Now the festivities are over and we’re well into 2019, Let's see how things have been going and discuss some interesting things we've been working on.

Revisit the Austrian Alps in the form of RSSLO’s Tirol: Brenner – Kufstein route, which is available now on the Steam and Dovetail Games stores!

Prepare to glisten under the Spessart Sun with Train Sim World: Main-Spessart Bahn, which is coming soon in all its scenic wonder!

Explore over 100 miles of scenic coastline today with the North Wales Coastal: Crewe – Holyhead route extension, which is available now for Train Simulator!

Now available, Union Pacific Scenario Pack 01 delivers contemporary and challenging UP railroading!

The key to catching carp in Fishing Sim World is connecting all the dots to ensure you are fishing effectively. Here’s how; 1. Use your eyes When you arrive at the lake, look across the water for fish shows. These can be one of two things, either the fish crashing out of the water or bubbles coming up to the surface. Either of these indicate where the fish are and where you should be casting. 2. Use the correct rig The rigs in the game are best used over one of the three bed types found on the lake bed – silt, weed or gravel. When you have chosen the rig you want to use, find that type of lake bed to fish over. It is not effective to use a silt rig and be fishing in weed. 3. Use the correct bait Similarly to the rigs, the baits tell you how they behave in the water and how big they are. Ensure that the bait you are using matches the rig in terms of presentation and size. For example, you don’t want to be fishing a large sinking bait on a small (say size 8) rig when fishing over weed as the fish won’t find it! 4. Use your spod rod You’ve seen where fish are, you have a rig and bait that match the lake bed so now you just sit back and wait for it to happen? No – equip your spod rod and cast out free offerings to the fish – this will attract the fish in the area and draw more in from further afield. 5. Work your swim he final tip – work the area of water that your swim covers. You’ve seen the fish show in the vicinity but they may not be moving a great deal and you have cast 20 yards away from where they are. Start off by casting to the left of your swim and then keep recasting slowly moving more and more right across the water until you find where they are. Good luck!

The key to catching bass in Fishing Sim World is to ensure you are fishing effectively. Here’s how; 1. Use your sonar or watch the water - When you are driving along the lake in your boat, you’re sonar is giving you information on the current depth of the water and it is showing fish icons when you pass over any. The sonar is located under the middle of your boat so if you pass over fish, turn round and go back to the spot that you located them. If you are fishing from the shoreline, look for splashes and ripples in the water. 2. Consider the weather - The weather conditions and light levels are going to play a huge part in what lures will be most effective. Clear skies will favour the shiny or metallic coloured lures such as the Rat L Trap Chrome Blue Black. Cloudy conditions favour brighter colours such as the Rat L Trap Red Crawfish. 3. Fish the right depth - The lures in the game operate at different depths of the water and you need to choose the correct lure based on what depth you have seen the fish showing at on your radar. There is no point fishing for them near the surface if the radar showed they were at the bottom of 30ft of water. 4. Use the correct retrieval - The lures have different retrieval methods associated to them based which can be seen in their explanation when you select them. Ensure you use one of the appropriate retrieval methods to ensure they lure is attractive as possible to the fish. 5. Work your swim - The final tip – work the area of water that your boat covers. You’ve seen the fish on your radar but they may have moved off slightly. Start off by casting to the left of your boat and then keep recasting, slowly moving more and more right across the water until you find where they are. Good luck!

Signing up for Dovetail Live makes you eligible to receive rewards in Fishing Sim World. To receive an exclusive Dovetail Live boat and t-shirt simply register or log in to Dovetail Live and go to the online menu to receive your rewards.

