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River roach rigs


Anderoo

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I'm prepared to get shot down in flames, but my experience of upstream legering, is that the speed of flow of the river is important. It seems the Thames is low, with very little flow, so the self hooking part of upstream legering, would be very difficult, if not impossible, to achieve. The weight needed to balance against the current would be too low.

If the fish are close in, then float fishing, laying on, would be my first choice. If not, then a longer 'tail', up to about 3' would be my second, sometimes with a small shot, (No6) between weight and hook.

 

You don't seem to be having trouble attracting them Andrew, but I've had most of my bigger winter river roach, using fine cloud groundbait, with hardly any feed in it, and mainly on sandbeds, and cattle drinks.

 

John.

Angling is more than just catching fish, if it wasn't it would just be called 'catching'......... John

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As you've all probably twigged the key to upstream legering is to have sufficient weight to just and only just hold bottom. That way as soon as a fish takes the bait the weight is dislodged and the tip springs back. The bites are so much easier to hit than with downstream legering, especially with perch and roach. Once you've mastered it (it's not that difficult) I expect you too will rarely leger downstream again, at least for these species.

 

Because getting the weight right is the critical factor I nearly always fish with a separate lead link to which I add the appropriate amount of SSG, AAA or even BB shots.

Wingham Specimen Coarse & Carp Syndicates www.winghamfisheries.co.uk Beautiful, peaceful, little fished gravel pit syndicates in Kent with very big fish. 2017 Forum Fish-In Sat May 6 to Mon May 8. Articles http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/steveburke.htm Index of all my articles on Angler's Net

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Cheers Steve, and John - and Mark for your message (just replied).

 

The flow is OK at the moment, not much to it but pulling through steadily. I'm sure I could get the balancing aspect of the upstream/across stream method to work but as John says, I doubt the flow would add any kind of self hooking aspect to it.

 

I don't think we're even attracting them John, I think they are just there (maybe they spend all winter there) so for once finding them isn't the hard part!

 

Steve - is your link fixed (e.g. with a water knot) or running?

And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music

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Sorry to answer your question to Steve but, i'd use a fixed link. Don't forget that method doesn't work so well on lumpy gravel bottoms. Often the weight/feeder slips down cracks and sits tight.

 

Cheers Tigger - good point too. The bottom is hard and clean but I'm not sure how lumpy it is. The gravel runs on the Thames tend to be quite 'fine' (especially compared to rivers like the Ribble!).

And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music

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As you've all probably twigged the key to upstream legering is to have sufficient weight to just and only just hold bottom. That way as soon as a fish takes the bait the weight is dislodged and the tip springs back. The bites are so much easier to hit than with downstream legering, especially with perch and roach. Once you've mastered it (it's not that difficult) I expect you too will rarely leger downstream again, at least for these species.

 

Because getting the weight right is the critical factor I nearly always fish with a separate lead link to which I add the appropriate amount of SSG, AAA or even BB shots.

 

Agreed. I've only done it a bit, but the problem I have found if there is weed is that it is difficult to get the right tension so that only a slight touch by the fish causes a spring-back, as it depends where the lead lands - one cast it will land on gravel, and the next in a bit of weed. So am I right you need a uniform bottom to do upstream ledgering?

john clarke

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Agreed. I've only done it a bit, but the problem I have found if there is weed is that it is difficult to get the right tension so that only a slight touch by the fish causes a spring-back, as it depends where the lead lands - one cast it will land on gravel, and the next in a bit of weed. So am I right you need a uniform bottom to do upstream ledgering?

 

What happens in practice if you're got the loading right is that the lead rolls slightly before settling. You can then also lift your rod top and let the weight and bait move a short distance. They automatically tend to end up in the natural food traps. You can also gets bites when the bait is moving as well, and many come shortly after the bait has settled.

 

I'd add that although I use a quivertip for this sort of fishing I don't always rely on it for bite detection. Sometimes I'll point the quivertip straight up the line and watch the bow in the line for bites, or alternatively touch leger.

Wingham Specimen Coarse & Carp Syndicates www.winghamfisheries.co.uk Beautiful, peaceful, little fished gravel pit syndicates in Kent with very big fish. 2017 Forum Fish-In Sat May 6 to Mon May 8. Articles http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/steveburke.htm Index of all my articles on Angler's Net

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Hi Anderoo

 

for years now most of my end of seasons has seen a fair few after dark sessions for bigger roach on the river. As it gets a little lighter for me its easy to get riverside just before dark on way home from work.

 

I have had frustrating sessions when its hard to hit bites but all the 1lb plus fish I have caught are normally a good wrap round that cannot be missed.

 

It may be that some of the knocks and rattles were also good fish.

 

I have always fished as you are obviously afterdark its quiver tip normally cage feeder and my standard 14/16inch hooklength. I use a size 10 hook of a fine wire like you no doubt do and a biggish bit of bread. Fine wire large hooks are getting difficult to find.

 

I do prefer to use A thin sliced loaf with the crust underdone i.e. white. There is a lovely spot of crust just below where the top curve starts that is my favourite. I peel a bit of this off fold it double and hook it. This gives a firm hookhold without sqeazing it too hard so stays fluffy aswell but it will also stay on hook after several ratlles and attention from smaller fish giving you confidence to leave it out.

 

When a match angler friend used to fish with me a lot on those days where bites are missed by both of us he would swap things around for ages until he started hitting them. He was always convinced the changes made the difference. Unknown to him I would stick with the same tactics i started with and would also start hitting the bites when he did.

 

I would stick with what you are doing I think its the right method.

 

As others have said though sweetcorn has been a favourite big roach bait aswell and it stays on the hook after little fish have had a go. Last year I found that hair rigged produced more fish.

 

I wonder if its possible to hair rig my favourite bread crust.

 

John

 

John

 

Don't the carp guys use the korum quickstops with punched disks of bread. Wouldn't that work with crust.

 

Regards

 

Rob

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John

 

Don't the carp guys use the korum quickstops with punched disks of bread. Wouldn't that work with crust.

 

Regards

 

Rob

 

 

Hi Rob yes I thought of that after I posted I use the korum stops sometimes and being a bit bigger than the average stop they may hold the bread on espescially my favourite crust.

 

If I can leave the zander alone I may have a try before the end of season.

 

John

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