Fishing in a gale

[tincatinca]

Ah, that explains it. Richard has 2 kids now

 

That's nice to hear. Was the latest arrival a son or daughter.

[Anderoo]

That's nice to hear. Was the latest arrival a son or daughter.

 

A daughter, and she's already had three 15lb bream

[tincatinca]

A daughter, and she's already had three 15lb bream

 

Oh dear, that means another trolley to transport the flavours or I suppose he could find a further use for the pram

[tiddlertamer]

Touch-legering was one of the first techniques I ever learnt. Like Vagabond, most of the books suggested holding the line in the left hand and the rod in the right (if right-handed) so that you can give some slack line if you got a bite. I find it much more comfortable to hold the line in my right hand as well as the rod. If you get a take you can always push the rod towards the fish to create some slack if needed. It also leaves a free hand for feeding - either the fish or yourself!

 

It's not as easy to master as quivertipping especially if there's little current, but is often more effective. Plus you can learn a lot about a swim. It also means that you can rest your eyes, and even look around you. And of course you can still use it in the wind.

 

It's also very sensitive, and it's literally electrifying when you get a bite!

 

Unfortunately, you rarely hear or read about touch-legering these days.

 

Is anyone else a fan?

 

 

I want to become a fan of touch ledgering. It seems like a tactic which enables the angler to be more mobile and has the useful side effect of not having to force rod rests into the ground which could occasionally scare fish off, especially on smaller rivers. No problems in windy weather either. I just need to build up the confidence to use this technique.

 

Mind you, the first time I did try it in June 2010, I snaffled a barbel though I've yet to catch anything since on the tactic!

 

A colleague of mine is a much better angler than me and doesn't get on with the technique and prefers quiver tipping. Other respected anglers on this board such as Anderoo have also said they have never adapted to the technique.

 

Then again, both Vagabond and also a family friend of mine who I fish with and who learnt 'back in the day', swear by the technique and have had much success.

 

What are the pros and cons?

Edited February 9, 2011 by tiddlertamer

[Vagabond]

I want to become a fan of touch ledgering.

What are the pros and cons?

 

You have outlined a few good points (mobility, stealth, wind-proof) already. I would add that intangible thing, the feeling of being close to the action.

 

The cons? Cold hands in winter. Requires a lot of concentration, therefore better when bites are frequent.

 

There is a sort of broad spectrum of floatless angling, with free-lining at one end and conventional legering at the other.

 

Fishing a small stream, I might try free-lining in some pools (nothing on the line except a baited hook) and where I thought appropriate, putting on a split shot to sink the bait. Putting on a shot and feeling for the bites is the point at which I am touch-legering. I might increase the weight by adding more split shot, either by putting them directly on the line, or adding them as a link leger. Increase the weight, and as long as you are holding the rod, pointing at the bait and feeling for the bites you are still touch legering.

 

Eventually there might come a point where I give myself a rest by putting the rod down ! There is then a sort of halfway house between touch legering and watching the rod tip. That is, watching the bow in the line, especially where it enters the water.

 

If you eventually go the whole hog and watch the rod-tip, then there should be a large angle between rod and line. It also helps if the tip is sensitive, which is why quivertips then enter the equation.

 

Think about that spectrum of methods and why you use each one. The two extremes are free-lining, where you expect a bite soon, to out and out legering, where you might sit and read a couple of chapters of John Bickerdyke before the next bite!

 

I touch leger when I am expecting bites reasonably soon. As I said, you need a lot of confidence and determination to use the method in winter, as hands get cold and bites are few.

 

My guiding principle is that the nearer to the fish the bite indication is, the better.

 

One extreme is actually seeing the fish take the bait (freelining in clear water, dry-fly fishing, floating baits for carp etc etc) Touch legering is quite close to that.

 

The other extreme ? It was mentioned on another thread - a geezer comes into the pub and tells someone at the bar, "your Baitrunner's going mate"

Edited February 9, 2011 by Vagabond

[Vagabond]

I find it much more comfortable to hold the line in my right hand as well as the rod. If you get a take you can always push the rod towards the fish to create some slack if needed. It also leaves a free hand for feeding - either the fish or yourself!