Gigantica Road Lake is the fourth add-on lake for Fishing Sim World and completes the Quad Lake Pass. The Road Lake takes us to the famous Gigantica complex in France with a fully licensed venue recreated in stunning detail. Just like the Main Lake the carp in here are big and will fight hard. Digitally recreated in stunning detail, this 30-acre lake is famous for the amount of action you are guaranteed due to its high stock of fish. The average weight of carp in this lake is well over 30lbs, with plenty of 40 and 50lb Carp to go after. The crown jewel of this lake is ‘3 scales’ at over 64lbs. While the venue is predominantly a carp lake with around 900 carp present, you will still be able to grab your spinning rod to catch one of the small number of pike up to 15lb. For those of you that like to catch your trophy fish, there are 50 of them on offer here. Get out there and see if you can catch your new personal best. Gigantica Road Lake is available now on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Steam. PlayStation 4 Europe [https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/product/EP2866-CUSA12376_00-FISHSWROADLAKE00] PlayStation 4 US [https://store.playstation.com/en-us/product/UP3004-CUSA12494_00-FISHSWROADLAKE00] Xbox One [https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/p/fishing-sim-world-gigantica-road-lake/br56h5h39phj?activetab=pivot:overviewtab] Steam [https://store.steampowered.com/app/973612/Fishing_Sim_World_Gigantica_Road_Lake/?beta=0] Dovetail Store [https://store.dovetailgames.com/eu/product/527361/fishing-sim-world-gigantica-road-lake]

The January season of the Dovetail Fishing League has now ended and with the scoring completed we can reveal the winners of Angler of the Month on each platform. Below you will find the winner for Angler of the Month on each platform as well as the winners for each series. Xbox One * Big Bass Tour - UnbilledIvy5646 * Carp Championship - bobcin3 * Match Series - H1TMAN 5NAP * Predator Challenge - H1TMAN 5NAP Angler of the Month - H1TMAN 5NAP PlayStation 4 * Big Bass Tour - PhillyBass-1965 * Carp Championship - TokerKato * Match Series - AV_HappyTek * Predator Challenge - AV_HappyTek Angler of the Month - AV_HappyTek PC * Big Bass Tour - UndeadFrog * Carp Championship - MR.O COMPUTER * Match Series - hernanslt * Predator Challenge - UndeadFrog Angler of the Month - UndeadFrog Congratulations to the series and season winners and good luck to everyone in the February Dovetail Fishing League season. The events for this week are as follows: * Big Bass Tour - Lake Johnson, sunrise * Carp Championship - Waldsee, afternoon * Predator Challenge - Manor Farm, morning * Match Series - Bergsee, night

Thomson Interactive’s latest Swiss narrow gauge release, the RhB Enhancement Pack 3, brings the classic ABe 4/4 III railcar to Train Simulator!

Coming soon to Train Simulator – an extension of the scenic North Wales Coastal route that takes it all the way to Holyhead!

In response to your important feedback, we have today released an update for the GWR Pannier Tank Pack on behalf of Victory Works.

Bossman Games’ expertly recreated LMS Rebuilt Royal Scot Class has come to the Steam and Dovetail Games stores for nostalgic Stanier action!

In response to your important feedback over the holidays, we have today released an update for Train Sim World on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

