What the Environment Agency say about the Magic Twig from OMC 

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They can’t even stop people nicking fish and poaching our waters so how do you think they could fine you 50 grand !!!

Brilliantly explained James and very well delivered. Nice to see that you got the facts straight from the EA and aren't just gossiping or speculating. I think you've summed up the issue perfectly there that it's not necessarily the self hooking/triggering aspect that is worrying anglers. It's the tethering and inability of the product to eject itself from the hooklink. Personally I think it's a good idea in principle (whether it's necessary or not is a different argument) but clearly needs some refining and reshaping to incorporate some sort of release and get rid of those anchor shaped arms.

Well explained, really cant understand why people defend this product. I also think OMC/Ali has lot the plot.

The 'self-triggering' taglline is PR bs, it isn't self hooking or self-triggering as the fish has to exert an amount of pressure to trigger it. The tethering aspect is a concern, but many 'death' rigs are used every day including a badly setup lead clip. With the millions of youtube videos on rigbuilding it's hard to believe anyone doesn't know how to build a safe rig. I just don't think many carp anglers are interested in attaching extra bit of hardware to their rig.

How did Ali get it so wrong. Surly a man like him should understand why people wouldn't adopt this well. He's not stupid so anyone got any ideas other than to make money?

It takes carp fishing backwards, we dont need it and dont want it. Fish safety and fish care 1st aways.

So can you actually define what a 'self-hooking' rig is? Has the EA actually got a detailed definition in law of what "self hooking" is? What the EA says is a 'bye-law' has likely never been tested in court. Because the 'magic twig' still needs the Carp to pick up the hook and prick itself. It's the act of turning away and stretching the main spring that triggers the mechanism. It does not leap out and spear the fish. It takes a physical action by the fish itself like almost all Carp rigs. If the definition of "self hooking" is 'a hooking system that requires no intervention by the angler' then basically most Carp fishing rigs are illegal. Its back to touch ledgering, floats and quiver tips for everyone. I would guess that no one will ever get fined £50,000 for using the 'Magic Twig' because until a true legal definition of "self hooking' is created by a legal case then the EA is taking a financial risk that it will loose in court and no angler is going to pay up that much without going to court are they? They will avoid any involvement with this matter and leave it to fishery owners as the cost of such a court battle has to justified to the public who would much rather have their money spent on more important stuff. Basically anything with a hook on it is "self-hooking" because none of us is looking at live underwater video footage and using that to decide when to strike. Even when using a float or quiver tip the fish has already picked up the bait and is moving off and much of the time the fish is already hooked. At a fundamental level the EA bye-law is so vague and ill defined that it is probably unenforceable. Most judges are not anglers and would not have a clue about the technicalities of Carp fishing. Any case bought would probably cost the EA 10x more to fight than the fine itself. If the bye-law was enforced in the vague way it was written then modern Carp fishing with alarms etc would be over since most fish are hooked before anyone touches their rod and is thus "self-hooking". I am both a Carp angler and lure angler on the same lakes. My main catches on lures apart from Pike are lost Spombs and carp safety clips with the hooklink and leads still attached. Every year I get a few free spombs and leads. I don't think safety clips are that safe. Most of them do not work as advertised. You can blame the angler if you like but the safety clip has been around a long time and any flaws should have long since designed out, and yet they are not. I will not use them. The EA should not threaten anyone with a life changing £50,000 fine just for going fishing. Especially based on a vague undefined by-law that's probably aimed at poachers and not anglers. If you want to be helpful then ask the EA what the legal definition of "self hooking" is and watch the confusion that occurs because any answer they give is likely to accidentally criminalise thousands of Carp anglers that have never used the 'magic twig'.

Been carp fishing 44 years and would never use the twig ever.

I'm really amazed that someone like Ali Hamidi, would even condone such a contraption never mind allowing his company to put it on sale.

James, you have the twig set up back to front. It is made so the sprung legs are pointing backwards.

