Swingtipping for Bream

[Baz]

Do many people on this forum still do any swing tipping?
As much as I enjoy the quiver tip, the swing tip has got to be the more sensitive of the two. A mate was watching me one day, and cursing me saying why didn?t I hit that bite? This was a bream session. The thing was my swingtip was lifting about halfway up and then dropping back down. I always wait until the tip goes up and stays there; I think this is a sure way of avoiding liners.
Two waters that I used to go for the bream on, I got to know quite well. I always found that on both waters the bream swam in an anti clockwise direction around the lakes. Was this coincidence or is there something to it?

 

[Ron 'The Hat' Clay]

In some waters, especially slow moving rivers and fenland drains, the swing tip is still one of the best ways of fishing for bream.

I have done lots of it.

 

[Paul Christie 3]

Baz, I use a swing tip for the majority of my bream fishing. Can't beat it.

The only time I use the quiver instead, is when the water is exceptionally deep or it has a really bad surface tow.

There's no comparision for me, when it comes to gaining an understanding of what going on at the terminal end. A swing tip will help you understand far more than a quiver ever would, so I agree with you totally.

Liners are particularly easier to read, but you also see some very gentle lifts, knocks and movement, that wouldn't register or stand out on a quiver tip.

It seems to be a method limited to just a few parts of the country, N/West, Anglia area, which is a shame.

The therefore aren't many swing top rods available to buy off the shelf and I suspect it will become less and less. So many these days are 'power quivers' for towing lumps out of commecials.

 

[Baz]

That's what I found Paul, those little lifts that drop straight back down are so obviousely liners.
I have a Shimano stradic specialist which takes a swingtip, it is a lovely soft action which allows me to use lighter lines.

I think I remember Ed mentioning Boundary water park recently. I found an underwater plateau about 40 yds out, it was only two feet deep, can't remember what the surrounding depths were, but it was deffinately a shallow spot.

I baited the area with groats and brown crumb, and waited for one of the large two shoals of bream that are said to be in there to arrive. I was fishing two rods, but had to take one out as when the bream did arrive the action was hectic. I have caught well on this water but nothing over 5lbs.

 

[Nigel Connor(ACA ,SAA)]

Whenever I'v tried it Baz, which isn't often, I've always found casting a bit tricky. Any tips?

 

[Baz]

Nigel.
It is said that casting is not too acurate.
But I have never had a problem with it, and can hit the mark pretty well okay.
What I do is to lift the rod to about the 2 0'clock position behind me, and then lob or bowl the end rig out, and not throw it out as you would a ledger or quiver tip rod. It is a much more gentler cast, but I can still get it 40yds or so no problem.
Try a short distance first, gradually lengthening the cast.

 

[Paul Christie 3]

Casting should be no different to a quiver tip. You can cast over your head as normal. I punch it out with as much force as a quiver. If you are getting problems, it will be down to the way you have set up the swing tip or more likely, the type you are using.

I always use the pre-bent rubber adaptors (L shaped), and add a screw in Drennan quiver tip, inserted into the adaptor, having removed the screw fitting. Make sure the adaptor is pushed on to the screw fitting as far as it will go, so it is butted right upto the end eye on your rod. I wouldn?t use those floppy swing tips fitted with soft rubber tubing, if you are casting any distance.

I set up fishing at 45 degrees to the water, as oppose to the 90 degrees that you would for quiver tipping. If I am fishing by sitting to the right, I set the adaptor so the swing tip when under no tension is slightly behind the end of the rod, so that when it cast out, you can tension it and still have it pointing straight down and not in the direction of the terminal tackle. This gives a nice right angle, where the line leave the eye of the swing tip.

It?s a bit tricky to explain in words, a picture would probably explain it better? Could try photographing it, if it would help?

If you set it up like this, you shouldn?t have any problems casting, even long distances.

 

[Baz]

I also use the pre bent rubbers of diferent strengths that push onto a threaded screw witch screws into the end of your rod, and never expierience any problems.

I may well be wrong but I think a few people have mentioned rods for swingtipping. I can't remember a rod being made specifically for this purpose. Does any body know any different?

 

[Paul Christie 3]

There are a few made specifically. I use the Drennan Ledger Master (the original version from about 15 years ago, which was a bit different, well better, than the updated model).

Drennan also currently do a multi tip rod that has a swing tip top as well as a quiver top.