Having tried a method I dislike immensely last week, zig rigs, I’ve tried another one this week that I enjoy just as little… the pellet waggler! I’ve had a couple of the new Sonik Sports SKSC commercial fishery rods sent down to me, an 11’ feeder and matching pellet waggler rod, so thought I’d better get out and give the float rod an outing on a local club lake. I wasn’t looking forward to a day of arm aching, constant casting and catapulting, as I much prefer a more sedate day on the bank, but sponsors needs must… Until last week, I didn’t even own a suitable float for pellet waggler fishing, instead having a tube full of stick floats, bodied wagglers and crystal quills, so after putting in an order with Premier Floats, I was delighted to receive a set of four floats of differing weights which would be suitable. In truth, the delivery wasn’t exactly what I’d ordered, but a quick phone call rectified the issue, and I thought I’d mention their excellent customer service as it deserves praise; if you are looking for a great company to deal with, give them a call! I wanted to fish at around fifty yards, so selected a loaded float of 10g, slipped on a couple of float stops, and attached a pre-tied mono hook link terminating in a size 10 barbless hook with a pellet band. As soon as I’d arrived, I started flicking a few pellets every thirty seconds or so, hoping to see a swirl as hungry carp answered the dinner bell, and after fifteen minutes, I noted the first bow wave as carp moved in… I opted to use Spotted Fin 8mm Premium Coarse pellets, available in a 3kg pouch, which have a uniform sink rate, and fast breakdown. I didn’t particularly want carp grubbing around on the bottom, so these pellets fit the bill perfectly, and a single pellet was banded to the hook then cast out beyond the baited area. I quickly fired out a few more freebies, and wound the float back into the target area. Pre-loaded, it cocked immediately, and then just as quickly shot out of sight; first bite! I struck to set the hook, and the new rod picked up the line quickly to connect with the first double figure carp of the day; easy! I was able to quickly shift the fish away from the other carp seeking the falling pellets, and swiftly got it to the net, lifted it onto the mat, removed the hook and returned it after a quick snap, all within a minute; pellet waggler fishing is fast and furious! I commenced the regular (monotonous) cycle of catapult, cast, catapult, and within ninety minutes, had banked five double figure carp, and lost one to a hook pull, which wasn’t a bad return. Of the five carp landed, a couple of them already had pellet hooks embedded in their mouth, indicating that anglers weren’t really prepared for double figure carp. It’s well known that the fish in this particular lake go to around 20lb, so if you are fishing for similar specimens on your lake, then please gear up for them. I was using 10lb line straight through to an 8lb hook link, which in a water with few in any snags was safe, so why do anglers still insist on using flimsy hook links and mainlines which obviously won’t cope? Beggars belief really. Personally, I’d rather a few carp shy off the bait than hook them, and then be snapped to leave fish trailing line. In fact, on a later session, I even had a carp in my swim trailing not only the hook link, but also the mainline and pellet float! Very poor angling by someone… After two hours, I’d had enough. Pellet waggler isn’t really my style, I find it a bit labour intensive, and when I’m trying to relax, I prefer something a little more relaxing. I’d caught enough fish to prove the rod, and if you are a match or pleasure angler looking for a pellet waggler rod that won’t break the bank, then the new SKSC range, coming in at just £39.99 should surely be on your check list. Match it with an SKSC reel too, and for less than £75 you have a functional, good quality set up for your session. They do the job well, provide fun fishing, and easily handle double figure carp; what more can you ask for?

On Monday we will move in to the fifth and final week of the Dovetail Fishing League Season for January. Time to make that final push to climb the season leaderboards. The events in each series are shown below. * Big Bass Tour - Lake Arnold, sunset * Carp Champion Ship - Gigantica, afternoon * Predator Challenge - Lake Boulder, afternoon * Match Series - Grand Union Canal, morning If you don't own Lake Arnold you will get one 1-hour attempt on the lake. Those that own it will receive 3 attempts as normal. Good luck everyone.

Romantic Railroads’ mighty DR BR 44 has arrived for yesteryear heavy hauling!

Challenging gradients and towering peaks feature aplenty in RSSLO’s Tirol Austria route, which is coming soon to the Steam and Dovetail Games stores