I'm amazed that they put the thing to market really! Good video. My membership water has banned it.

The worst thing is Ali must of knew how dangerous this rig could be yet went ahead anyway as he was desperate for his company not to go bankrupt. Shame on you Ali your going to get angling banned if you carry on. All anglers should not by any of his products as he has lost all morals for the sake of money

When we buy our rod license we agree to follow all the laws and bylaws around fishing. Apart from that its down to individual Fisheries and Angler's

New ideas in angling are very rare they usually are just a improved version of the last one ..iam quite amazed that considering how much effort and time is spent on fish care now that someone who has been a advocate of care has let this product come to market who knows the reason.

Starting to look like its only safe to use on weedless clay bottom lakes?

Great video that was my concern was that most rigs the fish would just be left with just the hooklink but with the twig it has the hooklink and the twig and no way to remove that part of the rig at all. Its banned at every lake in my area and i think it should be banned at all lakes and removed from market till its been made to be safer some how.

We pay alot of money for rod licences, if the environmental agency are willing to in force fines for the use of these products why don't they get some laws Inforced to get this product banned.

Great video!

Good video your the only one that answers my questions. We'll done thank you. Let hope it gets banned all over the country. Keep up the good work.

Very well explained thanks buddy . A similar contraption was used about 27 years ago and was banned then Ali must of knew about this . Even gigantica and embryo have banned it crazy how one rig mechanics can cuse so much up raw . He knew what he was doing or he would of re called them all and burnt them 🎣🎣 #fishsafety 🎣🎣

berners hall in Essex banned it immediately, our syndicate banned them right after

Think you’ve misunderstood the rules. It is prohibited in the Thames valley region. You can’t use it anywhere. Saying you can at private fisheries may cost a lot of people a lot of money. EA rules and byelaws override fishery rules. It’s like a pub saying you can smoke inside when it’s against the law, it’s still against the law. The pub doesn’t override the law.

The whole idea of this item was good and apparently, the item itself works well (as far as functionality is concerned) as many on RU-vid made reviews on it. Then, the more you think about it and see your videos, this one and the "dragging test" video, have you rethink the idea of using the item or not. I don't know if the item actually fully ticks all the boxes for it to qualify as an item that must be banned because it's a "self-hooking device" but we all know that the lead plays the same function. One helps the line tension and as a result, hooks the fish as the lead would like to remain stationary on the substrate and the other hooks the fish by triggering a spring through tension. So I don't know if it is correct to ban this and any other items and newer items of this nature. However, this specific version is literally a fish safety hazard. As of right now the two arms "hug" everything in their path and nothing is keeping it from grabbing onto fallen branches and fully immobilising a fish leading it to starvation and death. Those arms had to be projected with some type of hinge at the base of the arms so that they were free to move a whole 180 degrees allowing it to completely flow with the substrate and not allow it to get stuck onto anything. In my opinion, it was a cool and helpful idea but the design and construction of the item were poorly executed. It turned an item that was meant to be revolutionary into a very high-risk fish hazard that many including myself are not comfortable using. I'm sure Ali and his team will make the required changes to the product, this was the first version and with all the feedback people are giving they already know by now exactly what to change. Thank you for making these videos with the main thought of the carp care aspect as it should be the first and most important thing to think about. We must remember that if the weren't any carp we would be at home on weekends. So it's imperative to respect the fish and take care of them as a sign of gratitude for all the amazing moments we have thanks to them.

Surely the only thing you would need to make sure of is that your hooklink is not heavier then your mainline?! Float anglers have a lighter hooklink and stronger mainline which prevents them towing round the floats... i dont get why there so much fuss?

I feel it’s similar to float or surface fishing, in a way that you strike to set the hook. They have just made a component what strikes for carp rigs.

ok... so no fine at all on a day ticket venue. Thanks.

