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reading a quiver tip


The Flying Tench

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Does anyone know what the fish are doing when we get those tell-tale movements on the tip? Sometimes it's obvious. If the tip goes right round, I assume the fish has picked up the bait and gone off with it. If it goes to and fro slowly, perhaps the fish is slowly sucking the bait in and blowing it out.

 

But what about rattles? I can't imagine what the fish is doing to make the tip rattle. And what about when it moves an inch or two and then stays steady? If it decides it doesn't want to take the bait, why doesn't the tip go back to it's original position? And what about (as I've seen when barbell and chub fishing) the tip yanks round about 3 feet and back and keeps doing it fast?

 

I'd be interested in any insights, one reason being to help know when to strike.

john clarke

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Hi FT.

Not all indications on the tip are caused by fish biting especially on a river.

 

Rattles are sometimes bites but can also be caused by a fish simply running into your line - these are called Line Bites or Liners. Rattles can also be attributed to fish knocking the feeder especially a Maggot feeder - fish, trying to pull the Maggots out of it (a feeder with bigger holes/slots with scissors can alleviate this - allowing them out quicker)

 

You could also try an "Open Ended" feeder, which has no peripheral holes. Plug one end with Ground Bait, fill with Maggots then plug other end with ground bait. Maggots will empty out very quickly once it hits bottom. (with maybe a quick tweak of the rod tip once it's settled if its a slow swim)

 

Other "Non Fish" indications can also be due to your feeder or Bomb becoming dislodged by the flow, & rolling off a ledge into a deeper channel, then back onto a shallow bar which may be the answer to your last part. Maybe you're not using enough weight to hold bottom??

 

I used to use Lead strips to adjust the weight for this. (I haven't river fished for some time, but one never loses it!!)

 

You could do a lot worse than striking at almost ANY Indication IMO. At least every time you put in again, you're "building the swim" if using a feeder.

 

You'll also avoid catching too many deeply hooked fish!!!!

Edited by Martin56
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Fishin' - "Best Fun Ya' can 'ave wi' Ya' Clothes On"!!

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Back in my match fishing days on the Thames, we used to fish with the rod pointing down stream, with a bow in the line used to balance the weight of the feeder. Any movement of the bait from a fish would lift the feeder and show on the tip as a drop back. I would strike at ANY movement. I've had the slightest tremble result in big chub. A chub's teeth are at the back of it's throat, to crush a caster, it has to take the bait right in. Give it a try. It still works, forget the beach caster, tip in the air method. Good luck.

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That's what I was going to say! If you are getting rattles and unhittable bites you need to adjust your setup not hitting the bites.

 

The method Ken describes I believe is the best one.

 

Rich

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That's what I was going to say! If you are getting rattles and unhittable bites you need to adjust your setup not hitting the bites.

 

The method Ken describes I believe is the best one.

 

Rich

I had exactly this experience on Sunday. I was fishing the other side of a Thames lock cut with liquidised bread in an open feeder and flake on the hook, I was able to gently cast directly downstream and position the rod perpendicular to the flow. I thought this was the ideal setup and caught a 12oz roach first cast but after that I spent the rest of the day missing constant rattles and taps, bite indication was great but I just couldn’t hit them.

It's never a 'six', let's put it back

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How long a tail did you have Rusty? Keep shortening the tail until you hit them. They may have been pecking at the feeder and bread around it. The more flow, the longer the tail and visa versa. Sounds obvious, but it's surprising how you can become preoccupied by trying to hit the bites. Also with liquidised bread, if you are striking a lot of bites, you can over feed, so cast back with an empty feeder a few times. Flake often sorts out a big roach first cast. A 6 mm pellet of punched bread, squeezed on the hook will often work better than a pinch of flake.

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How long a tail did you have Rusty? Keep shortening the tail until you hit them. They may have been pecking at the feeder and bread around it. The more flow, the longer the tail and visa versa. Sounds obvious, but it's surprising how you can become preoccupied by trying to hit the bites. Also with liquidised bread, if you are striking a lot of bites, you can over feed, so cast back with an empty feeder a few times. Flake often sorts out a big roach first cast. A 6 mm pellet of punched bread, squeezed on the hook will often work better than a pinch of flake.

I started at a foot long tail then shortened to six inches but still the same result. Tried casting with an empty feeder when I realised that I was getting through the liquidised bread too quickly, no change, still plenty of too-fast-for-me bites. I'll try the punched bread next time, I did try maggots which caught the smaller roach but I think they hooked themselves, it attracted perch too and I was trying to avoid them. Yes thinking back a more solid piece of bread may have worked.

It's never a 'six', let's put it back

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I started at a foot long tail then shortened to six inches but still the same result. Tried casting with an empty feeder when I realised that I was getting through the liquidised bread too quickly, no change, still plenty of too-fast-for-me bites. I'll try the punched bread next time, I did try maggots which caught the smaller roach but I think they hooked themselves, it attracted perch too and I was trying to avoid them. Yes thinking back a more solid piece of bread may have worked.

Did you try with no bait at all? If your still getting reactions perhaps it not fish at all?

I own tips and even swingtips but i use in the rare times i light ledger a spring thing that attaches to the butt end ,i am a very lazy angler i dont care if i catch or not so striking at ghosts not my idea of fishing

Believe NOTHING anyones says or writes unless you witness it yourself and even then your eyes can deceive you

None of this "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" crap it just means i have at least two enemies!

 

There is only one opinion i listen to ,its mine and its ALWAYS right even when its wrong

 

Its far easier to curse the darkness than light one candle

 

Mathew 4:19

Grangers law : anything i say will  turn out the opposite or not happen at all!

Life insurance? you wont enjoy a penny!

"To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical." Thomas Jefferson

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Did you try with no bait at all? If your still getting reactions perhaps it not fish at all?

I own tips and even swingtips but i use in the rare times i light ledger a spring thing that attaches to the butt end ,i am a very lazy angler i dont care if i catch or not so striking at ghosts not my idea of fishing

I didn't try that Chesters, a feeder full of liquidised bread but no hookbait might have told me a lot. I'm certain the 'bites' were from fish but other than the first roach I couldn't be sure what species, may have been small bleak but they tend to disappear from that stretch after summer.

It's never a 'six', let's put it back

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A empty feeder and no hook bait will tell you a great deal more LOL

Mind you i have caught bleak on empty gold plated hooks and roach in gin clear ponds as well

Edited by chesters1

Believe NOTHING anyones says or writes unless you witness it yourself and even then your eyes can deceive you

None of this "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" crap it just means i have at least two enemies!

 

There is only one opinion i listen to ,its mine and its ALWAYS right even when its wrong

 

Its far easier to curse the darkness than light one candle

 

Mathew 4:19

Grangers law : anything i say will  turn out the opposite or not happen at all!

Life insurance? you wont enjoy a penny!

"To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical." Thomas Jefferson

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