The weather conditions continue to upset my fishing plans, I’m itching to get back onto the river banks, but can’t justify barbel fishing when the water is so low. As a result, I headed back to one of my favourite waters, Rode Pool, on the Stoke-on-Trent Angling Society card in search of tench and bream, but with an eye out for an opportunity to bag my first carp from this very tricky water… I arrived just as the sun started to fleck the horizon with pinks but was dismayed to find that I’d already been beaten to my intended spot! One other angler on the lake, and he was sitting where I wanted to be; typical! We had a brief chat, before I retired to the other end of the lake, choosing peg 1, one of my least favourite areas, but the wind was pushing hard into the other end of the lake, and taking a huge amount of algal bloom with it, coating the water is a paint-like green slick which I didn’t fancy cleaning off my gear later! It’s a two-rod only water, so I set up a pair of 3lb test curve rods, twinned them with the huge spools of my trusty Sonik Tournos 10000’s, and prepared myself to launch a cast about 140 yards to where I could see carp cruising. I won’t lie, my cast fell about 35 yards short, a mix of average casting technique and a crosswind, and I felt the lead plug solidly into silt; not ideal. I tightened up, and pulled to release the lead, before winding in to try again. Again, I fell way short, but this time the lead seemed to settle on good ground, so I left it in situ as I realised I was never going to get near the intended spot. Baited with a Spotted Fin Smokey Jack bottom bait, and tipped with a small yellow wafter, I was confident that if carp were hungry, they would find it. A few freebies were sticked out over the top, and I went about my second rod. I know The Method works extremely well here, so the usual tri-lobe feeder was slid up the line, wrapped in Spotted Fin Classic Corn groundbait, studded with 2mm pellets, and an 8mm wafter banded onto the hook. This went out into open water near a submerged bar, and I sat back to wait. On the hour, every hour, the method feeder was retrieved and reloaded, but after 5 hours, I hadn’t had a single indication on either rod! Earlier activity had quietened down, with fish no longer to be seen rolling on the surface, and it appeared that they had indeed followed the wind. Eventually, a bleep and a typically stuttering run saw a bream of around 4lb banked, then another, and then I lost a slightly bigger fish, and that was it; nothing further all day, still no carp, and it was soon time to pack up. I found out subsequently that despite my misgivings, I was the only angler of six to have caught… scant consolation for such a poor day, but at least it wasn’t a blank! I returned a couple of days later, determined to fish better and catch more. Both rods were set up with a method feeder, but this time crammed with Spotted Fin Super Sweet Blend groundbait, one with a tiny wafter hook bait, the other with two grains of corn on the hair. Both were lobbed out quickly and left to settle. Once more, I intended to recast every hour, but I didn’t really get chance. After a quiet first hour, in which I identified another bar to the right hand side of the swim, I moved the rods slightly left, and started to get interest straight away in an area devoid of silt or leaf debris. My first fish tripped up over the corn, as did my second, then the third picked up the wafter to give me a total of 3 big bream on the bank. A fourth fish fell to the corn, so I swapped the other rod over to yellow grains, and from then on rarely had them out together for more than 20 minutes! It went a bit mad, and by mid-afternoon, I’d tallied 16 bream and a trio chubby tench, as well as losing 3 more due to having (unheard of on this water) double takes! Usually, the wafters out perform any other bait on this particular lake, but just for once, after ringing the changes, I opted to fish the humble grain and it paid off. I’ve got absolute belief in the groundbait too, the sweetness proving a definite attractor for the hefty bream which reside within, and flecked through with 2mm Smokey Jack pellets, it makes an irresistible mix which seems to work consistently. Once more, I caught more than anyone else on the lake, and I think I know why; confidence in your bait is much of the battle on tricky waters, and I’ve got complete confidence in mine! Get on the Fin!

The Dovetail Games Publisher Weekend has started on Steam. From 6pm GMT on Thursday 17th January until 6pm on Monday 21st January you can get 50% off Fishing Sim World Standard and Deluxe Editions. Lake Williams will also have a 30% discount on it. Check it out here https://store.steampowered.com/dlc/834280/Fishing_Sim_World/ There also great deals on Euro Fishing with 75% off on the base game and up to 60% off the add-on lakes. For all of the Euro Fishing discounts head over here https://store.steampowered.com/dlc/314520/Euro_Fishing/

Following the release of their stunning Bernina Pass route, Thomson Interactive have been busy working away on their RhB Enhancement Pack 3...

The habitation around Lake Arnold in Tennessee provides a range of fishing opportunities for the ten different species found here. From residential buildings, jetties and wild woodland, there is a variety of structures to fish toward. The contrast between the urban environment and the woodland and submerged trees in the lake gives the angler new choices and new challenges each time they fish. Key Features include: * 1400 acres of lake to explore with tens of thousands of fish present * Authentic Tennessee venue with submerged trees, building and jetties to target fish * Specimen-sized fish for each ten species

Step into the 1980s with Northern Trans-Pennine: Manchester – Leeds, which is available now for Train Sim World on Windows PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.