why use bivvys?

[gozzer]

I thought that we'd differ on this Andrew.

 

The bit about leaving tackle unattended.

Can you tell me the difference between casting out, and going to sleep in a 'bivvy' say 5-10yds away, and casting out and walking 30-40 yds to have a natter with your mate.

 

In the first instance, you are often in a sleeping bag, in a sealed up bivvy, in the dark, and to an extent disorientated when woken.

You then have to overcome all this to react to a bite and reach your rod, and play the already hooked fish.

In the second instance, you are awake and just have to get to the rod to play the fish.

 

The time between bite and reaching the rod will be very similar, but one is banned and the other allowed. Why?

 

The set line comment was based on what I have witnessed on some waters where angling is classed as a 'social' occasion as well as an angling one.

Alcohol is consumed along with the result of the 'Take away' run, (or even delivery).

The depth of sleep that follows these festivities, is such that any noise from a bite alarm can take some time to register on the 'angler'. In the meantime the fish could have swam to the other side of the lake and back.

There are many waters that encourage this 'social' side, in fact they promote it through advertising local businesses, or even provide it themselves. But a set line is illegal.

 

As I said in the past (not so much now) I have spent up to a couple of weeks by the water. I have never felt the need to have a bait out 24 hours a day.

If I can't suss' out some of the feeding patterns then it's tough, I'm not reading the water right, and it's my own fault.

 

Another 'personal' thing, If a swim requires several ounces of 'lead' to reach it, then I fish another swim, or find a better vantage point from which to fish.

 

I am in no doubt as to the amount of effort that goes into choosing a swim etc Andrew, the same applies to the 'stay awake' approach. In fact more effort is required, because you have to try and work out the optimum feeding times, because it's not just a case of 'if you wait long enough something will take the bait', as in the '24 hour' method.

 

As to the deep hooking and running rigs Tigger. Then all I can say is that this not my personal experience, over the years I've been fishing.

If a fish fails to move then it will not register whatever the rig (unless the rig it'self is moving). The fact that some of these rigs are called 'bolt rigs' and are designed to prick or scare a fish into 'bolting' and hooking itself, I feel takes something away from what I regard as angling, (again a personal thing). I prefer to try and not 'scare' the fish I'm after.

 

John.

[Anderoo]

I thought that we'd differ on this Andrew.

 

The bit about leaving tackle unattended.

Can you tell me the difference between casting out, and going to sleep in a 'bivvy' say 5-10yds away, and casting out and walking 30-40 yds to have a natter with your mate.

 

In the first instance, you are often in a sleeping bag, in a sealed up bivvy, in the dark, and to an extent disorientated when woken.

You then have to overcome all this to react to a bite and reach your rod, and play the already hooked fish.

In the second instance, you are awake and just have to get to the rod to play the fish.

 

The time between bite and reaching the rod will be very similar, but one is banned and the other allowed. Why?

 

The set line comment was based on what I have witnessed on some waters where angling is classed as a 'social' occasion as well as an angling one.

Alcohol is consumed along with the result of the 'Take away' run, (or even delivery).

The depth of sleep that follows these festivities, is such that any noise from a bite alarm can take some time to register on the 'angler'. In the meantime the fish could have swam to the other side of the lake and back.

There are many waters that encourage this 'social' side, in fact they promote it through advertising local businesses, or even provide it themselves. But a set line is illegal.

 

As I said in the past (not so much now) I have spent up to a couple of weeks by the water. I have never felt the need to have a bait out 24 hours a day.

If I can't suss' out some of the feeding patterns then it's tough, I'm not reading the water right, and it's my own fault.

 

Another 'personal' thing, If a swim requires several ounces of 'lead' to reach it, then I fish another swim, or find a better vantage point from which to fish.

 

I am in no doubt as to the amount of effort that goes into choosing a swim etc Andrew, the same applies to the 'stay awake' approach. In fact more effort is required, because you have to try and work out the optimum feeding times, because it's not just a case of 'if you wait long enough something will take the bait', as in the '24 hour' method.

 

As to the deep hooking and running rigs Tigger. Then all I can say is that this not my personal experience, over the years I've been fishing.

