one think that keeps intriguing me is wich length the trace should have when ledgering in flowing water.
I generally use a straight or link ledger arrangement when stationary ledgering baits like worm or meat for barbel, chub and carp.
In stillwaters i mostly got the grips of it and like shorter hooklentgh around 30cm.
But in rivers i couldnt hit quite a lot of bites with short hooklength. On the other hand, with long hooklength about 40cm i can psoitively strike most of the bites but got quite a few incidents where the hookbait was gone without indication.
If you think about it, with a long hooklength that gets straightened by the current, the fish can move only inches downstream or sideways before an indication but can move a yard upstream without any biteindication.
Im struggling to understand the principles behind this, as theoretically with a short hooklength the distance before you get any indication is the same downstreams and sideways, just the upstream movement gets quicker noticed.
It just doesnt make sense.
I know i tend to overcomplicate things and theorize a bit much sometimes, that doesnt mean i wouldnt know that the better alternative in practice is the one where i get more fish in the net. I just like to try to understand why things are how they are

So, how are youre experiences with hooklength in rivers? Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Axel