Quiver tip
Encyclopedia
A quiver tip is the top section, or tip, of the fishing rod
which is designed to move, or quiver, when a fish bites. The main characteristic of its design is its sensitivity. It is a popular and very effective method of coarse fishing both on still and running water. It is not used in game fishing (i.e. salmon, trout and sea trout) and is seldom, if ever, used when fishing for very large coarse fish (e.g. carp or pike). It can be used to fish for any species of British coarse fish. In essence, the angler watches the tip of the fishing rod to detect bites as opposed to, say, a float or an electronic bite alarm.
is attached to the line close to the hook
to assist in casting.
A variation of this method is the swim feeder, which is a small weighted container with small holes in which loose feed
can be placed to attract fish
to the area near the hook bait
.
fishing venues after casting, the rod should be placed in a rod rest at a 90 degree angle to the direction of the cast with the tip near to the water to reduce the effects of the wind vibration on the tip. On moving waters such as river
s the rod should be placed on a stand pointing towards the direction of the cast
with the tip high in the air in order to reduce the impact of the water flow on the line. The line between the end of the tip and the weight/swim feeder should be tension
ed so that a slight bend in the quiver tip exists.
The reason for this is to allow for the detection of two types of bite.
The first type of bite occurs when the fish takes the bait
and moves away from the fisherman
, causing the line to tighten and pull on the quiver tip. The second type of bite occurs when the fish takes the bait and moves towards the fisherman causing the line to slacken and the quiver tip to drop back/straighten.
s.) The lower the test curve, the less stiff the tip is (i.e the less weight required to bend the tip.) The test curve of the tip should be carefully considered as it could drastically impact on the bite detection/playing of the fish and should relate to the type of fish targeted and weather
conditions.
As a general rule, it is desirable to fish with the lightest tip possible; that means the tip with the lightest test curve. This is because the lighter and more fexible the tip, the more sensitive and accurate the bite detection it provides.
One of the basic skills in quiver tip fishing is selecting the correct weight of the tip to match the target fish, having regard to the type of water and the prevailing weather conditions. For example, if British roach are being targeted on a stillwater in flat calm conditions, a quiver tip of a test curve of no more than an ounce would be a good choice. Alternatively, fishing for a strong aggressive fish like the British barbel in a fast-flowing river would require a heavier tip, possibly of three ounces or more - a lighter tip would be permanently bent round by the flow of the water, eliminating bite detection, and playing a strong fish would probably break it completely.
Fishing rod
A fishing rod or a fishing pole is a tool used to catch fish, usually in conjunction with the pastime of angling, and can also be used in competition casting. . A length of fishing line is attached to a long, flexible rod or pole: one end terminates in a hook for catching the fish...
which is designed to move, or quiver, when a fish bites. The main characteristic of its design is its sensitivity. It is a popular and very effective method of coarse fishing both on still and running water. It is not used in game fishing (i.e. salmon, trout and sea trout) and is seldom, if ever, used when fishing for very large coarse fish (e.g. carp or pike). It can be used to fish for any species of British coarse fish. In essence, the angler watches the tip of the fishing rod to detect bites as opposed to, say, a float or an electronic bite alarm.
Description
The quiver tip is an extension of the fishing rod. The rod is specially designed to take quiver tips; nowadays, they are often called leger or feeder rods. Very sensitive float rods can be used for quiver tip fishing, but normally fishermen have a specialist rod of the task. The eyed tip of approximately 1–2 ft in length is attached as an extension to the end of the rod by a put-in or screw-in method. The quiver tip itself is a means of improving bite detection in conjunction with the ledgering method of fishing, whereby a weightWeight
In science and engineering, the weight of an object is the force on the object due to gravity. Its magnitude , often denoted by an italic letter W, is the product of the mass m of the object and the magnitude of the local gravitational acceleration g; thus:...
is attached to the line close to the hook
Fish hook
A fish hook is a device for catching fish either by impaling them in the mouth or, more rarely, by snagging the body of the fish. Fish hooks have been employed for centuries by fishermen to catch fresh and saltwater fish. In 2005, the fish hook was chosen by Forbes as one of the top twenty tools...
to assist in casting.
