Who uses Quiver tips?

garethdwatkins · Jan 25, 2013

hi there
Just wondered who uses quiver tips for their barbelling?
I've not done so recently, as most takes have been the usual rod benders. But this week I was out in the snow and had several taps and tugs I didn't strike at. the one fish I did catch was a chub. I was fishing boilie & paste wrap so expected positive indications.

Most likely all the taps I was getting were from chub, but perhaps I'd have had a few more fish if my bite indication had been more sensitive.
Was I being too over confident in a positive hittable take in this cold weather?
What do you think?
Cheers
Gareth

Jeff Woodhouse · Jan 25, 2013

I have sessions when I use a standard rod, 1½lbs usually, but then I hold the line and feel for bites in my fingers. If the rod is going in a rest then I use tips and usually that two rods so I watch them like a hawk.

Chub are well known in our area for mouthing the bait, picking it up in their lips and after a little pull will drop it if they feel any resistance from line etc. The only way we get around this is with a small piece crust on the bend to counterbalance the paste on the shank and use little leads. No hair rigs, let the chub take the lot to taste it and that way you may have a chance.

binka · Jan 25, 2013

I usually use a 3oz hollow carbon quivertip if i'm on the Trent and fast water.

More often than not when the bite comes I wouldn't have needed it but what it does show very well are the little tremors building up to it when fish are very lightly brushing around your line and it's a good early warning system before the wrap around happens.

Having said that I find they can be very fickle in cold weather on small baits like maggots and maybe your taps on the bigger bait were chub?

Rich Frampton · Jan 26, 2013

The first "Barbel" rod I bought was a Graham Philips Barbel Quiver..... a great rod but I don't use it for Barbel these days....... but for Chub and Perch it is fantastic!! 1.25lb tc with two quivers and a tip ring to convert into a standard avon. Must be over 20 years old now!!

Fred Bonney · Jan 26, 2013

I used a quiver tip for the first time for a while before the snow, it was effective for me, I was chub fishing and the indication was very good, they weren't snatching at the bait but were backing off and it showed very well.

The bad one · Jan 26, 2013

When the river conditions allow I'll use them, as I like using quiver tips. My Chub fishing is nearly always done with q/tips as the bite seem to be more pronounced.

Rich P · Jan 27, 2013

I have to say I don't use a quivertip for barbel, primarily because I'm of the opinion that the vast majority of barbel bites will develop into three foot twitches. Pretty hard to prove, admittedly, as those that strike before the wrap will never know what would have developed; and vice versa.

I've put my head above the parapet there, so please feel free to shoot away....

barbelboi · Jan 27, 2013

Rich P said:
I have to say I don't use a quivertip for barbel, primarily because I'm of the opinion that the vast majority of barbel bites will develop into three foot twitches. Pretty hard to prove, admittedly, as those that strike before the wrap will never know what would have developed; and vice versa.

I've put my head above the parapet there, so please feel free to shoot away....

Pretty much the same, I prefer to 'sit on my hands' when barbel fishing and ignore the twitching. OK, some will say that not every barbel bite is a 'wrap around' - I'd agree with them and believe everyone should fish in a way that they enjoy and feel comfortable with - also if I was unhappy with my catch rate I'd consider a change in method on any given day.
Jerry

Berty · Jan 27, 2013

barbelboi said:
Pretty much the same, I prefer to 'sit on my hands' when barbel fishing and ignore the twitching. OK, some will say that not every barbel bite is a 'wrap around' - I'd agree with them and believe everyone should fish in a way that they enjoy and feel comfortable with - also if I was unhappy with my catch rate I'd consider a change in method on any given day.
Jerry

Pretty much the same for me, but i will add that fitting a couple of drennen iso's softens the top of my rod and i catch plenty of chub too.

xenon · Jan 27, 2013

not done much barbel fishing, but have always puzzled as to why all the bites seem to be 3 foot belters-I guess this is a panic-stricken fish tearing off in fright? Seems hard to believe barbel naturally feed like this with every single item of food they take?

binka · Jan 27, 2013

xenon said:
not done much barbel fishing, but have always puzzled as to why all the bites seem to be 3 foot belters-I guess this is a panic-stricken fish tearing off in fright? Seems hard to believe barbel naturally feed like this with every single item of food they take?

If you can get hold of a set watch Barbel Days & Ways, there's some fantastic underwater footage and something they often refer to is "the loop" where a fish at the head of a shoal picks up food and immediatley turns to loop back around and rejoin the back of the shoal to work its way back up again, almost in one movement.

I think the key thing with barbel is get 'em feeding confidently and by the nature of the beast within a split second of 'em picking up that bait and feeling anything unnatural they're off like torpedos... I know some barbel bites can be very slight especially on heavily fished waters but I find they are tear aways as a general rule.

Edited to add: Here's a link to one of the dvd's I mentioned, although not the clip I was thinking of it shows just how quick these guys are and also when I mentioned earlier in the thread about a quivertip giving you a bit of advanced warning when the fish are just brushing your line around your bait prior to the big wrap around

Barbel - Spooking on Flurocarbon Hooklinks - YouTube

cg74 · Jan 27, 2013

Rich P said:
I have to say I don't use a quivertip for barbel, primarily because I'm of the opinion that the vast majority of barbel bites will develop into three foot twitches. Pretty hard to prove, admittedly, as those that strike before the wrap will never know what would have developed; and vice versa.

