When was the last time you used a swingtip?

[goonch]

...Reading Fred Foster's book re-ignited my interest...

A nice little book. Perhaps the only book dedicated to the subject unless someone knows otherwise?

FRED FOSTER'S SWING TIPPING: AND OTHER MODERN TECHNIQUES. | All Fishing Books | Coch-y-Bonddu Books | COCH-Y-BONDDU BOOKS LTD

 

[xenon]

Blimey, this takes me back-circa 1978 on the relief channel with my Dad-a great method for the bream then. Not used since as I tend to be found mooching around small streams/rivers these days where it does not really apply.

 

[stikflote]

Tried swingtip when first came out
but didnt keep up with it, not used one now for around 50years ,
do not think i own a rod now that takes one

 

[noknot]

32 years ago! Found the Q tip much better for Tinca's

 

[ian g]

I haven't used one for couple of years but they're great for ledgering up to 30 yards. Much more sensetive than quiver tips . They let you read bites more. Also a good tip if you don't have a screw thread on an avon rod is to use a feeder rod cut down an old quiver tip to about 2" push that in the feeder , you can then add a swing tip to that using silicone tubing. If you just lob your rig in rather than really casting hard you get less tangles.

 

[terry m]

I seem to remember in the mid/late 70's swings were far more popular that quivers, especially for bagging up on big pit bream. I have not used one since about 1975/76.

I always struggle staring at a swing or a quiver, simply because you are looking 'down' rather than 'out' at the water so the view is much more mundane. Give me a float anyday.

 

[Philip]

Anyone else remember the mail or Times feature from back in the 80s I think about how to make a swing tip out of a drinking straw and a paper clip ?

You taped it to your rod top. They did a big spread on it saying it was deadly for early season Tench, so there I was on June 15th studiously making one up exactly as instructed and taped it to the top of my match rod (its all I had back then...)

At midnight on the dot I cast out licking my lips in anticipation that armed with this awesome new weapon the Tench would be crawling up my rods. However a loud splash had me reeling in to find it had torn off first cast and flown into the center of the lake.

It was not one of the Angling times better ideas...

 

[dezza]

The one thing I remember well about the swing tip was all the urchins that used to pranch around shouting "Hey Mister yer rods bust".

 

[terry m]

Anyone else remember the mail or Times feature from back in the 80s I think about how to make a swing tip out of a drinking straw and a paper clip ?

You taped it to your rod top. They did a big spread on it saying it was deadly for early season Tench, so there I was on June 15th studiously making one up exactly as instructed and taped it to the top of my match rod (its all I had back then...)

At midnight on the dot I cast out licking my lips in anticipation that armed with this awesome new weapon the Tench would be crawling up my rods. However a loud splash had me reeling in to find it had torn off first cast and flown into the center of the lake.

It was not one of the Angling times better ideas...

I remember that now that you have reminded me - great story. Also goes to show that all was not great in the 'good old days' in fact most of it was questionable, unless of course your spectacles are heavily tinted with that reddish hue.

 

[flightliner]

The pair I have are Daiwa Powermesh Avons which are getting on for twenty years old.

I have the very same pair, lovely rods, only thing I didnt like about them was the butts-- perfectly adequete but I had mine modified by pete evens.
I understand they have become "collectable" amongst some anglers.The treaded tip ring was something of an oddity I suppose and I never used them with any attachment other than a betalight for an evenings barbel fishing.
I always reckoned that you could reverse over those rods with the car and they would survive.

 

[redfin123]

I can remember making my first swingtip in the early sixties, I was on the worsborough res and the river witham at that time and it completely took the way of bream fishing by storm. Every week matches were won on the witham, welland, middle level, relief channel, with bigger bream weights than ever before, all on the swingtip. I had many big weights of bream of the witham at southery (nocton) stixwould (blackhorse bend) kirkstead (ivy cottage, schoolhouse bend) to name a few hot spots. The witham was full of bream at that time, I remember being on holiday with my dad at st germans, in 1966 the year england won the world cup. We fished the relief channel at saddlebow and had 100lb of bream nearly every day. My best weight was 180lb of bream which included some big roach and rudd to over 1.1/2lb , all on the swing tip, happy memories of years gone by. but how fishing has changed in recent years, match fishing now is all about pole fishing for carp in heavily stocked ponds and lakes and 100 to 200lb weights are common. But now in the autumn of my life I still prefer the traditional way of fishing, you cannot beat a nice net of roach.

 

[sam vimes]

I have the very same pair, lovely rods, only thing I didnt like about them was the butts-- perfectly adequete but I had mine modified by pete evens.
I understand they have become "collectable" amongst some anglers.The treaded tip ring was something of an oddity I suppose and I never used them with any attachment other than a betalight for an evenings barbel fishing.
I always reckoned that you could reverse over those rods with the car and they would survive.

They are good, and undervalued, rods, but it's amazing what a little chatter on various forums can do to the second hand prices of such items.
I have a bit of a penchant for the original Daiwa Powermesh rods (carp rods and Avons), but I think I've probably got enough now! The original models had the X weave from butt to tip. I tend to buy them when I find them for a sensible price and in good condition. It pays to be careful as well used examples are often well worn on the spigot. When the spigot gets so worn that the joints almost meet, the rod is on borrowed time. If you are buying, make sure that you see the rod assembled and not how close the joints are on the spigot. If it's less than a centimetre, be wary.

The Powermesh rods that most get excited about are actually a later Powermesh X model. As well as a 1.25lb Avon Specialist model they also did a 1.5lb Barbel Specialist, it's the latter that people really go gaga for.