 

Two disadvantages IMHO

(1) the line only goes over one finger and to me, that is less sensitive

(2) on the strike, I speed things up/increase the distance travelled by the hook by pulling on the line with my left hand (like the "haul" in double-haul casting but not so vigorous).

 

With the line in the left hand, you can still give a bit of slack if you feel the bite is just a preliminary nibble, but in general most bites are ferocious plucks that (again IMHO) need hitting quickly - and of course. as you start out with the rod pointing at the fish, you need to get the rod suitably bent at an angle to the line as soon as possible.

 

Just an aside, I have seen a lot of bites missed by people legering (even with quivertips) which could have been hooked with an earlier bite indication - either by touch legering or by watching the bow in the line betwixt rod tip and surface.

 

That said, when I want to feed the fish or myself I adopt your style and transfer the line to my right hand pro temps but pass it back again when I have done feeding.

Edited February 9, 2011 by Vagabond

[lutra]

Unfortunately, you rarely hear or read about touch-legering these days.

 

Is anyone else a fan?

For searching a river with a bunch of worms for salmon and sea trout, its my first choice. It offers great mobility and you can search loads of river in a day. I do as Dave says, I hold the rod in my right hand and line in my left. When i feel a bite, i let the fish have the line out of my hand so it can take the bait properly, but i shouldn't think that necessary for most coarse fish.

 

Strangely despite using the technique a lot when game fishing, its never really found its way into my coarse fishing. Maybe I'm missing something, but i think i will keep the floats in my box for now.

[Steve Burke]

The 2 methods of touch ledgering have been debated many times over the years. The majority favour Vagabond's style, but I note that Tony Miles prefers my method. As Tony pointed out in his book "My Way with Chub" the best method is of course whatever you're more comfortable with. For me that's using just one hand as I haven't got to keep both still.

 

The big question of course is does touch legering catch you more fish? I feel the answer is yes when there's sufficient current to keep the line tight. Otherwise no. The crossover point will vary from person to person and how constant you can keep the tension. For me it used to be about when 1 swan shot was needed to hold bottom. It may be a bit more these days. I don't always use it but a rod rest can help here - I prefer the wide quivertip type with several positions so that it's easy to point the rod down the line.

 

Luckily I don't suffer from cold hands so the weather is rarely a problem for me. However I'd echo what Vagabond said and learn it on waters where bites are frequent.

 

You'll then discover that touch legering is not only effective but a whole lot of fun! .

[Anderoo]

I expect some of the success of the method is due to feeding slack line to a taking fish. I try to do the same thing when I am quivertipping, fishing with plenty of slack in the line (often in the form of a bow because of the current) so the fish is never pulling directly on the tip. I bet a lot of bites are missed on the tip just because the line is too tight, and the fish can feel immediately that something is wrong.

 

I was going to say that the reason I've never really liked the method is because it's not visual, and I like to look at some kind of indicator. But then I remembered fly fishing which is largely about feeling for bites, so now I don't know! It is certainly very effective.

[tony tinca]

The 2 methods of touch ledgering have been debated many times over the years. The majority favour Vagabond's style, but I note that Tony Miles prefers my method. As Tony pointed out in his book "My Way with Chub" the best method is of course whatever you're more comfortable with. For me that's using just one hand as I haven't got to keep both still.

 

The big question of course is does touch legering catch you more fish? I feel the answer is yes when there's sufficient current to keep the line tight. Otherwise no. The crossover point will vary from person to person and how constant you can keep the tension. For me it used to be about when 1 swan shot was needed to hold bottom. It may be a bit more these days. I don't always use it but a rod rest can help here - I prefer the wide quivertip type with several positions so that it's easy to point the rod down the line.

 

Luckily I don't suffer from cold hands so the weather is rarely a problem for me. However I'd echo what Vagabond said and learn it on waters where bites are frequent.

 

You'll then discover that touch legering is not only effective but a whole lot of fun! .

 

 

Its definitly fun and it because you can feel every pluck at the bait you really have no excuse for a missed bite because dare i say it , its entirely in your hands