Combi rig - This season’s rig nonsense/improvement

[Lewis Baldwin]

I just tie an allbright knot , less weight less knots and if tied correctly it’s as strong as the main line / braid

Same here, 20lb braid section to 15lb flouro and whatever size hook is suitable to the bait/conditions with a simple knotkess knot.

Never failed me, catches plenty, simple and effective

Thanks

Lewis

 

[Bob Watson]

I posted a similar thread about a combi rig a few years ago and I was also pretty much shot down in flames for it.

If I feel the need for short braid hooklink at the end of a long, heavier trace, I sometimes just tie a micro swivel inbetween the two and put a blob of putty on the swivel. The quicker the flow the longer the link. If it's a real slow pace I reduce the length, I can't help but feel everything lands in a big clump with long hooklinks, slow water and dense baits even when feeling the lead down!

I've often thought about trying helicopter rigs but have never gotten round to it, anyone tried them?

 

[Dimitri Tsakalos]

Me too Kevin, I have absolute faith in this knot.

Last season on a snaggy Ribble swim I had to pull for a break having snagged on the bedrock or a boulder. I was using a size 8 nash fang, so a strong hook, 15lb amnesia to 15lb braid. Pulled, got it all back, only to find the hook had snapped. The Albright knot hadn't given up. That convinced me that it was all i need for a combo rig, which is my preference for barbel.

Have you got an example of how you tie your Albright?
I seem to get inconsistent results with it and looking online, there are so many different variations of it.
Any advice is much appreciated.

 

[Adrian Sadler]

Heresy! I seem to remember being beaten to a pulp on here when I 'came clean' on my combi rig solution (using exactly the components outlined) a few years ago . . . . 'Christmas Tree' was one of the words use to belittle my speed rig efforts. . . . I admit its difficult being so ahead of the curve . . . . . . . . . . lol

Quick tip from the original (tm lol) inventor - rather than tying a fixed loop at the end of the small braided section do as Terry Hearn originally showed me (loop & boom rig from 20yrs+ ago) and double the braid in half before tying the knotless knot. This way you can really hone down the braided 'mini hooklink' length (1-4") and make them consistently the same size, as well as doubling the strength and making it easier to either loop onto a mini swivel / ring or hook onto a Korum Snap Swivel / ESP Ronnie Clip (my preferred method). Bait attachment is usually a bait screw but mounted on a small Korda D Rig Kicker. . .

I prefer the ESP Ronnie Clip over the Korum Snap as although you don't get the 'swivel' element the rubber sleeve is thin and perishes quickly which is obvs a risk . . . you also need to add putty as a pivot counterweight rather than the ESP tungsten which performs a dual function. Only watch out with the ESP set up is particularly snaggy / weedy swims - it really needs to be pushed firmly over the clip to stop it riding up the fluro hooklength when put under pressure; exposing the braided connection and leaving it free to detach under a slack line . . . .in this instance its better to use a simple straight length of coated braid with zero 'junctions' to damage . . . .more expensive in the long run but safer and more likelihood of landing big fish in tough conditions etc

I pretty much agree with Chris.

15lb mainline , 20lb FC hooklink, ESP Ronnie Clip, 15lb braid to hook, bait screw

Sounds a dog's breakfast but:-

The last 50mm or so is the weak link so you get your feeder back. As per Chris I tied it doubled but found it too fiddly for me ;-) and too strong!!...I want to be able to just about break this part if I snag (PS. I don't care if they're not all same length..'cos I don't know what the correct length is...but mostly 'cos In not c**p angler)
It doesn't tangle (much).
One hooklink lasts ages.
If you turn a hook point over you can put a new one on in seconds.
Boilie screwed on with a bait screw.
If it's not a pitch black night I can put a new hook and attach a boilie in the dark ( and I've not lost a baiting needle this year ...or been stabbed by one!)

Drawbacks:-
It took me 30 mins to tie six hooks and three hooklinks just now.
20lb flouro takes a big pull to tighten up ( grinner) the knot fully against the tiny clip. I slide it down to the base of a stringer needle and pull against that with pliers on the tag-end.
I lost one fish last year when the braided loop fell off the clip...I now lark's-foot the loop to the clip and I feel pretty confident it won't ever come off again ( I have only once had to push the tungsten beady-thing back over the clip once this year).
Ronnie Cips are nearly £1 each

PS

 

[Adrian Sadler]

I pretty much agree with Chris.

15lb mainline , 20lb FC hooklink, ESP Ronnie Clip, 15lb braid to hook, bait screw

Sounds a dog's breakfast but:-

The last 50mm or so is the weak link so you get your feeder back. As per Chris I tied it doubled but found it too fiddly for me ;-) and too strong!!...I want to be able to just about break this part if I snag (PS. I don't care if they're not all same length..'cos I don't know what the correct length is...but mostly 'cos In not c**p angler)
It doesn't tangle (much).
One hooklink lasts ages.
If you turn a hook point over you can put a new one on in seconds.
Boilie screwed on with a bait screw.
If it's not a pitch black night I can put a new hook and attach a boilie in the dark ( and I've not lost a baiting needle this year ...or been stabbed by one!)

Drawbacks:-
It took me 30 mins to tie six hooks and three hooklinks just now.
20lb flouro takes a big pull to tighten up ( grinner) the knot fully against the tiny clip. I slide it down to the base of a stringer needle and pull against that with pliers on the tag-end.
I lost one fish last year when the braided loop fell off the clip...I now lark's-foot the loop to the clip and I feel pretty confident it won't ever come off again ( I have only once had to push the tungsten beady-thing back over the clip once this year).
Ronnie Cips are nearly £1 each

PS

 

[Damian Kimmins]

Me too Kevin, I have absolute faith in this knot.