 

[flightliner]

I was there myself Redfin steep steep learning curve but oh what great times, and the anglers around you were simply top drawer, anybody that was anybody at that time were on those banksides and I,ll include the Trent on that list.
Many made the claim-- but they wernt even in the game!!!!

 

[Derek Gibson]

I was there myself Redfin steep steep learning curve but oh what great times, and the anglers around you were simply top drawer, anybody that was anybody at that time were on those banksides and I,ll include the Trent on that list.
Many made the claim-- but they wernt even in the game!!!!

I was there too mate back in the day, but not in a match capacity, purely pleasure. Trying to develop my skills with the Swing tip,(acquired at Ernie Stamfords). You are right, there were some terrific anglers about in those days. And I'm not ashamed to say that I picked their brains on a number of occasions. Both you and Redfin are spot on, those were Halcyon days. And your last sentence speaks volumes, such a shame that some may feel the need to embellish, therebye tainting happy memories.
Whilst on the subject of the Witham and Bream, does anyone remember J.C. Greaves. A regular correspondent for the old ''Angling Telegraph'' back in the 60s.

 

[dezza]

G.C. (Sam) Greaves was a man I crossed pens with way back in the 60s. He also had a bit of a tiff with Steve Crawshaw if I remember right.

Old Sam Greaves, in part, was a relic of the old "Sheffield Style" school who fished canals and fenland drains with typical spliced Spanish reed rods with split cane tips and 20 hooks.

I never met him, but in later life I now respect him.

 

[nicepix]

I can remember making my first swingtip in the early sixties, I was on the worsborough res and the river witham at that time and it completely took the way of bream fishing by storm. Every week matches were won on the witham, welland, middle level, relief channel, with bigger bream weights than ever before, all on the swingtip. I had many big weights of bream of the witham at southery (nocton) stixwould (blackhorse bend) kirkstead (ivy cottage, schoolhouse bend) to name a few hot spots. The witham was full of bream at that time, I remember being on holiday with my dad at st germans, in 1966 the year england won the world cup. We fished the relief channel at saddlebow and had 100lb of bream nearly every day. My best weight was 180lb of bream which included some big roach and rudd to over 1.1/2lb , all on the swing tip, happy memories of years gone by. but how fishing has changed in recent years, match fishing now is all about pole fishing for carp in heavily stocked ponds and lakes and 100 to 200lb weights are common. But now in the autumn of my life I still prefer the traditional way of fishing, you cannot beat a nice net of roach.

Yep! Worsborough Res was ideal for swing tipping. I had one of those yellow fibreglass Ernie Stamford rods with a screw in eye. My mate had the delux version with a whipped in swing tip. Nothing like watching that tip lift when a decent bream took the bait.

Years later, some time in the mid 1970's I walked around the res just before a match started. It was flat calm and every angler to a man had a quiver tip rod ready for action. Not a swing tip in sight. Madness! The swing tip offers far less resistance than a quiver. It is all about fashion and after Freddie Foster had popularised the swing tip by winning Fenland matches someone else started winning on the Trent using a quiver tip. All the sheep followed the fashion and used the quiver even when it was not suited to the venues.

I haven't used a swing tip in years. Mainly because I tend to fish rivers these days, but I'd certainly use one for ledgering in shallow lakes in preference to a quiver tip. In fact, I might adapt my Grays Twin Tip Avon to take one. Anyone got a scew in tip ring they don't want?

 

[redfin123]

Yep! Worsborough Res was ideal for swing tipping. I had one of those yellow fibreglass Ernie Stamford rods with a screw in eye. My mate had the delux version with a whipped in swing tip. Nothing like watching that tip lift when a decent bream took the bait.

Years later, some time in the mid 1970's I walked around the res just before a match started. It was flat calm and every angler to a man had a quiver tip rod ready for action. Not a swing tip in sight. Madness! The swing tip offers far less resistance than a quiver. It is all about fashion and after Freddie Foster had popularised the swing tip by winning Fenland matches someone else started winning on the Trent using a quiver tip. All the sheep followed the fashion and used the quiver even when it was not suited to the venues.

I haven't used a swing tip in years. Mainly because I tend to fish rivers these days, but I'd certainly use one for ledgering in shallow lakes in preference to a quiver tip. In fact, I might adapt my Grays Twin Tip Avon to take one. Anyone got a scew in tip ring they don't want?

hello nicepix, Yes worsborough was a great bream water and it had some big roach as well. I used to fish it nearly every saturday afternoon and had some big weights when they were having it, I fished it right up until it got wiped out with polluted water from the pits. After that it got stocked with carp same as every where else and now its mainly carp with a few bream and silver fish. I also spent a lot of time at underbank in the 60s and 70s, used to get some big roach on swingtipped cheese back then until the bream were introduced and the roach seemed to dissapear, but i,ve heard that the roach have started to show again recently, I hope so. thats it for now mate tight lines.

 

[flightliner]

My father in law was "dyed in the wool swingtip" to the point he even used it on the Trent in some of the slower swims and glides, one day I took him to old Walter Bowers at Muskham and sat him on the old hot peg 51 (anyone remember that one) and I went across and fished the number two lake. When I went over to collect him he had a "national " squad on the other bank practicing for a forthcoming national on the river-- they were just packing in having caught very little. Pops had been using cheese and had had a load of chub and I couldnt help letting the "cracks" on the opposite bank know that they had been done over.
Them old uns hey! He used to say that he was too old a cat to be done by a kitten!!!! lol!