The Upstream Feeder

[ravey]

There's nothing new about legering upstream (is there anything really new about most methods?). The difference is in the use of the feeder, and the 'finesse' applied to making it so effective.

I have already mentioned me using it in long range feeder matches on the Trent for chub. Fishing the 'bow' fulfilled a couple of things: it allowed the use of less lead, and was an answer to the 'educated' chub that used to provide the winning weights (on the right pegs).

As others have said, it is very effective. What I used to find was that many anglers could not be bothered to faff about with swapping leads etc to achieve this balance.

It's not just about using the right amount of lead; the size of the bow is just as important. What can be tricky is combining both to get the feeder teetering on the brink of moving. If you see how the traditional mousetrap works, then you can see that you can set it so that the slightest disturbance will release the forces in the spring. the rod tip is the spring in the case of upstream feedering.

Hope this makes it clear(?)...it is easier to demonstrate than put into words (for me at any rate!).

 

[Titus]

You don't have to faff about with the lead at all, this is a mistake many people make. All you have to do is cast out with a lead which will hold bottom with the size of bow you want, for me that's normally three or four pulls of line off the reel, then raise the front rest until the feeder breaks loose, once you have found that point lower the front rest an inch or two and recast, it should now be critically balanced, if it still breaks free lower it a bit more until it holds on the next cast.
Jobs a goodun.

If the flow is not to strong you can get to a point where the feeder will hold when it's full and break away when it empties.

 

[Bob Roberts]

Should anyone wish to read the relevant section of The Complete Book Of Legering you will find the original text here.

You will also find additional explanations and updates to the original text (regular font/bold).

Follow this link and you'll find 7 full chapters including updates and revisions to the original text.

One day I'll maybe get around to publishing the entire re-written work.

Chapter 4 explains how I first happened upon an angler employing an oversized bow, how this influenced my tactical thinking and the refinements I developed. That angler was Kevin Johnson who now owns Messingham Sands, near Scunthorpe. Though I'm frequently associated with the technique (by those of a certain age) you will find nowhere that I claim to have invented it.

I intend to publish the articles refered to by Archie Braddock in flip book format on 9th April on the same web site. Indeed there will be 5-years-worth of articles written by me for Coarse Angler magazine made available on that date in a new archive section.

At the risk of being cheeky you might care to have a quick look at my revamped web site when you get a chance. It was relaunched this week and although I'm still working on fixing the remaining niggles that crept in after the last Wordpress upgrade along with the resulting 'theme' clashes, I think you'll find it's far more pleasing on the eye than it ever was.

 

[Chris Hammond ( RSPB ACA PAC}]

I frequently leger upstream with feeders when river fishing but had no idea it was a tactic attributed to anyone in particular. The 'bow' in the line and its part in the set-up is something any beach angler will be familiar with I'd imagine and of course those who are old enough to still occasionally deploy the method of stret-pegging.

I must admit I've never given this method the degree of thought that is being detailed in this thread though. Re the 'critically balanced' aspect being described:

Once the feeder begins to empty does that not negate the critical balance of the tackle?

Very interesting stuff chaps.

 

[Titus]

I must admit I've never given this method the degree of thought that is being detailed in this thread though. Re the 'critically balanced' aspect being described:

Once the feeder begins to empty does that not negate the critical balance of the tackle?

Very interesting stuff chaps.

I alluded to this in my last post, if you make your first cast with an empty feeder the jobs a goodun. I like my feeder to break away as it empties. Because of the loop the feeder will roll in a straight line rather than swinging into the near bank placing the bait right in the path of the feed. As soon as it swings into the bank its time to re cast.
Done properly it is a busy method best done from a box or high chair with a straight back and keeping the butt of the rod on your knee.
If you must fish two rods a scrap of bait fished in the near margin downstream will often provide a bonus fish which will be slurping up the overspill from the feeder.

The bites will be dropbacks and the strike should be upstream and parallel to the surface of the water using the pressure of the water on the downstream loop to set the hook.

 

[nicepix]

I alluded to this in my last post, if you make your first cast with an empty feeder the jobs a goodun. I like my feeder to break away as it empties. Because of the loop the feeder will roll in a straight line rather than swinging into the near bank placing the bait right in the path of the feed. As soon as it swings into the bank its time to re cast.
Done properly it is a busy method best done from a box or high chair with a straight back and keeping the butt of the rod on your knee.
If you must fish two rods a scrap of bait fished in the near margin downstream will often provide a bonus fish which will be slurping up the overspill from the feeder.

The bites will be dropbacks and the strike should be upstream and parallel to the surface of the water using the pressure of the water on the downstream loop to set the hook.

That's a great technique and new to me. I'll give it a go when the river comes into some sort of condition.

 

[Chris Hammond ( RSPB ACA PAC}]

I alluded to this in my last post, if you make your first cast with an empty feeder the jobs a goodun. I like my feeder to break away as it empties. Because of the loop the feeder will roll in a straight line rather than swinging into the near bank placing the bait right in the path of the feed. As soon as it swings into the bank its time to re cast.
Done properly it is a busy method best done from a box or high chair with a straight back and keeping the butt of the rod on your knee.
If you must fish two rods a scrap of bait fished in the near margin downstream will often provide a bonus fish which will be slurping up the overspill from the feeder.

