Sleeper Rod

[zebra3]

First question and as I said in the newbie section I hope its not too dumb! I've been experimenting with a "sleeper" rod on a buzzer whilst I float or quiver tip down the local canal. Trouble is the sleeper rod slips into a coma with no action at all whilst I'm catching on the other rod. Is it likely that the disturbance from say the float rod is spooking the bigger fish that might otherwise take the boilie on my other rod? Any tips on using a 2nd rod would be gratefully received.

 

[nicepix]

If you are still catching on the first rod then you are obviously not causing any negative impact that could adversely affect the second rod.

Tell us a bit more on how you are fishing both rods and someone may be able to help you. For example; where are you placing your second bait - next to the baited swim or away from it, if so where?

 

[chefster]

First question and as I said in the newbie section I hope its not too dumb! I've been experimenting with a "sleeper" rod on a buzzer whilst I float or quiver tip down the local canal. Trouble is the sleeper rod slips into a coma with no action at all whilst I'm catching on the other rod. Is it likely that the disturbance from say the float rod is spooking the bigger fish that might otherwise take the boilie on my other rod? Any tips on using a 2nd rod would be gratefully received.

Yes,take it out and concentrate on one thing,you,re just as likely to catch a big fish,even more so actually because you,re concentrating all you,re efforts on one method or just sit it out with a big fish set-up....Chef

 

[zebra3]

If you are still catching on the first rod then you are obviously not causing any negative impact that could adversely affect the second rod.

Tell us a bit more on how you are fishing both rods and someone may be able to help you. For example; where are you placing your second bait - next to the baited swim or away from it, if so where?

I generally put the sleeper rod tight to the far bank whilst I float or quiver near the first shelf or the centre or the cut. I pin the mainline down on the sleeper with a flying back lead.

 

[chefster]

I generally put the sleeper rod tight to the far bank whilst I float or quiver near the first shelf or the centre or the cut. I pin the mainline down on the sleeper with a flying back lead.

Well if you,re putting it well away from you,re other rod,then either there are no big fish present or you,re not using the right bait or method,are you feeding it regularly or are you neglecting it as you are catching on the other rod-which takes be back to my original point...i,ve been fishing 40 years,and i,d never dream of trying to fish 2 rods,let alone if i was a newcomer to the sport , i just cant see the point.....Chef

 

[nicepix]

I can see the point of fishing two rods in certain circumstances. Try fishing the second bait to one side of the baited area rather than away from it. That way you might pick up a bonus fish.

 

[zebra3]

Thanks Chef and Nicepix...it seems that my eagerness to catch could be my undoing! I got the idea from a JW episode but thinking about it he was fishing a large lake rather than a canal.

---------- Post added at 11:25 ---------- Previous post was at 11:20 ----------

I can see the point of fishing two rods in certain circumstances. Try fishing the second bait to one side of the baited area rather than away from it. That way you might pick up a bonus fish.

not tried that yet nicepix...might give iit a try next time

 

[chefster]

Thanks Chef and Nicepix...it seems that my eagerness to catch could be my undoing! I got the idea from a JW episode but thinking about it he was fishing a large lake rather than a canal.

Fair play mate ,but you,re better off practicising you,re skills on each method,and getting them right ,chucking out multiple rods is not a guarentee of catching more fish,its all about watercraft ,technique,local knowledge etc and dont forget JW has all these in abundance as well as years of experience...i match fish and sometimes find even keeping 2 or 3 swims going and rotating difficult and thats fishing just 1 rod or pole,cheers mate,and i dont want to dampen you,re enthusiasm in any way,all the best Gaz

 

[zebra3]

Thanks Chefster...I appreciate all the advice I can get so dont worry...the enthusiasm isnt dampened. (think I replied to your pm but i'm new to this so not sure if you got it ! lol) Steve

 

[itsfishingnotcatching]

Only a thought, what depth are you float fishing? The bottom of the canal may be silty and the bait on the sleeper could be sinking into this. Have you thought of a pop-up or say an artificial bait to lift it off the bottom?

I would tend to agree with the comments about only fishing one rod, especially if you're catching.

Ian

 

[Lord Paul of Sheffield]

You could try to move the sleeper rod to different parts of the water every 30 minutes

also Are you putting soem freebies around the hook bait - try a small pva stocking on freebies on the hook - this will melt and leave a small pile of bait next to your hook bait

 

[Fred Bonney]

I've used a sleeper rod on rivers and decent sized lakes, but if I'm catching on the main rod on a lake I'll only use one.
The sleeper is just that on a river, I leave it for the whole session fishing down the inside line with a big bait for the bankside snooper.
Sometimes it finds the fish better than the main line, so I tuck the main rod to one side and concentrate.

 

[Paul Boote]

I did the same as Fred when fishing some Southern rivers a few years back - two lead rods, the main rod fishing a far-bank deep, the other fishing a bait tight against my own bank at close range. But I stopped after the day the main rod went round (9-02 barbel, eventually) and inside line rod seconds later (14-pound mirror, with huge difficulty). A lady walker who was passing went "My word, if fishing's that exciting, I may take it up...".

 

[bennygesserit]

What about catapulting / feeding the area where the sleeper rod is I am gradually discovering that the fishing I do is all about feeding

 

[nicepix]

Personally I can't see the point of either moving the bait on the second rod every 30 minutes or feeding two swims in these circumstances. Surely placing the second bait near to the primary feeding area, but with a different, larger bait on the bottom, there is more chance of picking up a carp that has been drawn into the swim?

 

[Lord Paul of Sheffield]

If its larger fish he's after then they may be sitting away from his main fishing area and moving the rod to try to find them

I fished with a sleeper rod on Monday and a float rod - the sleeper was set up in the margin on my left and my float rod about 8 ft out to my right

I was catching small roach on the float but nothing on the sleeper

After about 45 minutes I put the feeder further out to the middle and had a carp in 10 minutes

repeating casting of the sleeper rod brought me 5 carp I wouldn't ahve had if I'd left the rod where it was or moved it nearer the float rod

 

[zebra3]

Thanks for your advice all. I'm using a pop up on the sleeper which has caught for me before and I trickle in some freebies in the immediate area. I havn't tried fishing it closer to my float rod though so i think its either that or just stick with the one method

 

[bennygesserit]

Keep firing casters at the far bank but not fishing it , while you fish your normal line , the after a couple of hours fish the fa bank.

Never done it myself but its advice I have seen over and over for canals to get the bigger fish.

 

[zebra3]

Keep firing casters at the far bank but not fishing it , while you fish your normal line , the after a couple of hours fish the fa bank.

Never done it myself but its advice I have seen over and over for canals to get the bigger fish.

Thanks Mate..will try that as well

 

[Andrew Macfarlane]

I think it's easy to fling a sleeper rod together, chuck it out and let it sit while you concentrate on the rod in hand, as it were.

If you spend half and hour concentrating on the sleeper rod first, check the bottom, get some feed out, put a good rig together and make sure it's fishing to the best of it's ability, you can then leave it alone and concentrate on your main rod, knowing that your sleeper has no reason to fail. If it then does, you can go home knowing it was at least set up to work.