Last season on a snaggy Ribble swim I had to pull for a break having snagged on the bedrock or a boulder. I was using a size 8 nash fang, so a strong hook, 15lb amnesia to 15lb braid. Pulled, got it all back, only to find the hook had snapped. The Albright knot hadn't given up. That convinced me that it was all i need for a combo rig, which is my preference for barbel.

I have found some braids are better than others when it comes to the albright. It's like some have a slippery coating that interferes with the braid locking together.
Has anyone else experienced this?

 

[Tim Marks]

I have found some braids are better than others when it comes to the albright. It's like some have a slippery coating that interferes with the braid locking together.
Has anyone else experienced this?

I tied mine (usually with Korda supernatural braid) 8 turns up and 5 down. Then I add a Rizutto finish (basically a whip finish) and then put a tiny drop of superglue on it.

That has landed 40lb carp and 16+ barbel - but it is still an inefficient and basically an unreliable knot. I say that based on 20 + years of saltwater fly fishing - where knot strength is paramount. Albrights don’t get a look in there.

These days if I want a combi rig I use a boom (Gemini ready made or home tied with 25lb ish line and a crimp. Then I just loop on a hook section as per Chris Belcher above (knotless knot tied with a loop of line).

Having said all that, my standard set up is (usually) a short hooklink of coated braid with a little stripped off at the hook end.

 

[Terry Simner]

I have found some braids are better than others when it comes to the albright. It's like some have a slippery coating that interferes with the braid locking together.
Has anyone else experienced this?

That's true ... how 'slippy' the braid is depends of the grade of polyethylene used to make it, and the number of strands within the braid. E.G.. compare Powerpro regular to Powerpro 8.

 

[Steve Jeffery]

Have you got an example of how you tie your Albright?
I seem to get inconsistent results with it and looking online, there are so many different variations of it.
Any advice is much appreciated.

Albright Knot

The Albright Knot is a versatile fishing knot that has a wide range of uses. The Albright Knot is only moderately easy to tie but it is suitable for joining different types of fishing line, e.g., Monofilament to Braided, or Braided to Wire.

www.animatedknots.com

Thats how I tie mine. Can be fiddly until you have mastered it. Key is making sure the line comes out of the loop in the same way as you started it, otherwise it unwinds when you tension the knot. I wrap the braid around the mono, normally about 10 turns.
I use amnesia to bank tackle braid, but have used it in the past with other moron and korum and korda braid, but not any of the coated stuff.

 

[Daniel Jeffery]

I have found some braids are better than others when it comes to the albright. It's like some have a slippery coating that interferes with the braid locking together.
Has anyone else experienced this?

Yes I’ve come across this a couple of times. Last time was with Armourlink, the braid wraps just wouldn’t cinch down and grip the fluoro properly.

I think as @Terry Simner stated above, mainly due to the material. I think braids marketed as “soft & supple” often means a bit more slick. That combined with the already very smooth surface of fluoro can lead to trouble.

 

[Derek Funcks]

Have you got an example of how you tie your Albright?
I seem to get inconsistent results with it and looking online, there are so many different variations of it.
Any advice is much appreciated.

Fishing Knots

Fishing Knots. Fishing knots are designed to be tied in monofilament or braided fishing line and to run through the eyes and rings of a fishing rod or rig.

www.animatedknots.com

 

[Dimitri Tsakalos]

Appreciate the advice, I'll give that a go and hopefully will get better consistency when tying the Albright.
Thanks again.

 

[Kevin Brown]

Fishing Knots

Fishing Knots. Fishing knots are designed to be tied in monofilament or braided fishing line and to run through the eyes and rings of a fishing rod or rig.

www.animatedknots.com

That’s not how I tie mine , it’s 8/9 up and 4 down and back through the loop the same way you went through it , that version is just 10 down , no idea if that works , never used it .
I’ve found it totally reliable and when pulling for a break the mainline/ hook link usually goes or the hook straightens out. It’s definitely not the weakest link in the set up .
I also use the enterprise adjuster stops and never had a problem, just wet the line if you want to adjust the hook link.

 

[Jon Frisby]

That’s not how I tie mine , it’s 8/9 up and 4 down and back through the loop the same way you went through it , that version is just 10 down , no idea if that works , never used it .
I’ve found it totally reliable and when pulling for a break the mainline/ hook link usually goes or the hook straightens out. It’s definitely not the weakest link in the set up .
I also use the enterprise adjuster stops and never had a problem, just wet the line if you want to adjust the hook link.

That's how I do it too. Depending on the bs, half the Down to the up. Ie 8 up and 4 down...

 

[Chris Belcher]

I tied mine (usually with Korda supernatural braid) 8 turns up and 5 down. Then I add a Rizutto finish (basically a whip finish) and then put a tiny drop of superglue on it.

That has landed 40lb carp and 16+ barbel - but it is still an inefficient and basically an unreliable knot. I say that based on 20 + years of saltwater fly fishing - where knot strength is paramount. Albrights don’t get a look in there.

These days if I want a combi rig I use a boom (Gemini ready made or home tied with 25lb ish line and a crimp. Then I just loop on a hook section as per Chris Belcher above (knotless knot tied with a loop of line).

Having said all that, my standard set up is (usually) a short hooklink of coated braid with a little stripped off at the hook end.

Crimps! OMG that is heresy . . . .I can hear it now - 'nowt wrong with a good old figure of 8 loop' lol

Tbf I do use crimps for some carp rigs (normally mega short chods / stiff hinged hooklink sections / accurate creation of booms) but primarily when the length is overly short and needs to be created at exactly the same length. On this basis don't see an advantage with longer barbel combis and would never crimp fluro anyway as its a liability when crushed - prefer to use the ESP Ronnie clip