I've put my head above the parapet there, so please feel free to shoot away....

"as those that strike before the wrap will never know what would have developed"
Exactly the reason why I nearly always use a quiver tip when fishing for barbel, as when I strike it nigh-on always results in a hooked fish.
Think of all those sharp jags (the classical 'chub bite') bites you've ignored; on a soft quiver tip, they'd have been hittable and I know what was causing the tip to rattle.

As well as providing better bite detection; if using a running rig you can build up a mental picture of what's happening in your swim. Also if you've got tentative fish half-heartedly feeding they'll feel less resistance, until it's too late. And if you strike a bite before the fish realises anything is wrong, you gain a massive advantage in that you are pulling the fish in your chosen direction, whereas waiting for the 3ft twitch, the fish goes where it wants.

"I've put my head above the parapet, so please feel free to shoot away...."
Hardly, with your thinking you are definitely in the majority.

xenon · Jan 27, 2013

binka said:
If you can get hold of a set watch Barbel Days & Ways, there's some fantastic underwater footage and something they often refer to is "the loop" where a fish at the head of a shoal picks up food and immediatley turns to loop back around and rejoin the back of the shoal to work its way back up again, almost in one movement.

I think the key thing with barbel is get 'em feeding confidently and by the nature of the beast within a split second of 'em picking up that bait and feeling anything unnatural they're off like torpedos... I know some barbel bites can be very slight especially on heavily fished waters but I find they are tear aways as a general rule.

Edited to add: Here's a link to one of the dvd's I mentioned, although not the clip I was thinking of it shows just how quick these guys are and also when I mentioned earlier in the thread about a quivertip giving you a bit of advanced warning when the fish are just brushing your line around your bait prior to the big wrap around

Barbel - Spooking on Flurocarbon Hooklinks - YouTube

thanks for that Binka-very instructive.

Rich P · Jan 27, 2013

cg74 said:
"as those that strike before the wrap will never know what would have developed"
Exactly the reason why I nearly always use a quiver tip when fishing for barbel, as when I strike it nigh-on always results in a hooked fish.
Think of all those sharp jags (the classical 'chub bite') bites you've ignored; on a soft quiver tip, they'd have been hittable and I know what was causing the tip to rattle.

As well as providing better bite detection; if using a running rig you can build up a mental picture of what's happening in your swim. Also if you've got tentative fish half-heartedly feeding they'll feel less resistance, until it's too late. And if you strike a bite before the fish realises anything is wrong, you gain a massive advantage in that you are pulling the fish in your chosen direction, whereas waiting for the 3ft twitch, the fish goes where it wants.

"I've put my head above the parapet, so please feel free to shoot away...."
Hardly, with your thinking you are definitely in the majority.

Yes, I see where your coming from with your theory but I'm generally loathe to strike too early, particularly when using a hair rig, and pulling the bait out of the fish's mouth.

cg74 · Jan 29, 2013

Rich P said:
Yes, I see where your coming from with your theory but I'm generally loathe to strike too early, particularly when using a hair rig, and pulling the bait out of the fish's mouth.

It's like everything we do; the more you do it, the easier it becomes. TBH I couldn't even tell you at what point of quiver tip movement I strike.

If striking at bites, I usually have my bait just off of the hook's bend (2-8mm). Whereas when I am bolt-rigging and using alarms for bite indication, I use longer hairs (10-15mm).

Paul Morley · Jan 29, 2013

Having recently read Trefor West's book, a few years ago he was using tips all the time. I've also read with interest Sean Meeghan's comments on using a tip here on FM; reading this post I'm interested in the possible advantages certainly on a smaller river. The 'early warning' could I suppose be supplied just as easily by touch legering or holding the rod at least, and one needs to decide about chub bites- do you want to catch them? And, for upstreaming there's the obvious advantage of the greater bend in the tip. I did used to use a tip even on the Ribble, caught plenty of barbel and chub, was never struggling under normal water conditions.

Rich P · Jan 29, 2013

Hi Paul - was it 'A Lifetime's Addiction'? I read it a few years ago, and if I recall correctly (though it's not guaranteed) Trefor states that 99% of barbel bites will end with a 3 foot twitch. I'm not sure how he can possibly know that, however. A wonderful read, if to be taken with a pinch of salt (or not literally), and a fantastic barbel angler.

cg74 · Jan 29, 2013

Paul Morley said:
I've also read with interest Sean Meeghan's comments on using a tip here on FM.

Paul, can you put a link up please.

Graham Elliott 1 · Jan 30, 2013

This may be an interesting, thought provoking read for some re Quivertips vs Standard tops.

Quiverin' Bluejeans By **** Dowing - Barbel Fishing World Forums

Graham

cg74 · Jan 30, 2013

Graham Elliott 1 said:
This may be an interesting, thought provoking read for some re Quivertips vs Standard tops.

Quiverin' Bluejeans By **** Dowing - Barbel Fishing World Forums

Graham

An excellent article Graham, thanks.

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