Is this a good rig? I'm new to ledger fishing

[Mr TightLines]

I've moved on to fishing on the ledger rather than float fishing in order to catch larger carp.

 

This is my rig: I put a ledger bomb straight onto my mainline, then a small bead and straight onto a swivel. The swivel obviously leads down onto a size 10 hook with a hair rig for a boilie. The line between the swivels and hook is braid (12lb) and the mainline is 12-15lb depending where I go. (This Is probably too heavy for the fish I catch currently).

 

Think it may be known as a running ledger rig. It's very simple. I've you've got tips or new rigs, please explain fully as I'm no pro when it comes to tying rigs. Is this rig a good rig? I use the hair rig thing generally 8" long so the boilie pops up nicely.

[smufter]

That's exactly how I fish and I catch enough to keep me happy although I tend to favour bottom baits rather than pop-ups.

Only thing I would do is possibly up my hook size (I tend to use size 8 as a minimum, usually a 6) but this, of course, depends a lot on the size of your bait (to a certain extent). I tend to use an 18mm boilie (just prefer it) but will sometimes go down to a 16mm depending on venue. Hook wise, I am a big fan of the Gardner covert mugga's. Turn nicely in the fishes mouth and usually result in a good bottom lip hookhold.

I also try to match my hook length to the type of lake bed I'm fishing, so will swap between a darker silt coloured coated braid or a greener "weedier" colour. I always use 15lb breaking strain and will strip it back a little at the eye of the hook to allow a little movement, also stripping the part that forms the hair. Mainline tends to be 10lb (Shimano Technium black) unless I am fishing somewhere particularly snaggy or weedy when I will up it to 12 or 15lb as necessary. I always use a coated braid rather than uncoated, as an uncoated braid can (can) lead to tangles.

I try to use as light a lead as possible, trying to get away with just as much as I need to get me the required distance. I only fish smallish waters so the biggest lead I ever use is a 1oz flat pear and I can still whack this out a fair way if necessary. I'm trying to create as little disturbance of the water as I possibly can, and a well flighted 1oz lead sounds little more than another boilie being thrown in. I hear the splashes some guys make flying out much bigger leads than are necessary and it makes me shudder sometimes!

8" is about the length of hook length I use, unless I know the venue is particularly silty and then I might go to a 12" one to make sure my bait is not dragged down into it. The use of a light lead helps here too, last thing you want is a heavy lead sinking and pulling your bait down through the crud. 

Seems like you are doing everything right, and there is no reason why your simple running lead set up shouldn't catch you plenty of fish (if you are on them that is!).

Edited June 13, 2014 by smufter

[newmarket]

Hello again matey , again smuft has talked a lot of sense . I use running leads myself and imo is the ideal set up especially when you are starting out . There are some good threads about lead set ups on here with pics , have a gander .

Try and attach the lead to the line with a run ring as in the pics , and if you make the swivel a quick-change type it makes it easier to change hooklengths quickly. I tend to favor leads of 2.5 ozs or more .

Also , just in case because you didnt mention it , if you do use a pop up , make sure you have a split shot or a little piece of rig putty about an inch or 2 behind the hook otherwise your pop up will be 8 inches off the lakebed and look strange when your freebies around it will be on the deck , sticking out and maybe suspicious to a carp ?

 

A little pva stick or mesh bag on the hooklength will prevent the possibility of a tangle on the cast.

Again , have a read up on some of the stickies in the rig tying section .

Good luck and welcome to this wonderful forum.

 

Its full of nutters

Edited June 13, 2014 by newmarket

[cyborx]

i actually wrote a loooong post that basically said "stick with the way you are doing it" it works

just as i was about to click 'post' the baby picked up the mouse and deleted it

 

welcome to the forum and just remember, pin yr boilies down