 

[Matt Brown]

I recently bought a Milo Steve Gardner Medium Feeder rod off a mate and he supplied it with a couple of swingtips.

I was looking forward to trying on a local Bream water from April time.

I've never fished the swingtip but the bite detection benefits are obvious.

Paul, A picture of how you position your rod may well help me.

 

[Paul Christie 3]

No problem, leave it with me. I?ll dig out my camera and sort out something that will demonstrate how I?ve always fished this method.

I forgot to add that the positioning at 45 degrees has an added advantage when striking, as you have a longer striking arc, then when you use a quiver tip set up.

 

[Neneman Nick]

i use my john wilson avon quivers for swingtipping.i must admit that when the conditions are right,its one of my favourite methods of fishing.as for the casting,i`ve never had any problems.i always find that a more methodical lob<crap description i know>rather than a forced/punched cast is always best and i`ve never suffered tangles/crack offs etc ...and always hit the mark.
i use both the pre shaped rubbers anbd the flexible/floppy swing tips you can buy from any tackle shop.

 

[Baz]

With us anglers allways on the lookout for more sensitive methods of catching fish, it really surprises me that swingtipping seems to be on the decline. It must be the most resistance free form of angling there is, (appart from free lining).

 

[snotman]

Baz, As my nickname suggests, I regularly use the swingtip when bream fishing and agree with most of the points above about 45deg angle etc, for sensitivity and spotting liners it cant be bettered. It also works for chub when river is slow enough or in slacks.

I use a home made swing tip rod from an old Lerc blank that I made 30 years ago and its perfect, quite stiff (rods with soft floppy top sections are no good) but with an all through action. I have often looked at new rods to replace it as its very tatty now but have never found one as good so still use it.

Another two methods that work well are
a) the sidewinder (if its the lightest tip and set up right and that copes with wind and casts better than the swingtip.
b) The springtip which is something Baz Smith came up with for Ireland which is also deadly and it casts long distances much better than the swingtip.

 

[snotman]

Baz. I've had loads of snot from Boundary Park too, there are some better slabs in there touching 9 but most are in the 4-5 range. I've been over the place with a finder and as you say its full of bars as you would expect from an old sand/gravel quarry but its a really typical cheshire mere the way it fishes for snot, bait and wait when conditions are right, then bag up when they arrive, if they do! )

 

[Baz]

I only tried the spring tip the once Ian, and couldn't get on with it. Probaby due to the fact I didn't know how to use one.

A mate uses a sidewinder, but I couldn't be sat there looking at the floor all day as he seems to do. I haven't used one myself.

I was thinking of useing braid with the swingtip, but I'm not sure if there would be any benefit, as when a bream takes the bait, there is no mistakeing it on the swingtip. Has anyone used braid with this method?

 

[fred hall]

Nigel, I think you were there that day in 1987 (sorry everyone else, yawn, yawn) when QEGS took on Doon Lake in Ireland and hammered it .I think that was my best catch on a swingtip. I agree that it is much more sensitive than a quivertip but it just isn't as versatile. One lake I fish regularly requires a 60 yard cast to reach the bream and the one next door drops off to 20 feet plus at 15 yards in most swims. In both cases you are handicapping yourself, in my opinion, if you fish a swingtip rather than a quiver.
Baz, I agree with you that when you are in a situation suitable for the swingtip reading the bites ie when to strike is so straightforward. Wait until the tip swings horizontal and stays there, pick up the rod and reel the fish in.
Footnote-I'm a sucker for nostalgia so I recently paid ?10 for a fibre glass swingtip rod. I'm looking forward to trying it.

 

[Baz]

Long live the revolution.

 

[Limestone]

Drennan do a swingtip adapter that fits all their leger rods and hence will fit Daiwas too, coz they have the same size tip butt diameter. (Some of the Daiwas aren't an absolutely perfect fit, tho.) Or you can make one from the butt end of a busted quivertip - leave it 6-8" long and use a fine rubber that will push on.

 

[john conway]

Baz just spotted this one, I use my swing tips for tench on the canal and bream on the river when condition are right. Like you Baz I don't hit the steady up and down movements, they're as you say generally line bites you can also spot this with the quiver if you know whats happening, I wait as you do for the tip to stay up. All my casting on the canal is under-hand so I've no problem nor with long cast, it's the in between cast that go astray from time to time. Don't normally do much still water fishing now but when I do swing tipping is always first choice.