Come fishing in Devon, Enjoy Devon fishing holidays, stay in stunning holiday cottages and fishing, selfcatering cottages and fishing, fishing holidays Devon.
Leger Rod and fishing
Simplistically leger fishing is a style of bottom fishing, the hook and bait are held on the bottom by weights.
A bite is distinguished by movement of the rod, specifically the rod tip.
A leger rod can have different tips which can be easily attached and detached, depending on the size of fish and the conditions you are fishing under, these tips normally screw into the top of the rod, so it is important that you keep the rod in good condition to be able to easily interchange tips, so don’t forget lubricants on the threads, use a proper “fishing friendly” lubricant, the last thing we want is oil in the water.
There are many proper lubricants for fishing available, whilst I appreciate they may be more expensive that the common industrial lubricants, they are not harmful to the fish. Fish welfare, if you want to continue to fish, look after them. If you’re not interested, then go and do something else, because the fishermen and women amongst us don’t want you involved with our fish.
Many of these rods can accommodate the different tips within the rod handle, making them readily available for your use should your fishing conditions change.
Most major manufacturers manufacture leger rods and it can get quite complicated when talking about “tip test curves and gradings” but if you do a bit of investigation through the rods within your budget, all will become clear. As in life generally, the more you pay, the more you get.
Take care with the statement “size of fish and conditions you are fishing in” they are both important, if you are fishing in known waters, you know the conditions and can anticipate the set up you will need for the size of fish your going for and buy the most cost effective rod for the job, however when the unknowns increase, it is more helpful if the rod you are using can accommodate these unknowns, but harder to tie the costs down.
Remember that “conditions” include the weather, quite changeable, as well as debris and snags.
Decide how much do you want to spend and stick to it, find the rod with the best attributes and widest usage for your budget. Never forget, you can invariably chop it in for another if your circumstance / skills change, the second hand market for tackle is massive.
We are going to talk about 2 different types of terminal tackle, the tackle that is at the fish end. The more experienced you become in your fishing, the more you will discover that all the styles of fishing blur into one another, you will adapt and change your rigs to suit your personal style and set up, so don’t be distressed if your Paternoster rig is different to someone else’s Paternoster rig.
Paternoster and Link Leger, both styles have their uses in leger fishing.
We will also discuss the merits and uses of the Swing tip or the Quiver tip
The Paternoster Rig
Its major use and indeed its origins come from our sea fishing colleagues and we have adapted it for our own uses.
Tie a weight onto the end of the line, form a loop between 4 and 12 inches above the weight, this distance is known as the link distance, using a Double Blood Knot or similar.
A piece of line is attached to the loop with a hook at the other end, this is known as a leader, the link is always less than the leader. In still water the leader can be as long as 6 feet although the link is not normally longer than 2 feet
There are mechanical devices that can assist this method, such as loop devices without knots and swivels, but they all conform to the basic design.
When casting the paternoster the weighted line falls into the water with the baited hook drawn against the line. On or near the bottom gently reel the line straight, allowing the leader to straighten up, gently moving the bait.
You will need to experiment with shorter lines in more moving water, shorter leaders and links if the fish are tentative feeders.
A piece of line is attached to the loop with a hook at the other end, this is known as a leader, the link is always less than the leader. In still water the leader can be as long as 6 feet although the link is not normally longer than 2 feet
There are mechanical devices that can assist this method, such as loop devices without knots and swivels, but they all conform to the basic design.
When casting the paternoster the weighted line falls into the water with the baited hook drawn against the line. On or near the bottom gently reel the line straight, allowing the leader to straighten up, gently moving the bait.
You will need to experiment with shorter lines in more moving water, shorter leaders and links if the fish are tentative feeders.
Static and other Leger Link Rigs
The static leger link is another commonly used bottom fishing method.
It consists of a suitable weight crimped onto the line with 4 to 18 inches of line left before the hook is tied on.
This rig is not generally preferred, whilst very simple, it is considered the least useful of the leger link rigs.
Anglers generally think that the running leger offers more versatility and sensitivity since the running rig allows the bait to roam free once the rig reaches bottom.
The weights used can be a bell sinker, split shot or swim feeders, each you can appreciate can vary in weight quite dramatically to suit the conditions. Each has a specific use and can be employed with or without a link. Elaborate booms and other devices have been designed for running legers
The easiest running leger is a bell sinker placed directly on the line and a small split shot used to keep it from hitting the hook. The hook can be connected to a leader whose breaking strength is less than the main line and attached loop to loop or to a swivel. This is a good rig for long range casting and is used extensively by the carp fishermen.
Another type of running leger is heavy split shot or swan shot clipped to both sides of a length of line looped over the main line. This leger is good for moving water where the bottom is rocky or full of snags. The split shot will pull off when caught and the rest of the rig is saved. It has the added advantage of your being able to add or subtract weight in an instant.
