Lift Method

[ayjay]

I remember this argument running for about six weeks in the Angling Times in about 1972, so I'm not getting into it again! I trusted Dick Walker's view as the correct one then and, as now an engineer myself, I still do

 

.......but I sort of remember that being about the general mechanics of float tips, not specifically the lift method.

[gozzer]

I can also vaguely remember the discussion in the angling press, but a bit too vaguely to comment on the outcome.

 

The lift method as I know it, (and as I have always used it), involved using a weight greater than the float capacity, with the shot no more than 3ins from the bait, (usually less).

The float attached bottom end only by a float rubber, longer than usual at about 3 eighths of an inch.

It is attached upside down on the rubber, so that when you strike the line pulls from the bottom of the float, not a half inch up it. The depth (depending on the swim, wind, under tow etc) can be anything from a few inches to a couple of ft over depth.

After casting, the float is drawn towards you until it cocks as you want it.

A bite can be a lift of the float, a lift then slide away, or just a slide away.

 

It is usually used with a biggish bait, (from size 8 hook upwards).

 

If the water is deeper than about 5-6ft, or you need to fish further out, then I would tackle the swim like the last pic' in chavenders post.

This can be done with a smaller 'tell tale' or 'lift' shot.

 

John.

[Jim Murray]

I find when setup as recommended on some waters it works perfectly. On others you get the problem of the float always rising and lying flat when tightening up; eventually ending up under the rod tip. Does the nature of the bottom make a difference?

[Will Wilkinson]

I find when setup as recommended on some waters it works perfectly. On others you get the problem of the float always rising and lying flat when tightening up; eventually ending up under the rod tip. Does the nature of the bottom make a difference?

 

You just need more shot. Some bottoms offer little resistance and 2 or 3 swan might be needed to stop the bait dragging, on other bottoms the same rig would hold with 1 AA.

 

Will

[gozzer]

I find when setup as recommended on some waters it works perfectly. On others you get the problem of the float always rising and lying flat when tightening up; eventually ending up under the rod tip. Does the nature of the bottom make a difference?

 

Like Will said a bigger shot can help, or a different float. The old short length of peacock or porcupine quill isn't always the best.

 

I have a set of old 'zoomer' floats that I often use for this method.

(For the younger members, 'zoomers' are a weighted antennae float, designed to fish top and bottom style on moving water).

I fish them 'waggler' style and because they are weighted, I only need to lock them with a couple of small shot, and have the 'tell tale lift' shot near the hook. I also can use then as sliders if there is are obstacles such as over hanging trees to contend with.

 

The nature of the bed in the swim can have an effect on the presentation, especially if it is smooth or if it slopes towards you. I find this is where very precise use of a plummet comes in.

The type of plummet that can be clipped around the bottom shot is best, because this is where you want to set the depth. Set it at that depth or slightly over and use a small back shot above the float, and you don't have to reel in as much line.

If there is surface drift, or under tow, then I try to fish either into the wind, or with it.

A strong cross wind I find, makes it difficult, and sometimes impossible to use this method.

 

John.

[Martin Salisbury]

Has anybody got any experience of using the Polaris floats, do they work on a similar principle?

[dogstick]

Hmm.. interesting..

[Jim Murray]

You just need more shot. Some bottoms offer little resistance and 2 or 3 swan might be needed to stop the bait dragging, on other bottoms the same rig would hold with 1 AA.

Will

 

But surely if you add more shot the rig will not fish as intended. The fish will feel a heavier weight than necessary as it picks the bait up. The common advice is to shot the float so that it just sinks. By adding more the rig will not be balanced as described. Is there another way to deal with smooth bottoms?

[goosequill]

Having just made a rake to use on my local canal, i'm looking forward to going down in the evenings and fishing the lift method for Tench (and any rogue Bream or Carp).

 

I used to be a match angler who would sit on 14.5 - 16m of pole for 5 hrs but i'm morphing into a roving specialist angler in a Mr Crabtree keep it simple style which i'm enjoying immensely!!

 

I'd like to know what is the range limit when fishing the lift method. I realise it's a close method of fishing but the canal is only 3-4 rods lengths in width at most so i'd like to think I could fish comfortably withing this range. Is this so?

 

I'll probably be fishing corn or bread - how close does the shot need to be to the bait to give sensitive presentation but still register the classic lift bite?

 

Cheers

 

James

 

Hi James,

 

I used to regularily fish the Tiverton Canal ('Tivvy') which isn't a million miles from you and always fished the 'lift method' close in.

 

I would either use a thin piece of peacock quill or a very small porcuipine quill - either float was fished with a float rubber attached to the base so the float could be easily adjusted.

 

Tivvy canal is very weedy and silty (its disused for most of its length) and after messing about with large split shot I found a very good method - I used a small olivette on the line which was locked either side with a rubber 'float stop'. This made it very easy to adjust the distance between the hook and 'shot' - but normally I used to fish it 3 inches from the hook.

 

Bait was ALWAYS big pieces of bread flake fished over a large bed of liquidised bread.

 

Hope that may be usefull (Tivvy, still is, the best Tench fishing I have had the privelidge to enjoy).

 

Regards

 

Chris

[gozzer]

But surely if you add more shot the rig will not fish as intended. The fish will feel a heavier weight than necessary as it picks the bait up. The common advice is to shot the float so that it just sinks. By adding more the rig will not be balanced as described. Is there another way to deal with smooth bottoms?

 

Not necessarily Jim, I was first taught to use a small piece of peacock quill, about 3-4ins long, and have a swan shot as the 'lift' shot. This was far more weight than the float would support, but it didn't stop the fish taking the bait, or me catching.

 

John.