Withy Pool Rig Mouth Damage

[jontain]

Hi all.

 

Just wanted your thoughts on the withy pool rig. Tied up a couple a few months back. Have had 3 fish on them so far but the last fish suffered torn tissue on the bottom of the mouth (inside by about an inch). I am slightly apprehensive to use it again because of this as I played the fish in gently, it looks as though the hook may have slipped (barbless) and has torn from the initial entry point.

 

I gave the wound a liberal coating of mouth treatment but I wasn't overly happy with the level of damage. Should got a picture of damage but wanted to get him back and recovering ASAP.

 

The other takes on this rig nailed them right in the bottom lip rather than inside the mouth and resulted in no damage at all.

 

Thoughts?

[dalthegooner]

I think you were just unlucky, possibly not helped by the barbless hook.

[dalthegooner]

use barbs when not snag fishing, barbless do a lot of damage.

 

While I agree, microbarbs are much better, it all depends on the rules of the fishery.

[jontain]

Unfortunately it's a barbless rule on the water so barbs are not an option, good point though.

 

I did think it was unlucky as I have not heard anything negative about the withy pool?

[bivvystreet]

What pattern of hook are you using chap? And how big was the fish? You were probably just unlucky though matey

[newmarket]

Theres a barbless only rule on my lake but i just completely ignore it .

[jontain]

Hook is a wide gape and the curve is made using one of fox's withy pool sleeve.

 

The fish was about 8-10lb

[jontain]

There is a barbless only rule on my lake but i just completely ignore it .

Haha, I think you would struggle to get away with it on this lake as every time I've been the balif comes round for a chin wag! Also he brings luck so would likely end up having to unhook a fish in front of him lol

[bivvystreet]

As I say probably just unlucky edit to agree with cm though

Edited March 24, 2015 by bivvystreet

[jontain]

did you need to use a Withey, its a heavy weed rig and its still winter, not much weed, or have you been reading to many mags, Jonno.

Guilty as charge me laud!

 

I wanted to test it out as it looks a lot like chod rig with a higher curve but I wanted to see the difference in takes/hookholds. I had it in mind for my difficult syndicate which has more than its fair share of the green stuff.

 

I like to test changes out on my nice easy park lake as I can see what does and doesn't work rather than sitting on my hands wondering if the rig is fishing or if the fish have moved on.

Edited March 24, 2015 by jontain

[bivvystreet]

Some say the chod rig is more suited to bigger fish,and the withy is similar. Don't know what other people think about the chod and smaller fish

[jontain]

Oh really? I did scale it all down as there aren't many larger fish in the lake but I didn't realise these popup style rigs weren't suited to the smaller stock?

 

I have heard that the 360 rig, which has received a lot of attention in the press, can be a death trap for the smaller fish but there was no explanation as to why?

[bivvystreet]

Oh really? I did scale it all down as there aren't many larger fish in the lake but I didn't realise these popup style rigs weren't suited to the smaller stock?

I have heard that the 360 rig, which has received a lot of attention in the press, can be a death trap for the smaller fish but there was no explanation as to why?

. There will be others that disagree I'm sure,sure there are some that use the chod anywhere. As for the 360 that is pretty much universally classed as a big fish rig

[jontain]

you must have missed the disagreement I had with a couple of lads on another thread, the weight on a take sits to close to the head of the fish, battering around the head on playing, schools out on this one Jon but personally, I wouldn't use them.

Ah I see, to be fair my chods are usually fished naked with 4-6 inch of tubing between the bottom bead and the lead. Not only has this reduced hook pulls but also moves the lead away from the fish during the fight. On this particular lake with the small fish and deep silt I tend to use no more than a 1.5 oz lead so hoping that the lead doesn't cause any damage, I can't say I have ever noticed any but I will keep this in mind mate.

[bivvystreet]

Prefer bottom baits myself anyway,certainly wouldn't use a pop up if I can get away with a bottom bait

[jontain]

Prefer bottom baits myself anyway,certainly wouldn't use a pop up if I can get away with a bottom bait

I need to get more confident with bottom baits for hook baits, 9 times out of 10 I will opt for a pop-up or balancing a bottom bait.

[rosstheangler]

balanced baits sit on the bottom with neutral buoyancy, pop ups are a used for a specific reason, bottom baits should always be your start point.

 

Why should you always start with a bottom bait? Surely it all depends on the situation.

[newmarket]

Depends , to me , on the make up of the lakebed.

 

The lake i fished for ages has gravel , silt , and a tiny bit of proper weed but EVERYWHERE has a layer of Filamous Algae over it of 1-5/2 inches .

 

I know it doesnt sound a lot but you cant buy a bite with a true bottom bait fir love nor money .

 

You have to use a Wafter or Pop up every time .

[bivvystreet]

Yes if the lakebed wasn't clean enough for a bottom bait then i'd use a pop up,reckon I'd still probably use the same pop up flavour as my free offerings though

[newmarket]

Yes if the lakebed wasn't clean enough for a bottom bait then i'd use a pop up,reckon I'd still probably use the same pop up flavour as my free offerings though

How many food source flavour matching pop ups REALLY match the bottom baits though ?

 

Of the 3 "food source" boilies that i have used since i have been targetting Carp specifically , i have used matching pop ups , wafters , hardened hookbaits both round and dumbell , glugged and unglugged and although they may give off the same signals as the standard boilies ( and we take that for granted because the bait firms tell us that ) but NONE of em LOOK the same .

 

Do they ? And im talking Premier CC Moore and Essential here too .

Not that its got anything to do with Withy pool rigs

[dalthegooner]

How many food source flavour matching pop ups REALLY match the bottom baits though ?...

 

Mine do. I use exactly the same boilie mix wrapped around a cork ball

[rosstheangler]

because the more natural, the presentation, the more you are likely to catch, specific reason and depending on the situation sound pretty similar to me.

 

What's natural about boilies then?

[bivvystreet]

How many food source flavour matching pop ups REALLY match the bottom baits though ?

Of the 3 "food source" boilies that i have used since i have been targetting Carp specifically , i have used matching pop ups , wafters , hardened hookbaits both round and dumbell , glugged and unglugged and although they may give off the same signals as the standard boilies ( and we take that for granted because the bait firms tell us that ) but NONE of em LOOK the same .

Do they ? And im talking Premier CC Moore and Essential here too .

Not that its got anything to do with Withy pool rigs

Seen some mainline baits that were a pretty decent match,might have been new grange if my memory serves (which it often don't) apologies to the op for straying from the withy rig Edit to say that my eyes ain't the best but they looked an ok match Edited March 25, 2015 by bivvystreet