Ledger Beginner

[ljstronge]

I have just sarted fishing and I know how to fish with float pretty comfortably but I would like to have a second rod on the go by ledgering.

 

I have never done any ledgering before but have been told its not too difficult.

 

Can someone point me in the right direction to start??

 

Thanks

Toby

[Andy_1984]

i like a running ledger.

 

cut 1ft of line attach a swivel using grinner knot to your cut line, put a 15 gram bomb up your free line, attach your 1ft of line to the free line using the swivel. tie your hook on as you normaly would. the 15 gram bomb is free to run up and down the line.

 

hook___________(swivel)_____________(bomb)____________________________rodtip

 

 

now 2 bank sticks to hold the rod. cast and when you set the rod down on the rests tighten up your line so that you can see your rod bend and stays bent, when it twangs back its an indication of a bite or a gust of wind.

 

 

i know some people dont like this because the bomb is free to move but its all down to what you feel better with and this never fails for myself so i stick to what i know, someone might have a better one im sure of it

Edited December 4, 2006 by Andy_1984

[WickerDave]

A recent related post...

 

http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=69892

[Waveney One]

One thing that I would say is that it is difficult to use a float rod and a leger rod at the same time. 2 legers or 2 floats are much easier IMO.

[Puddin]

I have turned to ledgering now the temperatures have dropped.

 

I use a groundbait feeder,with a hook link at about 3 inches in length. This only works at places you can use groundbait however. Other types of feeders you can use that can be filled with maggots, small pellets etc.

 

An easy set up in my opinion.

 

You fix the feeder on your mainline with a swivel, and then attach a hook link on to the swivel. Only use a little bit of groundbait this time of the year. I find a hair rig great for using pellets as hook bait.

 

This is how I do it, so thought I'd share it

Edited December 4, 2006 by Puddin

[Leon Roskilly]

When legering with a swim-feeder, casting accuracy is all important.

 

Fish will be attracted by the groundbait that has spilled from the feeder on previous casts, so you need to repeatedly cast to the same spot each time.

 

Otherwise you scatter the shoal of feeding fish.

 

Pick a target on the far bank, a tree etc and use that as your 'aiming point'

 

Cast so that the rod describes an arc vertical to the ground (directly over your head, as you keep your eye on the aiming point).

 

Don't cast too hard, as you may not make that same distance again, keep well within your maximum casting distance if you can.

 

Having cast, wrap an elastic band around the line on your reel, this will ensure that you don't overcast on future casts, and will indicate if you are casting too short of previous casts.

 

What you are aiming to achieve is hitting the same table top size area every time, ensuring that feed is kept in a relatively small area, and the activity of feeding fish drawing in even more fish into the same tight area.

[ColinW]

You have to realise that there is a big difference between actively legering and sticking a rig out to one side while you float fish. The word leger is a French word meaning light or weightless, which gives a clue what you should aim for if you are "actively" doing it, using a quiver tip or whatever. This demands as much concentration as floatfishing and if you try to do both you'll do both badly! What you are talking about is a completely different thing, setting up a rig that you can cast out and ignore while you concentrate on float fishing. That means using some sort of, possibly self hooking, "carp type" rig that won't require anything from you except reeling in when a fish takes the bait. If I do this, I usually go for a "big fish or nothing" approach on the leger rod. I don't want to be getting loads of bites that stop me floatfishing properly. This means sticking out a BIG bait, worms, hair rigged boilies or whatever, then putting it on an alarm (shame!) and forgetting about it. If you haven't got an alarm then use a clearly visible bobbin and set the rod where you can see the bobbin out of the corner of your eye. If it's not windy fold a piece of tin foil over your line as well and it will give you a bit of an audible indication as well. The fish will generally hook themselves, so really the only reason for having the indicator is to stop the rod going in!

[ljstronge]

I think I will try ledgering on its own when I next go fishing.

 

Is seems the general census is that you should do one rather than the other, and beacuse I'm a begginer, I think it might be wise to listen to advice!!

 

I've got a match this Saturday on the local canal, (should be a laugh at least) which I will be floating and I think I'll go Sunday for the ledgering, I'll let you guys know how I get on.

 

Thansk for your advice

 

Toby

[bluerinse]

My advice would be try touch ledgering

 

Set up as the first poster described with a running set up. Cast to an area that you think is a likely spot. (You could use a swim feeder if you wish, but I prefer not to at this time of year. Depending on what fish are likely to be in front of you choose your hook size and bait, i.e. Small roach I would go with single maggot size 22 - 18 hook, Large roach Bread flake size 16-12 hook. Etc...

Cast out and place the rod in one rod rest, place the handle in your lap (make sure you are sitting comfortably, tighten the line till you have a bend in your tip, hold the line between your thumb and finger and hit every bump, knock or pull you feel, (instantly as you are holding the rod.

 

I find this the best way to ledger in the winter as bites are hard to come by and if it’s in the rests you will miss most bites by the time you get your hand to the rod.

 

Also don't fish each cast to long, its more a case of searching out the fish, you will find most fish in snags , undercut banks, under reed rafts, depression in the river/Lake bed ETC. Search out the swim and you will catch, if not travel light, (rod, rest, landing net if needed, seat, bait and small bag tackle) and move to a new swim.

 

One other tip, if your bait is getting sucked or taken and your not feeling the bites shorten you hook length.

 

Hope this helps. Good luck

 

Cheers Richard

[RUDD]

A quick tip on groudbait if using a feeder in the winter :

 

Use a dark groundbait with a very low food content.

 

Mix it as light as you can and riddle three or four times to remove lumps.

 

DO NOT put any loose feed in.

 

When you lightly plug one end of the feeder drop in a few bits of loose feed.

 

When your feeder drops throught the water and hits bottom it will release a cloud that hopefully will attract fish.

You want then to smell and taste the groundbait to make them search out any morsels.

 

If you put in loads of feed chances are that your hookbait will not get taken.

 

Hit the same spot every time with your cast and fish will get drawn into the zone and eventually start to compete for the few bits of food available.

 

Once this happens increase feed by one or two bits of loose feed but no more.

If bites trail off decrease the feed.

 

Another important factor is size and type of feeder.

 

This is determined by venue, peg and weather conditions.

The only advice I can give is to use the smallest feeder you can get away with.

Edited December 5, 2006 by RUDD