Line clips

[Andrew Turton]

I have heard and read so much about using the line clip when feeder fishing but one thing baffles me, and I may be being thick here, but what happens when a fish makes a run, how do you give more line? I would like to try this but as yet I am not confident in the technique, any explanations would be great, cheers.

 

[Phil Hackett disability bad speller with Pride]

Andrew
The way to use the line clip is to cast out, hit the clip then turn the handle 3-4 times to put some line back on the spool. This give you that bit of line to play with if a fish goes on a run. If you find the fish takes it back to the clip on a run, dip the rod end towards the fish and flick the line from under the clip.
Not recommended for fish that go on long runs

Other methods are to put an elastic band on the spool. I use thin (? inch) pieces of cycle inertube. The line will pull from under the tube if a fish runs hard against it, but it?s has enough tension on the spool to stop you overcastting to you're mark
Better than the above, but still not recommended for fish that go on long runs

Insulation tape rapped a third of the way around the spool has the same effect.
Better than the above but still not recommended for fish that go on long runs

You can use a pole elastic stop knot on your line set at the distance you?re casting to. This method I prefer when using the baitrunner as the stop knot will pass through the rings on your rod when a run takes place.
You also hear the stop knot going through your rings as you?re cast reaches the distance you?re fishing at. If you overcast, you just reel the excess line back in until the stop knot reaches the rod tip. Recommended for fish that go on long runs

 

[Graham Whatmore]

An alternative to those that Phil mentions is to cast to the required place then attach a pellet band to the line and put this over the line clip. Its simple to knock this off the clip should a big fish go on a run.

 

[Jim Crosskey 2]

Andrew

I fish a lake where I often fish clipped up for accuracy, throwing a cast about 40 yards. Occasionally, along comes a carp that necessitates getting the line unclipped. I agree with Phil in that its really important to put a few turns of line on the reel after casting to give yourself a little breathing space - however, I've got away with two turns on the last few sessions and never had a problem. The thing is, the feel of the bigger fish stands out a mile (particularly if you've been catching skimmers and small roach previously) As soon as you feel the extra weight of a running carp, flip the bail arm, raise the rod to take the extra couple of turns off, and then unclip the line. Then close the bail arm and play the fish as usual. I know this sounds like you're taking a big risk of the fish smashing a tight line, but in pratice (providing you're using mono line with a bit of stretch, 6lb sensor in my case) you have loads of time to get this done before the lines properly tight. Like any action, practice makes perfect - have a few gos at completing what I've decsribed above without a fish on. As an aside, several times I've known from the bite on the tip that I';d be unclipping, as an 8lb carp doesn't piddle about as much as a 6 oz skimmer!! Good luck!

 

[Andy "the Dog" Nellist (SAA) (ACA)]

If you are using mainline of 6lb+ use a thin strip of electrical tape and create a small tab to help remove it. Normally the line cuts through the tape when you have a fish make a rapid initial run if it doesnt just pull the tab and bingo.

 

[Nigel Connor(ACA ,SAA)]

Good question Andrew as I was bust when clipped up at Clattercote.If it had been a 70 I might have beat Stu Dexter!

Onr thing I would query is that presumably you also need some form of marker on the line itself as if you do have to unclip on a running fish you need some other indication of the distance you have been casting so as to ensure accuracy on the next cast?

Jim, why do you have to open the bail arm to unclip.Presumably to get access to the clip?

 

[Jeff (AKA Cheeky Monkey, Spud, Jay Dubya, Woody .]

I endorse all what Phil says and add that in addition to markingthe line with pole elastic you can also use power gum, but again, don;t use the clip. I do this a lot in carp fishing with bolt rigs.

Only time I use a clip is on a canal fishing tight to the opposite bank, the fish can't then go any further away. If the fish shoots off up or down the canal, I have it away on my toes to follow him. Even then, cast out, but keep the rod high and slightly behind you. Then tighten up and you get a good dozen or more turns on the spool as back up.

 

[Nigel Connor(ACA ,SAA)]

Jeff the thought of you having it away on your toes is not one I want to consider.

 

[Graham Whatmore]

Jeff was a sub 4 minute 100yds man in his prime but he is probably a bit slower now he's getting on! Perhaps he didn't mean that sort of "have it away" though

 

[Jim Crosskey 2]

Nigel

I open the bail arm to make it easier to unclip. You give yourself a nice big loop of line which you can run your hand down to the clip. I've also found that occasionally, the first big run can be controlled easier if the fish isn't straight on to a taught line. I'm a firm believer in the old adage about the harder you pull, the more they run. So the way I do it, I think the fish feels the hook and starts to go, but its then offered a lower resistance (the bail arm opened and the lift of the rod actually presents a line with no tension) 9 times out of 10, the fish doesn't shoot off quite as violently as they might if the line was tight at all times. Incidentally, I've never had the hook come out in the unclipping process.