The bites will be dropbacks and the strike should be upstream and parallel to the surface of the water using the pressure of the water on the downstream loop to set the hook.

Sorry I missed this earlier (And the point in your previous post.). Are you referring to specific feeder types? And how do you attach the feeder? I.e on a loop or a regular running-rig set-up?

I'm going to give this tactic a proper go next season. I did some back-end chub fishing at the death of this river season, some of which was in an urban setting which often meant fishing upstream by necessity. I did okay but I must admit to a couple of fairly deep-hooked chub. Nothing that harmed the fish but I don't want to wait until I get an irretrievable hook before looking for a solution. The method you've described sounds like it might alleviate that problem.

 

[Titus]

Any old feeder will do, I make my own open enders and use black caps or Drennan maggot feeders.
I've not used a loop method for attaching a feeder since the mid 80s when I became aware of the consequences to a hooked fish should the mainline break, I developed my own take on the uni rig which can be fished semi fixed or free running and with a few tweaks I have used for all my feeder fishing ever since.

 

[Chris Hammond ( RSPB ACA PAC}]

Any old feeder will do, I make my own open enders and use black caps or Drennan maggot feeders.
I've not used a loop method for attaching a feeder since the mid 80s when I became aware of the consequences to a hooked fish should the mainline break, I developed my own take on the uni rig which can be fished semi fixed or free running and with a few tweaks I have used for all my feeder fishing ever since.

Thanks. I have to admit I'm not familiar with the 'Uni rig', so I'll go Google it.

BTW Did you receive the pm I sent you a few days ago? No worries if you saw it but weren't interested but perhaps to save me wondering if you've received it you could let me know?

 

[Titus]

Thanks. I have to admit I'm not familiar with the 'Uni rig', so I'll go Google it.

BTW Did you receive the pm I sent you a few days ago? No worries if you saw it but weren't interested but perhaps to save me wondering if you've received it you could let me know?

Good luck finding the 'uni rig' I'm probably the only one who calls it that and I don't think I've ever put it in print before, however, it's pretty simple and well known these days, it consists of a simple link swivel threaded up the line followed by a couple of inches of silicone tube cut at about 30 degrees to make it easier to thread it into the eye of the link swivel, I originally used brown or black insulation off old rubber flex but this component is now replaced by a standard tapered tube from the carp section in the tackle shop.
The next component was a swivel tied to the end, the flat end of the tube was pushed over the knot and eye and a hooklength was tied, or later looped, onto this swivel and the feeder or lead was clipped onto the snap swivel. If it was to be fished free running that was it; but if you pushed the pointed end of the tube through the eye of the link swivel it formed a semi fixed rig, sometimes I would have to just nip the eye of the link swivel with the forceps to stop it sliding down the tube but with the carp gizmo this is never a problem any more. The tube in both cases acts as a stand off boom and protects the vulnerable part of the line from rubbing on the feeder.

So there it is, the basic ledger rig which can be used either semi fixed or free running and with a plain lead or a feeder, You can even fish it paternoster, it is a universal rig or uni rig for short.

I have skimmed through your blog and tbh I'm not sure why you need my input, I'd say you have it nailed. I will drop in regularly and have a proper look during the close.

---------- Post added at 00:10 ---------- Previous post was at 00:04 ----------

I should have mentioned, if the mainline should break the whole rig falls apart under minimal pressure and the fish is left trailing nothing more than a hooklink, not ideal but compared to that loop rig its a massive improvement.

 

[Chris Hammond ( RSPB ACA PAC}]

Good luck finding the 'uni rig' I'm probably the only one who calls it that and I don't think I've ever put it in print before, however, it's pretty simple and well known these days, it consists of a simple link swivel threaded up the line followed by a couple of inches of silicone tube cut at about 30 degrees to make it easier to thread it into the eye of the link swivel, I originally used brown or black insulation off old rubber flex but this component is now replaced by a standard tapered tube from the carp section in the tackle shop.
The next component was a swivel tied to the end, the flat end of the tube was pushed over the knot and eye and a hooklength was tied, or later looped, onto this swivel and the feeder or lead was clipped onto the snap swivel. If it was to be fished free running that was it; but if you pushed the pointed end of the tube through the eye of the link swivel it formed a semi fixed rig, sometimes I would have to just nip the eye of the link swivel with the forceps to stop it sliding down the tube but with the carp gizmo this is never a problem any more. The tube in both cases acts as a stand off boom and protects the vulnerable part of the line from rubbing on the feeder.

So there it is, the basic ledger rig which can be used either semi fixed or free running and with a plain lead or a feeder, You can even fish it paternoster, it is a universal rig or uni rig for short.

I have skimmed through your blog and tbh I'm not sure why you need my input, I'd say you have it nailed. I will drop in regularly and have a proper look during the close.

---------- Post added at 00:10 ---------- Previous post was at 00:04 ----------

I should have mentioned, if the mainline should break the whole rig falls apart under minimal pressure and the fish is left trailing nothing more than a hooklink, not ideal but compared to that loop rig its a massive improvement.

Thanks I appreciate you taking the time to explain your rig, and you are correct, I couldn't find it anywhere described as a 'Uni rig'.