Lift method

[SAMTENCH]

Does it matter how much line you leave between the hook and the weight?

If it does what length do you should i use for Tench averaging 2-4lb?

[Vagabond]

Most people suggest about an inch, but I've found you can go up to 3"

[Chris Plumb]

I usually reckon on a couple of inches.

 

Chris

[Vagabond]

Tench of that size (2 to 4 lb) stand on their heads to feed. I reckon sometimes (and some places) they just kinda "bounce" on their heads, and stay more or less vertical, in which case you need a very short distance between hook and telltale shot. Other times (and other places) they straighten up to the horizontal after taking the bait, in which case they're gonna lift the bait a long way.

 

Unless you can see what they are doing (and one of my local waters is such that you can just see the tail waving when they are standing on their heads in two ft of water) then it is a case of experiment and see what works at that time and place.

[SAMTENCH]

Thanks for that but one more thing what is the best size of shot to use?

[Alan Pearce]

Sam, the original lift method favoured by Fred J Taylor was to use a swan shot place an inch or two from the hook, this works extremly well and IMO creates a bolt rig effect, ideal to pre-occupied feeding fish. In more recent years a tele tale shot would be placed close to the hook to indicate a lift i.e fishing a 5 BB waggler one shot would be 2 inches from the hook with another 3 inches above that. This gives a small or big lift depending on how the fish picks up the bait. Don't be afraid of resistance when fishing the latter as some of the weight is carried up by the float.

 

Alan.