In essenece, what I'm trying to do is create a scenario where in the two or three seconds (hopefully less) that it takes to get the line unclipped, the fish is not pulling against anything, and therefore is slightly less inclined to bolt as hard as it can. On the rare occasion rthat it does, you've already got the bail arm open and can control the line coming off until such time as you see fit to close it.

Phew!! hope that makes some kind of sense.

 

[Milo]

I topped up one of my spools last week with Fox Micro Plus+ line and when fishing my next session, I had a bit of a problem with a gust of wind taking a fair bit of line of the spool which I sorted out but, I clipped up whilst doing so and then forgot to unclip!

The result was, I hooked into a carp which tore out of my swim taking line by the clutch until it reached the clip. I soon realised what had happened and unclipped. Some time later during the fight the mainline broke even though I was using a lighter hooklength on a water without snags. I reckon, with Micro Plus+ having little stretch that the line was damaged on the clip and eventually broke at that point. Gutted on several counts but mostly for the fish trailing a line complete with a float.

Whilst I don't tend to use the clip when on the feeder, I did see a suggestion in AT similar to that made by Phil, using a pellet band on the line and clipping that instead.

 

[Andrew Turton]

Thanks for the great tips lads, once again this forum has proved a mine of information,
I will use the pole elastic stop knot as this seems the safest idea.

 

[David Craine]

Graham,I like the pellet band Idea, I have some small bands ( best for donkey chokers)that are actually used to tie up Horse hair, they are just the right size, and are only about ?2.00 for a thousand or so from farm feed/ horsey shops. I will be giving it a try,it looks as though it is an amost fail safe idea.

 

[Nigel Connor(ACA ,SAA)]

Does the band run on the line or do you fold it over?Presumably the latter?

 

[Graham Whatmore]

You fold it through itself Nigel, just the same as putting one on the hook. I take no credit for this by the way, I read it in Angling Times a couple of weeks ago and thought it was a good idea.

 

[john conway]

I?ve had a snap-off at the line clip after fishing the same swim a couple of times and not removing my clipped line between sessions. Normally when chub fishing I?ll be casting every 10 to 15 minutes when feeder fishing and every 30 minutes when using PVA bags of micro pellets. I still use my line clip if there?s little chance of barbel, i.e. cold mid winter chub sessions. However, I hold my rod every loose and let it dip when the feeder hits the clip and then with tacking the slack out of the line there?s always a couple of turns to be had on the reel.
With the barbel, if I need to be that accurate, I use a power gum slipknot on the line and I feather the line as soon as I hear the knot passing through the rod rings. However, I don?t pull the knot back onto the reel if I?m using PVA bags. I don?t want my hook bait 2 or 3 metres away from the PVA bag.
If you?re fishing close up to a snag then I can?t see why you cant clip up, a, you don?t want to cast into the snag and b, your not going to let your fish run anyhow. Not recommended for those who are not prepared to sit next to there rods and sty awake.
Fishing twice a week, after a month or so into the season my casting is generally good enough not to have to clip up and I can live with the odd bum cast.

 

[Peter Bishop]

Having come to grief a few times using a line clip I have often wondered if there is any technical reason why a line clip couldn't flick open under pressure to release line instead of being permanently fixed? Does anyone make a decent reel with that facility? Alternatively, a pal of mine showed me clever ruse involving a john Roberts bait band, stretched and twisted over the line and secured under the clip again. Thus it is the elastic band that locks the line not the metal clip. Under pressure the bait band will snap (admittedly with a jolt) allowing the fish to take more line.

 

[Nigel Smith 4]

I use the spool clip when packing away to stop line jumping off everywhere - as already noted they are sharp plastic rather than a smooth bail-arm roller and they will damage line if casting feeders etc. to a jerky halt. A bit of cycle innertube, as said, works well. A good technique is to practise cast to your mark then when you get it right lift the rod tip about a foot back from vertical, behind your head and fit the rubber or bait band etc. When casting out bring the rod back to that behind vertical position and be ready as it's about to hit full distance to let the rod forward a bit to ease any shock, this also slows the end-tackle same as feathering the spool and gives a more gentle splashdown stopping the feeder from emtpying before it hits the bottom (good for fast flows/deep rivers.)
Always select a firm mark on the far bank and also try to get a picture of how much closer the splashdown is from far bank reflections in case you loose your clip-up distance.