ) These rods do very well ...

Craig Morley, Tim Milat and Cooper Lau rocking the Nordic green! Each month the staff at Davo's Tackle World Noosa host an exciting fishing competition aimed appealing to the whole community. Proceeds go to charity and although the prizes are not sheep stations, this event draws some of Noosa's finest anglers. Categories vary in these events from overall length of combined species to induvidual species and versatility of fishing (due to both species and time of year) usually produces the winners. Craig with his winning trevally... Last weekends event was divided into four species fairly common throughout the Noosa system during winter, these being Trevally, Tailor, Bream and Flathead. Tailor were conspicuously absent from the weigh in this year but the winners for the other 3 categories had one something in common... They all caught their fish on Nordic Stage rods! Cooper with his 1st place winning Flathead... Using a variety of Nordic Stage rods including Areals, Areal Pros ...

Tim with a smashing Queenie on the Nordic Stage Areal... Ultra-light tackle is nothing new, but the way it is applied seems to be evolving at an expediential rate. Finesse applications and gear have existed in Australia since rods and reels were first married up in a modern sense. Whether it be nibble tip whiting rods, or lightly weighted trout gear, there has always been a place for ultra-light gear.  The tournament bream scene also saw a huge increase in finesse applications. “Light” leaders went from 8lb to 4lb and lower as anglers fought hard to coax fish that were regularly experiencing the pressure of the hunt. However what we at Nordic Stage are seeing more and more of is not so much the downsizing of gear for the sheer necessity, but the down sizing of gear to dramatically turn the odds against the angler, and thus make the fight (successful or no) that much more memorable. Being able to pull big fish like this out of tough terrain is a true testimont to the rod, and moreso ...

For the past few months I have been caught in an affair between man and rod, wherever I choose to fish the areals seem to follow like an extra limb. They really have proven themselves to me and in quite a good fashion. Kayak fishing is where most of my spare time is spent and I have been using the Areal sharpshooter on all of my recent ventures. The versatility in this rod is the main grabber of my attention. All I have to do is change spools or reels and it transforms into another ultralight piece of art to make my fun-meter skyrocket. Like most people, Now that the cooler months have rolled in the choices start to differ between target species.  First season has barely started and I am so fixated on Jew I can hardly help myself chase anything else. Waiting for the subtle tap felt though every inch of the sharpshooter, and then the screaming drag from its powerful tail. They are a remarkable fish and the thought of catching a 1m+ fish is what makes the early starts, Cold paddles ...

When Nordic Stage rods arrived in Australia in a local tackle shop I now work at, I just had to test one out! Knowing that some of the Noosa locals fish Nordic Stage and do very well, I was very keen to test one out! Out of the three Areals; the 6', 6'6 and the 7' I was keen to grab myself the 7' and give it a go! The Areals are a extremely light rod only weighing 75 grams with a great taper for the fishing I do. I was amazed at the lightness of these rods, the blanks, resin and guides weigh barely nothing but also make a great durable rod! As soon as I got mine I was ecstatic to say it is a great rod!            One of the many Noosa River jewies landed on the Areal Sharpshooter! Knowing that the Areal's are only a 4-8lb class rod meant for bream, but can handle catches up to 12kg tuna!            A respectable golden on 6lb on the Nordic Stage Areal Sharpshooter!     ...

For people who don't know me, I've always enjoyed fishing. There have been other interests and hobbies in my life, but fishing has stood the test of time. I've always bought good quality gear from leading manufactures and was completely satisfied with using them. That's until I heard about the Nordic Stage Areal range. I must admit, I was hesitant at first. I felt that the gear I had was well suited for the type of fishing that I did. I had two identical setups, both 6'6, 2-5kg, 10lb braid on 2500 size reel. But I was eager to catch more fish. So I decided to go with the Nordic Stage Jaeger, matched with a smaller 1000 size reel with lighter 8lb braid. The rod felt absolutely perfect in my hand. It's super light and has a great action. I couldn't believe the weight different between the Areal and my other rods. After trying if for the first time, I couldn't believe the feedback I was receiving back through the rod. This feedback is crucial when fishing little hard body ...

Josh with a cracking sooty on his new Nordic Stage Favorite For a while now I have been following the exploits of 3 young anglers from far North Queensland. Otherwise known as the Bivouac Boyz, these three lads epitomise an adventurous, no holes barred attitude! Mitch, Cody and Josh (aged 6, 9 and 12 respectively) hail from Charters Towers, west of Townsville. Their page (Bivouac Boyz) caught my attention a while ago when I was researching some new Sooty Grunter grounds up north. What really appealed to me was the their apparent independence while fishing, geneurnly getting out there and giving everything a go! This "apparent" independence was confirmed on my recent trip up noth by their ad Joe (the local council member for Charters Towers). I his own words "the boys finish school on a Friday, pack their kayaks, fishing gear and swags and disappear until Sunday. They camp, fish, hunt the local wold peacocks for dinner and generally have a blast! Of course it helps living at the Bivouac ...