If a fish fails to move then it will not register whatever the rig (unless the rig it'self is moving). The fact that some of these rigs are called 'bolt rigs' and are designed to prick or scare a fish into 'bolting' and hooking itself, I feel takes something away from what I regard as angling, (again a personal thing). I prefer to try and not 'scare' the fish I'm after.

 

John.

 

Blimey, there's a lot to answer here!

 

OK, firstly I should say that I think the situation you are imagining doesn't match what happens when I have a long session. It certainly happens a lot, and we've all seen it. Groups of lads out for a social, drinking and pinging their baits out and not giving it much thought. That's because they're out for the experience of camping and drinking rather than fishing. When I (and friends of mine) go night fishing, it's for the purposes of fishing, and it differs hugely from the 'social fishing' scene, which I personally can't stand.

 

The difference between casting out, and going to sleep in a 'bivvy' say 5-10yds away, and casting out and walking 30-40 yds to have a natter with your mate, is that instead of being 30-40 yards away (which is rightfully illegal) you are within reaching distance of your rods. When I night fish I don't zip myself up or zip up my bivvy, so it's just a case of getting up from under (not in) the sleeping bag and picking up the rod. It literally is a matter of seconds. I sleep with a headtorch on, so if I need a light it's ready. I sleep very lightly when fishing, and it's mostly a case of 'cat naps' rather than a deep sleep. I never sleep all night long. Usually I'm up and down many times, often out by my rods for long periods.

 

It's possible for some people to fish at night responsibly. Unfortunately these are not the ones you'd notice. The ones you notice are the group of drunken fools who are clearly not there for serious fishing.

 

I often don't have a bait out 24hrs a day either. On the pits I fish, mid afternoon to early evening is often a dead time, so I bring everything in and bait up if I think it needs it, and give it all a rest, and have a rest myself. If I fished somewhere where the dead time was in darkness, I certainly wouldn't bother fishing all night! But the benefit of night fishing, whether your baits are out all night or not, is that you're there for the crack of dawn, which is nearly always a hot time. And because you've been there overnight and everything's in place, there's no disturbance.

 

Using heavy leads is often about the way a bolt rig works - there needs to be enough weight to set the hook. So I'll sometimes use 2+oz of lead only a rodlength out. However, other times I'll use a float or a free-running leger. It's all about specific circumstances. I don't think I've ever fished more than 60yds from the bank.

 

Finally (phew! ), I'd take issue with the idea that you can bore fish out of the water. On some pits you can be there all year, but if your baits are in the wrong place you still won't catch anything. These are natural places and are very rich in natural food. The fish there have no need to search out anglers' baits and if location is wrong there's no point being there (in terms of catching fish, at least!). So I don't think there's a difference between the amount of effort required to locate your fish in day sessions or longer sessions.

[gozzer]

Blimey, there's a lot to answer here!

 

What do you expect Andrew? After all, it's me your talking to

 

I hope you realised that I picked the (nearly) worse case scenario to put over my point, and that my tongue was (ever so slightly) in my cheek.

Both cases I mention may not be the norm on waters where you choose to fish, but they are not that rare on several waters I know, (and others I've heard of).

In one case I even saw a guy get rebuked for stepping behind a bush for a pee, (less that 4yds from his rod). This was classed as leaving his tackle unattended. (cue loads of schoolboy jokes ).

But the guy in the next swim was tucked up in his bivvy 4-5yds away, and fishing within the fishery rules.

 

The point is, that both cases, (no matter how extreme) are legal, where as the others are not!

 

I suppose that I'm just trying to show the stupidity and hypocrisy that seems to rife in angling these days. But don't get me started on that, I could go on, and on, and on, and quite often do.

 

John.

[Guest tigger]

But don't get me started on that, I could go on, and on, and on, and quite often do.

 

John.

 

 

Err........yeah........don't you just

[Anderoo]

I hope you realised that I picked the (nearly) worse case scenario to put over my point, and that my tongue was (ever so slightly) in my cheek.

Both cases I mention may not be the norm on waters where you choose to fish, but they are not that rare on several waters I know, (and others I've heard of).

In one case I even saw a guy get rebuked for stepping behind a bush for a pee, (less that 4yds from his rod). This was classed as leaving his tackle unattended. (cue loads of schoolboy jokes ).

