Keith M
Well-known member
Why do I touch leger using my finger(s) across my line just in front of the reel when I’m after Barbel?
Firstly I rarely; if ever use a heavy feeder and I’m usually only using just enough lead to just hold still in the current, and start trundling if I raise my rod tip after its settled; Plus I’m usually fishing small to medium sized rivers so long casts are hardly ever required.
I always use at least one finger over the line when I’m touch legering because there are times when I can feel some indications before they have even started to register on my rod tip.
Sometimes instead of the usual couple of twitches followed by a 3ft takeaway; I get a feeling through my finger which feels like a rough file rubbing across the line as a Barbel moves over my line and which is hardly registering on my rod tip, and sometimes I can feel my bait being gently picked up which I also get sometimes just after the bait has been slowly trundling (not all Barbel bites are 3ft takeaways) and I can feel the difference between a bit of weed drifting into my line and streamer weed brushing across the line or a gentle pickup, which isn’t always obvious when your just watching your rod tip because all you get if you just watch your tip is the occasional dip or pull round of the rod tip.
That’s why I prefer to touch leger using my finger(s) across my line and with my rod tip usually (but not always) pointing in the rough direction my end tackle even if I’m occasionally pointing my rod tip slightly skywards.
I can also afford to look around me and take my eyes off of my rod tip occasionally because I can still be aware when something is happening down near the hook even if Im looking up Into the sky.
I realise It is possible for some people to feel these indications through vibrations down their rod but for me my finger is far more reliable and it gives me that little extra info of what’s happening down by my hook; and I’ve been touch legering since I caught my very first Barbel back in 1975 so have had plenty of time to learn to trust my finger, its not just a good nose picker ?
Keith
Firstly I rarely; if ever use a heavy feeder and I’m usually only using just enough lead to just hold still in the current, and start trundling if I raise my rod tip after its settled; Plus I’m usually fishing small to medium sized rivers so long casts are hardly ever required.
I always use at least one finger over the line when I’m touch legering because there are times when I can feel some indications before they have even started to register on my rod tip.
Sometimes instead of the usual couple of twitches followed by a 3ft takeaway; I get a feeling through my finger which feels like a rough file rubbing across the line as a Barbel moves over my line and which is hardly registering on my rod tip, and sometimes I can feel my bait being gently picked up which I also get sometimes just after the bait has been slowly trundling (not all Barbel bites are 3ft takeaways) and I can feel the difference between a bit of weed drifting into my line and streamer weed brushing across the line or a gentle pickup, which isn’t always obvious when your just watching your rod tip because all you get if you just watch your tip is the occasional dip or pull round of the rod tip.
That’s why I prefer to touch leger using my finger(s) across my line and with my rod tip usually (but not always) pointing in the rough direction my end tackle even if I’m occasionally pointing my rod tip slightly skywards.
I can also afford to look around me and take my eyes off of my rod tip occasionally because I can still be aware when something is happening down near the hook even if Im looking up Into the sky.
I realise It is possible for some people to feel these indications through vibrations down their rod but for me my finger is far more reliable and it gives me that little extra info of what’s happening down by my hook; and I’ve been touch legering since I caught my very first Barbel back in 1975 so have had plenty of time to learn to trust my finger, its not just a good nose picker ?
Keith
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