striking help

[lancslass]

Hi everyone, I'm having problems striking when I get a bite that is more than 6ft from the rod tip! I'm missing loads of bites, can you tell me where I'm going wrong please, it is annoying. Thanks

 

Tight lines

Jean

[Chesh]

do you have much slack line out? if there is is a fair amount of line between tip and float this might be giving the fiosh enought time to shed the hook. so wind in so you can just about have enough line out not to move the float . You could also try shotting the float right down so its just about visible meaning the slightest of bites will mean you have to strike what fish are you targeting Jean? hook size might play a part as well

 

areyou sure they are bites? could be line bites, which means the fish are slightly higher up in the water, try shallowing up etc.... or it could be the fact that you have a swim crammed with fish that are going barmy competeing for the freebies and hookbait

[lancslass]

Hi Chesh, I have noticed when I strike I have a lot of loose line, I do wind in after casting but the line seems to go slack again after a while.is this anything to do with the drag being to slack? I am fishing in a small mixed pond there are roach, skimmers, bream, carp (somewhere!)perch.I've been using a size 18 hook with maggots.

 

Tight lines

Jean

[Mat Hillman]

Sounds like you are not sinking the line after casting, the wind will then slowly blow a big bow into the line that will both pull the float out of position and cause you to miss bites!

 

Cast a little way past the spot you want to fish, and then put the rod tip well under the water, turn the reel handle sharply a couple of times to pull the float back into position, and at the same time the line should sink below the surface wind/tow.

 

Sometimes a drop (but a small drop) of washing up liquid is needed on the line to help it cut through the surface film

[poledark]

lancslass, try hooking the maggots across the middle instead of the end...can make a tremendous difference if fish are nipping at the ends

 

Think logically i.e. if the fish are pulling the float under then they must have hold of the bait...if you don't hook them then the hook is not in the mouth......so try putting the bait on differently..........Good luck girl

 

Den

[The Diamond Geezer]

Are you using mono main and/or hook-length line ... or braid?

 

DG

[Leon Roskilly]

Some (especially cheaper) rods are far too tippy for hitting lightning quick bites.

 

As the force of the strike travels up the rod, the rod tip actually moves downwards before flicking up.

 

Added to your own reaction time, that allows a fish to hit and eject a maggot before the hook moves.

 

Try holding the rod, so that the tip is just above a table top etc, then strike.

 

If the the tip dips and taps the table top before moving upwards, that can be part of the problem.

 

But most rods will do that to some extent, try striking with the top at 3" above the table top, 6", 9" etc and you'll be able to assess just how much of a problem you have.

 

Also, make sure that your hooks are very sharp.

 

You'd be surprised at how little of the force of a strike is transmitted through to the hook.

 

(Try holding a float, and getting someone else to strike whilst you are holding it).

 

The sharper the hook, the less force is needed to set them. (They should scratch/dig into your finger nail if pulled into it, not just slide across)

 

Tight Lines - leon

[lancslass]

I'm using mono line, my rod is a new one, its a 13ft Diawa Vulcan x rod. I'm wondering now if I need to change the hook as I've made some rigs up at home then I tie them on at the bank,so i have used the hook a few times, perhapse I need to change to a new hook

Thanks again

Jean

[The Diamond Geezer]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Leon Roskilly:

 

make sure that your hooks are very sharp.

 

You'd be surprised at how little of the force of a strike is transmitted through to the hook.

---

Leon is 100% right. I'd go for some really sharp hooks such as Owner or even Kamasan (Drennan )

 

I'd swop to a sinking, braided main-line too ..

 

DG

[wunnus]

Funnily enough, I had some of this this morning.

 

I had sat without a bite for ages so I set about making a light rig, at about 2 x No 8 I started to find bites.. 1/4 of worm on a No 16 seemed to do the biz, maggies just encouraged the diddy roach.

The float would sizzle and then gracefully slide away,but nothing on the strike. I struck immediately, I let it sail out of sight, Istruck to the East, I struck to the West etc. Still nowt. I began to suspect those crafty crucians had changed location in the pond. I could get a whip/pole right over the top. Or even a change of bait, 'corn, 'meat, paste.

At about 10.00 am it all stopped, back to nothing doing.

Of course they might not be there when I return. Such is fishing.

 

Good luck.