How to use carbon quiver tips

[Phil Adams]

Hi all, this might seem like a daft question but what is the best way to use a carbon quivertip on a river?

My usual method when using a glass tip is to cast downstream, nearside or far said and have the rod pointing slightly towards the bait. If the flow is strong, I let out line until the tip settles and wait for it to pull round when a chub takes the bait.

However, I know that carbon tips are a much faster taper and whilst they will likely work in the same fashion as above, I imagine to get the best out of them I should fish upstream? If so, how do I go about this? and any other tips?

Thanks

 

[peterjg]

Phil Adams your question is a huge one. A few pointers to assist:

Upstream legering, a really good and underused method. Either use a soft quivertip or a bobbin, cast upstream and tighten so that the tip curves upstream. The lead or feeder needs to be balanced so that it just holds bottom. It is essential that the feeder is fixed from sliding by a float stop or you will get bites that won't register on the tip!

If casting straight out point the rod downstream let a bow form in the line and again wait for the tip to straighten.

If casting downstream position the rod straight out, running feeder and wait for bite.

The length of the hooklink is critical. Many anglers think it doesn't make any difference in a river because the current will straighten it out anyway - wrong, the length of the hooklink is critical, especially with roach.

Better to use a tip that is too stiff than one that is just bent round with the current - bites will not show properly.

I used to prefer glass tips as opposed to carbon ones but when you get used to your rod it doesn't really make a difference.

Good luck, hope this helps.

 

[Phil Adams]

Hi, it's a big question there's no doubt.

One thing I have learned is that a carbon tip can help with drop backs when fishing directly opposite or slightly upstream on the far bank. By casting across, then allowing a large bow of line out to balance the feeder or lead, the carbon tip will register drop back bites in a more exaggerated fashion. I've fished all my life but never bothered to learn these techniques.

 

[sylvanillo]

With my Daiwa Cormoran rod, the 3 tips are carbon. I wasnt aware of those technicalities at the time, but I naturally noticed that all fish (large bream, barbel) were giving a drop back. I was using 75 gr cages and 5 ft hooklinks. By contrast, my mate who uses a rod that only has soft glass tips was only having pull in bites; he was using 30 gr cages and 8 inches hooklinks.

So that was funny. We were both complete novices, and he was advising to wait for the tip to bend and I was advising to wait for the tip to straigthen; both of us were right but we didn't know,and we kept having our 'disputes'. Thanks God, after a few barbel and after a few Chouffes, Duvels or Jambes de Bois, we were happy and not too bothered of the technical details anymore

Saenger Ms Range makes thin carbon tips that are mid tappers. I have them on the Multi Feeder. They seem to combine those different types of bite registrations, and they seem much more resistant compared to the Drennan glass tips.

 

[Phil Adams]

With my Daiwa Cormoran rod, the 3 tips are carbon. I wasnt aware of those technicalities at the time, but I naturally noticed that all fish (large bream, barbel) were giving a drop back. I was using 75 gr cages and 5 ft hooklinks. By contrast, my mate who uses a rod that only has soft glass tips was only having pull in bites; he was using 30 gr cages and 8 inches hooklinks.

So that was funny. We were both complete novices, and he was advising to wait for the tip to bend and I was advising to wait for the tip to straigthen; both of us were right but we didn't know,and we kept having our 'disputes'. Thanks God, after a few barbel and after a few Chouffes, Duvels or Jambes de Bois, we were happy and not too bothered of the technical details anymore

Saenger Ms Range makes thin carbon tips that are mid tappers. I have them on the Multi Feeder. They seem to combine those different types of bite registrations, and they seem much more resistant compared to the Drennan glass tips.

Ha! Love that. I do like trying new techniques or in fact going back to a method that I've not used for a long time.

I have a range of Drennan tips available for these rods but have not yet got to grips with the carbon tips supplied. I shied away and stuck with some glass tips that I had rather than learn something new.

I'm thinking of a half ounce bomb or feeder fished on the far bank, directly opposite me might be the trick for cagey chub on my local Ouse.

Interesting point you made about hooklength lengths. Might have a play around when the rivers open.

 

[nottskev]

I've only ever used glass tips on stillwaters when set up in "trad" style eg bombs or feeders, running or paternostered. If you're fishing for pull-round bites you need to hit, softer glass tips are, I think, better, as fish are more likely to hang on to your bait.

Carbon tips are useful if you're using method feeder self-hooking rigs; they're stiffer, so they help supply the resistance that makes fish hook themselves. You're not looking to hit bites, more to pick up when the job is already done for you by the rig.

On slower rivers, glass tips work best. In faster water and for fast biting small fish in faster water, carbon tips hold up better against the flow, and react faster to bites from small fish, which can be hooked more consistently with variations on a self-hooking rig, such as enclosing the feeder in a shortish loop or having it stopped by a knot that will pull the hook into a biting fish.

If you want to leger upstream, I've found either type will work, again in proportion to the strength of the flow.