One of my favorite forms of fishing is light tackle surf fishing and this weekend was prime for it! The main restrictions of this form of fishing is distance. Often with wind in your face, large swell and a big gutter light "flick sticks" just cannot a: cast a lure far enough or b: keep a lure out there! However every no and again on the east coast of Australia low swells combine with a westerly wind and the time is right! There are worse ways to start the day... My favorite rods for this application are my Areal and Areal Pro range. Although some would argue longer is better leaning towards the 7 footer Areal and 7.3 foot Areal Pro, as always a love my 6.6 foot rods. But that is all preference. Without a doubt natural coloured plastics are the best, and easiest for this application. Plastics allow for weight variation and adaption with you jig head choice. Plastics mimicking crustaceans or worms are my personal favorite and Damiki rippers or GULP turtle back worms are my main arsenel. From ...

Mangrove Jacks are one of Queensland’s most iconic fish, with their aggressive, hard fighting nature making them a popular target for a lot of lure and bait anglers alike. It’s a common misconception that jacks will only feed when they’re ambushing prey from hard structure like bridges, rock bars etc. But did you know they can be tempted out in the open too? When conditions are favorable (more on that later) the jacks will move off their snags and out into the open in search of food. These open water jacks are not only a lot easier to handle due to there being a lot less structure for the angler to worry about, but also because you can effectively target a feeding area and land multiple fish from the same location. I've compiled some of the key ingredients you’ll need for open water jacks: The Cover of Darkness: Jacks are a shy fish at the best of times, so it’s understandable that the cover of darkness is most favored for this type of fishing. The moon also plays ...

I used to think the Areal range was just for bream fishing, but boy was I wrong! I have been using these rods for about two years now chasing bream and I can easily say they are one of the nicest rods I’ve used. They are ultra light, giving you a really comfortable feel in the hand, they bend like mad but still have a crisp feel. With a highly sensitive blank i can literally feel every bite... At first i was a lil scared to push it to its limits but that all changed when i caught my first snapper, fishing light weight plastics for bream on shallow reefs.  All of a sudden your reel starts screaming you automatically start to think “I’m in trouble”, but after the battle was won and excitement had settled I'd inherited a new found respect for these rods. They can handle big fish and they will bend and bend and BENNNNDDDD, but can still handle what you throw at them. That day I landed two nice snapper, a 47cm and 50cm. Need less to say I ...

When I first heard of the Nordic Stage Areal's landing in Australia and a local tackle store I work at, I was excited to go out and throw one around and hope for some fish. As I first picked up the Areal in the 7' I instanly fell in love with it because I could not believe the lightness in the rod and how well it loaded up past it's rating on the rod. There are 3 models in the Areal range 6', 6'6 and 7' also only weighing 75 grams. I chose the 7' and was keen to land a few fish. Also i was amazed how they can use ultra light resin, ultra light guides and overall an ultra light blank and make a rod out of it in the 4-8lb class and go out and catch 10+kg Tuna etc. Over the time I have owned the Nordic Stage Areal 7' I have been luckily enough to catch some great fish including jacks on a rod mean't for bream.      

  A few Nordic Stage fans have posed the question since the release of the Nordic Stage Areal Pro range asking what exactly are the differences...? The most noticeably on first inspection is of course the addition of Kigan Z Guides on the new Areal Pros as opposed to the Fuji single footers used on the Areal.  Kigan guides are produced in Korea by the fishing rod component division of the Kigan Industry Group. Since its foundation in 1978, Kigan has gained a deserved reputation as a leading fishing rod guides manufacturer, always searching for new, unusual solutions to various issues that arise in connection with the guides design. The Kigan Z guides that appear on the Areal Pro utilise anti tangle technology allowing anglers piece of mind when casting braids. Feel free to click HERE to read more about Kigan Guides. The taper and action also varies significantly from Areal to Areal Pro. The original range of Areals has an overall parabolic bend in the blank whereas the pro has a faster tippier ...

I began my collection of Nordics Stage rods with the Area Jaeger (AR-66L). To date this is still at the top of my list of favourite rods, as it has brought me some serious mojo and caught me some fish that would not normally be reccomended on a rod of this size. One of my first fish caught on these light weight rods was as titled a 74cm Golden Trevally followed 4 days later with a 82cm Golden Trevally. Both caught on a the Nordic Stage Areal Jaeger teamed with a Certate 2004 running 6lb line. These rods are a seriously good, and you get you bang for the buck.

If you Chasing a VERY light rod, i can highly reccomend any of the Areal range. I personly have taken a massive liking to the Nordic Stage Areal Jaeger with it being a light but stong rod for chasing your standard creek fish from you Bream Faltthead and Whiting to you Mangrove Jacks if played right. One of my most memroble fishing Expriences happened last year with the Areal Jaeger in hand, When i landed my first Golden Trevally at 74cm which was followed by an 82cm Golden Trevally 4 days later. Theses rods are an Awesome rod and you can't go wrong with them, and if your chasing a well priced rod you can't go past them. Chris    

As soon as I picked up this rod I knew straight away this was the one for my needs. The quality of the range of all the Areals is mint but the Gunslinger is my pick, the action is incredible and just perfect for Bass fishing or any light tackle fishing. The rod allows me to cast the lightest of lures and the "protective give" in the blank gives me insurance against the lunges of big bass as they head back into the snags, but there is enough power in the butt to stop them (most times). It still has alot of grunt for only a 1-3kg stick. I've caught some good fish on the Gunslinger ranging from sight casting Bass in the fresh to slaying flathead and jews in the salt.   Here are just a few photos of bass I've caught using the Gunslinger matched with a shimano stradic 1000, all fish were 40cm+