The bung or sight bob

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Ron 'The Hat' Clay

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I was packing up at Thrybergh yesturday after catching my whack and was intercepted by a brother angler. He asked me why I wasn't using a bung to fish my team of buzzers.

I told him I didn't need to as I can feel or see the takes anyway. And such things interfere with one's casting and presentation.

However it is obvious that many anglers seem to have to use these things due to the fact that they can't detect takes in the normal way.

To be honest, most of the takes I get, fishing the nymph on reservoirs, I feel. A certain percentage are also seen, by movement of the line or a lift in the curve of line that drops off from the rod tip. Such a technique some call "swingtipping". I also often strike on a "hunch". It's purely instinct and comes from having fished the fly for over 50 years I guess.

I am lucky in having very good eyesight for my age. With glasses I can still read a number plate at nearly 3 times the legal distance.

However, are you reaching the age where you need a bung to detect bites?

I hope I never do, as aesthically, to my mind, it doen't seem like fly fishing.
 
GrahamM

GrahamM

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As a last resort I use a bung, when I've tried everything else. The more you use a bung the more you realise just how many bites you get that you would never see otherwise, no matter how good your eyesight or your sense of touch. Charles Jardine uses the bung for no other reason than he likes the method and says that there are some days when it's the only way.

I NEVER put the blinkers up to any legal method.
 
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Ron 'The Hat' Clay

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Well perhaps maybe I should try it Graham.

I wonder if Arthur Cove as gotten around to using it yet. He still fishes I believe.
 
GrahamM

GrahamM

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At the end of a long day's fly fishing, when the dry fly isn't catching anything, fishing the bung can be very relaxing and enjoyable. Very similar to watching a float when tench fishing in the evening. You'll be amazed how many tiny flickers of the bung you see when a trout must just nose the fly; how many times the bung stops for just a split second when on a slow drift.
 
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Ron 'The Hat' Clay

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The late Peter Stone caught his largest ever bream at Farmoor reservoir using a team of buzzers fished under a tiny bung.

Heck Graham, you just might have changed my mind about the bung. Thrybergh has some enormous roach in it that you are not allowed to try to catch using conventional means.

This just might be the method using an imitation bloodworm fished close to the bottom.

Now I must tie some rubber band flies.

I also met a guy yesteday who caught a huge pike in Thrybergh. It weighed 35 lbs I have been told and took a large muddler minnow.
 
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Ron 'The Hat' Clay

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By the way, have you tried egg flies yet Graham?
 
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Ron 'The Hat' Clay

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They work very well "glugged" in one of the carp flavours..... :eek:)
 
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Dave Mcfluffchucker

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i got a load of egg flies cheap but im not convinced about using them any tips on how why when where etc would be appriciated

tight lines
dave
 
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Richard Baker 4

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We've had this one on the foruma few times before. Strike indicators have their place in fly fishing in my opinion. They are not the B all and end all though. I personally think they're billiant for nymph fishing on rivers.
 
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Ron 'The Hat' Clay

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I know that Richard but I brought it up again because we have a great deal more new members and it might get even more comment.

It causes huge controversy in my area. Quite a few fisheries have banned it.
 
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NT

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It is legal in the major competitions so you have to adapt to compete. I have used it only a handful of times in competition (using a booby!). When the trout want static flies comes into play. I did outfish one Rutland local figure of 8 nymphs against his CDC sedge sight bob. I do use them BUT much prefer to not to.

Dave, I have seen egg flies work reasonably well up at Llyn Brenig recently. Fish three under a sight bob (hook with foam!) with the eggs at least 3 feet apart. Cast and wait!

Ron, what is a bung? - nymphs fished under a sedge new zealand style? Very old technique and very successful. But to use a fluorescent foam in poor taste?

Neil.
 
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Ron 'The Hat' Clay

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Neil, the bungs I have seen look like tiny "Fishing Gazette floats"

I have often used a deer hair fly called a DDD (Duckworths Dargle Delight) as a sight bob and have caught lots of fish on it.
 
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Ron 'The Hat' Clay

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Have a look at www.linecaster.co.za

It tells you about the DDD. I have caught scores of big trout on this patter. It is very bouyant and could be the ideal sight bob.
 
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