Quiver or Avon Tips

[fullcreel]

A quick question if I may, what do folk prefer, a quiver tip or the avon top section which comes with most 'Barbel' rods? As I am very inexperienced, I am wondering what are the situation when one would use one, and when the other?
Many thanks

[Noel]

I go for the Avon tip all the time. You can pick up gentle bites with quiver tips but I don't see the need for them when barbel fishing (because they bite so hard).

BUT

On the barbel forums this subject always causes a lot of debate. Some barbel anglers who are a lot better than me say that quiver tips are essential in some circumstances. i.e. in winter, cold water and low flow.

So it's personal choice really.

[BoldBear]

I would use the avon top if I am touch ledgering with one rod and the quiver if I am fishing with two rods or fishing upstream with a bow in the line.
Another time that I would use the quiver is if I am also likely to catch some large roach or Chub but even then it is not really essential.

Touch ledgering really is a great method as you can feel every little touch through the line, you can feel whether you are on gravel, silt, stones etc. you can feel the typical Barbel bites where the Barbel gives a small tug followed by a takeaway bite, or it feels like a rough file being rubbed on the line as the Barbel moves over the line, you can even tell the difference between streamer weed rubbing against the line or a line bite. whereas with a quiver all you see are the taps and knocks which could be anything so you are fishing more blindly. also when touch legering you can afford to look at the river and widlife around you as the slightest indication can be felt through your fingers enabling you to strike automatically when a bite occurs. It will take a short while to get used to the different bits of information that you are feeling but it is well worth the effort of learning the method and you will wonder why you never used it before.
When touch ledgering a quiver would dampen any information you are feeling through the line so is not advised. but if I am using two rods I would have to revert to the quivertips.

[Catfish Virgin (Still!)]

This always provokes much discussion and I suppose it's all a matter of personal preference and confidence. Having said that, I fish with both, depending on what I find on the day. I prefer to fish with one rod, across my lap and line "hooked" over my index finger. As has already been said, you can feel what's going on and can learn so much more that way. But I will happily sit behind two rods if it suits.

Last Autumn I fished the Severn around Worcester which tends to provide some superb barbel fishing and they're usually positive feeders giving good solid bites. But on that day I had several barbel to nearly 9lbs after switching from a 1.5lb tc Avon type rod to a 3oz glass quiver tip. I had a few little taps on the Avon top but they were magnified to positive bites after I switched to the quiver. On that day, the river was fishing "hard" according to the locals but I and a couple of mates had a superb day once we switched.

I've learnt a lot on the Stour in the last few months, one of the best indicators is a centrepin screaming off as the barbel takes (not that I've had that happen yet this season!). The Stour fish seem to have an aversion to rods pointing sky high, more probably an aversion to the angle of the line entering the water. The more successful guys down there fish long hooklengths, some use backleads to anchor the mainline well above the feeding area, rods well down, there's no need for quivertips!

Having said all that, some days you need to hang on to your rod or the barbel will drag it in!