Ultimate bobbin

[Kappa]

Richard, at this time of year, knowing the likely effects on your particular water can be really useful. Think cold water. sluggish fish. Add in warm wind and sun and 'tow. Water moves, temp rises, fish react. Believe me mate, it happens every year. No theories, no charts and data, just simple observation/deduction.

 

Once the water has warmed up to the low 50's and the fish are actively feeding then the benefit of that knowledge is no longer of much use, so by the end of this month different thinking is needed.

 

Now I don't mean this in any nasty way, but more time on the bank is needed, you can't catch in front of a computer

 

I quite agree Den.

 

However Kent is a very long way from Oxford also due to rules and family commitments I can't be on the water oftern enough to learn very much very soon.

 

You must see patterns emerge in the tow though? I.e. there will be an undertow running away from the windward bank. This is stongest in bars running parallel to the wind etc etc. This is the information I need so I can be in the right place at the right time to observe it happening!

 

Also apart from temperature issues there are also things like species A 'likes a good tow' species B 'positively avoids tow'. Fianlly if there is a persistent tow for a long period of time I would expect there to be slacks and eddies (like on rivers) where food collects and will be nautral hotspots where fish expect food to accumulate.

 

Understanding how tow works will allow the limited bank time being spent observing and experimenting in the right areas thus getting more information more quickly.

 

Rich

[Kappa]

Oh by the way, I now have two bobbins made. I'm making up the next ones this week. Can't wait to use them!

 

The circuit I've made to power my LEDs could trigger something else instead, I'm tempted to get it to trigger a teasmade so I can enjoy a nice cup of tea aftr a record bream

 

Rich

[lutra]

This is interesting and Ive certainly learned something new from it.Im not convinced that "orbitals" could produce the strength of "current" the underweater video showed in the wind strength on that day.However its imaterial if they did or not.As a simple guy what I take from all this is that the "current" was a lot stronger/had more affect on the fish and feed than I would have thought.

 

What I now feel I need to work out is how this newly gained apreciation of the strength will affect my fishing.

 

It will certainly affect how I position my free offerings and rigs in relation to features.But do the fish like or dislike it? I suppose if they find food in a calmer area where they dont have to swim against a current to feed that would be their prefference but if the current is causing the food to be in one place and therefore easier to oibtain?

 

Im not going to get to bogged down with it other than taking it in to consideration when working out where the food is/will end up same as Ive always done,just "re calculate" the distances due to the strength.

 

My only real question though is why I never noticed the strength when I had dived? possibly because even though it looks strong in the video in actual fact its strength is only relative? i.e. looks strong when its effects are on the maggotts/feed and the tench's "swimming" against it really just the fish holding station....but in reality not strong enough for a human diver to notice?That said its the effects on the food and fish that are really relevant.

 

I seem to understand most of the theory and agree with the accepted conclussions re undertow,current,back wash etc affects on the fishs food (and therefore probable location) but still unsure exactly how (if at all I need to) use this! information!

I'm not convinced either its the work of "orbitals" you are seeing in the video as i have it in my head that it wouldn't look as smooth flowing if it was this.

 

One thing i would take from the video is that i know a lot more rivers with bream in than tench and i would guess bream will tolerate flow more than tench. Seems to me the tench are happy feeding in that video. Also having fish over in Ireland a lot Ive caught small bream in very strong tow at times (so much tow no swing tip would work). Having said that i would think slack areas near or in the tow would be the best places to look for.

[Anderoo]

The fact that on many lakes most undertow is concentrated around the margins may go some way to explain why bream are often caught at range?

 

That obviously doesn't apply to lakes like Wingham though.

[Dick Dastardly]

Thats an interesting sugestion.I suppose I had always put it down to disturbance (bream seem very sensitive to it even at some range) but who knows.

[Phone]

I like these longer threads and their ramblings. I do, as a Yank, have a bit of a problem. Is this properly describing a "bobbin" ? We don't use the term "bobbin".

 

"Bobbins are highly visible bite indicators that clip on to the mainline when legering with bite alarms. They feature secure fitting clips that hold them to the mainline, but the clips aren't so tight that the bobbin won't pull away from the line when the rod is picked up to strike or play a fish. Most bobbins are attached to the banksticks using either a length of cord or chain, and some bobbins are supplied with interchangeable weights to create a little tension upon the mainline - ideal when fishing in water that is towing strongly."

 

Since boyhood (70 years) I have used a bit piece of tinfoil weighted and shaped variously. Is a piece of tinfoil "dumbing down" the requirement to much? Do bobbins have to have the length of cord or chain or would it be acceptable if it just "pops" off.

 

The thread leaves a question about whether they (your bobbins) are "species specific" in the discussion. I no longer bank fish for preditory fish, in fact, I don't fish for preditory fish at all - just carp.

 

Phone

[Anderoo]

I'm giving my cord bobbins another go this year, but if I wanted some long swingers I would buy something like this:

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Drop-Off-Bite-Indica...A1%7C240%3A1318

 

Then remove the metal arms and just replace them with longer ones of the same diameter. Much easier than starting from scratch!

[tincatinca]

I'm giving my cord bobbins another go this year, but if I wanted some long swingers I would buy something like this:

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Drop-Off-Bite-Indica...A1%7C240%3A1318

 

Then remove the metal arms and just replace them with longer ones of the same diameter. Much easier than starting from scratch!

 

It would be great if it was that simple but the main problem that I have found to date with long arms is that you need to maintain rigidity and also apply a counter weight behind the pivot otherwise the down force at the bobbin is too great. The difficulty is striking a balance between weight and rigidity as it is a key requirement that the line ejects cleanly when you have a bite. As well as playing about with ali tube and fibreglass, I am now looking into carbon tube but again the same problems crop up dependent on the wall thickness of the tubing used. I am still persevering with a telescopic arrangement for versatility and ease of tranportation and once I get the lathe up and running I do not think they will be too difficult to make.

[tincatinca]

Finally got the lathe installed and running so can now make a serious attempt at making the telescopic swingers. After taking ages to sort out the electrics and switchgear I think that I will leave the electronic wizardry on bobbins to Richard

 

 

[Dick Dastardly]

Finally got the lathe installed and running so can now make a serious attempt at making the telescopic swingers. After taking ages to sort out the electrics and switchgear I think that I will leave the electronic wizardry on bobbins to Richard

 

 

 

 

Looks great mate! Ive always wanted (and be able to use) a set up like that.