Helicopter rig?

[millersthumb]

The helicopter is new to me and i would like to know when used with a pop up or bottom bait what hook rig or rigs would be suitable, and please bear with me on this one lads as i am fairly new....

[charlieg]

If your fairly new you don't really need to worry about the helicopter set up. Why is it that you want to know more about this particular lead arrangement?

[adamkitson]

If your fairly new you don't really need to worry about the helicopter set up. Why is it that you want to know more about this particular lead arrangement?

 

Helicopter rigs are awesome in my opinion! Very safe when set up correctly, and can be set up to hook the fish with the weight of the lead then allow the fish to run with less resistance. I use helis loads! For pop ups use chod rigs, which is really a helicopter rig altered and renamed! For bottom baits, choice is yours! I like combi rigs, and the helicopter set up allows you to use a stiffer boom section and not be so worried about chod and silt, so the bait kicks away from the rig well.

 

Make sure you have enough knowledge to set up a helicopter rig safely though! Can be the safest rig in the lake, but can also be the most dangerous! If a break off happens and the mainline / leader can't pass through the ring swivel so the rig is the only thing left then you end up with a hooked fish that can't get rid of the leader but the weight is a meter or so away, making it more difficult to get rid of than if it were close to the mouth, and meaning the lead drags behind the fish or down through the water making a snag up more likely! A trailing leader may pass through a snag (not that I'd condone allowing that to occur either) but a training leader with a lead on the END of it may not!

[millersthumb]

If your fairly new you don't really need to worry about the helicopter set up. Why is it that you want to know more about this particular lead arrangement?

 

Helicopter rigs are awesome in my opinion! Very safe when set up correctly, and can be set up to hook the fish with the weight of the lead then allow the fish to run with less resistance. I use helis loads! For pop ups use chod rigs, which is really a helicopter rig altered and renamed! For bottom baits, choice is yours! I like combi rigs, and the helicopter set up allows you to use a stiffer boom section and not be so worried about chod and silt, so the bait kicks away from the rig well.

 

Make sure you have enough knowledge to set up a helicopter rig safely though! Can be the safest rig in the lake, but can also be the most dangerous! If a break off happens and the mainline / leader can't pass through the ring swivel so the rig is the only thing left then you end up with a hooked fish that can't get rid of the leader but the weight is a meter or so away, making it more difficult to get rid of than if it were close to the mouth, and meaning the lead drags behind the fish or down through the water making a snag up more likely! A trailing leader may pass through a snag (not that I'd condone allowing that to occur either) but a training leader with a lead on the END of it may not!

 

Thanks for the response exactly the kind of information i was looking for

[salokcinnodrog]

Me personally I don't like using helicopter rigs unless I absolutely need to.

 

They are brilliant for long distance casting as very aerodynamic, and also for proper silt fishing, but other than that, I try to stick to pendant or inline lead arrangements.

 

As for rigs to use, pop-up or bottom bait, fairly short rigs, or long enough to come out of the silt (may be a reason for switching to a longer rig on a pendant set-up). I used to braid on my silt rigs, but others have used fluorocarbon, mono etc.

 

In other words, there is really no right or wrong, just what does or doesn't work for you.