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Bolt rigs for tench - minimum weight needed?

Adam Francis

Senior Member
Hi all.

I was about to order some inline leads for an upcoming tench session & was wondering what the appropriate size would be for them to work effectively in a bolt rig?

The tench & bream both go into double figures, although I'm in no way assuming that I'll catch that particular stamp of fish, but I was thinking 1.5oz would be be about minimum?

Is that too light or could I go as low as 1oz?

Thanks in advance.
 
Ok thanks. As much as 2oz even when fishing for tench, bream etc? Is that because the hooking effect wouldn't work at lower weights?
 
If you want to use a lighter lead or feeder fish it running but with a tight line.

Thats something that stuck with me from last spring.

I went from using 2oz leads and pva bags to a 30gm method feeder. The 2oz lead set up was spot on for bolt rigging, but when I switched to the lighter method feeder the bites became stuttery and I stopped hooking fish. I changed it to a running rig with the line quite tight (I saw someone on telly fishing for tench and they had their line tight so I copied it!). and the bites turned into screamers again.

Those little curve shank hooks tied kd style with a bit of pop up corn worked spot on for the tench. Either bolt rigging or running style.
 
at short range a (semi) fixed lead of 1oz will perform fine, shorter the hooklength the better.

i had 90lb of tincas last week on a 25g lead with a 6" hooklength and 90% of them ripped off and self hooked.
 
I have found inline leads of an ounce or more normally inline maggot or method feeders fished to allow a 6 inch run before hitting a stop is devastating for tench
 
Interesting point in allowing the lead to run a short distance before the bolt effect takes place. I'll have a little go with that & see how I get on.

Thanks all.
 
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