The link can be made from the main line, can be a special rigid tube with snaps, or can even be a float. The latter two are useful in mud and weeds as they allow the bait to rise above these obstacles.
Swingtipping
This is the oldest of the sophisticated legering systems but the one which has wide application in the new world. Swingtips were invented by Jack Clayton (in the 1950s) who added a 15 inch extension to his rod to catch shy biting bream. This indicator had an extruded nylon link attached to the rod which allowed it to rise and fall as the fish struck. Now you can find swingtips of various sizes and weights to suit conditions. Swingtips are utilized in still water and slowly moving rivers or streams. They allow you to see virtually every bite which occurs and after a while you will learn when to strike. But you must pay attention to the details.
The usual swingtipping setup is a paternoster terminal rig, three rod rests, and a seat close to the handle of the rod. Set the rod pointing directly at the bait. The rig is cast over a baited area then drawn back towards it. As the weight hits the water you should reel in the slack line and pull the weight in your direction. This will have two effects: the line will become taut and the bait will begin to float down behind the line. At this point many fish will strike as they are triggered by the swarming effect of feeding and the slow fall of the bait. Your attention should be on the swingtip throughout this process.
If you don't get a strike at once reel in until the swingtip shows some movement and set the rod on the rests. The tip of the rod should never be more than 12 inches from the third rod rest or you will lose sensitivity. Set the angle of the tip 45 to 90 degrees from the water. The swingtip should be as close to the water as possible. In heavy winds it can even be in the water a little.
A strike will be indicated by a lifting of the swing tip to almost 180 degrees. This can be a quick indication and will require close attention. Usually you will get a few preliminary movements caused by fish mouthing the bait or hitting the line. If you strike then you will almost always miss. The wind can cause movement which is mistaken for a fish. On windy days it is best to use a heavy swingtip or weigh it down with lead wire. You will lose sensitivity but still catch fish.
When striking you should just lift the rod. If you are set up correctly the line will be taut when the fish hits and the bait in the fish's mouth. A quick lift will drive the hook in and the ten foot lever you use for a rod will multiply the force. If you give the fish a bass shaking yank you may pull the bait and hook out, especially with small fish.
If the swingtip suddenly flops into the water you have a fish swimming right towards you with the bait in his mouth. You must reel in a few inches and then set the hook. This is the only time you may want to add a little extra oomph to the hook set.
If the swingtip will not stay at an angle steep enough to register fish you should go to the quivertip.
Quivertipping
The picture below shows the quiver tips, as you can see the tips are slender and can indicate a bite very easily, different tips have different test curves, you can ask your tackle shop to explain these.
This is a later refinement in rod tip indicators and it consists of a thin fibreglass tip spliced into the rod or screwed in via a special rod tip. Quivertips come in a variety of sizes, lengths and resistances which fit various conditions. It is set up by casting a heavy (3/4 ounce or more) weight and reeling the line in until the tip arcs slightly. Any pull on the bait will cause the tip to move telling you there is a fish on the line. Like the swingtip you will soon learn how to read it and when to strike.
The quivertip can be used in fast moving water with great success. Swimfeeder users will weight the feeder until it holds in place (barely) and then set the quivertip by reeling in line until it bends. When a fish hits it will dislodge the swimfeeder causing the tip to spring back and then bend when the force of the current moves the swimfeeder or weight. In slower moving water the same trick can be used with lighter weight. The quivertip is set after the rig is in place and watched. Any twitch not due to wind will be a bite.
The rod is set up at 90 degrees to the bait when quivertipping. This allows for a to and fro movement of the tip and takes full advantage of sensitivity. Three rod rests are used but one of these could be your tackle box. When a fish hits strike across the current to add the force of the current to your hook set. You should cast directly in front of you when using a quivertip so the rod is parallel to the bank. The rod should then be pointed downstream. This assures maximum sensitivity.
In fast moving water, especially with a swimfeeder, a different method is used. Current tends to move line and the line can act like a sail in some circumstances. Under these conditions the rod should be held almost vertically in the rod rests with the quivertip high in the air. Most of the line is held out of the water and the swimfeeder doesn't have to be burdened with excessive weight. The tip will indicate in the usual way. This trick can also be used in any situation where the rod can't be placed in a horizontal position. It is hard to use a vertical rod in high wind conditions.
Quivertips are especially good to use in stiff winds because they are stabilized by the tight line. With a swingtip the wind can move the line and give a false signal. In the new world strikes are still vigorous enough to be seen in a 25 knot wind. In fact you may see your rod pulled off the rests by an aggressive bluegill if you don't keep your hand near the rod.
Come fishing in Devon, Enjoy Devon fishing holidays, stay in stunning holiday cottages and fishing, selfcatering cottages and fishing, fishing holidays Devon.