Kevin Nash doe not get enough credit in my eyes

Great post, to the point. The 50k fine, remote, ambiguous ? At least we now know. Making catching easier? Its just converting more inquiries into takes. Remember two words you dont use in angling, "Always & Never". Incorrectly used lead clips, "two wrongs don't make a right " More to the point fish welfare. A clever bit of kit but dangerous. Reason, patterned and rushed to market by OMC to maximise profit before corporate competitors cash in. Were are OMC morales. In their balance sheet. 😢

If you are all talking about fish care and rigs. Why the fff are we paying money for a rod licence. When the bigger picture is otters and pollution from the r

The break OMC needed to make headlines. This is Ali Hamedi, marketing genius. Trust me, if he never sells anotuer twig, the buzz was what the product was released for. But yeh, its essentially a death rig. Its also the first time ive looked at OMC for ages. !!

What’s the problem with a barbless hooks , either barbless work or they don’t , a dropped lead does not guarantee a fish won’t get tethered , even a fixed swivel can tether a fish , the only way to prevent a tether in the majority of cases is to use a substantially weaker hook length that can be snapped below the knot strength of the mainline assuming you can tie a decent knot , however there are very few examples of manufacturers rig tutorials that recommend this virtually all recommend the lightest mainline possible . I have little doubt that Ali’s competitors will campaign against the twig . I do think there is a basic design flaw and that it the forward facing arms if the rig was reversed it would be safer .

A interesting watch. Be good to know if any Embryo waters will allow that rig on there waters as we know Danny Fairbrass is 100% all about fish care and safety. 🤔. My personal opinion on it is that id stick to trusted leadclips and heli safe systems. Tight lines 🎣🎣

If Fanus Von Fairbrassius released the twig through Korda people would be praising it!

‘Potential fine’ The point being made is more than valid. The twig rubbish is an absolute death trap and a self hooking device which is illegal

His threat of a fine is a complete BS! They can't even fine companies for dumping waste in the rivers, but as with most things go for those at the lower end of the scale who are easier targets for fines. The EA is just a tax company on fisherman

So not banned then if youre on a Thames Area club , syndicate, private or day-ticket lake .

It’s just zero fish welfare, those arms will snag in the net and rip there mouth, also it’s like a weed rake attached to its face in the event of a crack off, it’s just not sensible at all just crazy

The ea couldn't attend illegal out of season fishing on the banks of the trent, with the perpetrators visible from the ea head office. The idea of the ea catching people using thi and prosecuting is hilarious

nash didnt invent the lead clip,, this lead clip was an idea that was sent to him by a friend of mine, his reply was (not interested) 1 month later the nash lead clip was born, not a nash idea dont let it fool you .

I am sure the OMC solicitors will be in touch with you soon.

Can I ask. Self hooking All the rigs we use on the bottom are self hooking. Hermit rig. Bungee rig bolt rig So are we all breaking the laws of Thames water. I get the argument about the twig but the bylaw are subjective?

Those elasticated method feeders from preston and matrix.....Didn't get that much fuss....... Well, we all have quircks...... If I use the outer part of the lead free leadcore and put an elasticated band inside, it's going to be an automatic fish snagger, I never got any fuss by anyone..... Words can turn things into "nuclear weapons" these days it seems.

One of the most dangerous thought up devices

Really????ive been stopped and asked for my license once in 55yrs.how are they possibly gonna police this???

Looks like an anchor works like an anchor . Its the magic anchor . Tie a spring loaded anchor to your rig today no fish is getting away . Imagine if it was bigger one size up

Keep it simple keep it old school. Told myself that after 9 sessions blanking, went bk to basics , 4 in 4 hours. Stop being sold plastic shite

It's banned in yorkshire

Years ago, nineteen eighties I believe, there were similar things being sold but they were also banned by authorities. They are designed for the cheap thrill angling brigade.

it seems your spreading a little bit of mis information within this video, are you sure you have spoken to the ea? im a vbs and do work with th ea and angling trust, the magic twig is an automatic hooking device which is triggered by a spring, this is what makes it illegal for use with the ENTIRE thames region whether on public or private waters, its allowed for use ELSEWHERE in the uk as automatic hooking devices are only banned under the byelaws of the thames valley region.