A variation of this method is the swim feeder, which is a small weighted container with small holes in which loose feed
Feed
Feed may refer to:In animal foodstuffs:* Compound feed, feedstuffs that are blended from various raw materials and additives* Fodder , any foodstuff that is used specifically to feed domesticated livestockIn computing:...
can be placed to attract fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
to the area near the hook bait
Bait (luring substance)
Bait is any substance used to attract prey, e.g. in a mousetrap.-In Australia:Baiting in Australia refers to specific campaigns to control foxes, wild dogs and dingos by poisoning in areas where they are a problem...
.
Use
On stillwaterStillwater
-Places:Canada*Stillwater, Nova Scotia New Zealand*Stillwater, Auckland*Stillwater, West CoastUnited States*Stillwater, Minnesota*Stillwater, Nevada*Stillwater, New Jersey*Stillwater , New York*Stillwater , New York...
fishing venues after casting, the rod should be placed in a rod rest at a 90 degree angle to the direction of the cast with the tip near to the water to reduce the effects of the wind vibration on the tip. On moving waters such as river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
s the rod should be placed on a stand pointing towards the direction of the cast
Casting (fishing)
In angling, casting is the act of throwing bait or a lure using a fishing line out over the water using a flexible fishing rod. The usual technique is for the angler to quickly flick the rod from behind toward the water...
with the tip high in the air in order to reduce the impact of the water flow on the line. The line between the end of the tip and the weight/swim feeder should be tension
Tension (mechanics)
In physics, tension is the magnitude of the pulling force exerted by a string, cable, chain, or similar object on another object. It is the opposite of compression. As tension is the magnitude of a force, it is measured in newtons and is always measured parallel to the string on which it applies...
ed so that a slight bend in the quiver tip exists.
The reason for this is to allow for the detection of two types of bite.
The first type of bite occurs when the fish takes the bait
Fishing bait
Fishing bait is any substance used to attract and catch fish, e.g. on the end of a fishing hook, or inside a fish trap. Traditionally, nightcrawlers, insects, and smaller bait fish have been used for this purpose...
and moves away from the fisherman
Fisherman
A fisherman or fisher is someone who captures fish and other animals from a body of water, or gathers shellfish. Worldwide, there are about 38 million commercial and subsistence fishermen and fish farmers. The term can also be applied to recreational fishermen and may be used to describe both men...
, causing the line to tighten and pull on the quiver tip. The second type of bite occurs when the fish takes the bait and moves towards the fisherman causing the line to slacken and the quiver tip to drop back/straighten.
Types
Quiver tips are, relative to the rods which hold them, inexpensive and found in all coarse fishing tackle shops. They can be bought in various test curves, which correspond to how stiff the tip is (often measured in ounceOunce
The ounce is a unit of mass with several definitions, the most commonly used of which are equal to approximately 28 grams. The ounce is used in a number of different systems, including various systems of mass that form part of the imperial and United States customary systems...
s.) The lower the test curve, the less stiff the tip is (i.e the less weight required to bend the tip.) The test curve of the tip should be carefully considered as it could drastically impact on the bite detection/playing of the fish and should relate to the type of fish targeted and weather
Weather
Weather is the state of the atmosphere, to the degree that it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy. Most weather phenomena occur in the troposphere, just below the stratosphere. Weather refers, generally, to day-to-day temperature and precipitation activity, whereas climate...
conditions.
As a general rule, it is desirable to fish with the lightest tip possible; that means the tip with the lightest test curve. This is because the lighter and more fexible the tip, the more sensitive and accurate the bite detection it provides.
One of the basic skills in quiver tip fishing is selecting the correct weight of the tip to match the target fish, having regard to the type of water and the prevailing weather conditions. For example, if British roach are being targeted on a stillwater in flat calm conditions, a quiver tip of a test curve of no more than an ounce would be a good choice. Alternatively, fishing for a strong aggressive fish like the British barbel in a fast-flowing river would require a heavier tip, possibly of three ounces or more - a lighter tip would be permanently bent round by the flow of the water, eliminating bite detection, and playing a strong fish would probably break it completely.