But the guy in the next swim was tucked up in his bivvy 4-5yds away, and fishing within the fishery rules.

 

The point is, that both cases, (no matter how extreme) are legal, where as the others are not!

 

I suppose that I'm just trying to show the stupidity and hypocrisy that seems to rife in angling these days. But don't get me started on that, I could go on, and on, and on, and quite often do.

 

John.

 

Yes, I realised that

 

There are always odd interpretations of rules, I certainly won't disagree with that, and there is a lot of hypocrisy. But the fact remains that night fishing and it's associated methods and equipment can't be held responsible. As usual, it's the few that spoil it for the many. As a tenuous analogy, it's a bit like saying that people shouldn't be allowed to drive because some people are dangerous on the road. When you're driving it's the one idiot you remember when you get home, not the many good drivers.

 

(Although I will concede that on some lakes those figures can be reversed )

[gozzer]

Err........yeah........don't you just

 

It has been said, that where matters piscatorial are being discussed by yours truly, there are very few donkeys with a full complement of hind legs in the vicinity.

 

John.

[Team Man]

hers a pick of a real pop up bivvy ,put up a bit squint due to swim and the rush to get out of the rain ,it was camo painted by using a mixture of wax and black poster paint but faded over 10 or so years.

 

 

but its draw was its instant erection and fight bending it all back in the bag at the end

and because of its gardner lable a bit more expensive then compared to now.the problem with it and all other "shelter" type tents is that it gets rain blown straight in in a facing wind hence i mentioned it in my first post.

 

Yeah, thats very much like mine, but mine obviously isn't a Gardner, as I said I don't use it for overnighting, I bought it for its lightness and quick erection, you can always take it with you, I don't always put it up, but if a sudden shower comes on it's up in seconds before many spots have fallen and because mine has no sewn in ground sheet, you can place it over your chair and tackle ......that's why I say it's one of my better purchases, and I have sat out some nasty rain storms in it, I don't have to look too hard at the weather forecast as long as I have it with me.

[Steve Burke]

In one case I even saw a guy get rebuked for stepping behind a bush for a pee, (less that 4yds from his rod). This was classed as leaving his tackle unattended.

 

If one of my bailiffs did this he'd very soon be an ex-bailiff! Luckilly my guys are excellent and use their brains and their experience.

 

Leaving rods unattended is always a difficult one to interpret. Rather than a distance limit, I've now settled for a time limit of 10 seconds.

 

Many of the swims at Wingham are a long way apart and so I rarely get members leaving their rods to visit other anglers. One did and was out of sight. I reeled all his rods in and was just taking the last bait off the hook when he rushed up. He there and then lost his syndicate place. It was only his second trip and so it was an expensive ticket!

[Team Man]

If one of my bailiffs did this he'd very soon be an ex-bailiff! Luckilly my guys are excellent and use their brains and their experience.

 

Leaving rods unattended is always a difficult one to interpret. Rather than a distance limit, I've now settled for a time limit of 10 seconds.

 

Many of the swims at Wingham are a long way apart and so I rarely get members leaving their rods to visit other anglers. One did and was out of sight. I reeled all his rods in and was just taking the last bait off the hook when he rushed up. He there and then lost his syndicate place. It was only his second trip and so it was an expensive ticket!

 

 

I find it very difficult now to pee in 10 seconds

 

 

but I do take your point, I hate to see people leave rods unatended, I bite my tongue about saying anything nowadays, in case I get thumped, I did have a go at a bloke for trying to land a carp that didn't have a landing net, if I had not have gone to him with mine I don't no what he would have done ( I did reel my line in to go to him ) his excuse was he forgot it

[chesters1]

the club i'm in stipulates no tackle left in water if anglers leaves swim (although theres ofcourse a grey area about how far back a swim goes) and no angler can leave his swim for more than 15 minutes (how the bailiff knows this i'm not sure) but i guess its to stop swim reservation by putting a bit of tackle in it thus keeping it for another angler arriving later (or the angler himself) both are hard to enforce but the thinking is good behind them.

no angler can fish without his own landing net and unhooking mat so that excuse has gone ,that rule is enforceable

Edited April 17, 2008 by chesters1