Well said mate it's a death trap make sure it's 100& safe until you release it Ali as jumped the gun on this

No one in the history of British angling has ever been fined £50.000 for using a type of rig,even a harpoon gun!!!total scaremongering.

The EA honestly couldn't give a crap.

Sounds like borris has wrote that don't go out but do go out. Don't go to work but go to work if you need to work

i’ll never use it, i can see fish swimming around with this contraption hanging from their mouths

This video made me want to buy one but they're all out of stock everywhere 😢🤣

Ali must be proud. Anything to make a few quid I suppose.

So hang on, the fine is considerably more then if you don’t even have a fishing licence in possession?🤔

Surely running inlines are the safest still, the biggest problem with the twig isnt the lead its weed

Really, how many Eastern Europeans have been done for destroying our Rivers an Cannals😮

Ali and OMC have turned commenting off on their stuff.. says it all really. Those arms don't break etc no matter how much Ali tried to bs in that video. I was tempted to give it a go til I saw you rake in weeds with it and bend the funk out of them without them breaking, they just bent backwards slightly. Trash IMO

this product is awful anyway. who would want to use them. this will cost you more fish not catch you more. spooky carp will see that huge abnormality of a lead clip its ugly on the rig

Fined 50k….😂 Fella, honestly, do you work for the Sun newspaper. Utter nonsense 🙄 Let’s put some realism and honesty here. We all pull them out of their natural environment by means of a hook, so let’s all climb down from the high ground of morality here.

If it was Nashs or kordas product you probably wouldn't have made your busy videos

The twig is getting some serious stick

Can’t get my head round the fact that Ali thought it was a good design 😂. Concept is great but have abit of common sense ffs. Imagine a carp going through a weed bed.

where is the sport of a rig that catches the fish for you and looking at the gear most carpers use i dont think they care about fish safety when they are in their bivvies getting stoned or drunk and no thats not disrespectful its fact. Also plastic baits whats that all about using plastic maggots so they stay out there longer and stop god for bid a smaller fish having a nibble if you cant catch a fish using proper bait or without using a self hooking fish killer then your in the wrong sport buy a gun and shoot grouse oh but they fly well you could cut their wings off job done.

Ali should do the right thing and recall this monstrosity back and burn them back to the drawing board ali 😂

Be using harpoons next😢

To me what people are chucking out is nothing more than a weed rake, totally pointless bit of kit, well worth swerving it

Is that the same EA that don’t have the funding to do anything ??? And I mean literally anything.. great headline for clicks but absolutely pointless. A bit like the twig rig … a non starter

The irony😂😂 The EA are some of the biggest crooks in the UK (and no i dont use the magic twig)

Excellent.. now how about fining the poachers that amount instead of a slap on the wrist and don’t do it again.. EA cowards

50 grand my arse, you get less for eating them you wally

Can't get fined because it's all regulated through proper regulations of fishing 😂😂

Typical ea all they want is money there not there to help at all

I don't like it I don't like the look of it and I won't 100% be using it for anyone that wants to your choice !!!

It's a pointless unproven product too!

Can someone please tag ali in tho! He’s a disgrace to fishing

😂

Ban it

but he cried though , surely we must buy the product

ha ahahaha ahaha ahahah a.

B.s just having. A dig at the new brand being so good 🤌🏻🤌🏻🤌🏻

Good video I’ve bought a packet to look at & will not be using them Regardless of being a death rig I can see it catching in the landing net & potentially causing the carp harm

Really interest listen and well explained; the reaction from the carp community regarding the product is incredible. It will be interesting to see how the debate develops. I have no interest in using it.