Every carp angler loves a bit of camo, right..? Whether or not it is ever actually needed in 99% of normal angling situations is debatable. I’m not suggesting that fishing where you shouldn’t is a good idea; I’m just saying that if you were to do that kind of thing, this would be the stuff you might want to spray your kit with. Even if you have no intention of living in a hand-cut rathole and sneaking in and out under the cover of darkness, this paint is still great for dulling down and de-bling’ing any unnecessarily shiny objects in your possession, should you ever desire to do so.
'I’m not suggesting that fishing where you shouldn’t is a good idea; I’m just saying that if you were to do that kind of thing, this would be the stuff you might want to spray your kit with'
I first used this particular paint about ten or twelve years ago now. I’ve recommended it to a stack of my friends over the years and everyone I know recommends it just as highly. Your average paint might be cheaper, but always seems to flake or scratch off in no time at all, but this is industrial issue, and whatever they make it from is pretty bullet proof and has a lovely matte finish, which is the biggest advantage. I’ve been astonished by how hard-wearing and durable this stuff is.
I've sprayed all sorts with it over the years - reels, rods, brollies, storm poles, kettles, buckets and years down the line, it’s almost as good as the day I sprayed it on, and the kit has been chucked in and out of bushes and brambles, and occasionally abandoned for significant periods of time, and left to the elements.
This summer I decided to give my Bic a lick of paint for the autumn on Stoneacres - not because it was needed, but just because I didn't really want to spend a few days a week staring at a bright green boat sat in the margins of my swim. I actually had bigger plans for the boat upgrade and gave it a neoprene layer on all the working edges as well - one massive downside of the plastic hard bottom boats is the noise they create - even gently putting H blocks down, or resting a rod on the side makes a distinct clang that I've no doubt whatsoever travels a long way underwater. In an effort to mute that as much as possible I got a few metres square of 3mm neoprene and panelled out the front and sides, using three layers on the main bits up front. It worked a treat and just because I wanted to, I figured I'd give it some camo treatment as well. Five minutes cutting some stencils from the spare neoprene and a few layers later the little vessel was looking a lot more carpy.
'not because it was needed, but just because I didn't really want to spend a few days a week staring at a bright green boat sat in the margins of my swim'
I used the Desert, Olive Drab, Flat Black, and US Olive and ten minutes of good old fashioned fun later she was done. 6 months down the line it's barely changed. Decent gear, if you're ever in the market to spray anything.
Search Amazon or check the range at www.army-paint.com
