Sidewinder bite indicator

[slime monster]

I was so impressed watching an old retired angler using a Sidewinder on our deep club waters,he was in a parrot cage swim feeder fishing in 20 odd feet of water where a swing tip would not be much use due to the angle of the line ,quiver tips are pulled downwards for the same reason.
He put together a good net of fish in a howling gale and the next day I ordered one ,have any of you guys used one..thanks

 

[Stealph Viper]

I use to use one years ago Slime, Before i taught myself how to use a Quiver Tip.

They are really good for fishing in tight swims, or if it is quite windy as you have the rod facing straight out in front of you instead of to the side.
I haven't used one for a good few years now though.

Are these the ones you mean ?

Sidewinder Bite Indicator - Review

 

[Mark Hewitt]

Dad has one, and catches just as little with it, as all other methods............

So I guess they must work!

 

[Skoda]

Slime

I have used a sidewinder for feeder fishing ever since I was blown off L. Iniscarra in an Irish gale ten years ago. I find they’re excellent in all conditions, particularly windy ones. The indicators are much closer to you and therefore easier to see small bites especially if you’re ‘getting on’ a bit. The new ones are taped to the rod with electrical tape whereas the older version had a clip and therefore less versatile. Tip fishing is great but not always possible, I can’t think of a situation when a sidewinder couldn’t be used.

Andy

 

[slime monster]

Steph thanks for link ,I did not know there was a clipped type the one I saw was taped to the rod .

 

[Stealph Viper]

I would assume it was taped just as a more permenant housing for the Side Winder attachment, but if you want to use your Rod for other Applications, then the Clip is more favourable.

I think you may be talking about the Polaris sidewinder.

Ultra Floats : For the Polaris range of leger floats, ultra sensitive bite detection to suit just about every situation - still water, running water, specimen fishing. We have it covered

I went from using the old Swing Tip to using a Side Winder, before, teaching myself how to fish with a Quiver Tip.

I miss fishing with a Swing Tip, but, i don't miss the Tangles around the Rod End ............

---------- Post added at 18:34 ---------- Previous post was at 18:25 ----------

What rod are you thinking of using it on ?

I think i used to use it on an old Shakespeare Leger Rod i had, you know the ones that had the Screw Thread in the end of the rod for attaching swing tips and screw in quiver tips.
Well i do know that the rod was Red

 

[Rodney Wrestt]

I have a Polaris Sidewinder (MKII version), I think they're excellent for when the weather is too windy for standard presentations. You sink the rod top to get all the line under the surface and as others have said the indicator being closer to the rod but means it can be sheltered too and it's easier to spot bites.

One other thing, the MKII attachment is fitted on the rod and slid down towards the rod butt and it grips as the rod diameter increases.

The only problem I see is the pig tail line guides, as the review in Stealph's first link stated, a gate would be a better option........ I wonder where I'd get some?

 

[Stealph Viper]

Jewellers ...................

 

[Poshpaul (Angling Trust and PaSC)]

I know somebody who makes his own and uses them to good effect....but my lips are sealed.....

I was so impressed watching an old retired angler using a Sidewinder

Thought "Sockman" was going to out him there...but I noticed the words successfully:wh:w

 

[slime monster]

ha ha ha ha ha

 

[Rodney Wrestt]

Jewellers ...................

They sell parts?

 

[Stealph Viper]

Funnily enough .................... they do.

You want the Clasp, Spring Lock ones.

Try Ebay.

Something like this ?

 

[slime monster]

Very line friendly......not

 

[Stealph Viper]

What about gluing on something like a Pole Connector to the quiver instead of the Pigtail Ring.

 

[Ian Cloke]

Try googling Lobster Clasp

 

[Rodney Wrestt]

What about gluing on something like a Pole Connector to the quiver instead of the Pigtail Ring.

Yeah, on the end of some silicone.....

Try googling Lobster Clasp

Nice one Ian, that looks a bit more like it.

I was thinking about a snaplink or Gemini clip?

 

[Graham Whatmore]

I have had one for years in fact I've got two both made by the man who developed them and before Polaris made their not so good copies. They were originally developed to counteract very windy conditions and strong tows on Irish loughs and sold by the man who made them for a number of years. He is retired and no longer makes them having sold the patent.

They show every little bite both drop back and pulls and to my mind they are the dogs doodahs on still water, they don't interfere with casting in any way and can be attached after the rod is made up.

 

[Ian Cloke]

There is a disadvantage to modifying the "pigtail", weight. Wouldn't the addition of any other line holding devise (for want os better words) detract from the sensitivity?

 

[Graham Whatmore]

Why would it need modifying? Nothing wrong with the pigtail as you call it (a spring really), It allows the device to be set up after the rod is set up, handy if you carry a made up rod..

There is a similar thread of a couple of years ago showing a picture of mine but for some reason the picture is just a cross, it is adjustable through 180 degs. I have the original version with a fibreglass tip and the guy that made them made me one for the river from carbon. They really are hyper sensitive and I first used it in Ireland to considerable effect but it was a bit too soft for the Shannon where it had a good flow (hence the carbon one) though ideal for the Shannon's backwaters.

 

[Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC)]

I was given some Spidewinder bite indicators. I was so impressed and made some more myself.