 I took my little lad fishing recently and set him up with a quiver rod. I tied a simple paternoster with a ground bait feeder in a 4"link with a 2ft hook length. He was getting bites but was missing quite a few. I changed to the loop method and shortened the hook length to 12". This did the trick and he started catching roach to about 8oz. Although I wouldn't use the loop method when fishing for chub and barbel because of the potential for tethering, it appears that it is still acceptable when fishing for silvers. Is this the case?
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Is it?
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 No idea mate! Never used it. So...is it?
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 Use it all the time, don't see what the problem is as long as you are sensible with your hooklink.
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 Matt,
I've used the loop method for probably 90% of my light feeder work for about 15 years with never a problem.
Just be careful not to go higher than 4lb b/s main line and a 2 1/2lb b/s hooklength. I also 'weaken' the loops by tying a couple of overhand knots in that section.
I don't use it if I am targeting large Chub or Barbel though, but for Roach and smaller Chub it can be deadly on its' day.
I can honestly say that I've never had a breakage whereby everythng has been left in the river, usually the hooklenght goes long before the main line.
Glad to see that your Son is beginning to catch by the way, 8 ounce Roach are beautiful fish and not to be sneered at on any venue.
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| Edited: 14/05/08 18:55 |
Hi Peter I'm taking him for a few hours tomorrow evening. A small local reservoir with plenty of roach - which come every cast once you get them going. There' also tench and the odd carp. The loop method it is then!
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 and fairly tangle free for kids matt
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| Edited: 14/05/08 21:27 |
 The wife's used it for year's Matt with no problems.
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 Matt Le Corker is demonstrating the 'correct' method to...................... get his lad interested for life. The classic mistake being to put the lad straght onto thumping carp/barbel etc. My own fishing obsession was built on the fact that an old boy took me once when I was 5 and we caught monster gudgeon and the biggest 3oz perch in the world. Then..............the old boy, well he died, leaving me itchy scratchy mad to go fishing again....a few years passed, and the desire to fish swelled in my belly until it created a lifelong bottomless pit of 'must go fishing, will go fishig, have to go fishing.....
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That's the plan Dougal I've taken him a few times and he is keen to keep going. My approach is to teach him some basic skills a step at a time. There's basic things that a kid needs to get the hang of - like not holding your rod vertically so that the line hangs straight down and wraps round it, keeping the back wind in check to avoid tangles, casting, baiting up, feeding, unhooking, recognising bites...... You don't learn this stuff if dad casts in for you, puts the rod on the rest and then goes off to fish himself. His first fish was a small roach. He had the biggest smile on his face ever. Priceless
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 Unhooking is the key skill - as soon as mine gets the hang of that, at least for the lip hooked ones, I shall be able to relax a bit! I agree with all the sentiments above, my 8 year old likes the idea of big fish but he would much rather catch silvers regularly than have to wait around for a lump to come along. An 8oz fish on light rod is a real thrill for him and any bream approaching a pound something to talk about all day.
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Yes, sometimes it's very enjoyable catching a perch every cast with a whip rather than waiting for a lump.
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...and of course; if the first fish you catch are double figure carp or pike- how or when will you see the attraction of 'snatching for blades' I seem to remember ole John Wilson regretting the fact that he did this with his son- who was only ever into shark fishing. Did you ever see the GoFishing with Wilson and son- his lad is absolutely massive- a pro bodybuilder (i digress)
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Then there's gudgeon bashing on the inside line down the local canal...
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 Matt, couldn't agree more.My 5 year old is batter at it than me.I need a bit more practice i think!
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 I just can't see the benefit of a looped rig, keep it plain keep it simple! What's wrong with a plain old running rig setup?
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| Edited: 16/05/08 11:34 |
Fred I found the loop rig useful when I took my son (10) fishing for roach and he was missing shy bites on a paternoster. I changed to the loop rig (but with only a 4" feeder loop) and this created a more positive bite, which he hit. The only reason for using it really. I have since thought of a way to make the loop 'safe' so that the feeder can slide free on teh event of a mainline breakage. I'll stick it on the rigs page when I have a moment.
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Just so it's clear: I fish a running rig for chub and barbel 
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I know that Matt, but why complicate a standard running rig, you can get positive bites without all that loop palaver, or a paternoster come to that, surely?
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