reading a quiver tip

[Andy_1984 275]

been doing a fair bit of tench fishing past few years (more than pike) im still reading the signs but I believe those rattles to be fish feeding around the line/feeder or possibly tails and fins causing disturbance around the feeder/line. small to and fro pulls on the tip to be the feeder getting mouthed and those fast large swings back and forward to be a feckin bite :laughs:

[Andy_1984 275]

p.s. A back lead might hide those rattles, though I dont really bother with one myself as it tells me theres something in the area and im perched over my rod

[The Flying Tench 43]

Some interesting thoughts, but I still don't understand the rattles. The two theories given are fish pecking at the feeder, and swirling in the water caused by the fish. But the frequency of vibration is so fast that I'm surprised either of these would explain it.

[Kappa 77]

I'm certain the rattles are fish picking up and dropping the bait.

 

Adjusting your setup as per Ken's recommendations would change those rattles to unmissable drop backs.

 

It's not super easy, but get it right and you'll be laughing.

[kenj 34]

I picked up a lot of money from a series of Thames matches once, fishing a single caster on a size 20 hook, all cub of 2 lb+. I had people sit with me, who didn't see the bites. They were mostly tremors. I couldn't believe it myself. The casters were being shelled and hadn't seen a bite, until I noticed the tiny plucks and struck to find a chub on the end. Missed a few though. That's why we are still fishing after many years, there is always something to learn.

[The Flying Tench 43]

I accept the importance of fishing balanced feeder to get drop backs, though I have never done it with much success. I'll try it again after this. But that's different from explaining what the rattles are, which can occur in still water as well as running. And I believe you that little plucks can often be fish picking up the bait and dropping it - which would support the strike-at-anything approach. But some of the rattles would involve a fish picking it up and dropping it many times a second. Surely, that's not possible?

I'm certain the rattles are fish picking up and dropping the bait.

Adjusting your setup as per Ken's recommendations would change those rattles to unmissable drop backs.

It's not super easy, but get it right and you'll be laughing.

[RUDD 99]

The rattles are fish attacking the feeder- full stop.

 

I know this from fishing both method and block end maggot feeders on Stillwaters.

It's amplified when using 2mm pellets as feed on the method with the tip constantly shaking.

 

This is how a pellet feeder works. The baited or banded hook is placed inside the feeder- and plugged with soaked pellets.

During experiments in clear water I have watched fish attack and suck the pellets out of one whilst bashing it about.

[Alexmenmymn 0]

I am about to buy a sinking tip fly line for fishing woolly buggers on trout ponds. I have no idea what sink rate I should get. Any ideas?

[ayjay 482]

I am about to buy a sinking tip fly line for fishing woolly buggers on trout ponds. I have no idea what sink rate I should get. Any ideas?

 

Start a new topic on the Fly fishing forum is my advice.

[The Flying Tench 43]

I experimented today as Chesters suggested. I was fishing the Thames, just for an hour or so, with groundbait feeder and caster on the hook. There were little, scarcely discernible, quivers, but when I struck there was sometimes a small roach. When I had nothing in the feeder the quivers continued, but when I did the opposite and had bait in the feeder but nothing on the hook all was quiet. So on this occasion the quivers (not violent rattles) were fish taking the hook, though I fully believe that on other occasions, specially with maggot feeder, it can be the other way round.

 

But what I don't understand - after a few minutes quiet with nothing on the hook, suddenly there was a classic bite, a firm sharp pull! I struck, but there was nothing.

 

I also tried fishing a small straight lead instead of a feeder. Only a short experiment, but it seemed longer to get a bite, but I had a better hook-up rate.

 

Finally, I tried upstream ledgering to see if I could get critical balance. It didn't work, maybe I was stuck in weed. I'll start a new thread on this,